Moto3: Gabriel Rodrigo Heads FP2 At Buriram International Circuit

David Swarts

-

October 4, 2019

0

Race Lap Record: 1:42.963, Dennis Foggia, 2018

All-Time Lap Record: 1:42.235, Marco Bezzecchi, 2018

FIM Moto3 World Championship

Buriram International Circuit

Buriram, Thailand

October 4, 2019

Free Practice Two Results (all using Dunlop tires):

Gabriel Rodrigo, Argentina (Honda), 1:43.107
Dennis Foggia, Italy (KTM), 1:43.210
Jakub Kornfeil, Czech Republic (KTM), 1:43.216
Makar Yurchenko, Kazakhstan (KTM), 1:43.220
Tatsuki Suzuki, Japan (Honda), 1:43.446
Albert Arenas, Spain (KTM), 1:43.567
Alonso Lopez, Spain (Honda), 1:43.583
Lorenzo Dalla Porta, Italy (Honda), 1:43.583
Kaito Toba, Japan (Honda), 1:43.591
Andrea Migno, Italy (KTM), 1:43.643

Moto2: Tetsuta Nagashima Breaks All-Time Lap Record In FP1 In Thailand

David Swarts

-

October 3, 2019

0

Moto2 Race Lap Record: 1:36.924, Francesco Bagnaia, 2018

Moto2 All-Time Lap Record: 1:35.969, Tetsuta Nagashima, 2019

FIM Moto2 World Championship

Buriram International Circuit

Buriram, Thailand

October 4, 2019

Free Practice One Results (all using Triumph engines and Dunlop tires):

Tetsuta Nagashima, Japan (Kalex), 1:35.969
Augusto Fernandez, Spain (Kalex), 1:36.353
Luca Marini, Italy (Kalex), 1:36.373
Dominique Aegerter, Switzerland (MV Agusta), 1:36.506
Somkat Chantra, Thailand (Kalex), 1:36.573
Nicolo Bulega, Italy (Kalex), 1:36.580
Iker Lecuona, Spain (KTM), 1:36.588
Brad Binder, South Africa (KTM), 1:36.606
Remy Gardner, Australia (Kalex), 1:36.612
Jorge Martin, Spain (KTM), 1:36.642
Alex Marquez, Spain (Kalex), 1:36.733
Stefano Manzi, Italy (MV Agusta), 1:36.911
Mattia Pasini, Italy (Kalex), 1:36.958
Fabio Di Giannantonio, Italy (Speed Up), 1:36.963
Jorge Navarro, Spain (Speed Up), 1:36.969
Enea Bastianini, Italy (Kalex), 1:36.986
Tom Luthi, Switzerland (Kalex), 1:36.999
Andrea Locatelli, Italy (Kalex), 1:37.026
Marcel Schrotter, Germany (Kalex), 1:37.056
Lorenzo Baldassarri, Italy (Kalex), 1:37.117
Sam Lowes, UK (Kalex), 1:37.164
Marco Bezzecchi, Italy (KTM), 1:37.300
Xavi Vierge, Spain (Kalex), 1:37.371
Joe Roberts, USA (KTM), 1:37.384
Jake Dixon, UK (KTM), 1:37.399
Bo Bendsneyder, Netherlands (NTS), 1:37.447
Philipp Oettl, Germany (KTM), 1:37.637
Jesko Raffin, Switzerland (Kalex), 1:37.829
Lukas Tulovic, Germany (KTM), 1:38.789
Adam Norrodin, Malaysia (Kalex), 1:38.869
Xavi Cardelus, Andorra (KTM), 1:38.945
Dimas Ekky Pratama, Indonesia (Kalex), 1:39.337

MotoGP: Maverick Vinales Leads, Marc Marquez Crashes Hard In FP1 In Thailand (Updated With Crash Photo)

David Swarts

-

October 3, 2019

0

MotoGP: Maverick Vinales Leads, Marc Marquez Crashes Hard In FP1 In Thailand (Updated With Crash Photo)

Race Lap Record: 1:31.471, Marc Marquez, 2018

All-Time Lap Record: 1:30.031, Marc Marquez, 2018

FIM MotoGP World Championship

Buriram International Circuit

Buriram, Thailand

October 4, 2019

Free Practice One Results (all using Michelin tires):

Maverick Vinales, Spain (Yam YZR-M1), 1:30.979
Fabio Quartararo, France (Yam YZR-M1), 1:31.170
Marc Marquez, Spain (Hon RC213V), 1:31.187, crash
Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Duc GP19), 1:31.205
Jack Miller, Australia (Duc GP19), 1:31.227
Valentino Rossi, Italy (Yam YZR-M1), 1:31.482
Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Yam YZR-M1), 1:31.569
Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Duc GP19), 1:31.593
Joan Mir, Spain (Suz GSX-RR), 1:31.753
Francesco Bagnaia, Italy (Duc GP19), 1:31.799
Alex Rins, Spain (Suz GSX-RR), 1:31.847
Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Apr RS-GP), 1:31.865
Pol Espargaro, Spain (KTM RC16), 1:31.895
Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Hon RC213V), 1:31.947
Andrea Iannone, Italy (Apr RS-GP), 1:32.239
Tito Rabat, Spain (Duc GP18), 1:32.280
Miguel Oliveira, Portugal (KTM RC16), 1:32.524, crash
Cal Crutchlow, UK (Hon RC213V), 1:32.554
Jorge Lorenzo, Spain (Hon RC213V), 1:32.838
Mika Kallio, Finland (KTM RC16), 1:32.877
Hafizh Syahrin, Malaysia (KTM RC16), 1:33.033
Karel Abraham, Czech Republic (Duc GP18), 1:33.129

Marc Marquez suffered a big highside toward the end of FP1 Friday in Thailand. Photo courtesy of HRC/CormacGP and Dorna.

