American Flat Track: Springfield Mile One Happening This Coming Sunday At The Illinois State Fairgrounds

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May 21, 2019

American Flat Track: Springfield Mile One Happening This Coming Sunday At The Illinois State Fairgrounds

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 21, 2019) – One of motorsport’s great Memorial Day traditions will take place this Sunday, May 26, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds when American Flat Track features the crown jewel of its annual schedule, the Springfield Mile I.

Unrivaled in its combination of speed, drama, prestige, history and spectator support, this year’s edition has taken on just a little bit of extra importance, as the weather-related postponement of the Sacramento Mile has made this year’s Springfield Mile the first of the fabled Miles to be contested in 2019.

AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines championship leader Briar Bauman (No. 14 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) will put his perfect season podium record on the line, while Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Kennedy Racing/Armbruster Racing Indian FTR750) will attempt to solidify his resurgent form by adding to his class-leading two wins in ‘19.

However, considering just how critically important experience and tactics are at the longest-running event on the calendar, reigning double Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) and his long-time rival, Bryan Smith (No. 4 Crosley Brands/Howerton Motorsports Kawasaki Ninja 650), could be well poised to step forward this weekend. Mees racked up seven combined Mile victories in ‘17 and ‘18 (including one in Springfield), while Smith is seeking an astonishing 10th-career Springfield Mile triumph.

As successful as they have been at the legendary event over the years, no one could overcome the home-track advantage of Jeffrey Carver Jr. (No. 23 Roof-Systems of Dallas/Indian of Metro Milwaukee FTR750) in last year’s Springfield Mile I. On that day, he reeled in his first-ever AFT Twins Mile victory and established himself as the only rider to beat Mees in a straight fight over the opening 11 rounds of the ‘18 season. Currently ranked seventh in the points, Carver has been solid if a bit quiet this season, but he’ll looking to make plenty of noise this weekend.

Another rider hungry to succeed at this year’s Springfield Mile I is Sammy Halbert (No. 69 Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team XG750R Rev X). The Springfield Mile has played host to many of the most memorable moments in Harley-Davidson Flat Track history, and a first-ever win for the XG750R would certainly rank up with the greatest of those.

But before any history can be made at the Springfield Mile, AFT will first spotlight another of its most-acclaimed events — the Springfield TT.

The Roof Systems AFT Singles presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys will take center stage at the TT circuit on Saturday, May 25, to kick off the highly-anticipated Memorial Day race weekend in style.

Dalton Gauthier (No. 122 D&D Cycles/Gobert Smash Husqvarna FC450) holds down the AFT Singles points lead thanks to his all-around excellence, and for that reason, he’s expected to be a threat again this weekend.

However, second-ranked Jesse Janisch (No. 132 Roof Systems Dallas TX/Öhlins Yamaha YZ450F) could again prove difficult to handle, considering he’s streaked to three consecutive TT victories dating back to last year’s Peoria TT.

But the rider to beat may well be defending AFT Singles champion Dan Bromley (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F). Bromley is still seeking the first win of the ‘19 title defense, and he’ll no doubt welcome the opportunity to do so in Springfield, where he swept the TT and ST Main Events in 2018.

With the AFT Singles contenders doing battle on Saturday, the AFT Production Twins class will serve as the primary undercard category at the Mile on Sunday.

Cory Texter (No. 65 G&G Racing/Holeshot Powersports Yamaha MT-07) has proven unbeatable in AFT Production Twins competition thus far this season. His rivals shouldn’t look for him to slow down this weekend; Texter was strong enough to claim a premier-class podium at 2016’s Springfield Mile.

The Springfield Mile will offer plenty of off-track entertainment as well, including a new Kids Zone featuring bounce houses and games from 10:00 a.m. ET/7:00 a.m. PT to 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m. PT, and the Vintage Iron Riders’ display of vintage bikes at the the south end of the grandstand.

Two-time Springfield Mile winner Kevin Atherton will serve as Grand Marshal. He’ll be honored during Opening Ceremonies and available to sign autographs for fans.

Tickets are on sale now for the Springfield TT and Springfield Mile I at www.springfieldmile.org.

For fans watching remotely, FansChoice.tv will provide live coverage of the Springfield TT on Saturday starting when the gates open at 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT. The evening’s race action will kick off following practice and qualifying at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT, and the Main Event is slated for a 9:50 p.m. ET/6:50 p.m. PT start time.

