This weekend the FIM JuniorGP made its debut for the first time in France at the Nevers Magny Cours Circuit.
Mikey Lou Sanchez started the weekend off pretty good, finishing in the top 10 of both free practices on Friday.
Saturday in Practice, Mikey was P10 which put him directly into Q2. In Qualifying Mikey finished P12 which put him 23rd on the grid but because of a few penalties from other riders he ended up starting P20.
Race 1 was tricky, the race was delayed because of rain, and then it was dry, so all riders went from slicks to wet tires back to slicks. The race had been changed from 12 laps to 9 Laps.On the first lap there was a crash in turn 3 which caused a split between the front group. Mikey was able to avoid the riders and continue. He was able to finish P12, putting in the second fastest lap of the race on the last lap!
Race 2 was a completely different race. The track was super wet from heavy rains. We were confident Mikey would do well in the rain, as he moved up from 21st to 13th on the first lap but then on the second lap he high sided coming out of turn 10.
Mikey Lou Sanchez (55) during the wet race at Magny-Cours. Photo credit Danny Vela / LIFEBELUCKY
Mikey is ok, and he is determined to fight with the front group in 3 weeks July 26-27 at Motorland Aragon!
“He’s continuing to learn the new Team with this being his second race weekend with AC Racing. I know he’s capable of running with these front guys!” Trinity – Mickey’s mom says.
We’d like to thank all of our sponsors for their continued support.
SPN Riders Academy, Chic-fil-a East Dallas, TexasMotorcycleAcademy, Fred and Maggie Beck , HJC helmets, Moto Liberty, williams custom painting, Paul Stamper Ben Fondu Theo Bick Mark Niemi and Stephen Hagberg.
Esteban returned to winning ways while Ramadhipa claimed a first ETC victory as the rain fell on the JuniorGP™ paddock on Sunday.
On a dramatic day of racing in the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship with rain falling at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Joel Esteban (CFMoto Aspar Junior Team) claimed a first JuniorGP™ victory since 2023 while the Moto2™ European Championship wins were shared between Alberto Ferrandez (GV EBC Moto2) and Alberto Surra (Andifer American Racing). In the European Talent Cup, Kiandra Ramadhipa (Honda – Asia Dream Racing Talent Team) took a first win in the class as Fernando Bujosa (AC Racing Team) claimed his second victory of the year. Stock™ European Championship honours went to Pier Francesco Venturini (AC Racing Team).
JUNIORGP:
In JuniorGP, rain fell ahead of the sole race of the weekend which resulted in the race being shortened to 10 laps as riders were given more time for sighting laps. Spain’s Joel Esteban battled from 14th on the grid to take victory in the wet race, ahead of Ireland’s Casey O’Gorman (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and his teammate, Rico Salmela. Championship leader Brian Uriarte (UAX SeventyTwo Artbox) got a sensational start when lights went out, building up a huge lead over his rivals, before he crashed at Turn 5; he was able to re-join the race and finished in 10th.
MOTO2 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP:
Alberto Ferrandez made it two wins in the last three races as he claimed victory in Race 1 of the Moto2 ECh. The Spaniard started from fourth but soon found himself in the lead of an eventful 14-lap race as he fended off Milan Pawelec (AGR Team) for victory. Polesitter Xabi Zurutuza (Andifer American Racing) rounded out the podium places, just over a second away from victory with Championship leader Unai Orradre (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro) settling for fourth.
The rain fell heavily ahead of Moto2 ECh’s Race 2 and that mixed up the results. Alberto Surra (Andifer American Racing) put in some incredibly fast laps at the start of the shortened race to take the lead, and he didn’t look back from there, claiming victory by more than 10 seconds ahead of Facundo Llambias (Estrella Galicia 0,0) as the Uruguayan claimed a first podium after starting from 15th. The rostrum was once again completed by Zurutuza. Orradre salvaged a P11 finish in Race 2 after he had a crash at Turn 13 in the wet, re-joining the race to just finish out of the top ten.
EUROPEAN TALENT CUP:
In Race 1 in the European Talent Cup, Indonesia’s Kiandra Ramadhipa claimed a stunning maiden victory by less than a tenth of a second ahead of Alvaro Lucas (CFMoto Aspar Junior Team), while Cristian Borrelli (Team Echovit Pasini Racing) claimed his maiden rostrum in the class with third. Fernando Bujosa was fourth despite serving a double Long Lap Penalty for crashing into Lucas at Jerez. Reigning Champion Carlos Cano (UAX SeventyTwo Artbox) fought back from 26th to fight for victory but a crash at the Imola Chicane, which also involved Alex Longarela (Snipers Igax Team), resulted in both riders scoring no points.
In ETC Race 2, Bujosa got a great launch to move into an early lead in the wet but was soon hauled in by his rivals. The #69 and Longalera battled for victory as they created a four-second gap to Lucas in P3 as the #46 completed an all-Spanish rostrum. Cano once again fought his way through the field, this time from 27th, to finish in sixth, in a race that was red-flagged on Lap 7 after it was shortened to 9 laps to give riders more sighting laps.
STOCK EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP:
In Stock ECh, Pier Francesco Venturini claimed a maiden podium and victory in the class after a fight with Hungary’s Tibor Varga (IUM Motorsports S.L). The pair were scrapping over second and third initially but were promoted to first and second respectively after Filippo Fuligni (Promo Racing) crashed on the exit of Turn 8 on Lap 5, with the race red flagged and the results declared; it was the second red flag in Stock ECh’s only race after David Jimenez (MDR Competición) crashed in the original start, with the track needing to be cleaned.
For all the results from the past, present and future and more news regarding the Championship, www.fimjuniorgp.com
The 2025 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, officially reached its halfway point at the crown jewel event on the calendar from Michigan’s legendary RedBud MX. The Honda RedBud National Presented by Dixxon Flannel Co. signified Race 6 of the summer campaign and Round 23 of the SMX World Championship regular season in a showcase of American motocross’ own Independence Day tradition. In the 450 Class, Honda HRC Progressive rider and championship point leader Jett Lawrence put forth one of his most impressive single-moto performances to complete a 1-1 sweep and capture a sixth straight victory. In the 250 Class, Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda completed a dominant afternoon for the brand with a 1-1 performance of his own to put the “Red Riders” atop both classes at Honda’s title event.
Impressive Come-From-Behind Performance at RedBud Nets Jett Lawrence Sixth Straight Pro Motocross Championship Victory.
Moto 1
The opening moto of the afternoon began with Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire side-by-side exiting the first turn, with Lawrence narrowly securing the Pro Motocross Holeshot and control of the lead. Hampshire went on the attack, nearly making the pass, but the Australian fended him off. As this unfolded, Jett Lawrence closed in on Hampshire from third. The top three then settled in briefly, but Jett Lawrence pushed to make the move on Hampshire for second and gave chase to his older brother out front. Behind them, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger made the pass for third and was able to close in on the lead duo.
Just before the completion of the opening 10 minutes Jett Lawrence made his move on Hunter, briefly making the pass before Hunter responded to retake the position. Jett persisted and after a brief side-by-side battle eventually took hold of the lead. The increased pace allowed the Lawrences to pull away from Plessinger and the rest of the field, as the KTM rider was then forced to deal with a hard-charging Eli Tomac and his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine. Once he got to Plessinger’s rear fender, Tomac made quick work to move into third.
The top three settled in through the middle of the moto, with Jett Lawrence moving out to a lead of about five seconds. However, as the moto entered its final 10 minutes considerable smoke started to come out of Tomac’s Yamaha. He eventually came to a stop, which ultimately brought his moto to a premature end. That misfortune left the battle for third to be settled between Plessinger and Hampshire, with the Husqvarna rider able to make the move in the closing stages of the moto.
Out front, Jett Lawrence’s lead eventually surpassed 10 seconds as he surged to his ninth moto win of the season by 16.1 seconds over Hunter Lawrence. Hampshire captured his first career moto podium in third, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in fourth. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton finished fifth, as the reigning series champion and defending RedBud winner made his anticipated return to action following a crash at the opening race of the season.
Jett Lawrence passed 17 riders in the final moto to put an exclamation point on his sixth straight victory and another 1-1 performance. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2
The deciding moto got underway with Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Coty Schock out front with the Pro Motocross Holeshot, just ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jorge Prado, the back-to-back FIM Motocross World Champion. The Spaniard pressured Schock and eventually made his move into the lead halfway through the opening lap. Behind him, both Lawrences started from deep in the top 10. As he looked to make passes, Jett Lawrence went down and remounted in 18th place. Hunter Lawrence, meanwhile, looked to move forward from seventh.
After a wild opening five minutes the field settled in with Prado leading Cooper and Hunter Lawrence, while Hampshire, Sexton, and Jett Lawrence ran in sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively. Jett Lawrence was on the move and passed both Sexton and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson to break into the top five. He then passed Hampshire for fourth just over 10 minutes into the moto. The march continued past his brother, as Jett broke into the top three before the halfway point.
Out front, a patient Cooper waited for an opening to attempt a pass on Prado and successfully made his way into the lead with just over half the moto to go. That left Prado to fend with Jett Lawrence, who made quick work of the Spaniard to move into second. Prado then lost hold of third to Sexton, who was following Lawrence’s path to the front. As the fastest rider on the track Jett gained chunks of time on Cooper and easily took over the lead with less than five minutes remaining. Sexton was then able to make his way around Cooper for second but went down. He remounted in fourth as Cooper and Hunter Lawrence made their way past.
In arguably the most impressive single-moto performance of his young career, Jett Lawrence passed 17 riders to complete the sweep of the motos by 8.3 seconds over Cooper, who equaled his career-best moto result in second. Hunter Lawrence followed in third.
