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Video: Motorcyclist Adam Sandoval Talks About World Record-Breaking Ride and Motorcycle Maintenance Tips

David Swarts
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Video: Motorcyclist Adam Sandoval Talks About World Record-Breaking Ride and Motorcycle Maintenance Tips

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World record breaking motorcyclist, Adam Sandoval, has taken multiple cross-country trips across the US to raise money for veterans over the years. When he started his mission, he sold his house and all his personal belongings before heading out on the open road, all the with goal of giving back to veterans, and raising awareness of his journey at every stop. He’s crossed the US dozens of times, and learned a thing or two along the way.

One of the things that became clear to him during his travels was the inconsistency of the fuel he was getting at the pump, making it clear that maintenance was going to be a major factor in his journey, as the fuel he was adding to his gas tank was gumming up and creating varnish inside his engine.

To keep his motorcycle running and to avoid engine problems along the open road, Adam uses Techron Powersports which keeps his fuel system clean, gets him better performance and increases his fuel economy.

To learn more, visit Techronclean.com.

Recent Wedding: Jasmin Kohl – Spero Benias

David Swarts
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Recent Wedding: Jasmin Kohl – Spero Benias

Jasmin Kohl, the 2019 WMRC 250 Production and WMRC Women’s Champion, married Spero Benias, the 2019 WMRC Open Supersport, WMRC Superbike and WMRC Formula Ultra Champion, October 20 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

World Superbike: Leon Camier To Ride For Barni Racing Ducati Team In 2020

David Swarts
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World Superbike: Leon Camier To Ride For Barni Racing Ducati Team In 2020

Leon Camier joins Barni Racing Team for 2020 WorldSBK

Calvenzano (BG) 22nd October 2019. Barni Racing Team officially launches its 2020 campaign and is thrilled to announce the agreement with rider Leon Camier for the 2020 Superbike World Championship season.

Camier will ride the Ducati Panigale V4 R and will make his debut with the bike of the team from Bergamo during the upcoming 13th-14th November tests at the Aragon Circuit.
Born in Ashford, United Kingdom, Leon is a well experienced and prominent rider with more than 220 races starts in WorldSBK, the Brit is now ready to join the Barni Racing Team for a new challenge next year.

 

Marco Barnabo, Team Principal:

“I am very proud for the agreement that we have reached with Leon,  he has shown a high appreciation for our team and he is very motivated to join us. We are aware that together we can achieve good results. As every year we will have to work hard, but as always my crew will give their maximum efforts, and I want to thank them for what they have done on the bike development so far. I also want to thank the sponsors who have supported us so far and who will be joining us in 2020 as well.”
 

Leon Camier: 

“I am very much looking forward to the new challenge in the next season. I will use all my riding and development skills to achieve top level results together with Marco and his team. They have a close relation to the factory, are a very passionate, engineering driven group with focus on results and I believe we will work well together. Having said that my focus now is first to finish the season as strong as possible in Qatar with my current team.”

MotoAmerica Superbike: Yamaha Partners With Attack Performance, Signs Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne For 2020

John Ulrich
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MotoAmerica Superbike: Yamaha Partners With Attack Performance, Signs Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne For 2020

Yamaha Announces MotoAmerica Superbike Team

Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is pleased to announce a partnership with Attack Performance to field a two-rider team in the 2020 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. The new Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team will be headed by four-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier and multi-time support class champion Jake Gagne, both riding YZF-R1s.

Following a World Superbike team structure model used by Yamaha Motor Europe (YME), YMUS reached a two-year agreement with Attack Performance, which is one of the sport’s leading manufacturers of high-performance components and services for modern sportbikes. Together, Yamaha and Attack Performance will work towards the goal of winning championships in the MotoAmerica Superbike Series. Along with key sponsorship from Monster Energy, the team will receive the full support of both YMUS and YME.

Attack Performance principal Richard Stanboli brings a wealth of technical experience to the program. He and his company have scored multiple championships and race wins in professional road racing in the U.S., and during the past two years, Attack Performance’s privateer effort with the YZF-R1 platform was a top contender in MotoAmerica’s Superbike class.

Reigning MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Beaubier returns with Yamaha in 2020 for his seventh season in the premier class and looks to defend his title. The Californian showed great fortitude this year with his dramatic come-from-behind victory in the closing moments of the season to secure his fourth Superbike title with a pair of wins at the finale. He currently sits third on the all-time AMA Superbike wins list with 38 victories.

Joining Beaubier is the 2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, Jake Gagne. The 26-year-old, viewed by many as one of the top talents in the U.S., returned to the MotoAmerica Superbike Series this past season after a year abroad in the World Superbike Championship. In addition to his 2015 title aboard the Yamaha YZF-R1, Gagne was crowned AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion in 2014 on a Yamaha YZF-R6, and he looks to continue his championship success with the brand.

Tom Halverson, Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager

“When we started planning the new direction for our Superbike team, the first company we thought of was Attack Performance. They have the skill, desire and passion needed to win. Combining our resources, knowledge and personnel with theirs should make for a super-competitive organization. We will work closely together to make everything gel before the first race so we can start the season off strong. From there, we are confident that the team and riders will only get stronger and be in contention for another MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.

“Of course, having Cameron back is key, and we are so pleased he has decided to stay in the U.S. and race with us for at least two more seasons. We are also very happy to have Jake Gagne join us as Cameron’s teammate. Jake is a very talented and popular rider, and I’m sure he will take full advantage of this opportunity and be in the hunt right away.

“Lastly, we wish Garrett (Gerloff) all the success he deserves. We will miss him in the paddock and on the track, but we are also very happy he is able to pursue his dreams and race with Yamaha on the world stage.”

Richard Stanboli, Attack Performance Principal

“Everyone at Attack Performance is very excited to expand our partnership and collaboration with a great company, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. We have worked with a number of OEMs over the past two decades, and our most recent experience with Yamaha has been nothing but rewarding. The R1 has been a fantastic machine that allowed us, as a private team, to effectively race for the top step of the podium and compete for the championship. In 2020, we will bring to bear everything we have learned, in combination with Yamaha’s wealth of knowledge, to the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. We will settle for nothing short of the top spot at every single event!

“We are also excited to work with two champions, Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne. Cameron is a proven competitor who is a true deal-closer. We have all watched him beat the competition with closing-lap charges that are nothing short of amazing. Jake is also a Yamaha champion with a wealth of talent and potential. His best days are right around the corner, and we are eager to help him.”

Cameron Beaubier, Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing

“I’m looking toward 2020! There will be some changes within our team, but we will always have the same goal. I’ve been working with my crew chief Rick Hobbs ever since I started racing in Superbike back in 2014, but he is retiring this year. We had an amazing run together, and we are on to a new chapter. I am really excited to be working with Attack Performance. The guys at Yamaha, with the addition of Richard Stanboli’s knowledge, I feel confident that they will build a weapon out of the 2020 R1.”

Jake Gagne, Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing

“I could not be more thrilled to go Yamaha Superbike racing! I want to extend a massive thank you to Keith (McCarty, Motorsports Racing Division Manager for YMUS), Tom (Halverson), Jim (Roach, Technical Division Manager for YMUS) and the entire Yamaha family for their belief and nonstop support. It’s a dream come true to be aboard the championship-winning machine and surrounded by such a huge amount of experience and knowledge. I’ve been fortunate to have had my most successful racing years aboard a Yamaha, so I feel like I’m back at home.”

More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:

Yamaha Partners With Attack Performance For 2020 MotoAmerica Series

Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne To Lead Team

COSTA MESA, CA (October 21, 2019)– MotoAmerica is pleased to announce that four-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier will return to the series in 2020 to defend his title, the 26-year-old Californian set to spearhead a two-rider team that’s a partnership between Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS) and Attack Performance. Beaubier will be joined on the team by 2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion Jake Gagne.

YMUS is following a team structure model used by Yamaha Motor Europe (YME) in World Superbike with the announcement of its two-year agreement today with Attack Performance, the Richard Stanboli-owned team that ran Josh Herrin and JD Beach in 2018 and 2019, respectively, in one-rider teams in the MotoAmerica Series. Along with key sponsorship from Monster Energy, the team will receive the full support of both YMUS and YME.

“When we started planning the new direction for our Superbike team, the first company we thought of was Attack Performance,” said Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team manager Tom Halverson in a team release. “They have the skill, desire and passion needed to win. Combining our resources, knowledge and personnel with theirs should make for a super-competitive organization. We will work closely together to make everything gel before the first race so we can start the season off strong. From there, we are confident that the team and riders will only get stronger and be in contention for another MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.

“Of course, having Cameron (Beaubier) back is key, and we are so pleased he has decided to stay in the U.S. and race with us for at least two more seasons. We are also very happy to have Jake Gagne join us as Cameron’s teammate. Jake is a very talented and popular rider, and I’m sure he will take full advantage of this opportunity and be in the hunt right away.

“Lastly, we wish Garrett (Gerloff) all the success he deserves. We will miss him in the paddock and on the track, but we are also very happy he is able to pursue his dreams and race with Yamaha on the world stage.”

It was announced earlier today that Gerloff will be moving to the World Superbike Championship with the GRT Yamaha team.

Beaubier, however, will be back, the 38-time AMA Superbike race winner hoping to earn a fifth MotoAmerica Superbike crown.

“I’m looking toward 2020,” Beaubier said. “There will be some changes within our team, but we will always have the same goal. I’ve been working with my crew chief Rick Hobbs ever since I started racing in Superbike back in 2014, but he is retiring this year. We had an amazing run together, and we are on to a new chapter. I am really excited to be working with Attack Performance. The guys at Yamaha, with the addition of Richard Stanboli’s knowledge, I feel confident that they will build a weapon out of the 2020 R1.”

“Everyone at Attack Performance is very excited to expand our partnership and collaboration with a great company, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.,” Stanboli said in the team release. “We have worked with a number of OEMs over the past two decades, and our most recent experience with Yamaha has been nothing but rewarding. The R1 has been a fantastic machine that allowed us, as a private team, to effectively race for the top step of the podium and compete for the championship. In 2020, we will bring to bear everything we have learned, in combination with Yamaha’s wealth of knowledge, to the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. We will settle for nothing short of the top spot at every single event.

“We are also excited to work with two champions, Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne. Cameron is a proven competitor who is a true deal closer. We have all watched him beat the competition with closing-lap charges that are nothing short of amazing. Jake is also a Yamaha champion with a wealth of talent and potential. His best days are right around the corner, and we are eager to help him.”