FansChoice.tv coverage will pick up for the following day’s Springfield Mile I at 10:00 a.m. ET/7:00 a.m. PT. Practice starts an hour later. The rider autograph session will take place at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. ET/11:00 a.m PT. The AFT Production Twins Main Event will start at 4:20 p.m. ET/1:20 p.m. PT, followed by the AFT Twins Main at 5:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. PT.

Be sure to catch the feature broadcast of the Springfield Mile on NBCSN with in-depth coverage of all Main Events, enhanced by exclusive features and cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage. The broadcast will debut on Saturday, June 1, at 2:30 p.m. ET/11:30 a.m. PT and will re-air on Tuesday, June 4, at 4:00 p.m. ET/1:00 p.m. PT.

How to Watch:

NBCSN and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of American Flat Track. For the 2019 season, NBCSN’s coverage of AFT moves to highly-coveted, weekend afternoon programming slots within two weeks of each event. The complete schedule for AFT on NBCSN can be viewed at http://www.americanflattrack.com/events-nbcsn/. FansChoice.tv remains a cornerstone of AFT’s digital strategy, providing live streaming coverage of every event on AFT’s live page while previous events and exclusive features are available on AFT’s VOD page.

About American Flat Track:

American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on American Flat Track, please visit http://www.americanflattrack.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check us out on Instagram, live stream the events at FansChoice.tv and catch all the American Flat Track racing action on NBCSN.

Canadian Superbike: More From The Season-Opener At Shannonville

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May 21, 2019

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Canadian Superbike: More From The Season-Opener At Shannonville

Szoke Battles Back From Injury

The bike hit the pit wall with a sickening thud and shot through the air. Propelling upward Szoke’s ZX-10R hit the base of the grandstands and fell straight into hot pit. Narrowly missing a plethora of close friends that were working during Saturday’s Pro Superbike Warmup session.

The weekend was going as expected. Szoke was on new Kawasaki ZX-10R livery supported by Blackfoot Motosports and backed by his long time partner Mopar Express Lane. Learning the new equipment hasn’t been easy, mostly due to Mother Nature’s disagreeable temperament on the east side of the country. Leaving the paddock scrambling for some suitable seat time for the Mopar Canadian Superbike National series early season opener at Shannonville Motorsports Park.

Progressing steadily forward Szoke was getting comfortable with the set up and learning the new electronic system heading into Saturday’s qualifying sessions when disaster struck. Heading into Allen’s corner, Szoke’s motorcycle unsettled over the uneven pavement sending him tumbling at over 180 kph. The incident pulled out the red flag as medical attended to Szoke who received a nasty tear in his forearm that was bleeding heavily and a suspected costochondral separation.

The Emergency department at Lennox & Addington County General Hospital had him in, out and cleared to ride within minutes of the afternoon qualifying session in which Szoke finished fourth. Just two tenths of a second shy of pole position.

Lining up on the front row for Sunday’s race Szoke settled in the lead pack for the long 22-lap race around SMP’s 2.45 km “Pro Circuit”. Szoke took a few stabs for second and sniffed the lead eventually settling to round out the podium in third.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t hurting.” says Szoke. “Although the outpouring of support not only from our sponsors, fans and fellow competitors has been humbling. Jon Camilleri from Mopar attended to support us, Brad Goodbody brought the president and his entire family to come see us moments after hopping off a plane from Japan. The fans have all stopped by to check in if we’re ok. And our crew went the extra mile to make this happen today. The bike is amazing, we built a good one, and the engine from Fast Company made it a rocket ship. I hope to heal up and have the A bike back together for Grand Bend.”

Szoke trails the championship lead by 18 points headed into Round #2.

Amy Szoke tested her new Kawasaki equipment this weekend. Hopping off a 1000cc super bike back to the lightweight division on a Kawasaki Ninja 400. Arguably one of the best platforms for the series. The lightweight sport bike class has double header action on both Saturday and Sunday leaving lots of points up for grabs at every event.

Amy struggled during Saturday’s event racing just a few hours after bringing Jordan home from emergency. Eventually finishing in seventh position. “I truly wasn’t sure if I was cut out for this after watching Jordan’s wreck on Saturday. I had a really hard time putting a lap together. But I figured if he can go out and qualify moments after then I’d better suck it up too and earn some points.” says Amy.