Hunter Lawrence finished in the runner-up spot to give the Lawrence brothers three consecutive 1-2 finishes. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing,Inc.
Overall
Jett Lawrence’s 16th career 1-1 performance netted him the 21st victory in the 450 Class, which equaled two-time champion Ken Roczen for sixth all-time. With 21 victories in 22 career starts, his career winning percentage stands at an incredible 95%. Hunter Lawrence completed the third straight 1-2 finish for the siblings in second (2-3), while Cooper earned his second overall podium result of the season in third (4-2).
Jett Lawrence’s lead in the championship standings now sits at just over an entire race, 51 points over Hunter Lawrence, who moved into second. Cooper’s podium result allowed him to move from fifth to third, 69 points out of the lead.
The podium result also helped Cooper close to within 14 points of the top seed in the SMX World Championship standings, as he continued to gain ground on his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammate Cooper Webb, who finished ninth (15-8).
Justin Cooper was solid all afternoon to earn his second podium finish of the summer. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
“I put my heart into that race [Moto 2]. I didn’t get an ideal start and made a silly mistake that made it really hard on myself. We lost a young star in the racing community this past week [Aidan Zingg] and I rode with him and his family on my mind, so this one is for the Zingg family.”
“That one [Moto 2] was tough. I had to fight for it since I didn’t get a great start. I’m happy to do it [finish on the podium] on a holiday weekend. It was an epic race, with epic fans. It was a great day.”
3rd Place: Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing (4-2)
“I had a good start [in Moto 2] and was second behind Jorge [Prado]. I wanted to get by him as quick as I could and made a sprint for three or four laps. Then hit a wall [physically]. I ended up losing my front brake for a bit, but thankfully it came back. It was a great ride and I’m really happy to be on the podium.”
Podium picture, from left to right, Hunter Lawrence, Jett Lawrence and Justin Cooper. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Jo Shimoda Completes Honda Sweep with 1-1 Performance in 250 Class.
Moto 1
The first moto saw the Shimoda surge to the front off the start for the Pro Motocross Holeshot, his first since 2023, but he was soon passed by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, with Triumph Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll in third. Defending champion and point leader Haiden Deegan started deep in the top 20 aboard his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine. The clear track allowed Vialle to quickly establish a lead of more than two seconds over Shimoda, while Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker made the pass on Swoll for third.
As the leaders settled in, all eyes were on Deegan as he made a charge through the field. The season’s most dominant rider clawed his way into the top 10 a mere five minutes into the moto. However, as he looked to move closer to the top five Deegan tipped over and lost a few positions. Back out front, Vialle’s advantage grew to more than five seconds nearing the halfway point of the moto.
As the final 10 minutes approached, Shimoda’s pace picked up and he started to chip away at the deficit to Vialle. Behind him, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen was the rider to watch, as he made multiple passes to make his way into the top three. Shimoda, meanwhile, caught Vialle to initiate a battle for the lead. The Japanese rider bided his time and waited for the opportunity to make a pass attempt on the Frenchman and successfully did so to take over the top spot with just under nine minutes remaining. Behind them, Deegan had worked his way up to fifth as smoke began to come out of his Yamaha. He then crashed on one of the track’s downhill sections and remounted outside the top 10.
As Shimoda closed out the moto in emphatic fashion a last-lap battle for second emerged as Kitchen was on a torrid charge in the closing laps. He caught the Vialle and after a brief battle made the move to take over second. Shimoda took his first moto win since Southwick last season by a margin of 7.2 seconds over Kitchen, followed by Vialle in third. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman finished fourth, with Hammaker rounding out the top five. Deegan soldiered home in 14th for his worst moto result since the penultimate round of the 2023 season.
Jo Shimda took advantage of two stellar starts to complete an impressive 1-1 effort. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2
The final moto of the day kicked off with Swoll edging out Shimoda for the Pro Motocross Holeshot as Shimoda then dropped to third behind another Triumph Factory Racing rider in Jordon Smith. Kitchen slotted into fourth and made the move around Shimoda for third. Deegan, meanwhile, started outside the top 10 but was able to climb up to ninth in the early stages of the opening lap. Back up front, Kitchen passed Smith for second but then lost traction and slid out, quickly remounting in 11th place.
As the top three settled in, Smith went off track and crashed, which allowed Shimoda to move into second and Mosiman into third, just ahead of Deegan in fourth. Deegan then went down and dropped two positions to sixth. Not long after Deegan’s misfortune, Kitchen was forced to visit the mechanics area, which dropped him outside the top 30 and ultimately out of contention.
Ten minutes into the moto Swoll continued to lead Shimoda, with about a second separating the two riders. Shimoda started to get pressure from Mosiman in third, which forced him to pick up his pace and take the lead from Swoll. Mosiman quickly followed into second. From there a battle for the lead took shape between Shimoda and Mosiman, who quickly distanced themselves from Swoll. After some initial pressure, Shimoda fended off Mosiman and soon built a near three-second advantage.
As the moto wore on, Shimoda continued to build on his lead and eventually moved nearly 20 seconds clear of the field as Mosiman encountered misfortune and lost his hold of second to Swoll. Mosiman was then forced to contend with Deegan in the closing stages for third, with the championship leader able to make the pass. Deegan wasn’t done as he put in a late charge to catch Swoll and made the pass with two laps to go.
Shimoda dominated en route to the 10th moto win of his career, finishing 17.7 seconds ahead of Deegan. Swoll earned his first moto podium since the 2023 season.
In just his third race back from a ruptured Achilles, Jalek Swoll secured a runner-up finish. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Overall
Shimoda’s first victory for Honda came via a compelling 1-1 performance, the second of his career, and now gives him four career wins. It was also his second victory at RedBud. Swoll (6-3) and Mosiman (4-4) ended up tied for the runner-up spot, with the second moto tiebreaker going to Swoll for his third career podium and the second Pro Motocross podium for Triumph. Mosiman made his return to the box for the first time since 2021 and the fourth time in his career.
Shimoda gained 20 points on Deegan, who finished fifth (14-2), with 38 points now separating the top two. Kitchen, who finished seventh (2-19), moved into third, 85 points behind Deegan.
After a challenging couple years marred by injury, Michael Mosiman made his return to the overall podium for the first time since 2023. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
1st Place: Jo Shimoda, Honda HRC Progressive (1-1)
“I needed those starts. My riding hasn’t been bad; I just needed starts. We tried some new mapping on the bike for the starts, and it really worked out. This is such a big confidence booster.”
2nd Place: Jalek Swoll, Triumph Factory Racing (6-3)
“It feels great. I was riding the best I ever had before my [Achilles] injury. It sucks I couldn’t race Supercross but to get on the podium in just my third race back for Triumph feels amazing.”
3rd Place: Michael Mosiman, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (4-4)
“I’m just stoked. I put in a lot of hard work. A lot of hours, sweat, blood, and tears to get back here [on the podium]. It means a lot to make a comeback, and I know I have the ability to overcome anything.”
Podium picture, from left to right, Jalek Swoll, Jo Shimoda and Michael Mosiman. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)
Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda (1-1 // 50)
Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph (6-3 // 36)
Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha (4-4 // 36)
Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 295
Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha – 280
Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 262
Maximus Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., Yamaha – 244
Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Triumph – 233
The 2025 Pro Motocross Championship continues next Saturday, July 12, with Round 24 of the SMX regular season, when Minnesota’s Spring Creek MX Park will bring the series to the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” for the FXR Spring Creek National Presented by Frescados Tortillas. The seventh race of the summer will feature exclusive comprehensive live coverage on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live at 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET, followed by uninterrupted coverage of the motos at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET. Additionally, the championship will make its summer debut on USA Network with a Sunday encore telecast on July 13, beginning at 9 a.m. PT / 12 a.m. ET.
The “Magic Mile” lived up to its nickname by delivering yet another last-lap stunner as Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) claimed a scant-yet-pivotal victory in Saturday night’s Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, Round 8 of the 2025 Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
Daniels’ win at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, wasn’t assured until the checkered flag flew, which confirmed an official 0.037-second margin of victory following a hectic five-rider showdown to the very end.
An early eight-rider scrap whittled down to six after a few minutes of fighting. It then took its final form of five – which included Daniels, title rival Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R), James Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07), Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTB Racing Yamaha MT-07), and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) – after Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) was forced out due to mechanical issues.
Bauman kept himself relevant with some impressive cornering and line choice, but as the laps wound down, it became more and more apparent that the Yamahas of Daniels, Ott, and Bender had the steam on this night.
With less than two minutes left on the clock, Bauman dropped back from first to fifth and then struggled mightily in his attempts to claw his way back into winning contention from that point forward.
Ott, meanwhile, gave Daniels all he could handle, while Bender looked more than capable of springing a massive upset with a perfect final lap.
But Daniels did what aspiring championship winners do, countering Ott’s final lap Turn 2 pass with a counter of his own, running back up the inside entering Turn 3. He then put his head down and narrowly outraced his challengers’ draft-pass attempts as the three completed a Yamaha lockout of the podium.
Ott earned his maiden Mission AFT SuperTwins podium 0.037 seconds off the win while Bender claimed the first of his Progressive AFT career a further 0.092 seconds adrift.
Daniels said, “That was huge… Not even just the win, but how we felt on the motorcycle today. It’s no secret that at the beginning of the season we’ve been struggling a little bit, just with some stuff. It’s not for lack of effort. My team has been busting their butts so much. This track – with the way that the corners are – is one where we’ve always lacked on the Yamaha the last few years. We’ve been making headway, and last year we were close to Jared (Mees), but not that close. This morning, I didn’t really feel the greatest, but I had a quiet confidence. I knew we were going to figure it out. I can’t give a big enough of a thanks to my whole Estenson Racing Monster Energy Yamaha team…
“It was an amazing day. It’s the first time I’ve won a Grand National in my home state. It’s something special.”