Gagne, who like Beaubier is 26 years old, raced a Scheibe Racing BMW to eighth in the 2019 MotoAmerica Superbike Series a season after getting a taste of the World Superbike Championship with the Red Bull Honda team. In addition to his MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 title, which he won while racing a Yamaha YZF-R1, Gagne was crowned AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion in 2014 on a Yamaha YZF-R6, as he looks to continue his championship success with the brand.

“I could not be more thrilled to go Yamaha Superbike racing,” Gagne said in the team release. “I want to extend a massive thank you to Keith (McCarty, Motorsports Racing Division Manager for YMUS), Tom (Halverson), Jim (Roach, Technical Division Manager for YMUS) and the entire Yamaha family for their belief and nonstop support. It’s a dream come true to be aboard the championship-winning machine and surrounded by such a huge amount of experience and knowledge. I’ve been fortunate to have had my most successful racing years aboard a Yamaha, so I feel like I’m back at home.

“Also, I’m really looking forward to working with Richard Stanboli at Attack Performance. I’m filled with motivation, and I’m really looking forward to a productive off-season of training and riding. I know the Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team will be a very strong force the next two years, and I’m really looking forward to stepping in alongside my new teammate and reigning champ Cameron Beaubier. I know we will both do our best to bring home wins and move the whole package forward. I’m counting down the days till I get to swing a leg over the R1 and start spinning laps with the team. Thanks again to the entire Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team and all the great sponsors and supporters, as well as MotoAmerica and all the fans who keep us going.”

“We are really happy with Yamaha’s announcement today regarding its MotoAmerica Superbike program,” MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey said. “They are following Yamaha Europe’s lead in the way they have their World Superbike program set up and we believe that system will work well in the MotoAmerica paddock. I’m sure Richard Stanboli will do a great job with the team. He has a lot of experience and his efforts in our series have been topnotch. Naturally, we’re thrilled that Cameron (Beaubier) is coming back. He’s been with us since the beginning and has won four of the five Superbike Championships since we took over the series. Jake (Gagne) has also tasted success in our series and I think he’s a solid choice for the second seat on the team.”

World Superbike: Championship To Conclude Under The Lights This Coming Weekend In Qatar

David Swarts
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World Superbike: Championship To Conclude Under The Lights This Coming Weekend In Qatar
#QATWorldSBK: 
The Season’s Sunset
WorldSBK set for Qatar closer
After 34 races, 12 rounds, visits to ten countries across five continents, unbelievable comebacks, shattered records, very public rivalries, controversy, the occasional inclement weather, laughs, tears and, most importantly, some phenomenal racing, we have arrived at the final destination. The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship lands in Qatar where fireworks are sure to fly once again between the top contenders, as they have done nonstop for the past eight months.

The fierce back-and-forth between Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) promises to continue for several years to come, but for now this will be the final time they face off in their current colours. Bautista will serve the new HRC squad from 2020 onwards, closing a brief yet intense chapter in red (whilst perhaps creating one of the biggest ‘what ifs’ in WorldSBK history).

While pure dominance led Rea to at least three of his previous four world titles, this one has undoubtedly been marked by his consistency, even in defeat. Yet the Northern Irishman still has a chance to match his total number of victories from 2018 – albeit in 37 races rather than 25 – and trump his nemesis in the process. Rea has won 14 races, Bautista 16: the rest is self-explanatory.

It remains to be seen which bike takes best to the Losail International Circuit. 5.360km-long and with a kilometre-plus start-finish straight, one would think it would suit the Borgo Panigale rocket and therefore Bautista; but Rea, let’s not forget, is undefeated here since 2017.

Their respective teammates will also be looking to end the season on a high. Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will be sat on the V4 R next year and seems to be coming to terms with the package – what better way to solidify your claim as a title contender for next year than to win the closing races? It wouldn’t be the first time the Welshman sits atop of the Losail podium; nor would it be for Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who ended his previous full-time stint in WorldSBK with a victory in Qatar. Instrumental to KRT retaining the Teams Championship, a first win in green would be a fine finale to his Kawasaki comeback.

Honour is always on the line in the final showdown of the year, but for many riders the stakes are much, much higher than that. Just six points separate three riders in the battle for bronze: current Pata Yamaha duo Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark, and future Pata Yamaha star Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing). Two of them have won races this season; the other remains ahead in the standings. The two men in blue hold 15 podium finishes between them; Razgatlioglu has claimed 13 alone yet still trails them on points. It’s been a standout season for all three – but there’s only room for one on the highlight reel.

Early 2019 saw the birth of several new projects in WorldSBK; Round 13, accordingly, will be the moment to evaluate where they stand one year on. For Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), his first year after trading the green and black leathers for white ones can only be deemed a success. A win under the floodlights would cap off this first season quite nicely.

This has also been the first year of the triple-pronged Moriwaki-Althea-Honda project. A season somewhat marred by injuries and disappointing results has taken an upturn in the last couple of rounds thanks to Leon Camier, who has managed to close the gap with the leading machines. More top ten results are on the cards for the Englishman.

Qatar is also synonymous with chapters closing and new doors opening; the list of those who will be moving on in the New Year includes Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven), Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) or Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). But for one man the story itself is coming to an end. Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) will write the final lines of his career as an active competitor at the Losail International Circuit. A World Champion and multiple race winner with a memorable personality, his presence in the paddock will be sorely missed. From Monday onwards, that is – on Friday and Saturday the diminutive Italian will be out to win, as he has done in every race for the past three decades.

The final Round of 2019 is upon us! Watch out for the classic, Qatar schedule change: Race 1 will take place on Friday, 25th October at 20:00 Local Time (GMT+3), with Saturday 26th hosting the Tissot Superpole Race (16:00LT) and Race 2 (20:00LT).
#QATWorldSBK: The Season’s Sunset
WorldSSP: Three riders. One Champion. The final round of 2019 awaits WorldSSP!

A scintillating World Supersport season is approaching its final round and with three riders in the title race, it is set to be an electric final outing of the season in Qatar!
After the rollercoaster season that has gripped the FIM Supersport World Championship in 2019, it goes down to the wire yet again. For a third consecutive year, the WorldSSP title fight will be sorted out under the floodlights of the Losail International Circuit and Qatar. In what is the only visit to the Middle East, World Supersport has seen some of the closest finishes in its history occur in the ever-developing oil-rich country, and 2019 is going to be no exception.

He’s led the Championship since Australia but Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) has seen his lead slashed from over 20 points to just eight. Mistakes in recent rounds have put the title celebrations on ice for the Swiss star and he’s not in the greatest of form either. Coming from his two worst weekends in 2019, Krummenacher knows that if there’s one race he needs to recapture form for, it’s this one. A win for his teammate Federico Caricasulo and a third place for Krummenacher swings the title to the Italian. After fraught comments following a disappointing Argentina, it is now or never for Krummenacher.

Having chased Krummenacher hard all year, Federico Caricasulo (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) is the Swiss’ nearest rival in the standings. Eight points separate the two and with 25 up for grabs, this is a crucial round. Caricasulo has failed to take more than seven points out of Krummenacher in one go, something that he will need to fix during the last round. Three wins from 11 races and six other podiums, Caricasulo knows that he has a chance of victory this weekend; if he wins then Krummenacher must be second, but if Caricasulo is second, then Krummenacher must be somewhere else in the top four. It’s that simple.

Against the odds, Jules Cluzel comes into the Motul Qatar Round with an outside hope of the title. 22 points back of Krummenacher, Cluzel must win to even stand a chance. Should he win, then Krummenacher must be 14th or lower and Federico Caricasulo outside the top four in the race. It’s unlikely, but just two rounds ago, both BARDAHL Yamaha riders crashed out. Cluzel hasn’t taken back-to-back wins in the class since Assen and Imola in 2018 and besides his title rivals, five other riders have outshone Cluzel on their day in 2019. He can still win however, and that is what counts. Expect the unexpected.

Out of the top three and with no mathematical chance of the Championship, Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) heads to Losail with a new contract in his pocket for 2020; Remaining with the Puccetti outfit for 2020. Out of all the riders on the grid, Mahias has scored more points than anyone in the last six races and has been on the podium in the last five – the first time in his career that he’s achieved five consecutive podiums. A winner in Qatar in the last two seasons, Mahias could be the spoiler in the title race in 2019.

Mahias’ teammate Hikari Okubo has been one of just three riders to score points in every race this year, but he was somewhat out of position in Argentina. The 26-year-old Japanese star was down in 12th in the race, only his second finish outside the top ten all year. Heading to Losail, Okubo reaches a circuit that he’s failed to finish at in the last two seasons. But don’t count him out; Okubo needs a strong performance in the final race of the season to secure a 2020 ride. Could that elusive podium finally come his way?

Completing the top six in the standings is Raffaele De Rosa (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse), who is still without a WorldSSP win. He featured strongly at the end of the race in Argentina to finish in sixth place, meaning he is now just five points behind Okubo in the standings. Yet to feature inside the top ten at Losail, De Rosa knows that a strong result over Okubo could give him a best end-of-season finish – fifth overall. Can the 32-year-old Italian deliver?

Outside of the top six, there’s plenty of riders to keep an eye on. Recent rounds has seen Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing) on the podium and looking strong, whilst pole-sitter in Argentina Corentin Perolari (GMT94 YAMAHA) will be eager to achieve his first rostrum of his WorldSSP career. Thomas Gradinger (Kallio Racing) is eager to recapture his early season form, with Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing) seeking the continuation of his top ten streak. Just behind him overall is the best Honda of Peter Sebestyen (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda), who could beat Badovini to the top ten overall.
WorldSSP300: Losail to light-up remaining battles in WorldSSP300

Title accomplished, pride and honour at stake: the Motul Qatar Round will witness the final World Supersport 300 action of the season and it promises to be dramatic
The season finale of the World Supersport 300 Championship is approaching, as the class takes on its first visit outside of Europe to the Motul Qatar Round. The Losail International Circuit should lend itself perfectly to the WorldSSP300 field, with fast and flowing corners and a 1068m front straight. The Champion has already been crowned with Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) taking WorldSSP300 honours, but the battle behind him for second place is raging, with three riders in mathematic contention for runner-up spot in 2019.

It has been a stunning season for Manuel Gonzalez, having romped clear at the head of the field and wrapped the Championship up with a round to spare, making him the youngest ever FIM Road Racing World Champion. Like most of the WorldSSP300 class, it is the first visit to Losail for Gonzalez, and he will be out to reinforce the fact that he is Champion for a reason. He could be the first WorldSSP300 rider in history to achieve four race wins in one year.