Moto3: Andrea Migno Under Race Lap Record During FP1 In Thailand

David Swarts

-

October 3, 2019

0

Race Lap Record: 1:42.963, Dennis Foggia, 2018

All-Time Lap Record: 1:42.235, Marco Bezzecchi, 2018

FIM Moto3 World Championship

Buriram International Circuit

Buriram, Thailand

October 4, 2019

Free Practice One Results (all using Dunlop tires):

Andrea Migno, Italy (KTM), 1:42.789
Tony Arbolino, Italy (Honda), 1:43.041
Tatsuki Suzuki, Japan (Honda), 1:43.067
Alonso Lopez, Spain (Honda), 1:43.458
Ayumu Sasaki, Japan (Honda), 1:43.481
Albert Arenas, Spain (KTM), 1:43.557
Marcos Ramirez, Spain (Honda), 1:43.577
Aron Canet, Spain (KTM), 1:43.602
Filip Salac, Czech Republic (KTM), 1:43.640
Ai Ogura, Japan (Honda), 1:43.676

MIC: There Will Be No Increased Tariffs On European Motorcycles, Parts, Accessories

David Swarts

-

October 3, 2019

0

MIC: There Will Be No Increased Tariffs On European Motorcycles, Parts, Accessories

100 Percent Tariffs on European Union Powersports Products Avoided

Decision by United States Trade Representative Good for the Industry

IRVINE, Calif., Oct. 3, 2019 – Proposed tariffs of up to 100 percent on motorcycles, parts, and accessories, coming in from European Union countries, have been staved off – after the Motorcycle Industry Council and member manufacturers testified before, and submitted written comments to, the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

The proposed tariffs, that would have greatly affected the powersports business, came about as part of a dispute regarding certain EU countries subsidizing their large-aircraft manufacturing sector.

Representatives from member companies KTM and Indian Motorcycle, and MIC staff, testified this summer at USTR hearings in Washington, D.C., and made the case against the proposed tariffs. And the MIC, along with motorcycle-manufacturing member companies Cobra, Ducati, Indian Motorcycle, and KTM, submitted written comments to the USTR opposing these tariffs. In a show of transcontinental industry support, ACEM, the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, also submitted written arguments against the proposed tariffs.

“We have been actively engaged in this dispute from day one, both in Washington, D.C., and also in Europe, to protect our dealers, support the motorcycle industry and allow our customers to continue to ride and experience motorcycling,” said John Hinz, CEO of KTM North America. “Our brands and dealers have been operating in the United States for over fifty years and it is our responsibility to protect and grow the future of motorcycling. We commend the USTR’s recognition of the negative impact that the proposed tariffs would have had on our U.S. business, partners, dealers and customers.”

“Had the tariffs been enacted, that would have meant extremely high prices for our American consumers of European motorcycles, parts, and accessories,” said Erik Pritchard, incoming MIC president and CEO. “Increased costs would have even discouraged motorcycle riders from performing routine but critical maintenance, such as brake pad and tire replacements, due to potential doubling on the price of parts.”

“I want to thank Congressman Tim Walberg and Congressman Michael Burgess who are the co-chairs of the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus,” said Scott Schloegel, senior vice president for government relations at the MIC. “They sent a terrific letter to the United States Trade Representative opposing additional tariffs, which are taxes paid by American consumers. They have been fantastic champions of the industry and our consumers, and we thank them for their continued support for something that brings joy to millions of Americans every single day: motorcycling.”

MIC staff at the Government Relations Office will continue to monitor developments in Washington, in case the USTR proposes any changes to the current list of products and industries impacted by tariffs.

The Motorcycle Industry Council exists to preserve, protect, and promote motorcycling through government relations, communications, and media relations, statistics and research, aftermarket programs, development of data communications standards, and activities surrounding technical and regulatory issues. As a not-for-profit national industry association, the MIC seeks to support motorcyclists by representing manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and retailers of motorcycles, scooters, ATVs, ROVs, motorcycle/ATV/ROV parts, accessories and related goods and services, and members of allied trades such as insurance, finance and investment companies, media companies and consultants.

The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization has been in operation since 1914. Visit the MIC at mic.org.

American Maxwell Toth, Age 13, Finishes 2nd In CIV PreMoto3 Race At Mugello

David Swarts

-

October 3, 2019

0

American Maxwell Toth, Age 13, Finishes 2nd In CIV PreMoto3 Race At Mugello

The fifth round of the Italian Speed Championship [September 20-22] at the Mugello Circuit ends with a spectacular second place for Maxwell Toth for the Kuja Racing team in a Race 2 made very difficult by the rain. To complete the picture of a sensational day for Pioltello’s team, Diego Palladino concludes an insidious fourth place, just short of the third step of the podium.

After a first day of sunny races on Saturday, Sunday was wet from the first minutes of morning warm-up, where immediately the small Kuja Racing pilots were able to be distinguished. Toth, in fact, finished with a good fifth overall time, while his team-mate Palladino finished eighth, proving he also had a good pace ahead of a wet race.

But despite the fast times and having proven to be competitive even on the water, rain is always an insidious enemy, not to be underestimated, especially in the delicate phases of the race.

In the afternoon the track conditions deteriorated further, forcing the race direction to delay the program by a few minutes. Both Kuja Racing Team riders managed to maintain concentration. Both Toth, starting 14th, and Palladino, starting 17th, were protagonists of a good start in Race 2, managing to recover some positions without taking too many risks from the first laps.

While the slippery asphalt betrayed many of the protagonists of the season, the two Kuja Racing team riders continued to remain calm, scoring fast laps and closing in on the leading group. Toth found himself at the head of the race, after three of his opponents left the scene in front of him, and kept the first position until the last corner on the last lap, but in the sprint he was mocked by the wake of his opponent, finishing in second place.

For the American, this is the first podium of the year in his debut season in PreMoto3 and, having obtained it in these adverse conditions, for the small American driver it is a result that feels almost like a victory.

The same can be said of teammate Palladino, who started from the 17th position and made a sensational comeback, scoring fast laps in an attempt to close the gap on the leading riders. Recovering himself in the fight for the podium positions, the young Pugliese driver finally had to settle for fourth place, obtaining his best result of the season in a very difficult race conducted with intelligence. The Kuja Racing team and its drivers will now be back on track from 4 to 6 October for the last race of the season at Vallelunga .