Robinson, meanwhile, held Bauman off for fourth just back of the top three.
As a result, Daniels and Bauman now boast 162 points and four wins apiece, with Bauman technically in the championship lead as a result of his three runners-up to Daniels’ two. It doesn’t get much closer than that with the Grand National Championship fight now officially at its halfway point.
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Racing Unlimited/Parts Bros/D&D Kawasaki Ninja 650) finished a lonely sixth, while Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke), Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Suzuki GSX-8S), and Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) rounding out the night’s top ten in that order.
AFT Singles presented by KICKER
In just over the span of a week, Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) took a protracted wins drought and vulnerable AFT Singles presented by KICKER championship position and transformed them into a three-race victory streak and a commanding 20-point advantage.
The Australian did so in an intense Main Event that saw an eight-rider lead freight train storm past the checkered flag separated by a combined 0.342 seconds.
As it went, the heated rivalry between Drane and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R) got that much hotter Saturday night. Saathoff came up just 0.020 seconds short of defeating Drane after spending the entire race in a struggle just to prevent the Estenson Racing ace from making an escape and instead forcing him to fight it out in a pack war.
The two gestured angrily at one another following the conclusion of the race after being locked in ultra close quarters combat, including one particularly perilous moment in which Saathoff’s boot contacted Drane’s handlebar as they railed around a corner in tight proximity.
Afterward, Drane said, “I just wanted to get out there straight to the front and do everything I could to win that one, because that was dangerous coming off the last corner doing that. It is what it is, and I guess I just have to put my head down and do what I did and come out on top.”
In response, Saathoff said, “I thought I set myself up good (on the final lap), but it seems to me that Tom Drane doesn’t know how to go in a straight line sometimes. But, that’s okay. We’re going to look past it and move on to the next (race).”
Saathoff was joined in the joint attempt to overcome Drane’s day-long speed advantage for the bulk of the Main by eventual third-place finisher Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Hannum’s HD/Pfanders Racing KTM 450 SX-F), who was shuffled back to sixth at the flag despite finishing just 0.252 seconds back of the win.
Despite his impressive form, Pfanders was displaced in that final rush to the stripe by Hunter Bauer (No. 24 Vinson Construction/Reel Medics Yamaha YZ450F) and Evan Renshaw (No. 65 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), who rounded out the top five.
Meanwhile, Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) and Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R) were rewarded with just seventh- and eighth-place results despite being in with a shot at the win as late as the race’s final corner.
Drane’s recent surge has granted him a significant advantage over Saathoff at the title fight’s halfway point, as he now leads 153-133. Brunner sits third at 114, while Santero is well back in fourth with 87 points.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://flosports.link/aft
FOX Sports coverage of the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, July 13, at 11:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. PT).
MotoGP star Johann Zarco will go for back-to-back victories in Japan’s round of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC). The 34-year-old from France took time out of his preparations for the 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours Endurance Race to answer five key questions.
Johann Zarco on the podium at the Suzuka 8 hours in 2024. Photo courtesy EWC.
After winning on your EWC debut in Suzuka last season, what’s brought you back and how confident are you of a repeat victory, especially with Iker Lecuona joining you and Takumi Takahashi in the Honda HRC line-up?
“I am very pleased to be back as a member of Honda HRC in this traditional and prestigious race. I will bring my good momentum from MotoGP to Suzuka and, clearly with this trio, we’re in contention to win. Whether we’ll have enough margin to win is something I don’t know, and we’ll still have to do everything right. But Iker had some very good tests after me. My tests were good. We were still able to work well and get a good feel for the rain. It was also very instructive on a drying track, especially on a track lasting over two minutes per lap. This allowed us to gather information for tyre management. Then, on the second day, we were able to do quite a few laps in the dry and test many settings.”
Johann Zarco. Photo courtesy EWC.
What’s changed on your Honda compared to 2024?
“The biggest change is the suspension. Last year we rode with Showa suspension, while this year we’re using Öhlins suspension. So that was the priority of the tests: setting up the bike with this new suspension. I really liked the stability the Öhlins provide during braking. I think there’s still work to be done, especially on the ease of riding to be faster without having to push harder.”
Last year, you said that you had a lot to learn from your teammates and that you needed to adapt. Given your experience and 2024 victory has your contribution been greater so far in terms of set-up?
“Since I managed to set a very good pace from the first test, I was able to try different settings on the bike. The goal was to give feedback and information to Honda and thus compare it with what Takumi Takashi, my team-mate, might like. Despite everything, I think Suzuka is a very technical track, and it’s by knowing the track that you can save the most time, rather than trying to set the bike up perfectly for different riding styles.”
Johann Zarco on his HRC Honda at Suzuka in 2024. Photo courtesy EWC.
Jack Miller will also be racing in Japan’s EWC round this year, do you think your participation 12 months ago and your victory has sparked even greater interest in the Suzuka 8 Hours?
“I honestly think so. I dared to take on the challenge last year and I enjoyed it, and the victory was great. I think Jack’s presence is a good thing for Yamaha; it’ll give them a bike in addition to the YART one. He’ll also have some good riders with him. Besides, for Jack, this may not be the best time for him right now, and if it works out well, it will certainly allow him to score points with Yamaha.”
Johann Zarco. Photo courtesy EWC.
How do you manage all this traveling during your MotoGP season, especially with all the time differences?
“It was planned, it was worth doing, because it’s an additional experience to learn how to best manage these MotoGP seasons from year to year. Next year, I’ll probably only do one test. This year, two tests were perhaps a bit too much, even if it allowed me to familiarise myself with Suzuka in the rain. Now that I’ve gained this additional experience, I’ll be more careful to prioritise my MotoGP season because that’s where the level is most demanding. The slightest drop in energy or form is immediately felt.”
The 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours Endurance Race takes place from 1-3 August. Click HERE for more information.
Brian Uriarte’s good form continued as he made it two consecutive pole positions, while a new face will lead away the ETC grid.
The all-important pole positions were set during the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship’s first visit to the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. In the JuniorGP™ class, Brian Uriarte (UAX SeventyTwo Artbox) made it two poles in a row while Xabi Zurutuza (Andifer American Racing) will lead away the Moto2™ European Championship grid on Sunday. In the European Talent Cup, Matteo Gabarrini (Team Echovit Pasini Racing) claimed a maiden pole while Iker Garcia (Yamaha GV Racing) topped the times in the Stock™ European Championship.
Poleman JuniorGP™ Brian Uriarte. Photo courtesy FIM JuniorGP.
JUNIORGP:
Brian Uriarte continued his excellent form as he claimed a second consecutive JuniorGP™ pole after posting a 1:43.640s, finishing seven tenths clear of Marco Morelli (GRYD – MLav Racing) as he backed up his Jerez success at Magny-Cours. As for Morelli, he secured P2 on the grid for his first front row start in JuniorGP, while Jesus Rios (Finetwork XTI Mir Racing Team) was denied a first pole in over a year; after initially going into P1 in the closing stages of Q2, the Spaniard was demoted by Uriarte and Morelli.
Rico Salmela (Estrella Galicia 0,0) will lead away the second row after securing fourth place with a 1:44.474s, with Hakim Danish (SIC Racing MSI) lining up alongside him. Row 2 will be completed by Leonardo Zanni (Finetwork XTI Mir Racing Team) after the Italian posted a 1:44.599s to claim sixth place; just two tenths separated Morelli in second and Zanni in sixth.
Sunday’s sole JuniorGP action kicks off at 13:00 Local Time (UTC+2) on Sunday.
Poleman Moto2™ Xabi Zurutuza. Photo courtesy FIM JuniorGP.
MOTO2 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP:
Xabi Zurutuza secured pole position in the Moto2™ ECh after he set a blistering 1:37.933s to beat Championship leader Unai Orradre (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro). The two Spanish stars were separated by less than a tenth at the end of the 15-minute Q2 session, with Jerez polesitter Milan Pawelec (AGR Team) completing the front row as he set a 1:38.153s. Francesco Mongiardo (Fau55 Tey Racing), second in the Championship, will start from the second row after finishing sixth in Q2.
There are two races in the Moto2™ ECh in France, with racing from 11:00 Local Time (UTC+2).
Poleman ETC Matteo Gabarrini. Photo courtesy FIM JuniorGP.
EUROPEAN TALENT CUP:
Matteo Gabarrini took his first European Talent Cup pole position after setting a 1:47.971s to claim P1 in Q2. The Italian was the only rider to lap in the 1:47s bracket when he topped Group B’s Q2 session. Kiandra Ramadhipa (Honda Asia – Dream Racing Team Junior) was fastest in Group A, but slower than Gabarrini, so will go from second place while Fernando Bujosa (AC Racing Team) will complete the front row.
ETC has two races at Magny-Cours, tune in to the action from 12:00 Local Time (UTC+2).
Poleman Stock Iker García. FIM JuniorGP.
STOCK EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP:
Iker Garcia claimed a second pole of the 2025 season after setting a 1:41.586s to secure P1 ahead of Hungary’s Tibor Varga (IUM Motorsports S.L). The #47 was almost threes tenths slower than Garcia’s pole-setting time, while Garcia’s teammate, Blai Trias, will complete the front row of Sunday’s Stock ECh race after taking third in Q2 with a 1:42.170s.
Stock ECh’s sole race takes place at 16:00 Local Time (UTC+2) on Sunday.