The battle for second is the focus point and former Moto3™ stars Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) and Scott Deroue (Kawasaki MOTOPORT) have an advantage over Andy Verdoïa (BCD Yamaha MS Racing), having been to the circuit before. However, back then, neither were able to score points, so it is more of a level playing field than it could’ve been. With both Deroue and Carrasco winning at Portimao and Magny-Cours respectively, the pressure is certainly on Verdoïa, who hasn’t been on the podium since Donington Park in July.

Mathematically, fourth is still possible for Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team) but he is 20 points away. Moreover, he is leading the battle for the final position inside the top five in the standings. The Dutch rider’s consistency has seen him finish in the points in every single race this year, although his nearest rival is right behind him. Marc Garcia (DS Junior Team) is just one point behind Steeman, whilst seven points further back is Steeman’s teammate, Jan-Ole Jahnig, who was last on the podium at Assen.

There is then a six-point gap which sees Galang Hendra Pratama (Semakin Di Depan Biblion Motoxracing) occupy eighth place, just 14 points from Steeman in fifth. He will be joined in the team this weekend by fellow Indonesian rider, Muhammad Faerozi. Hugo De Cancellis (Team Trasimeno Yamaha) is in the battle for fifth overall too, although he is 22 points behind Steeman. He is joint on points with an in-form Nick Kalinin (Nutec – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki), with the Ukrainian rider completing the top ten. Fifth to tenth have a mathematical chance of the top five, but all eyes are on Steeman, Garcia and Jahnig.

Other riders who are going to be eager to fight their way into the top ten overall include Kevin Sabatucci (Team Trasimeno Yamaha), who was victorious in dramatic fashion at Donington Park. The top Italian in the Championship lies 11th overall and with a strong result in Qatar, could break into the top ten placings. Fellow countryman Bruno Ieraci (Kawasaki GP Project) is still in search of his first podium and having been inside the top ten until Donington Park, he will be eager to make it back into those positions.

Making his debut in Qatar, as well as Muhammad Faerozi, will be Dallas Daniels, who is one of the next stars coming from the United States. At just 16, he has been a race winner in the Liqui Moly Junior Cup in MotoAmerica, on his way to finishing third. There is one other rider swap and that is Oliver König (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team), who replaces Koen Meuffels – the former race winner parted ways with the team ahead of Portimao.
Catch all the riders’ reactions and more on our WorldSBK social channels and at WorldSBK.com.

World Superbike: Garrett Gerloff, Federico Caricasulo To Race With GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team In 2020

David Swarts
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World Superbike: Garrett Gerloff, Federico Caricasulo To Race With GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team In 2020

Young Guns Caricasulo and Gerloff to Step up to WorldSBK in 2020

Yamaha Motor Europe is pleased to announce that the GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK Team will field an exciting new international rider line-up for the 2020 FIM Superbike World Championship season, with Italian Federico Caricasulo joining American Garrett Gerloff in the team for their second season in the premier production class.

Caricasulo is already familiar with the GRT Yamaha squad, having contested the FIM Supersport World Championship with them in 2017 and 2018, taking his YZF-R6 to ten podium finishes and three race wins during his two seasons with the team.

The 23-year-old from Ravenna, Italy, is currently contesting the 2019 FIM Supersport World Championship on a YZF-R6 for a third consecutive season. He has already impressed with a total of nine podium finishes from twelve races, three of which were race wins, and is currently lying second in the championship standings, a slender eight points off the series leader with one round remaining.

Gerloff also comes with a winning pedigree. The 24-year-old Texan was the MotoAmerica Supersport Champion in 2016 and 2017 before joining the Yamaha Factory Superbike Team in 2018, where he made a blazing MotoAmerica Superbike debut with an incredible podium finish. Four more podium finishes followed that year, with Gerloff ending his rookie season fifth in the championship standings.

After a year of experience on Yamaha’s cutting-edge YZF-R1 machine, Gerloff remained with Yamaha in 2019, securing four race wins and 15 podium finishes on his way to finishing third overall in his second full season of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.

In a bid to further their already impressive racing careers, both Gerloff and Caricasulo are looking forward to the new challenge of competing in the world’s premier Superbike series with Yamaha’s race proven YZF-R1 machinery and the GRT Yamaha squad, which for the 2020 season will be retitled as the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team.

Federico Caricasulo (64). Photo courtesy of Yamaha.
Federico Caricasulo (64). Photo courtesy of Yamaha.

Federico Caricasulo

“For me this is a dream come true. To have the chance to step up to WorldSBK is already fantastic, but to be given the opportunity to do so with Yamaha and in a team that I know well is just incredible. I grew up as a racer as part of the GRT Yamaha team, realising my potential on the world stage with them, so I’m excited to go back and start this new adventure. But for now, I need to put this to one side and focus on the final race of the season in the Supersport class. I am second in the championship, just eight points off the lead, so it’s still all to play for at the final round. Nothing would make me happier than stepping up to WorldSBK as the reigning Supersport World Champion, and that’s exactly what we’ll be aiming for in Qatar next week.”

Garrett Gerloff

“I want to start out by saying thank you to Yamaha Motor USA for everything that they’ve done for me, for signing me in the first place so many years ago and really having faith in me. I wouldn’t be where I am now in my career without their help. I’m really excited to say that I’ll be continuing in the Yamaha family for 2020, this time with the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team. I’m also really looking forward to representing America overseas. It’s something that I’ve always dreamed of doing and something that I’ve been preparing for, and I feel like I’m ready to do. I really appreciate Yamaha Europe giving me the opportunity to be that guy, to be one of the guys, to represent them and try to go get good results. I also want to say a big thanks to Ben Spies for really helping me out the past few months and getting my name out there and really pushing for me. I have a lot of goals that I really want to accomplish next year, and I know that with the team’s help and the Yamaha R1 that I’ll have a great opportunity of reaching them. I know this isn’t going to be easy, but I never give up. I’m ready to push myself and continue chasing my dream!”

Andrea Dosoli: Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager

“I’m happy to welcome Federico and Garrett to our WorldSBK program, as both earned this opportunity through their achievements aboard Yamaha machinery in two very different championships. Both are young, talented and determined to succeed in the premier production class and Yamaha is fully committed to helping them realise their true potential during the 2020 season. Federico and Garrett will both ride for the retitled GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team that, having benefitted from running the vastly experienced Marco Melandri this year, is ready to fulfil this strategic role within Yamaha’s rider development program under the direction of Team Manager, Filippo Conti. I wish both riders every success for the 2020 season, as they embark on their WorldSBK debut season.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:

Gerloff Headed To World Superbike Championship

Texan Ready To Fulfill His Dream With GRT Yamaha Team

COSTA MESA, CA (October 21, 2019)– MotoAmerica is proud to announce that two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and four-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Garrett Gerloff has inked a deal that will see the young Texan competing in the 2020 World Superbike Championship aboard a GRT Yamaha YZF-R1.

“I want to start out by saying thank you to Yamaha Motor USA for everything that they’ve done for me, for signing me in the first place so many years ago and really having faith in me,” Gerloff said in a Yamaha Motor Europe release. “I wouldn’t be where I am now in my career without their help. I’m really excited to say that I’ll be continuing in the Yamaha family for 2020, this time with the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team. I’m also really looking forward to representing America overseas. It’s something that I’ve always dreamed of doing and something that I’ve been preparing for, and I feel like I’m ready to do. I really appreciate Yamaha Europe giving me the opportunity to be that guy, to be one of the guys, to represent them and try to go get good results. I also want to say a big thanks to Ben Spies for really helping me out the past few months and getting my name out there and really pushing for me. I have a lot of goals that I really want to accomplish next year, and I know that with the team’s help and the Yamaha R1 that I’ll have a great opportunity of reaching them. I know this isn’t going to be easy, but I never give up. I’m ready to push myself and continue chasing my dream.”

Gerloff will be joined by Italian Federico Caricasulo on the two-rider team that is based in Italy. Caricasulo is currently second in the 2019 World Supersport Championship and is just eight points out of the championship points lead with one round remaining.

Gerloff won the 2016 and 2017 MotoAmerica Supersport titles before switching to the Superbike class in 2018. The 24-year-old Texan finished fifth in his rookie season in 2018 and followed that with a breakout year in 2019 that saw him win four Superbike races and earn 15 podiums en route to third in the championship.

“We are very happy to see Garrett get this opportunity to chase his dream,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “He had a great season in MotoAmerica this year and we think he’s picked the perfect time to show his talents to the rest of the world. He was fast all season, won four races and was in the championship battle until the very end. I think Garrett has an advantage in that our rules are in line with those of World Superbike so he can jump on a bike and just go race. When we put MotoAmerica together, we wanted to make sure that when our riders got the opportunity in the World Championship, they would be completely comfortable with the regulations, the technical rules and the procedures, so they just have to learn the racetracks. We know Garrett can do the job well and everyone at MotoAmerica wishes him the best of luck and we’re looking forward to following him in his first season of World Championship racing.”

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.

Video: Scott Russell Talks About His Return To Daytona International Speedway

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Video: Scott Russell Talks About His Return To Daytona International Speedway

Five-time Daytona 200 winner and former AMA and World Superbike Champion Scott Russell returned to Daytona International Speedway on October 18 to serve as a guest instructor for the Team Hammer Advanced Riding School.

At the end of that day, Russell sat down to do a video interview with Daytona Beach News-Journal Sports Reporter Godwin Kelly and talked about a wide range of topics, including his memorable moments racing at Daytona, instructing riders, riding modern motorcycles, and returning to the “World Center of Racing” in the future.

View the video here.