P2 – Maxwell Toth, PreMoto3

“It was really an incredible race. I didn’t expect anything from such a difficult trial today. I simply went on the track without knowing if I could have stayed with the front group, if I would have arrived last, or if I would have even fallen. It’s incredible! I saw three riders fall in front of me and this also scared me! I thought I would be involved in some racing incident, instead I stayed calm and I did it! I arrived on the podium.”

Link to a Max Toth interview on another website:

http://www.palmeninmotorradsport.com/civ-premoto3-maxwell-toth-interview/

MotoGP: Alex Rins Looking To “Restart” His Season During Flyaway Rounds

David Swarts

-

October 3, 2019

0

MotoGP: Alex Rins Looking To “Restart” His Season During Flyaway Rounds

SUZUKI MotoGP IN THAILAND AIMING FOR FAVOURABLE FLY-AWAYS

Immediately after the Aragon GP in Spain two weeks ago, it was time to swiftly pack up the equipment, bikes and gear to prepare for the first in a long series of ‘fly-away’ races.

Chang International Circuit will host MotoGP for only the second time, meaning this relatively new circuit is still a bit of an unknown for many riders and teams. Last year it was voted ‘Best GP of 2018’ and there was a huge crowd of 220,000 people.

Despite a great season so far, Alex Rins has endured disappointments in recent weeks due to a crash in Misano and a tricky race at home in Aragon. The Spaniard, who holds third place in the championship will be more motivated than ever to get back on track and begin the ‘Asiatic Tour’ with a strong finish. Last year he came sixth in the race.

Joan Mir, now back to 100% fitness, has been finding good form with his GSX-RR. Showing strong pace during several sessions at the Aragon GP, the rookie then struggled during the race after sustaining bike damage. However, he is keen to return to action in Thailand and continue building up stronger results.

Located around five hours drive from Thailand’s capital Bangkok, Buriram literally translates to ‘City of Happiness’ – and the atmosphere is effervescent with so many passionate Thai fans coming to cheer on the MotoGP stars. Chang International circuit boasts a kilometre-long straight and some of the best spectating opportunities of the whole season.

Davide Brivio – Team Manager:

“I think Buriram can be a good track for us, and I hope we can get good results here. We are pretty much competitive everywhere now, so there’s no reason why it shouldn’t suit us. We’re already getting towards the end of the season, so we want to stay strong and finish 2019 in a good way with both our riders.”

Alex Rins:

“It’s been a pity for me not to get the results I’m capable of during the last couple of rounds, but now we sort of ‘restart’ the season with all these overseas races and it’s a good chance to reset. Despite my recent results, I’m still feeling very strong in general, and I hope to bring my bike to a good result this weekend. The atmosphere in Thailand is always impressive with so many fans! It will be exciting.”

Joan Mir:

“Like everyone else, I’ve only ridden here once. Last year I had good pace during the whole weekend, but I crashed on the first corner of the Moto2 race. I hope I can bring the competitiveness I had here in 2018 and continue with the good feelings I’m having with my GSX-RR. It’s always a tricky race because of high temperatures, but I feel that our Suzuki can go well. I’m ready to give my best.”

TECHNICAL HIGHLIGHTS OF BURIRAM

Manuel Cazeaux – Alex Rins’ Crew Chief:

“Buriram is a challenge in itself because it’s only the second time we’ve come here, so we don’t have much experience when it comes to setting up the bike for the Chang circuit. The bike stays straight and upright for quite a long time, which can wear the tyres quickly, so we try to control spinning and preserve the tyres – especially the rear. The temperatures get so high here, but it’s similar to what we find in Malaysia, so we know how to cope with that. The layout is interesting, with some hard braking and some fast and following areas. We hope to find a good balance and set-up.”

MotoGP: Top Riders Speak To The Media Ahead Of Thai Grand Prix

David Swarts

-

October 3, 2019

0

MotoGP: Top Riders Speak To The Media Ahead Of Thai Grand Prix

“It could be a big weekend”: Buriram is go!

Six-rider strong Press Conference kicks off the PTT Thailand Grand Prix

Thursday, 03 October 2019

Ahead of track action at the first of the four upcoming flyaways, the pre-event Press Conference for the PTT Thailand Grand Prix saw reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) joined by his only remaining title challenger, Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), as well as Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT), Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) and Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) to talk shop – with the weather forecast, the Championship and plenty more on the agenda.

Marquez spoke first, and the first question was – of course – about his title chances this weekend.

“First of all you try to approach the weekend in the normal way, but you understand it could be a big weekend. But on the other hand we know if it’s not possible here, we’ll have another chance in Motegi, Phillip Island, Malaysia, Valencia… I’ll be the same Marc with same strategy to push from beginning to end, to prepare for Sunday’s race, let’s see. We know that Dovi was very fast here last year and Yamaha wasn’t bad, but the goal is to prepare the weekend well and try to fight for the victory on Sunday.”

And Buriram? “It’s a circuit where the layout looks easy on paper but riding it isn’t so easy and you need to manage everything. Last year from the beginning it was a good layout for me but I was losing on the straights, and this year there we have a more powerful engine so it will be better. But we could struggle in other points so let’s see how we start, with good pace and in good shape, and we also must be ready for all conditions because it looks like it could be a wet race on Sunday.”

Dovizioso took to the mic next, and he began with a quick debrief of MotorLand. “The race in Aragon was good because I felt good before the race, but not that good! I found the rhythm and feeling in the race, lap by lap, and I was riding so smooth and well, and was able to be consistent over the last laps which made the difference for finishing second, so I’m happy about it.”

Then it was on to the 2018 Thai GP…the only time so far the Italian has lost out to Marquez in a last corner duel. But he’s more focused on the dynamics of the race, and how they may differ this season.

“Last year at Buriram it was a strange race and we were a big group, anything could happen with five riders on the last three laps, but I expect this year it will be a different situation. I think everyone’s level changed a bit but let’s see the conditions. You never know each year, and the tyres are a bit different, maybe there will be some rain…but I don’t think it’s good to overthink it, we’ll see on the bike.

“Every time you have to try to understand everything and remember everything from last year, the setup of the power, how the tyre works…but as I said before, the tyres are a bit different, the conditions will be different and that will affect everyone, but for sure you start with the base from last year.”