Saturday’s action is in the books and now attention is turning to Sunday with two Moto2 ECh races, two ETC races, one JuniorGP race and one Stock ECh race from Magny-Cours – with the action kicking off at 11:00 Local Time (UTC+2).
Bradley Ray was relentless in his pursuit for victory in the opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship race at Knockhill as he came under fire from both Rory Skinner and Kyle Ryde to maintain his winning momentum for Raceways Yamaha.
At the start of the race, Ryde launched off the line to lead the pack from Ray and Skinner, with the championship leader making a dive down the inside of lap three to snatch the position from his OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha rival.
It was short lived though as Ryde instantly attacked to regain the lead, but Skinner was pushing to put a show on for his home crowd and on lap six he made his first move. The Cheshire Mouldings Ducati rider made a decisive move down the inside at the Hairpin to move into second, before snatching the lead on lap 11.
Ray then moved into second ahead of Ryde when the defending champion ran wide at the Hairpin after a moment on the brakes and then he had Skinner on his sights for the lead.
Two laps later and Ray made his move on Skinner, which eased the Cheshire Mouldings Ducati rider wide, allowing Ryde back through too into second place.
The trio were then inseparable for several laps, until Ray edged ahead in the closing stages with Ryde and Skinner completing the podium line-up.
Scott Redding had a strong return to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship with a fourth place; the 2019 champion gaining experience with every lap and despite coming under pressure from Storm Stacey early on, he maintained the position.
Tommy Bridewell and Josh Brookes meanwhile duelled for fifth place in the closing stages as they both pushed Stacey back to seventh position with Charlie Nesbitt also in close contention for MasterMac Honda. Lee Jackson and Andrew Irwin completed the top ten.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill Race 1 result:
Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha)
Kyle Ryde (OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) +1.841s
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) +3.871s
Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) +6.430s
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +8.352s
Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) +8.471s
Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing BMW) +8.796s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +9.543s
Lee Jackson (DAO Racing Honda) +15.421s
Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +18.675s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) 158
Kyle Ryde (OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) 126
Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) 105
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) 88
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 84
Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) 80
Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 74
Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 61
Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing BMW) 51
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) 51
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Bradley Ray (28) leading the group during race 1 at Knockhill. Photo courtesy BSB.
BRADLEY RAY – RACEWAYS YAMAHA : “It was a solid race; I didn’t get a very good start, so at that point I just needed to settle into it. Kyle was strong at the start and then Rory passed me quite early on as well and I was happy to sit in third, as it’s a long race here.
“Kyle made a mistake and I was able to go underneath him and at that point I knew I needed to attack Rory quite quickly. I felt I had a bit better pace, but I just couldn’t pass him where I wanted to, so I made a strong pass into turn three and then just got into the rhythm I knew I was able to do.
“The bike was working well and we made a little step from qualifying, so I felt a little more comfortable.
“I think if it’s dry tomorrow I would expect more of the same and I think Rory and Kyle will stick with me and be close, but I enjoyed the battle and I enjoyed making the passes and being passed. That’s what racing is all about!
“But in the end we was able to bring it across the line first for Raceways and for Yamaha.”
The landscape in the Pro Supersport championship changed dramatically on Saturday, as Torin Collins won the first part of a weekend tripleheader in record breaking fashion at RAD Torque Raceway.
Collins found himself in a tricky position early on at his home venue, getting a lackluster start from pole position and slipping behind championship rival Andrew Van Winkle and ahead of reigning champion Sebastien Tremblay in a close lead trio.
The three-pack would quickly shrink to two when Tremblay bowed out of the race on only lap four, suffering from a suspected pit limiter malfunction on his S.T. Motosport Suzuki – a massive blow to his hopes of a title defence.
There was still plenty of entertainment between Collins and Van Winkle, however, as the two teenagers ran together for the entire first half of the race, even trading blows in turns three and four as Van Winkle was reluctant to let the championship leader past.
Collins would eventually take the lead for good on lap eight, breaking the lap record on his very next go-around as he began to stretch a slight advantage over Van Winkle.
The gap would hover around one second for the next handful of laps, keeping a slight bit of pressure on Collins as Van Winkle eyed a potential comeback attempt late in the race.
Instead, the 18-year-old would crash out of second place moments later, handing a massive lead to Collins as he remounted his Mountainview Motorsports Suzuki in sixth.
Collins would cruise the rest of the way to an incredible 30-second win aboard his Octagon Energy Services Suzuki, the largest margin of victory in Pro Supersport history, surpassing Jordan Szoke’s record of 27 seconds over Jean-Francois Cyr at CTMP in 2010.
“What a race! I actually had a bad start, thankfully I was able to keep Seb behind me but Andrew was keeping me honest, as he has all season really,” Collins said. “He was stressing me out a bit, I wasn’t sure how much harder I could push, but then I saw the gap jump up on my pit board and knew something happened.”
Perhaps more crucially, the win sees Collins’ championship lead grow from just nine points to now 24 over Van Winkle, who was able to salvage sixth in the end.
The devastating blows for Van Winkle and Tremblay proved to be great fortune for Alex Michel and John Laing, who were promoted to the podium places amidst an epic race-long battle of their own with Elliot Vieira.
It was initially Laing who charged through the pack after a terrible start, carving his way past Vieira and Michel and briefly matching the pace of the leaders aboard his Vass Performance Suzuki.
The home favourite would struggle to maintain that pace in the late stages, however, with Michel moving into second with six laps remaining and extending a slight cushion to match his best career result for the SpeedFactory67 Kawasaki squad.
“This smile’s going to disappear right around lap ten later,” Michel joked, with the tripleheader meaning another race later on Saturday afternoon. “I tried to put my head down and stay with John, but eventually I was faster in some corners. Once I got through I felt good, so I’m happy I could hold him off and get back on the podium.”
Laing would then have to deal with all sorts of pressure from Vieira, but it was too little too late for the GP Bikes Ducati rider as Laing held on for a popular podium – his first of the season.
“Yesterday went okay until the crash in qualifying, but we were able to get the bike fixed. I had a bad start and was down in ninth or something on lap one, but was able to climb back up to fourth in a couple laps,” Laing said. “I knew I didn’t have the pace to match them up front so I just tried to manage my time, but I think I managed a bit too hard!”
Vieira would continue his consistent run in fourth, the only rider to take a top five finish in every race this season following Van Winkle’s crash.
Rounding out the top five was rookie Laurent Laliberte-Girard, who endured a massive early battle aboard his Nadon Sport Yamaha before stretching away from the pack behind him, which included Van Winkle fending off Nathan Playford, Justin Knapik, and Mackenzie Weil across the final four laps.
The Pro Supersport class won’t have long to rest before returning to the circuit later this afternoon at RAD Torque Raceway, with race two of the weekend currently scheduled for roughly 4:30 pm MT.
Full results can be found on the series’ official website.
For more information on the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship, visit www.csbk.ca or email info@csbk.ca.
American Mikey Lou Sanchez was 12th during European Talent Cup Qualifying 2 Friday afternoon at Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his AC RACING TEAM A.S.D. Honda on the 2.74-mile (4.41 km) track, the Texan recorded a 1:50.149.
Kensei Matsudaira (74) at Magny-Cours Circuit. Photo credit David Silgo Terol / Courtesy IGAX Team.
American Kensei Matsudaira finished Qualifying 1 in 12th on his Snipers Igaxteam Honda with a lap time of 1:51.243. Matsudaira will start P15 for the Last Chance race tomorrow. He had not been on the Magny Cours track before the start of practice.
American Rossi Attila Moor was 14th during Moto2 European Championship Qualifying 2 Saturday afternoon at Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his MMR Kalex on the 2.74-mile (4.41 km) track, Oregon-born Rossi recorded a 1:39.340, and will start from P12 on Saturday.
Max Toth during the last round, at Jerez. Photo courtesy Cardoso Team.
Meanwhile, American Max Toth finished the session 17th on his Cardoso Racing Kalex with a lap time of 1:39.593. Toth will start from P15 for tomorrow’s races.
Mikey Lou Sanchez (55( at Magny-Cours Circuit in France. Photo credit Danny Vela / LIFEBELUCKY
This weekend the FIM JuniorGP made its debut for the first time in France at the Nevers Magny Cours Circuit.
Mikey Lou Sanchez started the weekend off pretty good, finishing in the top 10 of both free practices on Friday.
Saturday in Practice, Mikey was P10 which put him directly into Q2. In Qualifying Mikey finished P12 which put him 23rd on the grid but because of a few penalties from other riders he ended up starting P20.
Race 1 was tricky, the race was delayed because of rain, and then it was dry, so all riders went from slicks to wet tires back to slicks. The race had been changed from 12 laps to 9 Laps.On the first lap there was a crash in turn 3 which caused a split between the front group. Mikey was able to avoid the riders and continue. He was able to finish P12, putting in the second fastest lap of the race on the last lap!
Race 2 was a completely different race. The track was super wet from heavy rains. We were confident Mikey would do well in the rain, as he moved up from 21st to 13th on the first lap but then on the second lap he high sided coming out of turn 10.
Mikey Lou Sanchez (55) during the wet race at Magny-Cours. Photo credit Danny Vela / LIFEBELUCKY
Mikey is ok, and he is determined to fight with the front group in 3 weeks July 26-27 at Motorland Aragon!
“He’s continuing to learn the new Team with this being his second race weekend with AC Racing. I know he’s capable of running with these front guys!” Trinity – Mickey’s mom says.
We’d like to thank all of our sponsors for their continued support.