A good night’s sleep brought better results on Sunday for Amy as she tried to reel in the lead pack to fight for a podium position. She eventually finished in 5th spot. “I had a good talk with Jon Cornwell before morning warmup that brought me more confidence with the rubber (and myself) that moved the momentum forward. I was in sniffing distance of the leaders but it’s really hard to make up time without the draft. I fought as hard as I could by myself. I might have gotten my mojo back today and hope to bring the fight back to Grand Bend. It’s a track I’ve put a lot of laps on a mini with. Those boys had better be ready!” laughs Szoke (Amy that is). “I have both boys home with me safe and sound so for me, after the weekend we’ve had, thats a win.”

Catch the Szokes in Mopar Canadian Superbike action when they meet up with their rivals for the “Battle at the Beach”. Round 2 will be held at Grand Bend Motorplex on June 7-9.

70292 Grand Bend Line

Grand Bend, Ontario

www.www.grandbendmotorplex.ca

The first race of the premier Mopar Pro Superbike class will be televised on TSN. Keep your eyes peeled (or keep up to date on social media) for listings.

British Superbike: Hector Barbera To Make Series Debut As Substitute Rider This Coming Weekend At Donington Park

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May 21, 2019

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British Superbike: Hector Barbera To Make Series Debut As Substitute Rider This Coming Weekend At Donington Park

Barberá to Line Up Alongside Irwin for BSB Debut

Glenn Irwin is heading to Donington Park this weekend (24th to 26th May) for Round 3 of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship in a jubilant mood following his outstanding performance at the International North West 200.

The 29-year-old from Carrickfergus will be joined at the Bank Holiday triple-header by Héctor Barberá who will make his BSB debut for Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki in place of Ben Currie who is out through injury.

Irwin got off to a good start at the North West 200, clinching pole position for Saturday’s two superbike races with a new, unofficial lap record on the Kawasaki ZX-10RR in Thursday’s final qualifying session.

He then went on to claim a brilliant second in the Superstock race and beat teammate James Hillier in a thrilling opening North West 200 Superbike race on Saturday (18th May) for his fourth straight class win.

Irwin will line up at Donington Park alongside former Moto GP rider Héctor Barberá who is deputising for Ben Currie. The Australian had surgery on both feet last week following his crash at Oulton Park and is hoping to return to action at Brands Hatch (14th to 16th June).

Barberá has a wealth of experience, having won both the 125cc and 250cc World Championship Grand Prix classes and finishing second in the 2009 250cc GP title battle. He later moved to the premier MotoGP championship where he was the 2015 Open class champion.

The Spanish rider also has good memories of the Donington Park circuit from his time in Grand Prix racing, beating Andrea Dovizioso to the race win there in the 2003 125cc GP race. More recently he made his World Superbike debut at Assen for Orelac Racing VerdNatura Kawasaki team, standing in for the injured Leandro Mercado.

Glenn Irwin said: “It’s good to be going into Donington Park off the back of our success at the North West 200 last weekend. It feels like this is a real turning point in the season and there has been a positive change in confidence.

“It’s cool to have Héctor as part of the team. I used to watch him race on TV and I get on well with him. It’ll be good to share a garage with him and learn from him where I can.”

Héctor Barberá said: “I want to thank Pete and the Quattro Plant JG Speedfit team for the opportunity to race in the BSB championship. I am looking forward to going back to Donington Park where I have had a lot of success previously.

“I have seen a lot of BSB on TV and look forward to meeting the BSB fans this weekend.”

Team owner Pete Extance added: “On the back of a fantastic NW 200 the whole team and Glenn are really looking forward to getting back to BSB at Donington Park to try to put our BSB season back on track,

“Ben remains injured and as a replacement we have brought in ex-Moto GP Spanish rider Hector Barbera. It will be great to welcome him to his first BSB round at a track he has done well at in the past.

“We have not set any goals for Hector but for sure he will be keen to show how well he can adapt to a BSB-spec bike, which is very different to his usual machines and he wants to put on a good show for the fans.”

To keep up to date with the latest news from Quattro Plant JG Speedfit Kawasaki you can visit the website or follow the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

MotoAmerica Superbike: Kyle Wyman Testing New Advanced Electronics On Ducati V4 At PittRace

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May 20, 2019

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MotoAmerica Superbike: Kyle Wyman Testing New Advanced Electronics On Ducati V4 At PittRace

MotoAmerica Superbike racer/team owner Kyle Wyman is testing
a new Magneti Marelli advanced electronic system on his Lucas Oil/KWR Ducati
Panigale V4 R today and tomorrow at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, in
Wampum, Pennsylvania, and so far things are going about as well as Wyman could
have imagined.