Then it was time to hear from Rossi. ‘The Doctor’ again began with Aragon, a tougher race than expected, and then talked a little about his positive Thai GP last season.

“I think that the bigger problem for Yamaha in Aragon, because in practice and time attack we weren’t too bad, but unfortunately for the race with our bike we needed to use the hard rear because we were worried about the soft. And unfortunately, the hard rear in Aragon is difficult to predict and unfortunately in the race all Yamahas had some problem with it. But for me it was difficult because after six or seven laps I was in trouble and quite slow, so we’ll try here.

“Last year here was a good weekend, especially Saturday and Sunday, starting from the front row, and the race was very good for us because me and Maverick could stay very close to Marc and Dovi for the race. Unfortunately, at the end I was the last of the group and didn’t get on the podium! But it was a positive weekend.”

It was around Thailand last year when things started to look up for the Iwata marque, too. Does that give the nine-time World Champion even more confidence heading into the flyaways?

“Last year we arrived here and we changed something in the setting of the bike and from this race to the end it was better; we improved our results, so we’ll see this year…a lot of time it’s the same, other times you arrive after a year and everything is different so we need to wait till tomorrow and see what’s happening. And it looks like the forecast is difficult, whereas last year it was three days of hot and sunny weather. Everyone is hoping for a dry race but we’ll see.”

For Quartararo, Aragon was also a little tougher. The French rookie says he had a similar struggle to that of ‘The Doctor’.

“Aragon was different to Misano and I had the same feeling as Valentino, I struggled after seven or eight laps, the grip dropped a lot and I couldn’t stay with the front group. But arriving here I think we arrive quite good, the Yamaha went well here last year fighting for the podium, so I’m really looking forward to starting the weekend.”

This weekend, of course, the rookie is only missing one race weekend of experience on most of the grid – because we’ve only had one Thai GP. But does he use previous races and sessions for reference? You bet.

“Between Aragon and now, I’ve watched last year’s race and practices at least 20 times and played on the game, I know the tracks well even if not racing in MotoGP the previous year! But it’s not an easy track and we’ll try and adapt quickly because we know the forecast will be tricky this weekend.”

Next up was Miller, who trails Quartararo by just six points in the fight for top Independent Team rider. And for him, Aragon was a contender for his best MotoGP™ race of the season – he explained why.

“I’m feeling good leading into this one, especially after Aragon, it was a polar opposite to Misano so was good to bounce back after tough weekend and take a podium was even more special. I got a lot of compliments after that race, even more than other podiums this season. I had to work for it a bit more and I had to ride a bit smarter; when Dovi came through I was able to learn from him a bit.”

So how is he feeling heading into Buriram?

“I think we can have a similar weekend this weekend. Seeing the race from last year, I was just off that front group. I wasn’t able to keep their pace but coming here on the GP19 this year should give us an extra boost, especially on the straights. I am looking forward to it, it should be a good weekend. It is hot, humid and I just came from Australia and it is similar there, so it should be good.”

Speaking of Down Under, how was it to be able to head home for a bit ahead of the race? A definite and appreciated luxury.

“It’s always nice to get home and switch off a bit. The lifestyle is completely different to Europe, it’s nice to get back on the farm and chill out a bit. Same routine and cycling as always, but during the day I get to play on the farm!”

Finally, Aleix Espargaro was in the Press Conference following his impressive result in Aragon, and he’s feeling positive about the future and coming off the back of the result – although he says Buriram will be a tougher prospect.

“Unfortunately not every race is as fun as Aragon was. I think Aragon suits our bike really well and apart from the race I also enjoyed it a lot during the weekend, I was also fast in qualifying, so it was a good race and I hope that we can bring this positive energy here. We know it’s not an easy track for us, but I try to be positive, I’m going to try to do my best, so let’s see what this track brings.”

Talk also turned to the future for Noale factory Aprilia, and there was more positive energy there too.

“The more bikes and competitive riders you have on the track, the easier it gets. At Aprilia we have just two factory bikes on the track every race, so it’s not that easy to improve. Sometimes you need more time and if your teammate struggles, it’s even more difficult, so Andrea is getting better and better and I hope we’ll be much more competitive in the future and we can help Aprilia to better improve the bike.”

That’s about it from Thursday…scroll down, or for more talk and the Social Media Qs, head to motogp.com. And don’t forget to tune in for another scintillating PTT Thailand Grand Prix on Sunday 6th October at 14:00 (GMT +7)!

UtahSBA: Kory Cowan Wins The Battle, Jerry Hicks Wins The War At Utah Motorsports Campus

David Swarts

-

October 2, 2019

0

UtahSBA: Kory Cowan Wins The Battle, Jerry Hicks Wins The War At Utah Motorsports Campus

Round 6 of the Utah Sport Bike Association Law Tigers Masters of the Mountains Road Racing series was held on September 28-29 at Utah Motorsports Campus’ 2.2-mile West configuration in Grantsville, Utah. Twisting the throttle to victory in the premier class once again was Kory Cowan, with series regular Jerry Hicks arriving second while confirming himself as the premier class season champion.

After a stormy Saturday saw soggy races and slower paces, the weather was more compliant on Sunday bringing the pace back up and the grids full once again. Taking the win in the King of the Mountain Combined GTO and GTU race was the ever-present Cowan on his Moto Station built Yamaha YZF-R6.

Kory had this to say about his weekend: “Based on results it was a good race round. I took five wins in five races and had some good battles which I enjoyed. The weather was pretty tough all weekend. I don’t think it ever got above 60 degrees and it was raining on and off making it hard to decide what to do with tires. Luckily, I had the right Pirelli tires for all situations, and they worked great all weekend. They’ve worked great all season. I have to say thanks to the entire Moto Station crew. And congratulations to my teammate Jerry Hicks on his King of the Mountain championship. He’s a great racer and a great representative for the club.”

Speaking of Jerry Hicks, he realized a long-time personal goal of securing the number one plate and taking the top position in the premier class season championship. He had been chasing that distinction since his promotion to an expert racer after a thrilling and dominant campaign as a novice racer.