SPN Riders Academy, Chic-fil-a East Dallas, TexasMotorcycleAcademy, Fred and Maggie Beck , HJC helmets, Moto Liberty, williams custom painting, Paul Stamper Ben Fondu Theo Bick Mark Niemi and Stephen Hagberg.
JuniorGP Podium picture, from left to right, Casey O'Gorman, Joel Esteban and Rico Salmela. Photo courtesy FIM JuniorGP.
Esteban returned to winning ways while Ramadhipa claimed a first ETC victory as the rain fell on the JuniorGP™ paddock on Sunday.
On a dramatic day of racing in the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship with rain falling at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, Joel Esteban (CFMoto Aspar Junior Team) claimed a first JuniorGP™ victory since 2023 while the Moto2™ European Championship wins were shared between Alberto Ferrandez (GV EBC Moto2) and Alberto Surra (Andifer American Racing). In the European Talent Cup, Kiandra Ramadhipa (Honda – Asia Dream Racing Talent Team) took a first win in the class as Fernando Bujosa (AC Racing Team) claimed his second victory of the year. Stock™ European Championship honours went to Pier Francesco Venturini (AC Racing Team).
JUNIORGP:
In JuniorGP, rain fell ahead of the sole race of the weekend which resulted in the race being shortened to 10 laps as riders were given more time for sighting laps. Spain’s Joel Esteban battled from 14th on the grid to take victory in the wet race, ahead of Ireland’s Casey O’Gorman (Estrella Galicia 0,0) and his teammate, Rico Salmela. Championship leader Brian Uriarte (UAX SeventyTwo Artbox) got a sensational start when lights went out, building up a huge lead over his rivals, before he crashed at Turn 5; he was able to re-join the race and finished in 10th.
MOTO2 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP:
Alberto Ferrandez made it two wins in the last three races as he claimed victory in Race 1 of the Moto2 ECh. The Spaniard started from fourth but soon found himself in the lead of an eventful 14-lap race as he fended off Milan Pawelec (AGR Team) for victory. Polesitter Xabi Zurutuza (Andifer American Racing) rounded out the podium places, just over a second away from victory with Championship leader Unai Orradre (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro) settling for fourth.
The rain fell heavily ahead of Moto2 ECh’s Race 2 and that mixed up the results. Alberto Surra (Andifer American Racing) put in some incredibly fast laps at the start of the shortened race to take the lead, and he didn’t look back from there, claiming victory by more than 10 seconds ahead of Facundo Llambias (Estrella Galicia 0,0) as the Uruguayan claimed a first podium after starting from 15th. The rostrum was once again completed by Zurutuza. Orradre salvaged a P11 finish in Race 2 after he had a crash at Turn 13 in the wet, re-joining the race to just finish out of the top ten.
EUROPEAN TALENT CUP:
In Race 1 in the European Talent Cup, Indonesia’s Kiandra Ramadhipa claimed a stunning maiden victory by less than a tenth of a second ahead of Alvaro Lucas (CFMoto Aspar Junior Team), while Cristian Borrelli (Team Echovit Pasini Racing) claimed his maiden rostrum in the class with third. Fernando Bujosa was fourth despite serving a double Long Lap Penalty for crashing into Lucas at Jerez. Reigning Champion Carlos Cano (UAX SeventyTwo Artbox) fought back from 26th to fight for victory but a crash at the Imola Chicane, which also involved Alex Longarela (Snipers Igax Team), resulted in both riders scoring no points.
In ETC Race 2, Bujosa got a great launch to move into an early lead in the wet but was soon hauled in by his rivals. The #69 and Longalera battled for victory as they created a four-second gap to Lucas in P3 as the #46 completed an all-Spanish rostrum. Cano once again fought his way through the field, this time from 27th, to finish in sixth, in a race that was red-flagged on Lap 7 after it was shortened to 9 laps to give riders more sighting laps.
STOCK EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP:
In Stock ECh, Pier Francesco Venturini claimed a maiden podium and victory in the class after a fight with Hungary’s Tibor Varga (IUM Motorsports S.L). The pair were scrapping over second and third initially but were promoted to first and second respectively after Filippo Fuligni (Promo Racing) crashed on the exit of Turn 8 on Lap 5, with the race red flagged and the results declared; it was the second red flag in Stock ECh’s only race after David Jimenez (MDR Competición) crashed in the original start, with the track needing to be cleaned.
For all the results from the past, present and future and more news regarding the Championship, www.fimjuniorgp.com
SMX Round 23 - Pro Motocross Championship at RedBud MX, Michigan. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
The 2025 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, officially reached its halfway point at the crown jewel event on the calendar from Michigan’s legendary RedBud MX. The Honda RedBud National Presented by Dixxon Flannel Co. signified Race 6 of the summer campaign and Round 23 of the SMX World Championship regular season in a showcase of American motocross’ own Independence Day tradition. In the 450 Class, Honda HRC Progressive rider and championship point leader Jett Lawrence put forth one of his most impressive single-moto performances to complete a 1-1 sweep and capture a sixth straight victory. In the 250 Class, Honda HRC Progressive’s Jo Shimoda completed a dominant afternoon for the brand with a 1-1 performance of his own to put the “Red Riders” atop both classes at Honda’s title event.
Impressive Come-From-Behind Performance at RedBud Nets Jett Lawrence Sixth Straight Pro Motocross Championship Victory.
Moto 1
The opening moto of the afternoon began with Honda HRC Progressive’s Hunter Lawrence and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire side-by-side exiting the first turn, with Lawrence narrowly securing the Pro Motocross Holeshot and control of the lead. Hampshire went on the attack, nearly making the pass, but the Australian fended him off. As this unfolded, Jett Lawrence closed in on Hampshire from third. The top three then settled in briefly, but Jett Lawrence pushed to make the move on Hampshire for second and gave chase to his older brother out front. Behind them, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger made the pass for third and was able to close in on the lead duo.
Just before the completion of the opening 10 minutes Jett Lawrence made his move on Hunter, briefly making the pass before Hunter responded to retake the position. Jett persisted and after a brief side-by-side battle eventually took hold of the lead. The increased pace allowed the Lawrences to pull away from Plessinger and the rest of the field, as the KTM rider was then forced to deal with a hard-charging Eli Tomac and his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine. Once he got to Plessinger’s rear fender, Tomac made quick work to move into third.
The top three settled in through the middle of the moto, with Jett Lawrence moving out to a lead of about five seconds. However, as the moto entered its final 10 minutes considerable smoke started to come out of Tomac’s Yamaha. He eventually came to a stop, which ultimately brought his moto to a premature end. That misfortune left the battle for third to be settled between Plessinger and Hampshire, with the Husqvarna rider able to make the move in the closing stages of the moto.
Out front, Jett Lawrence’s lead eventually surpassed 10 seconds as he surged to his ninth moto win of the season by 16.1 seconds over Hunter Lawrence. Hampshire captured his first career moto podium in third, followed by Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Justin Cooper in fourth. Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton finished fifth, as the reigning series champion and defending RedBud winner made his anticipated return to action following a crash at the opening race of the season.
Jett Lawrence passed 17 riders in the final moto to put an exclamation point on his sixth straight victory and another 1-1 performance. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2
The deciding moto got underway with Muc-Off/FXR/ClubMX Yamaha’s Coty Schock out front with the Pro Motocross Holeshot, just ahead of Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jorge Prado, the back-to-back FIM Motocross World Champion. The Spaniard pressured Schock and eventually made his move into the lead halfway through the opening lap. Behind him, both Lawrences started from deep in the top 10. As he looked to make passes, Jett Lawrence went down and remounted in 18th place. Hunter Lawrence, meanwhile, looked to move forward from seventh.
After a wild opening five minutes the field settled in with Prado leading Cooper and Hunter Lawrence, while Hampshire, Sexton, and Jett Lawrence ran in sixth, seventh, and eighth, respectively. Jett Lawrence was on the move and passed both Sexton and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson to break into the top five. He then passed Hampshire for fourth just over 10 minutes into the moto. The march continued past his brother, as Jett broke into the top three before the halfway point.
Out front, a patient Cooper waited for an opening to attempt a pass on Prado and successfully made his way into the lead with just over half the moto to go. That left Prado to fend with Jett Lawrence, who made quick work of the Spaniard to move into second. Prado then lost hold of third to Sexton, who was following Lawrence’s path to the front. As the fastest rider on the track Jett gained chunks of time on Cooper and easily took over the lead with less than five minutes remaining. Sexton was then able to make his way around Cooper for second but went down. He remounted in fourth as Cooper and Hunter Lawrence made their way past.
In arguably the most impressive single-moto performance of his young career, Jett Lawrence passed 17 riders to complete the sweep of the motos by 8.3 seconds over Cooper, who equaled his career-best moto result in second. Hunter Lawrence followed in third.
Hunter Lawrence finished in the runner-up spot to give the Lawrence brothers three consecutive 1-2 finishes. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing,Inc.
Overall
Jett Lawrence’s 16th career 1-1 performance netted him the 21st victory in the 450 Class, which equaled two-time champion Ken Roczen for sixth all-time. With 21 victories in 22 career starts, his career winning percentage stands at an incredible 95%. Hunter Lawrence completed the third straight 1-2 finish for the siblings in second (2-3), while Cooper earned his second overall podium result of the season in third (4-2).
Jett Lawrence’s lead in the championship standings now sits at just over an entire race, 51 points over Hunter Lawrence, who moved into second. Cooper’s podium result allowed him to move from fifth to third, 69 points out of the lead.
The podium result also helped Cooper close to within 14 points of the top seed in the SMX World Championship standings, as he continued to gain ground on his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing teammate Cooper Webb, who finished ninth (15-8).