British Superbike: American Brandon Paasch Wins Motostar (Moto3) Race Two At Brands Hatch

David Swarts
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British Superbike: American Brandon Paasch Wins Motostar (Moto3) Race Two At Brands Hatch

Bennetts British Superbike Championship Series

Brands Hatch GP Circuit

Leeds, England

October 20, 2019

HEL Performance Motostar (Moto3) Race Two Results:

  1. Brandon Paasch, USA (KTM), 12 laps, Total Race Time 19 minutes, 2.113 seconds, Best Lap Time 1:34.208
  2. Asher Durham, UK (Mahindra), -4.868 seconds, 1:34.784
  3. Dan Jones, UK (KTM), -5.060, 1:34.832
  4. Jerry van de Bunt, Netherlands (KTM), -14.342, 1:35.358
  5. Jack Nixon, UK (KTM), -14.590, 1:35.369
  6. Mike Brouwers, Netherlands (Mahindra), -14.958, 1:35.349
  7. Edmund Best, UK (KTM), -15.058, 1:35.469
  8. Osian Jones, UK (KTM), -47.243, 1:37.859
  9. Cameron Horsman, UK (Honda), -47.345, 1:37.911
  10. Harvey Claridge, UK (Honda), -59.653, 1:38.767

 

Championship Point Standings (after 18 of 18 races):

  1. Paasch, 322 points (clinched Championship)
  2. Joshua Whatley, 268
  3. Durham, 263
  4. Jones, 193
  5. Scott Swann, 168
  6. Best, 142
  7. Nixon, 141
  8. Sam Burman, 122
  9. Victor Rodriguez, 110
  10. van de Bunt, 100

British Superbike: Race Results From The 2019 Season Finale At Brands Hatch

David Swarts
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British Superbike: Race Results From The 2019 Season Finale At Brands Hatch

Code red: History made as Redding celebrates debut Bennetts BSB title victory

Scott Redding has made Bennetts British Superbike Championship history by taking the title in his debut season, finishing third at Brands Hatch to lift the trophy at the season finale and sealing the PBM-run Be Wiser Ducati team its seventh Superbike crown.

Redding’s much-anticipated debut title victory in Bennetts BSB came after the highs of battling for race wins and finishing runner-up in the Moto2 World Championship, to the lows of his 2018 MotoGP campaign when he endured a torrid time before he set his sights on a new path.

Scott Redding, the 2019 British Superbike Champion. Photo courtesy of MotorSport Vision Racing.
Scott Redding, the 2019 British Superbike Champion. Photo courtesy of MotorSport Vision Racing.

The final day of the 2019 season started with victory for Redding’s teammate and title rival Josh Brookes; the 2015 champion ensuring the fight went down to the wire after an incredible dogfight with Redding on the last lap of race two.

At the start of the race, Brookes took the advantage from Jason O’Halloran and Christian Iddon with Tommy Bridewell in close contention. Redding was fighting back but running wide at Druids dropped him back into seventh and he had work to do to catch his title rival.

Brookes was trying to make a break but Christian Iddon had become his next challenger on lap three when he fired the Tyco BMW ahead of O’Halloran. However, Iddon was soon under pressure as Bridewell had moved into third place for Oxford Racing Ducati and was up to second by the end of the fourth lap.

Redding was carving his way through the chasing group and by lap seven he was into third place with a move on Iddon into Paddock Hill Bend. However he had to fight for the place with Iddon briefly reclaiming the position before the championship leader dived back ahead.

The leading trio then were a breakaway pack with Brookes ahead of Bridewell and Redding in third, but the former MotoGP rider was attacking hard and he waited until there were just two laps remaining to make his move.

Redding then had Brookes in his sight for the victory, but the 2015 champion wasn’t giving up without a fight and the pair’s battle for supremacy went down to the wire on the final lap.

As the pair crossed the line inseparable going into Paddock Hill Bend for the final time, Redding made a move to claim the lead, but Brookes was determined and he made a lunge at Druids to regain the advantage.

Redding was looking for an opportunity but Brookes had the measure of his teammate as the pair crossed the line separated by just 0.119s, with Bridewell claiming third place.

Tarran Mackenzie had moved into fourth place behind for McAMS Yamaha to bounce back from his crash yesterday, pushing Iddon back into fifth with Danny Buchan holding sixth place ahead of O’Halloran.

Hickman was eighth in the penultimate race of the season with Andrew Irwin and Taylor Mackenzie completing the top 10.

The final race of the season would decide the 2019 champion and at the start of the race Brookes instantly hit the front of the pack from Bridewell and Iddon, with Redding holding fifth behind Tarran Mackenzie.

Brookes and Bridewell continued to up the pace to try and gap the field, but behind Redding was soon piling the pressure on the Tyco BMW ahead of him and on the seventh lap he made his move to hold third place.

The championship leader had to claim a top five finish if Brookes won the race to still lift his first Bennetts BSB title, but he was still pushing hard to claim a podium on his final race in the series before moving to the world stage next season.

At the front of the field the gap between Brookes and Bridewell was just 0.2s but the 2015 champion was determined to end his season on a high and he held the advantage to the chequered flag to hold off Bridewell to the finish line.

Iddon was fourth to claim the Bennetts BSB Riders Cup title for Tyco BMW ahead of Peter Hickman and Tarran Mackenzie on the leading McAMS Yamaha, but only just from his teammate O’Halloran.

Buchan was eighth for FS3-Racing Kawasaki to hold off Andrew Irwin and Dan Linfoot who completed the top ten.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 2 result:

  1. Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) 1:25.890s
  2. Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.119s
  3. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati) +0.796s
  4. Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +7.240s
  5. Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +8.236s
  6. Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +8.753s
  7. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +9.771s
  8. Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +12.478s
  9. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) +18.246s
  10. Taylor Mackenzie (Tyco BMW) +20.862s

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 3 result:

  1. Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) 1:25.724s
  2. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati) +0.223s
  3. Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) +12.357s
  4. Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +14.695s
  5. Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +17.952s
  6. Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +18.238s
  7. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +18.444s
  8. Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +20.895s
  9. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) +23.281s
  10. Dan Linfoot (Santander Salt TAG Yamaha) +23.439s

 

2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

  1. Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) 697
  2. Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) 692
  3. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati) 636
  4. Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 588
  5. Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 566
  6. Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) 558

For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Scott Redding – Be Wiser Ducati

2019 Champion

“I’ve had a lot of emotion – super happy, super proud and it is good to pay back everyone who has supported me through all my years in GP and my first year here in BSB.

“A lot of people doubted me to win the championship in my first year, I knew deep inside I could do it even though I broke my femur one month before the first test of the year, I didn’t let it hold me back.

“I had a tough season, a great season. The feeling to cross the line knowing that you did it. It didn’t really sink in until I got half way round the lap. I was like ‘you’ve done it, it was just one race’. That was the hard bit.

“It was my own doing to make a mistake, I was thinking the whole race ‘don’t make the mistake, don’t make the mistake’, so a big thank-you to the PBM Be Wiser Ducati team, big thank-you to my management, my family, my fans.

“The BSB Championship has been amazing, they’ve brought a lot of passion back into racing and I’ve had so much fun this year on and off track.”

ASRA: Simone Corsi, Alex Ferreira, Ray Hofman, Stefano Mesa Win National Sprints At Daytona

David Swarts
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ASRA: Simone Corsi, Alex Ferreira, Ray Hofman, Stefano Mesa Win National Sprints At Daytona

ASRA National Sprint Series Presented by Pirelli

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Florida

October 20, 2019

Provisional Race Results:

ASRA Superstock Expert: 1. Stefano Mesa (Kaw ZX-10R); 2. Ryan Jones (BMW S1000RR); 3. Frankie Babuska, Jr. (Kaw ZX-10R); 4. Lloyd Bayley (BMW S1000RR); 5. Tony Storniolo (Kaw ZX-10R); 6. Antal Halasz (Suz GSX-R1000); 7. George Demetropolis (Yam YZF-R1); 8. R. Scott Briody (Kaw ZX-10R); 9. Antonio Rodriguez (Kaw ZX-10RR); 10. Michael Butler (Yam YZF-R1); 11. Robert Loose, Jr. (Kaw ZX-10R); 12. Jose Sojo (Kaw ZX-10R); 13. Jon Foy (Suz GSX-R1000), -4 laps, DNF; 14. David Loikits (Suz GSX-R1000), -5 laps, DNF.

ASRA Superstock Amateur: 1. Romulo Ruiz (BMW HP4 Race); 2. Brian Grasso (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Edwin Rodriguez-Gely (Yam YZF-R1); 4. Jason Beauchamp (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Jay Gray (Kaw ZX-10RR); 6. Gabriel Zolczer (Yam YZF-R1); 7. Jess Hwilka (Suz GSX-R750).

ASRA Sportbike Expert: 1. Simone Corsi (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Jason Farrell (Kaw ZX-6R); 3. Greg Melka (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Carl Soltisz (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Nate Minster (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Stefano Mesa (Yam YZF-R6); 7. Tyler Wasserbauer (Yam YZF-R6); 8. Ed Sullivan (Yam YZF-R6); 9. Timothy Wilson (Kaw ZX-6R); 10. Patrick Ryan (Kaw ZX-6R); 11. Zach Butler (Yam YZF-R6); 12. David McPherson (Yam YZF-R6); 13. Jon Foy (Suz GSX-R600); 14. Gary Yancoskie (Kaw ZX-6R), – 1 lap; 15. Jim McConville, Jr. (Suz GSX-R600), -1 lap; 16. Darrin Klemens (Kaw ZX-6R), -3 laps, DNF; 17. Ryan Jones (Kaw ZX-6R), -6 laps, DNF.

ASRA Sportbike Amateur: 1. Alex Nieves Jr. (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Joshua Tafuri (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Joseph Karlin (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Kirk Tulloch (Yam YZF-R6).

ASRA Thunderbike Expert: 1. Ray Hofman (Duc 749R); 2. Mark Reynolds (Duc M1100); 3. Mark Evry (Suz SV650); 4. Dominic Doyle (Kaw Ninja 650); 5. Roger Morissette (Suz SV650); 6. Gus Rodio (Kaw Ninja 400); 7. Billy Pedro (Suz SV650).

ASRA Moto3 Expert: 1. Alex Ferreira (Yam YZF-R3); 2. Cameron Jones (Kaw Ninja 300); 3. Roger Morisette (Yam YZF-R3); 4. Thomas McMaster (Kaw Ninja 300); 5. Adrian Mitchell (KTM RC390).

ASRA Moto3 Amateur: 1. Tristan King (Yam YZF-R3); 2. Joseph Shallow (KTM RC390).

Video: Motorcyclist Adam Sandoval Talks About World Record-Breaking Ride and Motorcycle Maintenance Tips

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World record breaking motorcyclist, Adam Sandoval, has taken multiple cross-country trips across the US to raise money for veterans over the years. When he started his mission, he sold his house and all his personal belongings before heading out on the open road, all the with goal of giving back to veterans, and raising awareness of his journey at every stop. He’s crossed the US dozens of times, and learned a thing or two along the way.