“We spent all day on track with zero hiccups, no down time,”
Wyman told Roadracingworld.com in a telephone interview Monday. “Everything has
gone off exactly how we wanted it to.”

It did, however, take a significant amount of time,
preparation, networking, and assistance for Wyman and his team to enjoy a trouble-free
first day on track with the new electronics.

Immediately after Wyman chose to race at Ducati Panigalve V4
R in 2019 he established contact with Ducati Corse and began communicating with
Paulo Ciabatti, the Sporting Director of Ducati Corse.

“I’ve been feeling the love from all around,” said Wyman. “We
got the electronics on the Tuesday after COTA [April 16]. I had ordered them a
while back and was trying to find time to install them and get them up and
running. Unfortunately, it was three events before we could do that.

“I found out shortly after [meeting with Ciabatti and Gigi
Dall’Inga, Ducati Corse’s General Manager] at COTA that Ducati was going to try
to send an engineer to help me. I was like, ‘Oh, sweet! I wonder what that’s
going to cost.’ But Ducati North America helped get him over here.”

This past weekend, Wyman, his crew chief Gary Dean, and his
computer systems analyst Darrin Marshall met up at the Wyman family workshop in
western New York, and Ducati electronics engineer Fausto Ghafar flew in to meet
them.

“Fausto works full-time for the Barni Racing team in World
Superbike. So he’s a Ducati Corse employee and he’s contracted to work with
Michael Rinaldi,” said Wyman. “Gary and Darin spent all day Saturday getting it
about 95% there. Then Fausto came in and all day Sunday we finished up stuff.
They had to program everything and set up all the strategies and all that.”

And after spending $16,754 on the electronics kit, Wyman
said he found the installation to be relatively pain-free.

“The thing that’s really cool is it shows up and for the
most part, 90-95% of it is like this goes here, that goes there, boom, boom,
boom. You just bolt it on,” said Wyman. “I hate the term ‘plug-and-play,’ but
it’s a kit system. It’s not like we have to get a wiring harness made. There’s
part numbers for everything on the bike. They’ve done such a good job
developing the package, so it makes sense.”

On Monday, Wyman shared PittRace’s North Course with the
Yamaha Champions Riding School (YCRS), with whom he normally serves as an
instructor, but this time it was an educational experience for the man who normally
does the teaching.

“For me it’s a huge learning curve understanding what I can
ask for versus what I can’t and how to approach things and think about the bike
as a whole unit. Because I’ve never ridden on anything like this. It’s always
been kit stuff, kit ECUs,” said Wyman. “Working with Darrin, he’s got so much experience
in this realm. He just brings a different approach.

“It’s amazing to me what electronics can do for you compared
to what I thought it can do. As a whole the ceiling becomes so high. The
outright lap time maybe doesn’t get that much better, but your ability to be
consistent does because the bike becomes easier to ride. That’s really what we’re
going to gain.

“I think also today was so good for me to just go out and do
laps and be by myself because there’s no timing and scoring, no people, no
nothing. I can just go out and get to know the bike, and that’s something I
haven’t got to do until today. So that’s been one of the most valuable things.

“It’s been a weird day for me because I feel like I’ve been
a rider today [as opposed to being a rider/team owner/team manager]. I go over
and I want to tell [Marshall] it’s doing this here and that there, but he
already knows what it’s doing from looking at the data. So I just wait until
they have something new for me to try. It’s been kind of nice.

“I sat there a little bit and watched what they were doing
[within the system], making changes and stuff. The sophistication plus the
intuitiveness of the Ducati software is pretty impressive with what you can do
in a short amount of time.

“And they can simulate a change before they do it! And then
they can look at the data of what you’re about to do before you send the bike
out on the track. It’s pretty crazy, but apparently that’s something they have
at Yoshimura Suzuki and Yamaha, as well. Pretty unreal.”

Because Wyman only rode on half of the PittRace course
normally used by MotoAmerica, his lap times today were irrelevant, but he did
record one interesting number while doing practice starts.

“They run data for practice starts,” said Wyman. “So I guess
I went 0-100 kph (62 mph) in 2.7 seconds, and the record of all the V4 Rs around
the world is 2.6 seconds. So I’ve got the starts pretty good. And that’s with a
stock motor, so I’ll get the 0.1-second when I put in the Superbike motor, but
at this point the motor’s not our weakest link.”