Justin Cooper was solid all afternoon to earn his second podium finish of the summer. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
“I put my heart into that race [Moto 2]. I didn’t get an ideal start and made a silly mistake that made it really hard on myself. We lost a young star in the racing community this past week [Aidan Zingg] and I rode with him and his family on my mind, so this one is for the Zingg family.”
“That one [Moto 2] was tough. I had to fight for it since I didn’t get a great start. I’m happy to do it [finish on the podium] on a holiday weekend. It was an epic race, with epic fans. It was a great day.”
3rd Place: Justin Cooper, Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing (4-2)
“I had a good start [in Moto 2] and was second behind Jorge [Prado]. I wanted to get by him as quick as I could and made a sprint for three or four laps. Then hit a wall [physically]. I ended up losing my front brake for a bit, but thankfully it came back. It was a great ride and I’m really happy to be on the podium.”
Podium picture, from left to right, Hunter Lawrence, Jett Lawrence and Justin Cooper. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Jo Shimoda Completes Honda Sweep with 1-1 Performance in 250 Class.
Moto 1
The first moto saw the Shimoda surge to the front off the start for the Pro Motocross Holeshot, his first since 2023, but he was soon passed by Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, with Triumph Factory Racing’s Jalek Swoll in third. Defending champion and point leader Haiden Deegan started deep in the top 20 aboard his Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing machine. The clear track allowed Vialle to quickly establish a lead of more than two seconds over Shimoda, while Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Seth Hammaker made the pass on Swoll for third.
As the leaders settled in, all eyes were on Deegan as he made a charge through the field. The season’s most dominant rider clawed his way into the top 10 a mere five minutes into the moto. However, as he looked to move closer to the top five Deegan tipped over and lost a few positions. Back out front, Vialle’s advantage grew to more than five seconds nearing the halfway point of the moto.
As the final 10 minutes approached, Shimoda’s pace picked up and he started to chip away at the deficit to Vialle. Behind him, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen was the rider to watch, as he made multiple passes to make his way into the top three. Shimoda, meanwhile, caught Vialle to initiate a battle for the lead. The Japanese rider bided his time and waited for the opportunity to make a pass attempt on the Frenchman and successfully did so to take over the top spot with just under nine minutes remaining. Behind them, Deegan had worked his way up to fifth as smoke began to come out of his Yamaha. He then crashed on one of the track’s downhill sections and remounted outside the top 10.
As Shimoda closed out the moto in emphatic fashion a last-lap battle for second emerged as Kitchen was on a torrid charge in the closing laps. He caught the Vialle and after a brief battle made the move to take over second. Shimoda took his first moto win since Southwick last season by a margin of 7.2 seconds over Kitchen, followed by Vialle in third. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Michael Mosiman finished fourth, with Hammaker rounding out the top five. Deegan soldiered home in 14th for his worst moto result since the penultimate round of the 2023 season.
Jo Shimda took advantage of two stellar starts to complete an impressive 1-1 effort. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2
The final moto of the day kicked off with Swoll edging out Shimoda for the Pro Motocross Holeshot as Shimoda then dropped to third behind another Triumph Factory Racing rider in Jordon Smith. Kitchen slotted into fourth and made the move around Shimoda for third. Deegan, meanwhile, started outside the top 10 but was able to climb up to ninth in the early stages of the opening lap. Back up front, Kitchen passed Smith for second but then lost traction and slid out, quickly remounting in 11th place.
As the top three settled in, Smith went off track and crashed, which allowed Shimoda to move into second and Mosiman into third, just ahead of Deegan in fourth. Deegan then went down and dropped two positions to sixth. Not long after Deegan’s misfortune, Kitchen was forced to visit the mechanics area, which dropped him outside the top 30 and ultimately out of contention.
Ten minutes into the moto Swoll continued to lead Shimoda, with about a second separating the two riders. Shimoda started to get pressure from Mosiman in third, which forced him to pick up his pace and take the lead from Swoll. Mosiman quickly followed into second. From there a battle for the lead took shape between Shimoda and Mosiman, who quickly distanced themselves from Swoll. After some initial pressure, Shimoda fended off Mosiman and soon built a near three-second advantage.
As the moto wore on, Shimoda continued to build on his lead and eventually moved nearly 20 seconds clear of the field as Mosiman encountered misfortune and lost his hold of second to Swoll. Mosiman was then forced to contend with Deegan in the closing stages for third, with the championship leader able to make the pass. Deegan wasn’t done as he put in a late charge to catch Swoll and made the pass with two laps to go.
Shimoda dominated en route to the 10th moto win of his career, finishing 17.7 seconds ahead of Deegan. Swoll earned his first moto podium since the 2023 season.
In just his third race back from a ruptured Achilles, Jalek Swoll secured a runner-up finish. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Overall
Shimoda’s first victory for Honda came via a compelling 1-1 performance, the second of his career, and now gives him four career wins. It was also his second victory at RedBud. Swoll (6-3) and Mosiman (4-4) ended up tied for the runner-up spot, with the second moto tiebreaker going to Swoll for his third career podium and the second Pro Motocross podium for Triumph. Mosiman made his return to the box for the first time since 2021 and the fourth time in his career.
Shimoda gained 20 points on Deegan, who finished fifth (14-2), with 38 points now separating the top two. Kitchen, who finished seventh (2-19), moved into third, 85 points behind Deegan.
After a challenging couple years marred by injury, Michael Mosiman made his return to the overall podium for the first time since 2023. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
1st Place: Jo Shimoda, Honda HRC Progressive (1-1)
“I needed those starts. My riding hasn’t been bad; I just needed starts. We tried some new mapping on the bike for the starts, and it really worked out. This is such a big confidence booster.”
2nd Place: Jalek Swoll, Triumph Factory Racing (6-3)
“It feels great. I was riding the best I ever had before my [Achilles] injury. It sucks I couldn’t race Supercross but to get on the podium in just my third race back for Triumph feels amazing.”
3rd Place: Michael Mosiman, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (4-4)
“I’m just stoked. I put in a lot of hard work. A lot of hours, sweat, blood, and tears to get back here [on the podium]. It means a lot to make a comeback, and I know I have the ability to overcome anything.”
Podium picture, from left to right, Jalek Swoll, Jo Shimoda and Michael Mosiman. Photo Credit: MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
250 Class Overall Results (Moto Finishes // Points)
Jo Shimoda, Suzuka, Japan, Honda (1-1 // 50)
Jalek Swoll, Belleview, Fla., Triumph (6-3 // 36)
Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha (4-4 // 36)
Julien Beaumer, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., KTM – 295
Michael Mosiman, Sebastopol, Calif., Yamaha – 280
Chance Hymas, Pocatello, Idaho, Honda – 262
Maximus Vohland, Sacramento, Calif., Yamaha – 244
Jordon Smith, Belmont, N.C., Triumph – 233
The 2025 Pro Motocross Championship continues next Saturday, July 12, with Round 24 of the SMX regular season, when Minnesota’s Spring Creek MX Park will bring the series to the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” for the FXR Spring Creek National Presented by Frescados Tortillas. The seventh race of the summer will feature exclusive comprehensive live coverage on Peacock, beginning with Race Day Live at 8 a.m. PT / 11 a.m. ET, followed by uninterrupted coverage of the motos at 11 a.m. PT / 2 p.m. ET. Additionally, the championship will make its summer debut on USA Network with a Sunday encore telecast on July 13, beginning at 9 a.m. PT / 12 a.m. ET.
Dallas Daniels (32) races down the straightaway ahead of other Mission AFT SuperTwins riders at the DuQuoin Mile. Photo credit: Tim Lester / courtesy American Flat Track.
The “Magic Mile” lived up to its nickname by delivering yet another last-lap stunner as Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) claimed a scant-yet-pivotal victory in Saturday night’s Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, Round 8 of the 2025 Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
Daniels’ win at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds in DuQuoin, Illinois, wasn’t assured until the checkered flag flew, which confirmed an official 0.037-second margin of victory following a hectic five-rider showdown to the very end.
An early eight-rider scrap whittled down to six after a few minutes of fighting. It then took its final form of five – which included Daniels, title rival Briar Bauman (No. 3 RWR/Parts Plus/Latus Motors Harley-Davidson XG750R), James Ott (No. 19 G&G Racing Yamaha MT-07), Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTB Racing Yamaha MT-07), and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R) – after Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) was forced out due to mechanical issues.
Bauman kept himself relevant with some impressive cornering and line choice, but as the laps wound down, it became more and more apparent that the Yamahas of Daniels, Ott, and Bender had the steam on this night.
With less than two minutes left on the clock, Bauman dropped back from first to fifth and then struggled mightily in his attempts to claw his way back into winning contention from that point forward.
Ott, meanwhile, gave Daniels all he could handle, while Bender looked more than capable of springing a massive upset with a perfect final lap.
But Daniels did what aspiring championship winners do, countering Ott’s final lap Turn 2 pass with a counter of his own, running back up the inside entering Turn 3. He then put his head down and narrowly outraced his challengers’ draft-pass attempts as the three completed a Yamaha lockout of the podium.
Ott earned his maiden Mission AFT SuperTwins podium 0.037 seconds off the win while Bender claimed the first of his Progressive AFT career a further 0.092 seconds adrift.
Daniels said, “That was huge… Not even just the win, but how we felt on the motorcycle today. It’s no secret that at the beginning of the season we’ve been struggling a little bit, just with some stuff. It’s not for lack of effort. My team has been busting their butts so much. This track – with the way that the corners are – is one where we’ve always lacked on the Yamaha the last few years. We’ve been making headway, and last year we were close to Jared (Mees), but not that close. This morning, I didn’t really feel the greatest, but I had a quiet confidence. I knew we were going to figure it out. I can’t give a big enough of a thanks to my whole Estenson Racing Monster Energy Yamaha team…
“It was an amazing day. It’s the first time I’ve won a Grand National in my home state. It’s something special.”