One of the things that became clear to him during his travels was the inconsistency of the fuel he was getting at the pump, making it clear that maintenance was going to be a major factor in his journey, as the fuel he was adding to his gas tank was gumming up and creating varnish inside his engine.

To keep his motorcycle running and to avoid engine problems along the open road, Adam uses Techron Powersports which keeps his fuel system clean, gets him better performance and increases his fuel economy.

To learn more, visit Techronclean.com.

Recent Wedding: Jasmin Kohl – Spero Benias

WMRC racers and newlyweds Spero Benias (left) and Jasmin Kohl (right).
WMRC racers and newlyweds Spero Benias (left) and Jasmin Kohl (right).

Jasmin Kohl, the 2019 WMRC 250 Production and WMRC Women’s Champion, married Spero Benias, the 2019 WMRC Open Supersport, WMRC Superbike and WMRC Formula Ultra Champion, October 20 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

World Superbike: Leon Camier To Ride For Barni Racing Ducati Team In 2020

Leon Camier (2). Photo courtesy of Moriwaki Althea Honda Team.
Leon Camier (2). Photo courtesy of Moriwaki Althea Honda Team.

Leon Camier joins Barni Racing Team for 2020 WorldSBK

Calvenzano (BG) 22nd October 2019. Barni Racing Team officially launches its 2020 campaign and is thrilled to announce the agreement with rider Leon Camier for the 2020 Superbike World Championship season.

Camier will ride the Ducati Panigale V4 R and will make his debut with the bike of the team from Bergamo during the upcoming 13th-14th November tests at the Aragon Circuit.
Born in Ashford, United Kingdom, Leon is a well experienced and prominent rider with more than 220 races starts in WorldSBK, the Brit is now ready to join the Barni Racing Team for a new challenge next year.

 

Marco Barnabo, Team Principal:

“I am very proud for the agreement that we have reached with Leon,  he has shown a high appreciation for our team and he is very motivated to join us. We are aware that together we can achieve good results. As every year we will have to work hard, but as always my crew will give their maximum efforts, and I want to thank them for what they have done on the bike development so far. I also want to thank the sponsors who have supported us so far and who will be joining us in 2020 as well.”
 

Leon Camier: 

“I am very much looking forward to the new challenge in the next season. I will use all my riding and development skills to achieve top level results together with Marco and his team. They have a close relation to the factory, are a very passionate, engineering driven group with focus on results and I believe we will work well together. Having said that my focus now is first to finish the season as strong as possible in Qatar with my current team.”

MotoAmerica Superbike: Yamaha Partners With Attack Performance, Signs Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne For 2020

MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier has been re-signed by Yamaha and will race a factory YZF-R1 fielded by a Yamaha and Attack Performance partnership.

Yamaha Announces MotoAmerica Superbike Team

Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is pleased to announce a partnership with Attack Performance to field a two-rider team in the 2020 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. The new Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team will be headed by four-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier and multi-time support class champion Jake Gagne, both riding YZF-R1s.

Following a World Superbike team structure model used by Yamaha Motor Europe (YME), YMUS reached a two-year agreement with Attack Performance, which is one of the sport’s leading manufacturers of high-performance components and services for modern sportbikes. Together, Yamaha and Attack Performance will work towards the goal of winning championships in the MotoAmerica Superbike Series. Along with key sponsorship from Monster Energy, the team will receive the full support of both YMUS and YME.

Attack Performance principal Richard Stanboli brings a wealth of technical experience to the program. He and his company have scored multiple championships and race wins in professional road racing in the U.S., and during the past two years, Attack Performance’s privateer effort with the YZF-R1 platform was a top contender in MotoAmerica’s Superbike class.

Reigning MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Beaubier returns with Yamaha in 2020 for his seventh season in the premier class and looks to defend his title. The Californian showed great fortitude this year with his dramatic come-from-behind victory in the closing moments of the season to secure his fourth Superbike title with a pair of wins at the finale. He currently sits third on the all-time AMA Superbike wins list with 38 victories.

Joining Beaubier is the 2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, Jake Gagne. The 26-year-old, viewed by many as one of the top talents in the U.S., returned to the MotoAmerica Superbike Series this past season after a year abroad in the World Superbike Championship. In addition to his 2015 title aboard the Yamaha YZF-R1, Gagne was crowned AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion in 2014 on a Yamaha YZF-R6, and he looks to continue his championship success with the brand.

Tom Halverson, Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager

“When we started planning the new direction for our Superbike team, the first company we thought of was Attack Performance. They have the skill, desire and passion needed to win. Combining our resources, knowledge and personnel with theirs should make for a super-competitive organization. We will work closely together to make everything gel before the first race so we can start the season off strong. From there, we are confident that the team and riders will only get stronger and be in contention for another MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.

“Of course, having Cameron back is key, and we are so pleased he has decided to stay in the U.S. and race with us for at least two more seasons. We are also very happy to have Jake Gagne join us as Cameron’s teammate. Jake is a very talented and popular rider, and I’m sure he will take full advantage of this opportunity and be in the hunt right away.

“Lastly, we wish Garrett (Gerloff) all the success he deserves. We will miss him in the paddock and on the track, but we are also very happy he is able to pursue his dreams and race with Yamaha on the world stage.”

Richard Stanboli, Attack Performance Principal

“Everyone at Attack Performance is very excited to expand our partnership and collaboration with a great company, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. We have worked with a number of OEMs over the past two decades, and our most recent experience with Yamaha has been nothing but rewarding. The R1 has been a fantastic machine that allowed us, as a private team, to effectively race for the top step of the podium and compete for the championship. In 2020, we will bring to bear everything we have learned, in combination with Yamaha’s wealth of knowledge, to the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. We will settle for nothing short of the top spot at every single event!

“We are also excited to work with two champions, Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne. Cameron is a proven competitor who is a true deal-closer. We have all watched him beat the competition with closing-lap charges that are nothing short of amazing. Jake is also a Yamaha champion with a wealth of talent and potential. His best days are right around the corner, and we are eager to help him.”

Cameron Beaubier, Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing

“I’m looking toward 2020! There will be some changes within our team, but we will always have the same goal. I’ve been working with my crew chief Rick Hobbs ever since I started racing in Superbike back in 2014, but he is retiring this year. We had an amazing run together, and we are on to a new chapter. I am really excited to be working with Attack Performance. The guys at Yamaha, with the addition of Richard Stanboli’s knowledge, I feel confident that they will build a weapon out of the 2020 R1.”

Jake Gagne, Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing

“I could not be more thrilled to go Yamaha Superbike racing! I want to extend a massive thank you to Keith (McCarty, Motorsports Racing Division Manager for YMUS), Tom (Halverson), Jim (Roach, Technical Division Manager for YMUS) and the entire Yamaha family for their belief and nonstop support. It’s a dream come true to be aboard the championship-winning machine and surrounded by such a huge amount of experience and knowledge. I’ve been fortunate to have had my most successful racing years aboard a Yamaha, so I feel like I’m back at home.”

More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:

Yamaha Partners With Attack Performance For 2020 MotoAmerica Series

Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne To Lead Team

COSTA MESA, CA (October 21, 2019)– MotoAmerica is pleased to announce that four-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier will return to the series in 2020 to defend his title, the 26-year-old Californian set to spearhead a two-rider team that’s a partnership between Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS) and Attack Performance. Beaubier will be joined on the team by 2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion Jake Gagne.

YMUS is following a team structure model used by Yamaha Motor Europe (YME) in World Superbike with the announcement of its two-year agreement today with Attack Performance, the Richard Stanboli-owned team that ran Josh Herrin and JD Beach in 2018 and 2019, respectively, in one-rider teams in the MotoAmerica Series. Along with key sponsorship from Monster Energy, the team will receive the full support of both YMUS and YME.

“When we started planning the new direction for our Superbike team, the first company we thought of was Attack Performance,” said Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team manager Tom Halverson in a team release. “They have the skill, desire and passion needed to win. Combining our resources, knowledge and personnel with theirs should make for a super-competitive organization. We will work closely together to make everything gel before the first race so we can start the season off strong. From there, we are confident that the team and riders will only get stronger and be in contention for another MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.

“Of course, having Cameron (Beaubier) back is key, and we are so pleased he has decided to stay in the U.S. and race with us for at least two more seasons. We are also very happy to have Jake Gagne join us as Cameron’s teammate. Jake is a very talented and popular rider, and I’m sure he will take full advantage of this opportunity and be in the hunt right away.

“Lastly, we wish Garrett (Gerloff) all the success he deserves. We will miss him in the paddock and on the track, but we are also very happy he is able to pursue his dreams and race with Yamaha on the world stage.”

It was announced earlier today that Gerloff will be moving to the World Superbike Championship with the GRT Yamaha team.

Beaubier, however, will be back, the 38-time AMA Superbike race winner hoping to earn a fifth MotoAmerica Superbike crown.

“I’m looking toward 2020,” Beaubier said. “There will be some changes within our team, but we will always have the same goal. I’ve been working with my crew chief Rick Hobbs ever since I started racing in Superbike back in 2014, but he is retiring this year. We had an amazing run together, and we are on to a new chapter. I am really excited to be working with Attack Performance. The guys at Yamaha, with the addition of Richard Stanboli’s knowledge, I feel confident that they will build a weapon out of the 2020 R1.”

“Everyone at Attack Performance is very excited to expand our partnership and collaboration with a great company, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.,” Stanboli said in the team release. “We have worked with a number of OEMs over the past two decades, and our most recent experience with Yamaha has been nothing but rewarding. The R1 has been a fantastic machine that allowed us, as a private team, to effectively race for the top step of the podium and compete for the championship. In 2020, we will bring to bear everything we have learned, in combination with Yamaha’s wealth of knowledge, to the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. We will settle for nothing short of the top spot at every single event.

“We are also excited to work with two champions, Cameron Beaubier and Jake Gagne. Cameron is a proven competitor who is a true deal closer. We have all watched him beat the competition with closing-lap charges that are nothing short of amazing. Jake is also a Yamaha champion with a wealth of talent and potential. His best days are right around the corner, and we are eager to help him.”

Gagne, who like Beaubier is 26 years old, raced a Scheibe Racing BMW to eighth in the 2019 MotoAmerica Superbike Series a season after getting a taste of the World Superbike Championship with the Red Bull Honda team. In addition to his MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 title, which he won while racing a Yamaha YZF-R1, Gagne was crowned AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion in 2014 on a Yamaha YZF-R6, as he looks to continue his championship success with the brand.