Hicks had this to say about the weekend of racing: “I was going into KOM race with a 20 point advantage over Duncan Biles, so in the lead-up to the race I was torn between playing it safe for the championship and pushing hard to race with Kory Cowan, who has had best outright speed all season. The extremely cold conditions had me a bit unsure about how fast any of us would be able to go, so I decided it would be best to push as hard as possible and see what happens. I got a decent start and tucked in close behind Kory for a few laps. My pit board was showing that Genaro Lopez was right behind me, so I kept pushing. On lap 3 of 14, my rear tire began destroying itself, because of the cold temps. Then on the next lap, my visor began fogging. I gave up a bit of a gap to Kory at that point, but that gap shortly stabilized as Kory was having tire and visor fogging problems of his own. I continued pushing for the next handful of laps and was able to get a bit of a gap on Genaro. I backed off a bit to bring it home safely in second place, which was good enough for me to win the overall KOM championship. Next up was Open Superbike. Since it was raining on and off all day, my spare wheels had rain tires mounted, which meant I didn’t have time to do a tire change and had to go out on the tire I destroyed in KOM. In this class, again I had a 20 point lead on Duncan. I put a bunch of air in the tire and went out focused on damage control. I got a good start and pushed as hard as possible. Kory pretty much checked out after a couple laps and Duncan passed me shortly after that. I was able to push hard enough to keep everyone else behind me and bring it home in 3^rd, which was again, good enough to take the win in that championship. Finally, I had Middleweight Superbike. I was down 2 points to Kellen Birch in this class, so I had to beat him to win the championship. Again, with no time for a tire change, I had to race the tire I destroyed two races ago. At this point, the tire wear indicators were completely worn away. My start was decent, with Kory ahead and Kellen behind going into T1. My rear grip was hopelessly bad, so I tried to at least put on a show for Kellen and spun the rear from the apex to the edge of the track out of T1. We’re talking Marco Melandri, Phillip Island 2006, minus the smoke because it was 45 degrees. If I was going to struggle for speed, I was at least going to do it in style. From then on, Kory checked out immediately while Kellen began suffering from tire issues as well. By the end of the race, I was able to hold off Alex Zinaich for 2^nd place to win the class championship.”

Concerning his title-winning season, Jerry wanted to share these comments: “I want to first thank my wife, Carrie, for all her support and contribution over the many years we’ve been racing. It’s mostly been lots of fun, but there have also been some difficult times. Most notably, when I was on the cusp of clinching the #1 Plate back in 2017 during the penultimate round, I instead ended up in a helicopter with my femur poking out of my leg. So, after a year away from road racing, to come back this year and get the #1 Plate is a great feeling for me. I must admit that I wasn’t the outright fastest rider this year—that title goes to Kory Cowan—but I was fast enough and consistent enough to rack up the points to take the overall championship win. I’ll take that. My gratitude to Kory Cowan and Moto Station is impossible to overstate. Next to my wife, Kory has been in my corner longer than anyone else. Over the years he’s been a mentor, bike builder, tire guy, competitor, and a great friend. Kory has also assembled a fantastic team of riders that all share a tremendous passion for this sport. Thank you to Brian, Dave, Andy, Duncan, Russell, James, and Rick for being awesome garage mates this season. Moto Station is more than just a shop and a team sponsor. It has become an epicenter of friendship for many of us. We race together, ride dirt bikes together, do “family” holidays together—to me, this band of brothers and sisters that have formed from the Moto Station race team is what I will cherish most from my many years of racing. I am honored to be a part of it all.”

Taking home the distinction as top GTO rider in the King of the Mountain class was Zac Miller, who shared these thoughts on taking his first King of the Mountain championship, saying, “Coming into this weekend I was leading the points in both Deseret Dash Expert and KOM GTO. I had mixed thoughts, do I ignore the points and stick to the normal plan to go fast, or ride cautious and focus on survival? With the wild weather conditions, the cautious route seemed most logical. On Sunday, I skipped the morning practice sessions and KOM qualifying due to mixed track conditions, so I entered Stock 1000 for warm-up laps. I got a great launch from row 5 and was able to contend for the win battling with Erik Grim, who was on-point and just edged me out. Then in KOM, I was last on the grid from skipping qualifying but was able to move forward very quickly before settling into fourth, the position I knew was good enough to secure the KOM GTO championship. Riding with such caution, those were the longest 14 laps I’ve ever raced! I was able to finish in that position, and secure the championship, although it was bittersweet to finish so far behind Jerry and Kory. My hats off to them for riding those Moto Station R6’s so incredibly fast in such cold weather and congrats to Jerry Hicks on his season and KOM Combined championship.”

Winning eight championships between them were Jason Grant and his son Liam. Jason shared these words of wisdom regarding his season: “I was very lucky to be able to race with two of my sons, Liam and Jasper this season. We each had objectives coming into the season and mine included transitioning from the R3 that I started racing last year to the R6 this season and the ZX-10 by the end of the year, in addition to competing to win the Novice GTU title. I was fortunate to achieve all of those goals in addition to three other class titles as a Novice this season. More importantly, our family became a part of the USBA family, and we made a lot of new friends over the course of the season. I’d like to thank my family for the sacrifices they made to allow me to race on top of our already busy race program. I’d also like to thank Ken Hill and the Rickdiculous program for their coaching and support. We wouldn’t be able to race as a family if dad was crashing every weekend and I owe Ken a lot for making me, and my boys, much faster, safer and more consistent riders.” Liam, Jason’s son, had this to say, “I started racing a Yamaha R3 for the first time in 2018 after I completed the USBA new racer school last April. By the end of the season I had won my first race and was planning my goals for 2019. For 2019 I wanted to transition to the Kawasaki Ninja 400 to compete for the Production 500 Championship and to use this experience to compete in my first MotoAmerica Junior Cup races. I was fortunate to end up winning three classes with the USBA and also compete in my first three rounds with MotoAmerica. I would like to thank my family, my sponsors and Geoff Cesmat for all their support and making the season possible.”