Robinson, meanwhile, held Bauman off for fourth just back of the top three.
As a result, Daniels and Bauman now boast 162 points and four wins apiece, with Bauman technically in the championship lead as a result of his three runners-up to Daniels’ two. It doesn’t get much closer than that with the Grand National Championship fight now officially at its halfway point.
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Racing Unlimited/Parts Bros/D&D Kawasaki Ninja 650) finished a lonely sixth, while Jarod VanDerKooi (No. 20 Fastrack Racing/Wally Brown Racing KTM 790 Duke), Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Progressive Insurance Honda Transalp), Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Suzuki GSX-8S), and Max Whale (No. 18 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) rounding out the night’s top ten in that order.
AFT Singles presented by KICKER
In just over the span of a week, Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) took a protracted wins drought and vulnerable AFT Singles presented by KICKER championship position and transformed them into a three-race victory streak and a commanding 20-point advantage.
The Australian did so in an intense Main Event that saw an eight-rider lead freight train storm past the checkered flag separated by a combined 0.342 seconds.
As it went, the heated rivalry between Drane and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 RWR/Parts Plus Honda CRF450R) got that much hotter Saturday night. Saathoff came up just 0.020 seconds short of defeating Drane after spending the entire race in a struggle just to prevent the Estenson Racing ace from making an escape and instead forcing him to fight it out in a pack war.
The two gestured angrily at one another following the conclusion of the race after being locked in ultra close quarters combat, including one particularly perilous moment in which Saathoff’s boot contacted Drane’s handlebar as they railed around a corner in tight proximity.
Afterward, Drane said, “I just wanted to get out there straight to the front and do everything I could to win that one, because that was dangerous coming off the last corner doing that. It is what it is, and I guess I just have to put my head down and do what I did and come out on top.”
In response, Saathoff said, “I thought I set myself up good (on the final lap), but it seems to me that Tom Drane doesn’t know how to go in a straight line sometimes. But, that’s okay. We’re going to look past it and move on to the next (race).”
Saathoff was joined in the joint attempt to overcome Drane’s day-long speed advantage for the bulk of the Main by eventual third-place finisher Trevor Brunner (No. 21 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Hannum’s HD/Pfanders Racing KTM 450 SX-F), who was shuffled back to sixth at the flag despite finishing just 0.252 seconds back of the win.
Despite his impressive form, Pfanders was displaced in that final rush to the stripe by Hunter Bauer (No. 24 Vinson Construction/Reel Medics Yamaha YZ450F) and Evan Renshaw (No. 65 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), who rounded out the top five.
Meanwhile, Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) and Tarren Santero (No. 75 Mission Roof Systems Honda CRF450R) were rewarded with just seventh- and eighth-place results despite being in with a shot at the win as late as the race’s final corner.
Drane’s recent surge has granted him a significant advantage over Saathoff at the title fight’s halfway point, as he now leads 153-133. Brunner sits third at 114, while Santero is well back in fourth with 87 points.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://flosports.link/aft
FOX Sports coverage of the Memphis Shades DuQuoin Mile, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, July 13, at 11:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. PT).
Johann Zarco during the Suzuka 8 hours in 2024. Photo courtesy EWC.
MotoGP star Johann Zarco will go for back-to-back victories in Japan’s round of the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC). The 34-year-old from France took time out of his preparations for the 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours Endurance Race to answer five key questions.
Johann Zarco on the podium at the Suzuka 8 hours in 2024. Photo courtesy EWC.
After winning on your EWC debut in Suzuka last season, what’s brought you back and how confident are you of a repeat victory, especially with Iker Lecuona joining you and Takumi Takahashi in the Honda HRC line-up?
“I am very pleased to be back as a member of Honda HRC in this traditional and prestigious race. I will bring my good momentum from MotoGP to Suzuka and, clearly with this trio, we’re in contention to win. Whether we’ll have enough margin to win is something I don’t know, and we’ll still have to do everything right. But Iker had some very good tests after me. My tests were good. We were still able to work well and get a good feel for the rain. It was also very instructive on a drying track, especially on a track lasting over two minutes per lap. This allowed us to gather information for tyre management. Then, on the second day, we were able to do quite a few laps in the dry and test many settings.”
Johann Zarco. Photo courtesy EWC.
What’s changed on your Honda compared to 2024?
“The biggest change is the suspension. Last year we rode with Showa suspension, while this year we’re using Öhlins suspension. So that was the priority of the tests: setting up the bike with this new suspension. I really liked the stability the Öhlins provide during braking. I think there’s still work to be done, especially on the ease of riding to be faster without having to push harder.”
Last year, you said that you had a lot to learn from your teammates and that you needed to adapt. Given your experience and 2024 victory has your contribution been greater so far in terms of set-up?
“Since I managed to set a very good pace from the first test, I was able to try different settings on the bike. The goal was to give feedback and information to Honda and thus compare it with what Takumi Takashi, my team-mate, might like. Despite everything, I think Suzuka is a very technical track, and it’s by knowing the track that you can save the most time, rather than trying to set the bike up perfectly for different riding styles.”
Johann Zarco on his HRC Honda at Suzuka in 2024. Photo courtesy EWC.
Jack Miller will also be racing in Japan’s EWC round this year, do you think your participation 12 months ago and your victory has sparked even greater interest in the Suzuka 8 Hours?
“I honestly think so. I dared to take on the challenge last year and I enjoyed it, and the victory was great. I think Jack’s presence is a good thing for Yamaha; it’ll give them a bike in addition to the YART one. He’ll also have some good riders with him. Besides, for Jack, this may not be the best time for him right now, and if it works out well, it will certainly allow him to score points with Yamaha.”
Johann Zarco. Photo courtesy EWC.
How do you manage all this traveling during your MotoGP season, especially with all the time differences?
“It was planned, it was worth doing, because it’s an additional experience to learn how to best manage these MotoGP seasons from year to year. Next year, I’ll probably only do one test. This year, two tests were perhaps a bit too much, even if it allowed me to familiarise myself with Suzuka in the rain. Now that I’ve gained this additional experience, I’ll be more careful to prioritise my MotoGP season because that’s where the level is most demanding. The slightest drop in energy or form is immediately felt.”
The 46th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours Endurance Race takes place from 1-3 August. Click HERE for more information.
Brian Uriarte (51), Rico Salmela (27) and Haki Danish (13) at Magny-Cours Circuit. Photo courtesy FIM JuniorGP.
Brian Uriarte’s good form continued as he made it two consecutive pole positions, while a new face will lead away the ETC grid.
The all-important pole positions were set during the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship’s first visit to the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours. In the JuniorGP™ class, Brian Uriarte (UAX SeventyTwo Artbox) made it two poles in a row while Xabi Zurutuza (Andifer American Racing) will lead away the Moto2™ European Championship grid on Sunday. In the European Talent Cup, Matteo Gabarrini (Team Echovit Pasini Racing) claimed a maiden pole while Iker Garcia (Yamaha GV Racing) topped the times in the Stock™ European Championship.
Poleman JuniorGP™ Brian Uriarte. Photo courtesy FIM JuniorGP.
JUNIORGP:
Brian Uriarte continued his excellent form as he claimed a second consecutive JuniorGP™ pole after posting a 1:43.640s, finishing seven tenths clear of Marco Morelli (GRYD – MLav Racing) as he backed up his Jerez success at Magny-Cours. As for Morelli, he secured P2 on the grid for his first front row start in JuniorGP, while Jesus Rios (Finetwork XTI Mir Racing Team) was denied a first pole in over a year; after initially going into P1 in the closing stages of Q2, the Spaniard was demoted by Uriarte and Morelli.
Rico Salmela (Estrella Galicia 0,0) will lead away the second row after securing fourth place with a 1:44.474s, with Hakim Danish (SIC Racing MSI) lining up alongside him. Row 2 will be completed by Leonardo Zanni (Finetwork XTI Mir Racing Team) after the Italian posted a 1:44.599s to claim sixth place; just two tenths separated Morelli in second and Zanni in sixth.
Sunday’s sole JuniorGP action kicks off at 13:00 Local Time (UTC+2) on Sunday.
Poleman Moto2™ Xabi Zurutuza. Photo courtesy FIM JuniorGP.
MOTO2 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP:
Xabi Zurutuza secured pole position in the Moto2™ ECh after he set a blistering 1:37.933s to beat Championship leader Unai Orradre (Team Ciatti – Boscoscuro). The two Spanish stars were separated by less than a tenth at the end of the 15-minute Q2 session, with Jerez polesitter Milan Pawelec (AGR Team) completing the front row as he set a 1:38.153s. Francesco Mongiardo (Fau55 Tey Racing), second in the Championship, will start from the second row after finishing sixth in Q2.
There are two races in the Moto2™ ECh in France, with racing from 11:00 Local Time (UTC+2).
Poleman ETC Matteo Gabarrini. Photo courtesy FIM JuniorGP.
EUROPEAN TALENT CUP:
Matteo Gabarrini took his first European Talent Cup pole position after setting a 1:47.971s to claim P1 in Q2. The Italian was the only rider to lap in the 1:47s bracket when he topped Group B’s Q2 session. Kiandra Ramadhipa (Honda Asia – Dream Racing Team Junior) was fastest in Group A, but slower than Gabarrini, so will go from second place while Fernando Bujosa (AC Racing Team) will complete the front row.
ETC has two races at Magny-Cours, tune in to the action from 12:00 Local Time (UTC+2).