“I could not be more thrilled to go Yamaha Superbike racing,” Gagne said in the team release. “I want to extend a massive thank you to Keith (McCarty, Motorsports Racing Division Manager for YMUS), Tom (Halverson), Jim (Roach, Technical Division Manager for YMUS) and the entire Yamaha family for their belief and nonstop support. It’s a dream come true to be aboard the championship-winning machine and surrounded by such a huge amount of experience and knowledge. I’ve been fortunate to have had my most successful racing years aboard a Yamaha, so I feel like I’m back at home.

“Also, I’m really looking forward to working with Richard Stanboli at Attack Performance. I’m filled with motivation, and I’m really looking forward to a productive off-season of training and riding. I know the Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team will be a very strong force the next two years, and I’m really looking forward to stepping in alongside my new teammate and reigning champ Cameron Beaubier. I know we will both do our best to bring home wins and move the whole package forward. I’m counting down the days till I get to swing a leg over the R1 and start spinning laps with the team. Thanks again to the entire Monster Energy Attack Performance Yamaha Racing team and all the great sponsors and supporters, as well as MotoAmerica and all the fans who keep us going.”

“We are really happy with Yamaha’s announcement today regarding its MotoAmerica Superbike program,” MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey said. “They are following Yamaha Europe’s lead in the way they have their World Superbike program set up and we believe that system will work well in the MotoAmerica paddock. I’m sure Richard Stanboli will do a great job with the team. He has a lot of experience and his efforts in our series have been topnotch. Naturally, we’re thrilled that Cameron (Beaubier) is coming back. He’s been with us since the beginning and has won four of the five Superbike Championships since we took over the series. Jake (Gagne) has also tasted success in our series and I think he’s a solid choice for the second seat on the team.”

World Superbike: Championship To Conclude Under The Lights This Coming Weekend In Qatar

Action from World Superbike Race One in Qatar in 2018. Photo courtesy of Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
Action from World Superbike Race One in Qatar in 2018. Photo courtesy of Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
#QATWorldSBK: 
The Season’s Sunset
WorldSBK set for Qatar closer
After 34 races, 12 rounds, visits to ten countries across five continents, unbelievable comebacks, shattered records, very public rivalries, controversy, the occasional inclement weather, laughs, tears and, most importantly, some phenomenal racing, we have arrived at the final destination. The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship lands in Qatar where fireworks are sure to fly once again between the top contenders, as they have done nonstop for the past eight months.

The fierce back-and-forth between Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) promises to continue for several years to come, but for now this will be the final time they face off in their current colours. Bautista will serve the new HRC squad from 2020 onwards, closing a brief yet intense chapter in red (whilst perhaps creating one of the biggest ‘what ifs’ in WorldSBK history).

While pure dominance led Rea to at least three of his previous four world titles, this one has undoubtedly been marked by his consistency, even in defeat. Yet the Northern Irishman still has a chance to match his total number of victories from 2018 – albeit in 37 races rather than 25 – and trump his nemesis in the process. Rea has won 14 races, Bautista 16: the rest is self-explanatory.

It remains to be seen which bike takes best to the Losail International Circuit. 5.360km-long and with a kilometre-plus start-finish straight, one would think it would suit the Borgo Panigale rocket and therefore Bautista; but Rea, let’s not forget, is undefeated here since 2017.

Their respective teammates will also be looking to end the season on a high. Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will be sat on the V4 R next year and seems to be coming to terms with the package – what better way to solidify your claim as a title contender for next year than to win the closing races? It wouldn’t be the first time the Welshman sits atop of the Losail podium; nor would it be for Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who ended his previous full-time stint in WorldSBK with a victory in Qatar. Instrumental to KRT retaining the Teams Championship, a first win in green would be a fine finale to his Kawasaki comeback.

Honour is always on the line in the final showdown of the year, but for many riders the stakes are much, much higher than that. Just six points separate three riders in the battle for bronze: current Pata Yamaha duo Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark, and future Pata Yamaha star Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing). Two of them have won races this season; the other remains ahead in the standings. The two men in blue hold 15 podium finishes between them; Razgatlioglu has claimed 13 alone yet still trails them on points. It’s been a standout season for all three – but there’s only room for one on the highlight reel.

Early 2019 saw the birth of several new projects in WorldSBK; Round 13, accordingly, will be the moment to evaluate where they stand one year on. For Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), his first year after trading the green and black leathers for white ones can only be deemed a success. A win under the floodlights would cap off this first season quite nicely.

This has also been the first year of the triple-pronged Moriwaki-Althea-Honda project. A season somewhat marred by injuries and disappointing results has taken an upturn in the last couple of rounds thanks to Leon Camier, who has managed to close the gap with the leading machines. More top ten results are on the cards for the Englishman.

Qatar is also synonymous with chapters closing and new doors opening; the list of those who will be moving on in the New Year includes Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven), Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) or Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). But for one man the story itself is coming to an end. Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK) will write the final lines of his career as an active competitor at the Losail International Circuit. A World Champion and multiple race winner with a memorable personality, his presence in the paddock will be sorely missed. From Monday onwards, that is – on Friday and Saturday the diminutive Italian will be out to win, as he has done in every race for the past three decades.

The final Round of 2019 is upon us! Watch out for the classic, Qatar schedule change: Race 1 will take place on Friday, 25th October at 20:00 Local Time (GMT+3), with Saturday 26th hosting the Tissot Superpole Race (16:00LT) and Race 2 (20:00LT).
#QATWorldSBK: The Season’s Sunset
WorldSSP: Three riders. One Champion. The final round of 2019 awaits WorldSSP!

A scintillating World Supersport season is approaching its final round and with three riders in the title race, it is set to be an electric final outing of the season in Qatar!
After the rollercoaster season that has gripped the FIM Supersport World Championship in 2019, it goes down to the wire yet again. For a third consecutive year, the WorldSSP title fight will be sorted out under the floodlights of the Losail International Circuit and Qatar. In what is the only visit to the Middle East, World Supersport has seen some of the closest finishes in its history occur in the ever-developing oil-rich country, and 2019 is going to be no exception.

He’s led the Championship since Australia but Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) has seen his lead slashed from over 20 points to just eight. Mistakes in recent rounds have put the title celebrations on ice for the Swiss star and he’s not in the greatest of form either. Coming from his two worst weekends in 2019, Krummenacher knows that if there’s one race he needs to recapture form for, it’s this one. A win for his teammate Federico Caricasulo and a third place for Krummenacher swings the title to the Italian. After fraught comments following a disappointing Argentina, it is now or never for Krummenacher.

Having chased Krummenacher hard all year, Federico Caricasulo (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) is the Swiss’ nearest rival in the standings. Eight points separate the two and with 25 up for grabs, this is a crucial round. Caricasulo has failed to take more than seven points out of Krummenacher in one go, something that he will need to fix during the last round. Three wins from 11 races and six other podiums, Caricasulo knows that he has a chance of victory this weekend; if he wins then Krummenacher must be second, but if Caricasulo is second, then Krummenacher must be somewhere else in the top four. It’s that simple.

Against the odds, Jules Cluzel comes into the Motul Qatar Round with an outside hope of the title. 22 points back of Krummenacher, Cluzel must win to even stand a chance. Should he win, then Krummenacher must be 14th or lower and Federico Caricasulo outside the top four in the race. It’s unlikely, but just two rounds ago, both BARDAHL Yamaha riders crashed out. Cluzel hasn’t taken back-to-back wins in the class since Assen and Imola in 2018 and besides his title rivals, five other riders have outshone Cluzel on their day in 2019. He can still win however, and that is what counts. Expect the unexpected.

Out of the top three and with no mathematical chance of the Championship, Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) heads to Losail with a new contract in his pocket for 2020; Remaining with the Puccetti outfit for 2020. Out of all the riders on the grid, Mahias has scored more points than anyone in the last six races and has been on the podium in the last five – the first time in his career that he’s achieved five consecutive podiums. A winner in Qatar in the last two seasons, Mahias could be the spoiler in the title race in 2019.

Mahias’ teammate Hikari Okubo has been one of just three riders to score points in every race this year, but he was somewhat out of position in Argentina. The 26-year-old Japanese star was down in 12th in the race, only his second finish outside the top ten all year. Heading to Losail, Okubo reaches a circuit that he’s failed to finish at in the last two seasons. But don’t count him out; Okubo needs a strong performance in the final race of the season to secure a 2020 ride. Could that elusive podium finally come his way?

Completing the top six in the standings is Raffaele De Rosa (MV AGUSTA Reparto Corse), who is still without a WorldSSP win. He featured strongly at the end of the race in Argentina to finish in sixth place, meaning he is now just five points behind Okubo in the standings. Yet to feature inside the top ten at Losail, De Rosa knows that a strong result over Okubo could give him a best end-of-season finish – fifth overall. Can the 32-year-old Italian deliver?

Outside of the top six, there’s plenty of riders to keep an eye on. Recent rounds has seen Isaac Viñales (Kallio Racing) on the podium and looking strong, whilst pole-sitter in Argentina Corentin Perolari (GMT94 YAMAHA) will be eager to achieve his first rostrum of his WorldSSP career. Thomas Gradinger (Kallio Racing) is eager to recapture his early season form, with Ayrton Badovini (Team Pedercini Racing) seeking the continuation of his top ten streak. Just behind him overall is the best Honda of Peter Sebestyen (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda), who could beat Badovini to the top ten overall.
WorldSSP300: Losail to light-up remaining battles in WorldSSP300

Title accomplished, pride and honour at stake: the Motul Qatar Round will witness the final World Supersport 300 action of the season and it promises to be dramatic
The season finale of the World Supersport 300 Championship is approaching, as the class takes on its first visit outside of Europe to the Motul Qatar Round. The Losail International Circuit should lend itself perfectly to the WorldSSP300 field, with fast and flowing corners and a 1068m front straight. The Champion has already been crowned with Manuel Gonzalez (Kawasaki ParkinGO Team) taking WorldSSP300 honours, but the battle behind him for second place is raging, with three riders in mathematic contention for runner-up spot in 2019.

It has been a stunning season for Manuel Gonzalez, having romped clear at the head of the field and wrapped the Championship up with a round to spare, making him the youngest ever FIM Road Racing World Champion. Like most of the WorldSSP300 class, it is the first visit to Losail for Gonzalez, and he will be out to reinforce the fact that he is Champion for a reason. He could be the first WorldSSP300 rider in history to achieve four race wins in one year.