Wyman said he will get the opportunity to ride on the full MotoAmerica
course for half a day on Tuesday, when he and his team continue to
test.

LRRS: Scott Greenwood Wins “Dash For Cash” On Armed Forces Day At NHMS

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May 20, 2019

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LRRS: Scott Greenwood Wins “Dash For Cash” On Armed Forces Day At NHMS

LRRS Riders Reflect on Their Military Service on Armed Forces Day

Four Loudon Road Race Series riders draw strong comparisons between their military service and motorcycle racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

LOUDON, N.H. – Comradery, self-reliability, excitement, dedication, desire, competition and focus. These words describe not only the Loudon Road Race Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but also the riders who are former military members. This weekend was round two of the 2019 season, and Armed Forces Day being on Saturday made the weekend extra special for four LRRS riders, who say racing motorcycles reminds them of their time in the military.

“The best comradery you’ll find outside of any military branch is among these guys and girls,” said former Marine, Jason Sauvageau, who scored his first amateur win of the season in Saturday’s Ultralight Superbike. “Just like the military, this is what it’s all about. As much as you’re self-reliant on your own motorcycle, it’s a group effort to always get everybody ready. It’s being a part of something that’s bigger than yourself.”

Sharing Sauvageau’s sentiment of the family-like atmosphere of the Loudon Road Race Series, is expert rider, Tim Hogan. Hogan, who served as an infantry ranger battalion for four years, spending about a month in Afghanistan and nearly eight months in Iraq before he was shot six times, added the craving for excitement that motorcycle racing satisfies.

“I get the little butterflies when I’m waiting to take off from the start line at the beginning of a race that I did going out of the gate for missions,” said Hogan, who finished second in Sunday’s Combined SuperTwins. “Plus, everyone I race with is up here – it’s like a family – and prepping the gear, making sure everything’s ready, is similar to being in the military.”

For Roger Ealy Sr., whose son also races in LRRS, his more than 21 years serving in both the Navy and Marines and his nearly 10 years racing motorcycles are all about the same things.

“In the military, the job is all about dedication, desire and wanting to do your best,” said Ealy. “It’s the same thing in motorcycle racing. It’s a competitive sport. The military is a competitive sport, so that kind of feeds itself.”

To be the best, a rider must have focus, which is something novice rider, Josh Ziemski, who served four years in the Marines, thanks the military for.

“I got out of high school, went to college for a year and it just wasn’t me, said Ziemski. “I started to get in to a little bit of trouble and I knew I needed change. Serving in the Marines helped me learn how to focus at the task at hand, whatever I needed to do. Racing and riding competitively, I’ve got to have that mental focus and be on my A-game when I’m on the track or practicing.”

One race where riders really benefit from strong mental focus is the Dash for Cash, which is run as two Middleweight Grands Prix – one for the expert class, which awards the top eight with cash prizes ranging from $25 – $500, and one for the amateur class, which awards $100 to the winner.

LRRS veterans, Scott Greenwood, Alex Guilbeault and Rick Doucette claimed the top three spots in Saturday’s Expert Dash for Cash Middleweight Grand Prix and held on from green flag to checkered flag.

Lincoln Gottier took the win for the amateurs while Nick Leighton and Matthew Farrell rounded out the top three.

Round three of the Loudon Road Race Series returns to New Hampshire Motor Speedway June 15-16, highlighted by the 96th annual Loudon Classic on Sunday, which will wrap up Motorcycle Week at NHMS.

Check out the full results from all races: https://trackintel.com/ti/lrrs/ajax2014/results/i…

Stay up-to-date with the Loudon Road Race Series:

Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/LRRSNHMS/

Website: https://www.NHMS.com/Local/Loudon-Road-Race-Serie…

For ticket information for events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, including the June 8-16 Motorcycle Week at NHMS, the July 19-21 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 race weekend and the September 20-21 Full Throttle Fall Weekend, visit the speedway website at NHMS.com or call Fan Relations at (603) 783-4931.

ASRA Team Challenge: James Gang/Hoban Brothers Racing Takes First In GT Lights At Blackhawk Farms Raceway

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May 20, 2019

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ASRA Team Challenge: James Gang/Hoban Brothers Racing Takes First In GT Lights At Blackhawk Farms Raceway

James Gang/Hoban Brothers Rides Again in ASRA Team Challenge

James Gang/Hoban Brothers Racing won the GTL class and
finished 12^th overall the ASRA Team Challenge at Blackhawk Farms on
Saturday, May 18^th. Co-riders Paul James and Wes Orloff piloted a
Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa-shod Buell Firebolt XB12R to 70 laps of the damp but
drying course.