Poleman Stock Iker García. FIM JuniorGP.
STOCK EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP:
Iker Garcia claimed a second pole of the 2025 season after setting a 1:41.586s to secure P1 ahead of Hungary’s Tibor Varga (IUM Motorsports S.L). The #47 was almost threes tenths slower than Garcia’s pole-setting time, while Garcia’s teammate, Blai Trias, will complete the front row of Sunday’s Stock ECh race after taking third in Q2 with a 1:42.170s.
Stock ECh’s sole race takes place at 16:00 Local Time (UTC+2) on Sunday.
Saturday’s action is in the books and now attention is turning to Sunday with two Moto2 ECh races, two ETC races, one JuniorGP race and one Stock ECh race from Magny-Cours – with the action kicking off at 11:00 Local Time (UTC+2).
Kyle Ryde (1) and Bradley Ray (28) at Knockhill. Photo courtesy BSB.
Bradley Ray was relentless in his pursuit for victory in the opening Bennetts British Superbike Championship race at Knockhill as he came under fire from both Rory Skinner and Kyle Ryde to maintain his winning momentum for Raceways Yamaha.
At the start of the race, Ryde launched off the line to lead the pack from Ray and Skinner, with the championship leader making a dive down the inside of lap three to snatch the position from his OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha rival.
It was short lived though as Ryde instantly attacked to regain the lead, but Skinner was pushing to put a show on for his home crowd and on lap six he made his first move. The Cheshire Mouldings Ducati rider made a decisive move down the inside at the Hairpin to move into second, before snatching the lead on lap 11.
Ray then moved into second ahead of Ryde when the defending champion ran wide at the Hairpin after a moment on the brakes and then he had Skinner on his sights for the lead.
Two laps later and Ray made his move on Skinner, which eased the Cheshire Mouldings Ducati rider wide, allowing Ryde back through too into second place.
The trio were then inseparable for several laps, until Ray edged ahead in the closing stages with Ryde and Skinner completing the podium line-up.
Scott Redding had a strong return to the Bennetts British Superbike Championship with a fourth place; the 2019 champion gaining experience with every lap and despite coming under pressure from Storm Stacey early on, he maintained the position.
Tommy Bridewell and Josh Brookes meanwhile duelled for fifth place in the closing stages as they both pushed Stacey back to seventh position with Charlie Nesbitt also in close contention for MasterMac Honda. Lee Jackson and Andrew Irwin completed the top ten.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Knockhill Race 1 result:
Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha)
Kyle Ryde (OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) +1.841s
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) +3.871s
Scott Redding (Hager PBM Ducati) +6.430s
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +8.352s
Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) +8.471s
Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing BMW) +8.796s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +9.543s
Lee Jackson (DAO Racing Honda) +15.421s
Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +18.675s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
Bradley Ray (Raceways Yamaha) 158
Kyle Ryde (OMG Nitrous Competitions Racing Yamaha) 126
Leon Haslam (Moto Rapido Ducati Racing) 105
Rory Skinner (Cheshire Mouldings Ducati) 88
Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 84
Josh Brookes (DAO Racing Honda) 80
Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 74
Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 61
Storm Stacey (Bathams AJN Racing BMW) 51
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) 51
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Bradley Ray (28) leading the group during race 1 at Knockhill. Photo courtesy BSB.
BRADLEY RAY – RACEWAYS YAMAHA : “It was a solid race; I didn’t get a very good start, so at that point I just needed to settle into it. Kyle was strong at the start and then Rory passed me quite early on as well and I was happy to sit in third, as it’s a long race here.
“Kyle made a mistake and I was able to go underneath him and at that point I knew I needed to attack Rory quite quickly. I felt I had a bit better pace, but I just couldn’t pass him where I wanted to, so I made a strong pass into turn three and then just got into the rhythm I knew I was able to do.
“The bike was working well and we made a little step from qualifying, so I felt a little more comfortable.
“I think if it’s dry tomorrow I would expect more of the same and I think Rory and Kyle will stick with me and be close, but I enjoyed the battle and I enjoyed making the passes and being passed. That’s what racing is all about!
“But in the end we was able to bring it across the line first for Raceways and for Yamaha.”
Early race action during the first of three Pro Supersport races this weekend at RAD Torque Raceway saw Andrew Van Winkle (45) with the early lead over eventual race winner Torin Collins (71) and Sebastien Tremblay (hidden).
Photo credit: Rob O'Brien / courtesy CSBK.
The landscape in the Pro Supersport championship changed dramatically on Saturday, as Torin Collins won the first part of a weekend tripleheader in record breaking fashion at RAD Torque Raceway.
Collins found himself in a tricky position early on at his home venue, getting a lackluster start from pole position and slipping behind championship rival Andrew Van Winkle and ahead of reigning champion Sebastien Tremblay in a close lead trio.
The three-pack would quickly shrink to two when Tremblay bowed out of the race on only lap four, suffering from a suspected pit limiter malfunction on his S.T. Motosport Suzuki – a massive blow to his hopes of a title defence.
There was still plenty of entertainment between Collins and Van Winkle, however, as the two teenagers ran together for the entire first half of the race, even trading blows in turns three and four as Van Winkle was reluctant to let the championship leader past.
Collins would eventually take the lead for good on lap eight, breaking the lap record on his very next go-around as he began to stretch a slight advantage over Van Winkle.
The gap would hover around one second for the next handful of laps, keeping a slight bit of pressure on Collins as Van Winkle eyed a potential comeback attempt late in the race.
Instead, the 18-year-old would crash out of second place moments later, handing a massive lead to Collins as he remounted his Mountainview Motorsports Suzuki in sixth.
Collins would cruise the rest of the way to an incredible 30-second win aboard his Octagon Energy Services Suzuki, the largest margin of victory in Pro Supersport history, surpassing Jordan Szoke’s record of 27 seconds over Jean-Francois Cyr at CTMP in 2010.
“What a race! I actually had a bad start, thankfully I was able to keep Seb behind me but Andrew was keeping me honest, as he has all season really,” Collins said. “He was stressing me out a bit, I wasn’t sure how much harder I could push, but then I saw the gap jump up on my pit board and knew something happened.”
Perhaps more crucially, the win sees Collins’ championship lead grow from just nine points to now 24 over Van Winkle, who was able to salvage sixth in the end.
The devastating blows for Van Winkle and Tremblay proved to be great fortune for Alex Michel and John Laing, who were promoted to the podium places amidst an epic race-long battle of their own with Elliot Vieira.
It was initially Laing who charged through the pack after a terrible start, carving his way past Vieira and Michel and briefly matching the pace of the leaders aboard his Vass Performance Suzuki.
The home favourite would struggle to maintain that pace in the late stages, however, with Michel moving into second with six laps remaining and extending a slight cushion to match his best career result for the SpeedFactory67 Kawasaki squad.
“This smile’s going to disappear right around lap ten later,” Michel joked, with the tripleheader meaning another race later on Saturday afternoon. “I tried to put my head down and stay with John, but eventually I was faster in some corners. Once I got through I felt good, so I’m happy I could hold him off and get back on the podium.”
Laing would then have to deal with all sorts of pressure from Vieira, but it was too little too late for the GP Bikes Ducati rider as Laing held on for a popular podium – his first of the season.
“Yesterday went okay until the crash in qualifying, but we were able to get the bike fixed. I had a bad start and was down in ninth or something on lap one, but was able to climb back up to fourth in a couple laps,” Laing said. “I knew I didn’t have the pace to match them up front so I just tried to manage my time, but I think I managed a bit too hard!”
Vieira would continue his consistent run in fourth, the only rider to take a top five finish in every race this season following Van Winkle’s crash.
Rounding out the top five was rookie Laurent Laliberte-Girard, who endured a massive early battle aboard his Nadon Sport Yamaha before stretching away from the pack behind him, which included Van Winkle fending off Nathan Playford, Justin Knapik, and Mackenzie Weil across the final four laps.
The Pro Supersport class won’t have long to rest before returning to the circuit later this afternoon at RAD Torque Raceway, with race two of the weekend currently scheduled for roughly 4:30 pm MT.
Full results can be found on the series’ official website.
For more information on the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship, visit www.csbk.ca or email info@csbk.ca.
Mikey Lou Sanchez (55) on his AC RACING TEAM A.S.D. Honda at Magny Cours Circuit, in France. Photo credit Danny Vela / LifeBeLucky Photography.
American Mikey Lou Sanchez was 12th during European Talent Cup Qualifying 2 Friday afternoon at Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his AC RACING TEAM A.S.D. Honda on the 2.74-mile (4.41 km) track, the Texan recorded a 1:50.149.
Kensei Matsudaira (74) at Magny-Cours Circuit. Photo credit David Silgo Terol / Courtesy IGAX Team.
American Kensei Matsudaira finished Qualifying 1 in 12th on his Snipers Igaxteam Honda with a lap time of 1:51.243. Matsudaira will start P15 for the Last Chance race tomorrow. He had not been on the Magny Cours track before the start of practice.
Rossi Moor (92) at Magny-Cours Circuit. Photo courtesy Team MMR.
American Rossi Attila Moor was 14th during Moto2 European Championship Qualifying 2 Saturday afternoon at Magny-Cours, in France. Riding his MMR Kalex on the 2.74-mile (4.41 km) track, Oregon-born Rossi recorded a 1:39.340, and will start from P12 on Saturday.
Max Toth during the last round, at Jerez. Photo courtesy Cardoso Team.
Meanwhile, American Max Toth finished the session 17th on his Cardoso Racing Kalex with a lap time of 1:39.593. Toth will start from P15 for tomorrow’s races.
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
July 27, 2025
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