Hailing from Canada and maintaining a constant presence throughout the season was the Formula 40 GTO champion, Ryan McGowan. McGowan provided the following insight about his title: “2019 was a very successful season with the UtahSBA, I brought a new ZX-10R this year and were able to get it set up relatively early in the season, although it wasn’t until the 4th round that I had most of the shifting bugs worked out. Winning the F40 GTO championship in my first year with this bike was a fantastic surprise. There was stiff competition each and every round, with the majority of the pressure came from my good friend Bill Davis on his BMW who won four of the six rounds this year. We came into the final round tied with Bill, but unfortunately Bill wasn’t able to grid up for the final round allowing us to take the title. Chasing the checkers with Kevin Dolan and David Meyer also provided some great memories, good close racing with lots of trust in your fellow competitors is what this is all about. Revolver Racing would like to thank our sponsors this year, Mark and Brandon at Hustle Hard Racing, Vortex EK and Mantis Technical Services. I owe a big thanks to my teammates Myroslav Volkov and James Riggs, and my family for their continuing support.”

Wrapping up a strong and successful expert class debut was Kellen Birch out of Rigby, Idaho. As he completes his campaign and takes a reluctant step back from racing, Kellen had these parting words: “Very bittersweet race weekend. I crashed hard Saturday morning. I was sad, scared and deflated. I went from chasing all six championships to survival mode. I was beaten up, and I was really discouraged. But that’s the shitty part of racing. Then there is the beautiful part of racing. As I rode to the medical center in a lot of pain with a torn suit, demolished helmet, blown out boot and my fingers showing through gloves I wanted to quit. Bailee was checking me over, I turn around, and Donald was there checking in on me and walked me back to the garage. Ian, Ryan, Genaro, and James had already started rebuilding my bike. Half the club came by to check on me and see if I needed anything. You can’t ask for better people. At that point I started thinking, I hate having regrets. I had busted my ass and wallet to get to where I was. I had to finish the season off. I rode terrified and sore in the rain after lunch salvaging what I could for points. My wife Shelley is a great nurse and checked me out Saturday night. Sunday morning I woke up sore but determined. I did my best. I won a championship in the Combined GTU class and placed well in the rest of the classes I ran. I am damn proud of that. It also made this weekend really hard; I had to say goodbye to my track family for a while. I can’t express how much this USBA club and this family mean to me. I love you all!” Kellen and his infectious personality will be greatly missed around the paddock.

Establishing himself as a definite contender in the expert classes next year, Joseph Tapia put together a prolific effort in securing a championship on his modern vintage Yamaha YZF-R6. Tapia made these comments about his campaign: “I had an excellent round 6 to clinch the Modern Vintage GTU championship. The rain was a great equalizer for Saturday, which gave me a lot of confidence going into Sunday’s racing. It was a great race season, and I am happy to have won Modern Vintage GTU. I’ll be back again next year to see if I can do it again. Huge thanks to Utah Motorcycle Law and Adrenalin Moto for their support.”

Utah Sport Bike Association would like to sincerely thank all of their sponsors for the 2019 Masters of the Mountains season, including The Edge Powersports, Fastline Racetire, The Moto Station, Inspired Financial, Trackstar Racing, The Green Pig Pub, Adrenaline Motorsports, Wright’s Motorcycle Parts, Harrison Eurosport, South Valley Motorsports, Moto United, The Mechanic – Kevin Dolan, LaMonica’s Restaurant Equipment Service, C&R Coatings, Kymco, Rickdiculous Racing, AZ Racing Academy and our title sponsor Law Tigers for making this season possible. Without your support, this road racing series would not exist.

The UtahSBA is a Utah Non-Profit dedicated to promoting education, safe riding, and competition in the Intermountain West. You can find more information about the UtahSBA, upcoming events, and schools at www.utahsba.com or find us on Facebook at www.utahsba.com

Harrison Eurosport Combined GTO:

1. Joseph Tapia (Yam YZF-R6)

2. James Powelson (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Cole Phillips (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Ryan McGowan (Kaw ZX-10R)

5. Peter Hofpointner (Yam YZF-R6)

6. Jeff VanDerVoot (Yam YZF-R6)

The Edge Powersports Deseret Dash 1 – Expert:

1. Ryan McGowan (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. Jason Johnson (Kaw ZX-6R)

3. Jeff VanDerVoort (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Kevin Dolan (Kaw ZX-10R)

5. Nick Sosniuk (BMW S1000RR)

6. Donald Rothfuss (Duc 848 EVO)

The Edge Powersports Deseret Dash 1 – Novice:

1. Ryan Podgurney (Kaw ZX-6R)

2. James Riggs (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Mark Taylor (Kaw EX500)

4. Myroslav Volkov (Kaw ZX-10R)

The Edge Powersports Deseret Dash 2 – Expert:

1. Ryan McGowan (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. David Meyer (Suz GSX-R1000)

3. Kevin Dolan (Kaw ZX-10R)

4. Thomas Dark (Suz GSX-R600)

5. Donald Rothfuss (Duc 848 EVO)

6. Jeff VanDerVoort (Yam YZF-R6)

The Edge Powersports Deseret Dash 2 – Novice:

1. Ryan Podgurney (Kaw ZX-6R)

2. Adam Kownatka (Kaw ZX-6R)

3. James Kling (Duc 1198)

4. James Riggs (Yam YZF-R1)

5. Braxton Young (Hon CBR600RR)

6. Mark Taylor (Kaw EX500)

Trackstar Racing Middleweight Superstock:

1. Cole Phillips (Yam YZF-R6)

2. James Powelson (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Jason Johnson (Duc 848)

4. Kellen Birch (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Thomas Dark (Suz GSX-R600)

Fastline Racetire Moto 2:

1. Kory Cowan (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Jerry Hicks (Yam YZF-R6)

3. James Powelson (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Alex Zinaich (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Peter Hofpointner (Yam YZF-R6)

6. Jeff VanDerVoort (Yam YZF-R6)

The Edge Powersports Moto 3:

1. David Purcell (Kaw Ninja 400)

2. Brad Moore (Yam YZF-R3)

3. Mark Taylor (Kaw EX500)

Inspired Financial Novice GTU:

1. Joseph Tapia (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Peter Hofpointner (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Ryan Podgurney (Kaw ZX-6R)

4. Jason Grant (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Adam Kownatka (Kaw Ninja 300)

6. Braxton Young (Hon CBR600RR)

South Valley Motorsports Open Superstock:

1. Ryan McGowan (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. Jerry Hicks (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Jeff VanDerVoot (Yam YZF-R6)

4. David Meyer (Suz GSX-R1000)

5. Kevin Dolan (Kaw ZX-10R)

6. Jason Johnson (Kaw ZX-6R)

The Green Pig Pub Open Twins:

1. Donald Rothfuss (Duc 848 EVO)

2. James Kling (Duc 1198)

3. Daniel Egbert (Duc 1199S)

4. Jason Johnson (Duc 848)

Adrenaline Motorsports Production 500:

1. David Purcell (Kaw Ninja 400)

2. Mark Taylor (Kaw EX500)

Harrison Eurosports Formula 40 – GTO:

1. Kevin Dolan (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. Ryan McGowan (Kaw ZX-10R)

3. David Meyer (Suz GSX-R1000)

4. Nick Sosniuk (BMW S1000RR)

5. Mark Taylor (Kaw EX500)

Harrison Eurosports Formula 40 – GTU:

1. Alex Zinaich (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Adam Kownatka (Kaw ZX-6R)

LaMonica’s Restaurant Equipment Service Heavyweight Superbike:

1. Kory Cowan (Yam YZF-R6)

2. James Powelson (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Jeff VanDerVoort (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Kellen Birch (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Cole Phillips (Yam YZF-R6)

The Moto Station KOM GTO:

1. Kory Cowan (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Genaro Lopez (BMW S1000RR)

3. Zac Miller (BMW S1000RR)

4. Kevin Dolan (Kaw ZX-10R)

5. Duncan Biles (Yam YZF-R1)

6. David Meyer (Suz GSX-R1000)

Rickdiculous Racing KOM GTU:

1. Jerry Hicks (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Jeff VanDerVoort (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Thomas Dark (Suz GSX-R600)

AZ Racing Academy Lightweight SuperBike:

1. Brad Moore (Yam YZF-R3)

2. Mark Taylor (Kaw EX500)

3. Adam Kownatka (Kaw Ninja 300)

4. Jeff Masters (Yam FZ-07)

The Moto Station Middleweight Superbike:

1. Kory Cowan (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Jerry Hicks (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Alex Zinaich (Yam YZF-R6)

4. James Powelson (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Kellen Birch (Yam YZF-R6)

6. Jeff VanDerVoort (Yam YZF-R6)

The Mechanic Modern Vintage – GTO:

1. Kevin Dolan (Suz GSX-R1000)

2. Myroslav Volkov (Kaw ZX-10R)

3. Spencer Kruger (Suz GSX-R750)

4. Mark Taylor (Kaw EX500)

The Mechanic Modern Vintage – GTU:

1. Joseph Tapia (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Cole Phillips (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Thomas Dark (Suz GSX-R600)

4. Braxton Young (Hon CBR600RR)

5. Jason Johnson (Duc 848)

Harrison Eurosport Novice GTO:

1. Myroslav Volkov (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. James Kling (Duc 1198)

3. Ryan Podgurney (Kaw ZX-6R)

4. James Riggs (Yam YZF-R1)

5. Braxton Young (Hon CBR600RR)

6. Mark Taylor (Kaw EX500)

The Moto Station Open Superbike:

1. Kory Cowan (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Duncan Biles (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Jerry Hicks (Yam YZF-R6)

4. David Meyer (Suz GSX-R1000)

5. Nick Sosniuk (BMW S1000RR)

6. Ryan McGowan (Kaw ZX-10R)

Wright’s M/C Parts & Accessories Production 300:

1. Adam Kownatka (Kaw Ninja 300)

Adrenaline Motorsports Production 500:

1. Brad Moore (Yam YZF-R3)

2. David Purcell (Kaw Ninja 400)

3. Mark Taylor (Kaw 500)

4. Adam Kownatka (Kaw Ninja 300)

C&R Coatings Stock 1000:

1. Erik Grim (BMW S1000RR)

2. Zac Miller (BMW S1000RR)

3. Genaro Lopez (BMW S1000RR)

4. Ryan McGowan (Kaw ZX-10R)

5. James Kling (Duc 1198)

6. Nick Sosniuk (BMW S1000RR)

The Moto Station & Rickdiculous Racing KOM Combined:

1. Kory Cowan (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Jerry Hicks (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Genaro Lopez (BMW S1000RR)

4. Zac Miller (BMW S1000RR)

5. Kevin Dolan (Kaw ZX-10R)

6. Duncan Biles (Yam YZF-R1)

Podcast: Greg’s Garage Pod With Co-Host Jason Pridmore Episode 52 Now Available

David Swarts

-

October 2, 2019

0

Podcast: Greg’s Garage Pod With Co-Host Jason Pridmore Episode 52 Now Available

Greg’s Garage Pod with Co-Host Jason Pridmore – A motorcycle racing Pod about MotoGP, MotoAmerica and World Superbike, Pro Motocross, American Flat Track and more. In this episode Co-Hosts Greg White and Jason Pridmore talk:

WorldSBK – In-depth conversation about WorldSBK Magny-Cours… the races and Jonathan Rea’s 5th World Title! Plus talk about World Supersport, and World Supersport 300!

WorldSBK – Silly season! Riders are moving all over the place, including rumors of one American Superbike racer going WorldSBK!

MotoGP – A quick preview of Round 15, Thailand.