The battle for second is the focus point and former Moto3™ stars Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) and Scott Deroue (Kawasaki MOTOPORT) have an advantage over Andy Verdoïa (BCD Yamaha MS Racing), having been to the circuit before. However, back then, neither were able to score points, so it is more of a level playing field than it could’ve been. With both Deroue and Carrasco winning at Portimao and Magny-Cours respectively, the pressure is certainly on Verdoïa, who hasn’t been on the podium since Donington Park in July.

Mathematically, fourth is still possible for Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM Junior Team) but he is 20 points away. Moreover, he is leading the battle for the final position inside the top five in the standings. The Dutch rider’s consistency has seen him finish in the points in every single race this year, although his nearest rival is right behind him. Marc Garcia (DS Junior Team) is just one point behind Steeman, whilst seven points further back is Steeman’s teammate, Jan-Ole Jahnig, who was last on the podium at Assen.

There is then a six-point gap which sees Galang Hendra Pratama (Semakin Di Depan Biblion Motoxracing) occupy eighth place, just 14 points from Steeman in fifth. He will be joined in the team this weekend by fellow Indonesian rider, Muhammad Faerozi. Hugo De Cancellis (Team Trasimeno Yamaha) is in the battle for fifth overall too, although he is 22 points behind Steeman. He is joint on points with an in-form Nick Kalinin (Nutec – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki), with the Ukrainian rider completing the top ten. Fifth to tenth have a mathematical chance of the top five, but all eyes are on Steeman, Garcia and Jahnig.

Other riders who are going to be eager to fight their way into the top ten overall include Kevin Sabatucci (Team Trasimeno Yamaha), who was victorious in dramatic fashion at Donington Park. The top Italian in the Championship lies 11th overall and with a strong result in Qatar, could break into the top ten placings. Fellow countryman Bruno Ieraci (Kawasaki GP Project) is still in search of his first podium and having been inside the top ten until Donington Park, he will be eager to make it back into those positions.

Making his debut in Qatar, as well as Muhammad Faerozi, will be Dallas Daniels, who is one of the next stars coming from the United States. At just 16, he has been a race winner in the Liqui Moly Junior Cup in MotoAmerica, on his way to finishing third. There is one other rider swap and that is Oliver König (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team), who replaces Koen Meuffels – the former race winner parted ways with the team ahead of Portimao.
Catch all the riders’ reactions and more on our WorldSBK social channels and at WorldSBK.com.

World Superbike: Garrett Gerloff, Federico Caricasulo To Race With GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team In 2020

Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Garrett Gerloff (31). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Young Guns Caricasulo and Gerloff to Step up to WorldSBK in 2020

Yamaha Motor Europe is pleased to announce that the GRT Yamaha Supported WorldSBK Team will field an exciting new international rider line-up for the 2020 FIM Superbike World Championship season, with Italian Federico Caricasulo joining American Garrett Gerloff in the team for their second season in the premier production class.

Caricasulo is already familiar with the GRT Yamaha squad, having contested the FIM Supersport World Championship with them in 2017 and 2018, taking his YZF-R6 to ten podium finishes and three race wins during his two seasons with the team.

The 23-year-old from Ravenna, Italy, is currently contesting the 2019 FIM Supersport World Championship on a YZF-R6 for a third consecutive season. He has already impressed with a total of nine podium finishes from twelve races, three of which were race wins, and is currently lying second in the championship standings, a slender eight points off the series leader with one round remaining.

Gerloff also comes with a winning pedigree. The 24-year-old Texan was the MotoAmerica Supersport Champion in 2016 and 2017 before joining the Yamaha Factory Superbike Team in 2018, where he made a blazing MotoAmerica Superbike debut with an incredible podium finish. Four more podium finishes followed that year, with Gerloff ending his rookie season fifth in the championship standings.

After a year of experience on Yamaha’s cutting-edge YZF-R1 machine, Gerloff remained with Yamaha in 2019, securing four race wins and 15 podium finishes on his way to finishing third overall in his second full season of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.

In a bid to further their already impressive racing careers, both Gerloff and Caricasulo are looking forward to the new challenge of competing in the world’s premier Superbike series with Yamaha’s race proven YZF-R1 machinery and the GRT Yamaha squad, which for the 2020 season will be retitled as the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team.

Federico Caricasulo (64). Photo courtesy of Yamaha.
Federico Caricasulo (64). Photo courtesy of Yamaha.

Federico Caricasulo

“For me this is a dream come true. To have the chance to step up to WorldSBK is already fantastic, but to be given the opportunity to do so with Yamaha and in a team that I know well is just incredible. I grew up as a racer as part of the GRT Yamaha team, realising my potential on the world stage with them, so I’m excited to go back and start this new adventure. But for now, I need to put this to one side and focus on the final race of the season in the Supersport class. I am second in the championship, just eight points off the lead, so it’s still all to play for at the final round. Nothing would make me happier than stepping up to WorldSBK as the reigning Supersport World Champion, and that’s exactly what we’ll be aiming for in Qatar next week.”

Garrett Gerloff

“I want to start out by saying thank you to Yamaha Motor USA for everything that they’ve done for me, for signing me in the first place so many years ago and really having faith in me. I wouldn’t be where I am now in my career without their help. I’m really excited to say that I’ll be continuing in the Yamaha family for 2020, this time with the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team. I’m also really looking forward to representing America overseas. It’s something that I’ve always dreamed of doing and something that I’ve been preparing for, and I feel like I’m ready to do. I really appreciate Yamaha Europe giving me the opportunity to be that guy, to be one of the guys, to represent them and try to go get good results. I also want to say a big thanks to Ben Spies for really helping me out the past few months and getting my name out there and really pushing for me. I have a lot of goals that I really want to accomplish next year, and I know that with the team’s help and the Yamaha R1 that I’ll have a great opportunity of reaching them. I know this isn’t going to be easy, but I never give up. I’m ready to push myself and continue chasing my dream!”

Andrea Dosoli: Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing Manager

“I’m happy to welcome Federico and Garrett to our WorldSBK program, as both earned this opportunity through their achievements aboard Yamaha machinery in two very different championships. Both are young, talented and determined to succeed in the premier production class and Yamaha is fully committed to helping them realise their true potential during the 2020 season. Federico and Garrett will both ride for the retitled GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team that, having benefitted from running the vastly experienced Marco Melandri this year, is ready to fulfil this strategic role within Yamaha’s rider development program under the direction of Team Manager, Filippo Conti. I wish both riders every success for the 2020 season, as they embark on their WorldSBK debut season.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:

Gerloff Headed To World Superbike Championship

Texan Ready To Fulfill His Dream With GRT Yamaha Team

COSTA MESA, CA (October 21, 2019)– MotoAmerica is proud to announce that two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and four-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Garrett Gerloff has inked a deal that will see the young Texan competing in the 2020 World Superbike Championship aboard a GRT Yamaha YZF-R1.

“I want to start out by saying thank you to Yamaha Motor USA for everything that they’ve done for me, for signing me in the first place so many years ago and really having faith in me,” Gerloff said in a Yamaha Motor Europe release. “I wouldn’t be where I am now in my career without their help. I’m really excited to say that I’ll be continuing in the Yamaha family for 2020, this time with the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team. I’m also really looking forward to representing America overseas. It’s something that I’ve always dreamed of doing and something that I’ve been preparing for, and I feel like I’m ready to do. I really appreciate Yamaha Europe giving me the opportunity to be that guy, to be one of the guys, to represent them and try to go get good results. I also want to say a big thanks to Ben Spies for really helping me out the past few months and getting my name out there and really pushing for me. I have a lot of goals that I really want to accomplish next year, and I know that with the team’s help and the Yamaha R1 that I’ll have a great opportunity of reaching them. I know this isn’t going to be easy, but I never give up. I’m ready to push myself and continue chasing my dream.”

Gerloff will be joined by Italian Federico Caricasulo on the two-rider team that is based in Italy. Caricasulo is currently second in the 2019 World Supersport Championship and is just eight points out of the championship points lead with one round remaining.

Gerloff won the 2016 and 2017 MotoAmerica Supersport titles before switching to the Superbike class in 2018. The 24-year-old Texan finished fifth in his rookie season in 2018 and followed that with a breakout year in 2019 that saw him win four Superbike races and earn 15 podiums en route to third in the championship.

“We are very happy to see Garrett get this opportunity to chase his dream,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “He had a great season in MotoAmerica this year and we think he’s picked the perfect time to show his talents to the rest of the world. He was fast all season, won four races and was in the championship battle until the very end. I think Garrett has an advantage in that our rules are in line with those of World Superbike so he can jump on a bike and just go race. When we put MotoAmerica together, we wanted to make sure that when our riders got the opportunity in the World Championship, they would be completely comfortable with the regulations, the technical rules and the procedures, so they just have to learn the racetracks. We know Garrett can do the job well and everyone at MotoAmerica wishes him the best of luck and we’re looking forward to following him in his first season of World Championship racing.”

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.

Video: Scott Russell Talks About His Return To Daytona International Speedway

Five-time Daytona 200 winner Scott Russell riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000R during the Team Hammer Advanced Riding School October 18 at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Five-time Daytona 200 winner Scott Russell riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000R during the Team Hammer Advanced Riding School October 18 at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Five-time Daytona 200 winner and former AMA and World Superbike Champion Scott Russell returned to Daytona International Speedway on October 18 to serve as a guest instructor for the Team Hammer Advanced Riding School.

At the end of that day, Russell sat down to do a video interview with Daytona Beach News-Journal Sports Reporter Godwin Kelly and talked about a wide range of topics, including his memorable moments racing at Daytona, instructing riders, riding modern motorcycles, and returning to the “World Center of Racing” in the future.

View the video here.