“It was a team challenge in the truest sense but we were up
to the task,” said James. “The track was pretty green, and there were some
puddles and damp sections just off the racing line, so you had to be smooth and
precise. We had great pit stops from our crew led by Mike Kirkpatrick and Wes
and I just focused on putting in consistent laps.”

“I can’t thank the team enough for the opportunity to ride
with them, and to get the win was the icing on the cake,” said Orloff. “The
whole team was awesome and you can tell their bike prep and pit work experience
paid off. Conditions were a little tricky, but Paul handed the bike off to me
with a big gap to second so I could just concentrate on keeping it on two
wheels.”

James Gang/Hoban Brothers Racing is sponsored by Hoban
Brothers, Darkhorse Crankworks, West Bend Harley-Davidson, and Moto Milwaukee.

Wes Orloff is sponsored by WFORacingOnline.com, Milwaukee
Harley-Davidson, Wiseco, Cometic, Fuel Café, and SBS.

British Superbike Video: Highlights From Brandon Paasch Winning In British Motostar At Oulton Park

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May 20, 2019

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British Superbike Video: Highlights From Brandon Paasch Winning In British Motostar At Oulton Park

British Eurosport highlights of the 2nd round of the 2019 HEL Performance British Superbike Championship Motostar Championship from Oulton Park.

BMW Boxer Cup: American Nate Kern Places Second In Race Two At Lausitzring (Updated)

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May 20, 2019

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BMW Boxer Cup: American Nate Kern Places Second In Race Two At Lausitzring (Updated)

IDM Championship Series

Lausitzring, Germany

May 19, 2019

BMW Boxer Cup Race Two Results (all riding BMW R nineT Racer motorcycles on Dunlop tires):

1. Christof Hofer, Germany, 12 laps, Total Race Time 22:56.115, 1:53.429

2. Nate Kern, USA, -5.460 seconds, 1:53.720

3. Marvin Jurgens, Germany, -20.977, 1:55.551

4. Fritz Spenner, Germany, -31.689, 1:55.443

5. Bjorn Winkelmann, Germany, -70.798, 1:59.277

6. Tobias Munchinger, Germany, -1 lap, 1:56.432

7. Burkhard Bender, Germany, -1 lap, 2:01.649

8. Marco Gluch, Germany, -1 lap, 2:00.576

9. Rene Iten, Switzerland, -1 lap, 2:05.139

10. Daniel Werth, Germany, -1 lap, 2:03.715

Championship Point Standings (after 2 of 12 races):

1. Hofer, 50 points

2. Kern, 40

3. Jurgens, 32

4. Bender, 20

5. Gluch, 19

6. Iten, 17

7. Werth, 14

8. TIE, Spenner/Kitsch, 13

10. Winkelmann, 11

More, from a press release issued by Wunderlich Motorsport:

Wunderlich MOTORSPORT celebrates perfect season kick-off in BMW BoxerCup

The Wunderlich MOTORSPORT team got off to a perfect season start of the International Deutsche Motorradmeisterschaft (IDM) at Germany’s Lausitzring. Riders Christof “Fifty” Höfer and his team mate Nate Kern from the USA powered their BMW R nineT Racer in a double 1-2. Kern already had taken pole position in front of Höfer, who turned the fortunes around for himself in both races.

It has not only been the season opening for the IDM and the BoxerCup but also the very first race of this new class in which only BMW R nineT machinery is lined up. Wunderlich MOTORSPORT’s targets were easily found and clearly communicated: Both riders shall fight for race wins and the championship.

For that Nate Kern from USA was brought into the team – an experienced guy not only on Superbike machinery, but a Boxer rider for more than ten years. Team mate Höfer won the German edition of the Suzuki GSX-R1000 Cup two years ago and moved up to the IDM Superbike last season. But the year was injury plagued, so Höfer is now aiming for a fresh start in the BoxerCup.

Rivalry only starts come race time

Kern and Höfer might be team mates but won’t make any gifts to each other during the races, but in Lausitzring’s practice and qualifying sessions, both worked together as Kern was new to the track and Höfer almost has no experience on Boxer motorbikes at all. So, the Wunderlich duo worked together and did not make the opponents having a faith at all.