This week’s race calendar.

https://gregsgaragepod.podbean.com

Moto3: Gabriel Rodrigo Heads FP2 At Buriram International Circuit

October 4, 2019

Race Lap Record: 1:42.963, Dennis Foggia, 2018

All-Time Lap Record: 1:42.235, Marco Bezzecchi, 2018

FIM Moto3 World Championship

Buriram International Circuit

Buriram, Thailand

October 4, 2019

Free Practice Two Results (all using Dunlop tires):

Gabriel Rodrigo, Argentina (Honda), 1:43.107
Dennis Foggia, Italy (KTM), 1:43.210
Jakub Kornfeil, Czech Republic (KTM), 1:43.216
Makar Yurchenko, Kazakhstan (KTM), 1:43.220
Tatsuki Suzuki, Japan (Honda), 1:43.446
Albert Arenas, Spain (KTM), 1:43.567
Alonso Lopez, Spain (Honda), 1:43.583
Lorenzo Dalla Porta, Italy (Honda), 1:43.583
Kaito Toba, Japan (Honda), 1:43.591
Andrea Migno, Italy (KTM), 1:43.643

Moto2: Tetsuta Nagashima Breaks All-Time Lap Record In FP1 In Thailand

October 3, 2019

Moto2 Race Lap Record: 1:36.924, Francesco Bagnaia, 2018

Moto2 All-Time Lap Record: 1:35.969, Tetsuta Nagashima, 2019

FIM Moto2 World Championship

Buriram International Circuit

Buriram, Thailand

October 4, 2019

Free Practice One Results (all using Triumph engines and Dunlop tires):

Tetsuta Nagashima, Japan (Kalex), 1:35.969
Augusto Fernandez, Spain (Kalex), 1:36.353
Luca Marini, Italy (Kalex), 1:36.373
Dominique Aegerter, Switzerland (MV Agusta), 1:36.506
Somkat Chantra, Thailand (Kalex), 1:36.573
Nicolo Bulega, Italy (Kalex), 1:36.580
Iker Lecuona, Spain (KTM), 1:36.588
Brad Binder, South Africa (KTM), 1:36.606
Remy Gardner, Australia (Kalex), 1:36.612
Jorge Martin, Spain (KTM), 1:36.642
Alex Marquez, Spain (Kalex), 1:36.733
Stefano Manzi, Italy (MV Agusta), 1:36.911
Mattia Pasini, Italy (Kalex), 1:36.958
Fabio Di Giannantonio, Italy (Speed Up), 1:36.963
Jorge Navarro, Spain (Speed Up), 1:36.969
Enea Bastianini, Italy (Kalex), 1:36.986
Tom Luthi, Switzerland (Kalex), 1:36.999
Andrea Locatelli, Italy (Kalex), 1:37.026
Marcel Schrotter, Germany (Kalex), 1:37.056
Lorenzo Baldassarri, Italy (Kalex), 1:37.117
Sam Lowes, UK (Kalex), 1:37.164
Marco Bezzecchi, Italy (KTM), 1:37.300
Xavi Vierge, Spain (Kalex), 1:37.371
Joe Roberts, USA (KTM), 1:37.384
Jake Dixon, UK (KTM), 1:37.399
Bo Bendsneyder, Netherlands (NTS), 1:37.447
Philipp Oettl, Germany (KTM), 1:37.637
Jesko Raffin, Switzerland (Kalex), 1:37.829
Lukas Tulovic, Germany (KTM), 1:38.789
Adam Norrodin, Malaysia (Kalex), 1:38.869
Xavi Cardelus, Andorra (KTM), 1:38.945
Dimas Ekky Pratama, Indonesia (Kalex), 1:39.337

MotoGP: Maverick Vinales Leads, Marc Marquez Crashes Hard In FP1 In Thailand (Updated With Crash Photo)

October 3, 2019

Race Lap Record: 1:31.471, Marc Marquez, 2018

All-Time Lap Record: 1:30.031, Marc Marquez, 2018

FIM MotoGP World Championship

Buriram International Circuit

Buriram, Thailand

October 4, 2019

Free Practice One Results (all using Michelin tires):

Maverick Vinales, Spain (Yam YZR-M1), 1:30.979
Fabio Quartararo, France (Yam YZR-M1), 1:31.170
Marc Marquez, Spain (Hon RC213V), 1:31.187, crash
Andrea Dovizioso, Italy (Duc GP19), 1:31.205
Jack Miller, Australia (Duc GP19), 1:31.227
Valentino Rossi, Italy (Yam YZR-M1), 1:31.482
Franco Morbidelli, Italy (Yam YZR-M1), 1:31.569
Danilo Petrucci, Italy (Duc GP19), 1:31.593
Joan Mir, Spain (Suz GSX-RR), 1:31.753
Francesco Bagnaia, Italy (Duc GP19), 1:31.799
Alex Rins, Spain (Suz GSX-RR), 1:31.847
Aleix Espargaro, Spain (Apr RS-GP), 1:31.865
Pol Espargaro, Spain (KTM RC16), 1:31.895
Takaaki Nakagami, Japan (Hon RC213V), 1:31.947
Andrea Iannone, Italy (Apr RS-GP), 1:32.239
Tito Rabat, Spain (Duc GP18), 1:32.280
Miguel Oliveira, Portugal (KTM RC16), 1:32.524, crash
Cal Crutchlow, UK (Hon RC213V), 1:32.554
Jorge Lorenzo, Spain (Hon RC213V), 1:32.838
Mika Kallio, Finland (KTM RC16), 1:32.877
Hafizh Syahrin, Malaysia (KTM RC16), 1:33.033
Karel Abraham, Czech Republic (Duc GP18), 1:33.129

Moto3: Andrea Migno Under Race Lap Record During FP1 In Thailand

October 3, 2019

Race Lap Record: 1:42.963, Dennis Foggia, 2018

All-Time Lap Record: 1:42.235, Marco Bezzecchi, 2018

FIM Moto3 World Championship

Buriram International Circuit

Buriram, Thailand

October 4, 2019

Free Practice One Results (all using Dunlop tires):

Andrea Migno, Italy (KTM), 1:42.789
Tony Arbolino, Italy (Honda), 1:43.041
Tatsuki Suzuki, Japan (Honda), 1:43.067
Alonso Lopez, Spain (Honda), 1:43.458
Ayumu Sasaki, Japan (Honda), 1:43.481
Albert Arenas, Spain (KTM), 1:43.557
Marcos Ramirez, Spain (Honda), 1:43.577
Aron Canet, Spain (KTM), 1:43.602
Filip Salac, Czech Republic (KTM), 1:43.640
Ai Ogura, Japan (Honda), 1:43.676

MIC: There Will Be No Increased Tariffs On European Motorcycles, Parts, Accessories

October 3, 2019

The proposed increase in tariffs on motorcycles imported to the U.S. from Europe was originally a response to the European Union increasing tariffs on American beef. Image courtesy of American Motorcyclist Association (AMA).