British Superbike: American Brandon Paasch Wins Motostar (Moto3) Race Two At Brands Hatch

American Brandon Paasch (96) in action. Photo by Barry Clay.
American Brandon Paasch (96) in action. Photo by Barry Clay.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship Series

Brands Hatch GP Circuit

Leeds, England

October 20, 2019

HEL Performance Motostar (Moto3) Race Two Results:

  1. Brandon Paasch, USA (KTM), 12 laps, Total Race Time 19 minutes, 2.113 seconds, Best Lap Time 1:34.208
  2. Asher Durham, UK (Mahindra), -4.868 seconds, 1:34.784
  3. Dan Jones, UK (KTM), -5.060, 1:34.832
  4. Jerry van de Bunt, Netherlands (KTM), -14.342, 1:35.358
  5. Jack Nixon, UK (KTM), -14.590, 1:35.369
  6. Mike Brouwers, Netherlands (Mahindra), -14.958, 1:35.349
  7. Edmund Best, UK (KTM), -15.058, 1:35.469
  8. Osian Jones, UK (KTM), -47.243, 1:37.859
  9. Cameron Horsman, UK (Honda), -47.345, 1:37.911
  10. Harvey Claridge, UK (Honda), -59.653, 1:38.767

 

Championship Point Standings (after 18 of 18 races):

  1. Paasch, 322 points (clinched Championship)
  2. Joshua Whatley, 268
  3. Durham, 263
  4. Jones, 193
  5. Scott Swann, 168
  6. Best, 142
  7. Nixon, 141
  8. Sam Burman, 122
  9. Victor Rodriguez, 110
  10. van de Bunt, 100

British Superbike: Race Results From The 2019 Season Finale At Brands Hatch

The start of British Superbike Race One at Brands Hatch. Photo courtesy of MotorSport Vision Racing.
The start of British Superbike Race One at Brands Hatch in 2019. Photo courtesy MotorSport Vision Racing.

Code red: History made as Redding celebrates debut Bennetts BSB title victory

Scott Redding has made Bennetts British Superbike Championship history by taking the title in his debut season, finishing third at Brands Hatch to lift the trophy at the season finale and sealing the PBM-run Be Wiser Ducati team its seventh Superbike crown.

Redding’s much-anticipated debut title victory in Bennetts BSB came after the highs of battling for race wins and finishing runner-up in the Moto2 World Championship, to the lows of his 2018 MotoGP campaign when he endured a torrid time before he set his sights on a new path.

Scott Redding, the 2019 British Superbike Champion. Photo courtesy of MotorSport Vision Racing.
Scott Redding, the 2019 British Superbike Champion. Photo courtesy of MotorSport Vision Racing.

The final day of the 2019 season started with victory for Redding’s teammate and title rival Josh Brookes; the 2015 champion ensuring the fight went down to the wire after an incredible dogfight with Redding on the last lap of race two.

At the start of the race, Brookes took the advantage from Jason O’Halloran and Christian Iddon with Tommy Bridewell in close contention. Redding was fighting back but running wide at Druids dropped him back into seventh and he had work to do to catch his title rival.

Brookes was trying to make a break but Christian Iddon had become his next challenger on lap three when he fired the Tyco BMW ahead of O’Halloran. However, Iddon was soon under pressure as Bridewell had moved into third place for Oxford Racing Ducati and was up to second by the end of the fourth lap.

Redding was carving his way through the chasing group and by lap seven he was into third place with a move on Iddon into Paddock Hill Bend. However he had to fight for the place with Iddon briefly reclaiming the position before the championship leader dived back ahead.

The leading trio then were a breakaway pack with Brookes ahead of Bridewell and Redding in third, but the former MotoGP rider was attacking hard and he waited until there were just two laps remaining to make his move.

Redding then had Brookes in his sight for the victory, but the 2015 champion wasn’t giving up without a fight and the pair’s battle for supremacy went down to the wire on the final lap.

As the pair crossed the line inseparable going into Paddock Hill Bend for the final time, Redding made a move to claim the lead, but Brookes was determined and he made a lunge at Druids to regain the advantage.

Redding was looking for an opportunity but Brookes had the measure of his teammate as the pair crossed the line separated by just 0.119s, with Bridewell claiming third place.

Tarran Mackenzie had moved into fourth place behind for McAMS Yamaha to bounce back from his crash yesterday, pushing Iddon back into fifth with Danny Buchan holding sixth place ahead of O’Halloran.

Hickman was eighth in the penultimate race of the season with Andrew Irwin and Taylor Mackenzie completing the top 10.

The final race of the season would decide the 2019 champion and at the start of the race Brookes instantly hit the front of the pack from Bridewell and Iddon, with Redding holding fifth behind Tarran Mackenzie.

Brookes and Bridewell continued to up the pace to try and gap the field, but behind Redding was soon piling the pressure on the Tyco BMW ahead of him and on the seventh lap he made his move to hold third place.

The championship leader had to claim a top five finish if Brookes won the race to still lift his first Bennetts BSB title, but he was still pushing hard to claim a podium on his final race in the series before moving to the world stage next season.

At the front of the field the gap between Brookes and Bridewell was just 0.2s but the 2015 champion was determined to end his season on a high and he held the advantage to the chequered flag to hold off Bridewell to the finish line.

Iddon was fourth to claim the Bennetts BSB Riders Cup title for Tyco BMW ahead of Peter Hickman and Tarran Mackenzie on the leading McAMS Yamaha, but only just from his teammate O’Halloran.

Buchan was eighth for FS3-Racing Kawasaki to hold off Andrew Irwin and Dan Linfoot who completed the top ten.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 2 result:

  1. Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) 1:25.890s
  2. Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) +0.119s
  3. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati) +0.796s
  4. Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +7.240s
  5. Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +8.236s
  6. Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +8.753s
  7. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +9.771s
  8. Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +12.478s
  9. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) +18.246s
  10. Taylor Mackenzie (Tyco BMW) +20.862s

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Brands Hatch, Race 3 result:

  1. Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) 1:25.724s
  2. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati) +0.223s
  3. Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) +12.357s
  4. Christian Iddon (Tyco BMW) +14.695s
  5. Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) +17.952s
  6. Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) +18.238s
  7. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +18.444s
  8. Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) +20.895s
  9. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing) +23.281s
  10. Dan Linfoot (Santander Salt TAG Yamaha) +23.439s

 

2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

  1. Scott Redding (Be Wiser Ducati) 697
  2. Josh Brookes (Be Wiser Ducati) 692
  3. Tommy Bridewell (Oxford Racing Ducati) 636
  4. Danny Buchan (FS-3 Racing Kawasaki) 588
  5. Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) 566
  6. Peter Hickman (Smiths Racing BMW) 558

For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Scott Redding – Be Wiser Ducati

2019 Champion

“I’ve had a lot of emotion – super happy, super proud and it is good to pay back everyone who has supported me through all my years in GP and my first year here in BSB.

“A lot of people doubted me to win the championship in my first year, I knew deep inside I could do it even though I broke my femur one month before the first test of the year, I didn’t let it hold me back.

“I had a tough season, a great season. The feeling to cross the line knowing that you did it. It didn’t really sink in until I got half way round the lap. I was like ‘you’ve done it, it was just one race’. That was the hard bit.

“It was my own doing to make a mistake, I was thinking the whole race ‘don’t make the mistake, don’t make the mistake’, so a big thank-you to the PBM Be Wiser Ducati team, big thank-you to my management, my family, my fans.

“The BSB Championship has been amazing, they’ve brought a lot of passion back into racing and I’ve had so much fun this year on and off track.”

ASRA: Simone Corsi, Alex Ferreira, Ray Hofman, Stefano Mesa Win National Sprints At Daytona

ASRA Sportbike race winner Simone Corsi (center), runner-up Jason Farrell (left), and third-place finisher Greg Melka (right) on the podium in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by David Swarts.
ASRA Sportbike race winner Simone Corsi (center), runner-up Jason Farrell (left), and third-place finisher Greg Melka (right) on the podium in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by David Swarts.

ASRA National Sprint Series Presented by Pirelli

Daytona International Speedway

Daytona Beach, Florida

October 20, 2019

Provisional Race Results:

ASRA Superstock Expert: 1. Stefano Mesa (Kaw ZX-10R); 2. Ryan Jones (BMW S1000RR); 3. Frankie Babuska, Jr. (Kaw ZX-10R); 4. Lloyd Bayley (BMW S1000RR); 5. Tony Storniolo (Kaw ZX-10R); 6. Antal Halasz (Suz GSX-R1000); 7. George Demetropolis (Yam YZF-R1); 8. R. Scott Briody (Kaw ZX-10R); 9. Antonio Rodriguez (Kaw ZX-10RR); 10. Michael Butler (Yam YZF-R1); 11. Robert Loose, Jr. (Kaw ZX-10R); 12. Jose Sojo (Kaw ZX-10R); 13. Jon Foy (Suz GSX-R1000), -4 laps, DNF; 14. David Loikits (Suz GSX-R1000), -5 laps, DNF.

ASRA Superstock Amateur: 1. Romulo Ruiz (BMW HP4 Race); 2. Brian Grasso (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Edwin Rodriguez-Gely (Yam YZF-R1); 4. Jason Beauchamp (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Jay Gray (Kaw ZX-10RR); 6. Gabriel Zolczer (Yam YZF-R1); 7. Jess Hwilka (Suz GSX-R750).

ASRA Sportbike Expert: 1. Simone Corsi (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Jason Farrell (Kaw ZX-6R); 3. Greg Melka (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Carl Soltisz (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Nate Minster (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Stefano Mesa (Yam YZF-R6); 7. Tyler Wasserbauer (Yam YZF-R6); 8. Ed Sullivan (Yam YZF-R6); 9. Timothy Wilson (Kaw ZX-6R); 10. Patrick Ryan (Kaw ZX-6R); 11. Zach Butler (Yam YZF-R6); 12. David McPherson (Yam YZF-R6); 13. Jon Foy (Suz GSX-R600); 14. Gary Yancoskie (Kaw ZX-6R), – 1 lap; 15. Jim McConville, Jr. (Suz GSX-R600), -1 lap; 16. Darrin Klemens (Kaw ZX-6R), -3 laps, DNF; 17. Ryan Jones (Kaw ZX-6R), -6 laps, DNF.

ASRA Sportbike Amateur: 1. Alex Nieves Jr. (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Joshua Tafuri (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Joseph Karlin (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Kirk Tulloch (Yam YZF-R6).

ASRA Thunderbike Expert: 1. Ray Hofman (Duc 749R); 2. Mark Reynolds (Duc M1100); 3. Mark Evry (Suz SV650); 4. Dominic Doyle (Kaw Ninja 650); 5. Roger Morissette (Suz SV650); 6. Gus Rodio (Kaw Ninja 400); 7. Billy Pedro (Suz SV650).

ASRA Moto3 Expert: 1. Alex Ferreira (Yam YZF-R3); 2. Cameron Jones (Kaw Ninja 300); 3. Roger Morisette (Yam YZF-R3); 4. Thomas McMaster (Kaw Ninja 300); 5. Adrian Mitchell (KTM RC390).

ASRA Moto3 Amateur: 1. Tristan King (Yam YZF-R3); 2. Joseph Shallow (KTM RC390).

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