In Saturday’s first race it was Kern who took the holeshot and the US rider was able to pull a gap to his opponents. But at the end of the race it was Höfer that put in the best pace, fighting back on his team mate. Kern also missed a gear one or another time, so Höfer could not only catch him but also took the win.

The second race was a mirror of the first one: Best start and leading the first laps it was Kern but Höfer fought back and took the win in the end.

The next of in total six BMW BoxerCup meetings will be held 21st to 23 of June in Zolder, Belgium.

Christof Höfer:

“I am more than delighted after last year’s misfortunes to be back on front. All winter I worked a lot on my fitness but also mentally wise. Wunderlich gave me the chance to go for it in the BoxerCup and I am taking this very seriously. My hardest opponent is Nate Kern from the USA, a real tough guy and a weapon on those Boxer bikes. He did ride such motorbikes for more than ten years, won races and championship and he knows how to rides such things. When I was able to beat him on Saturday evening I was simply delighted and could head into the second race more calm. I was able to study him a while then and got faster again. I am more than happy now as this takes a lot of weight from my shoulders.”

Nate Kern:

“Great! I really, really enjoyed the track, I instantly geled with the track. P2 on free practice one, P1 on free practice two, qualifying was great too. But I also feel I was helping the young bug, the local kid, that is going really good and got a lot of talent. I just wanted to be always a little bit on top but come race time – I just need to get my cardio better for Zolder.”

Team manager Frank Hoffmann to the race weekend in the Lausitz of the BoxerCup 2019: “We are overjoyed that both riders are on an equal footing and have helped us with their routine and experience to bring the motorcycles to a very high level. We are looking forward to the next races.”

Australian Superbike Championship: Classic Superbikes Will Be A Part Of The Show During Round Four At Morgan Park

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May 20, 2019

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Australian Superbike Championship: Classic Superbikes Will Be A Part Of The Show During Round Four At Morgan Park

Superbike Masters to wind back the clock at Morgan Park

20 May 2019

The racing heroes of years past will take to the track once again at Round 4 of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship (ASBK), as the Superbike Masters feature on the ASBK undercard for the first time in 2019 after great success in 2018.

Showcasing the rich history of Superbike racing in Australia, the Superbike Masters features a wide variety of machinery from the 70s and 80s, giving today’s Superbike fans a taste of a bygone era, and allowing the fans of the past another opportunity to see these wonderful machines in full flight (and at full noise!) once again.

Superbike Masters racer Darren Lark urged fans to come and have a look at these magnificent machines.“You’ve got bikes that are generally in the range of around 170 kilos to 220 kilos, that make anywhere between 100 horsepower through to 170 horsepower, with no rider aids” he said.

“There’s no traction control, no anti-wheelie, they’re just big, heavy superbikes just like the ones that were ridden in the day by greats like Robbie Phillis, Malcolm Campbell, Andrew ‘Ajay’ Johnson, and Barry Ditchburn.”

Three-time ASBK Champion turned historic racer Shawn Giles knows the appeal of these old machines. “It’s definitely inspiring to ride the old bikes because the guys that build them are so passionate” he said. “The Suzuki Katana that I’m racing now is producing a lot more horsepower now than what they ever did back in the day.

“I held the lap record at Phillip Island and Eastern Creek for a couple of years there on the Katana, and the times I was doing on that are times that some people are only just achieving on modern-day superbikes.”

The passion for these old bikes is evident, Lark says, in their owners’ willingness to show them off to interested spectators. “In the Superbike Masters pit, no matter who you are, the guys are quite happy for people to come up and ask questions” he said. “The bikes are generally outside of the pits for you to look at, and the guys are always happy to talk to people whether they’re a 5 year old kid or a 75 year old man.”

Make sure to get your ticket for Round 4 of the 2019 Motul Pirelli Australian Superbike Championship at Morgan Park, 5-7 July 2019, to see these impressive machines on track once again. All tickets include entry into the pit paddock, giving you the opportunity to get up close to the bikes and riders for a chat or a photo.

For more updates and to purchase, head to ASBK.com.au. Follow along with the ASBK by heading to our Facebook page, or by following ASBK on Instagram.

Canadian Superbike: Ben Young Is Victorious In Season-Opener At Shannonville

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May 20, 2019

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Canadian Superbike: Ben Young Is Victorious In Season-Opener At Shannonville

Young, Hornblower win dramatic season openers at SMP

Shannonville, ON – The 2019 Mopar Canadian Superbike Championship got off to a much different start than years past on Sunday, with a pair of dramatic Pro races leading to some first-time championship leaders after round one at Shannonville Motorsport Park.

Ben Young completed the weekend sweep in the Mopar Pro Superbike feature class, as the Collingwood, ON rider led every session of round one before leading all 22 laps of the final race aboard his Scot-Build/Barrie Trim BMW S1000RR.

Despite his run at the top of the leaderboard, Young was under siege for the entirety of the race, holding off a pair of familiar foes in Kenny Riedmann and four-time defending champion Jordan Szoke.

“It feels really great. We had a great start, but I knew they were behind me the whole way, so I really had to push,” said Young. “It’s nice to see BMW continuing their run of wins here this season, and I’m just honoured to be a part of that, so we’re all looking forward to round two in a few weeks at Grand Bend.”

“I think it’s one of my better tracks, so to go in there with a points advantage over Jordan and Kenny is just a dream come true so far,” he continued.

It was another brilliant ride for Belfountain, ON’s Riedmann, who has now managed to edge his long-time rival in Szoke in back-to-back races after winning the season finale at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park last season, his lone career victory aboard the Sturgess Cycle Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja.

“Jordan’s a 13-time champion, so obviously keeping him behind me was never going to be easy, but I was really trying to find a weak spot on Ben to make a pass and just couldn’t find one,” Riedmann said. “He put in a really fast lap at the end that I just couldn’t match, so I’m really glad to be here on the podium and fighting with these guys. It was a lot of fun.”

Szoke will now leave round one without the series lead for the first time in seven seasons, a race he also finished third in, though it was a spirited ride for the Lynden, ON veteran in his debut with the Mopar Express Lane Kawasaki team.

After a massive crash on Saturday morning, Szoke battled through a number of injuries to keep himself within the title fight early on.

“It was a real push to get the bikes together, and I was having a tough time fighting through the pain, so I knew I had to play it smart,” said Szoke. “It was a tough weekend, but the new team is a great fit. It’s not about every race, it’s about the championship, and we’ll be right back up there in round two.”

Taking a career-best result in fourth place was Peterborough, ON youngster Tomas Casas, who was racing aboard a Parts Canada Yamaha YZF-R1 superbike for the first time in his career this weekend, with St. Isidore, QC’s Samuel Trepanier also battling through injury to round out the top five aboard his Blysk Racing BMW.

The top rookie in the Pro Superbike class was Maple, ON’s Ivan Babic, who finished eighth aboard his BMW as he takes an early lead in the Brooklin Cycle Racing Pro Rookie of the Year battle.

It wasn’t as good of a result for Casas in the Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike class, however, as a last-lap crash led to the first career Pro victory for Sarnia, ON’s Will Hornblower.

A frequent podium finisher, Hornblower finally managed to overcome a string of bad luck performances to win at SMP aboard his Yamaha YZF-R6.

“It’s really felt like a long time coming,” Hornblower said. “The past six years I’ve come so close, but to finally do it is just unbelievable. I can’t thank everyone enough.”

After running in third for much of the race, Hornblower had the front seat to a crash involving Casas and Mirabel, QC’s Sebastien Tremblay, with Tremblay leading the race at the time aboard his DB Moto Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja.

“Tomas was faster in turn three so he tried to make the pass there, but Sebastien held the line and there was just nothing they could do,” Hornblower explained. “I just kept telling myself ‘you can’t screw this up,’ so I’m not glad they crashed but I’m just really glad I held onto it.”

Casas, the two-time defending champion in the Sport Bike category, will now enter round two at the Grand Bend Motorplex with just four points to Hornblower’s 52.

Also benefitting from the incident was Hamilton, ON’s David MacKay, who ran majority of the race in fourth before finishing in second place aboard his Mack Attack Racing Kawasaki. Rounding out the podium, meanwhile, was Lasalle, QC’s Samuel Desmarais, who had his best career finish aboard his Playground Poker Club Kawasaki.

The TSN Motorcycle Experience Amateur Lightweight Sport Bike class also continued its thrilling action from Saturday, as Princeville, NS’s Avery Hart claimed his second career victory aboard a WRBF Racing Yamaha YZF-R3.

After finishing second to Blackstock, ON teenager Ben LeClair in race one on Saturday, Hart was able to get his revenge over his Yamaha counterpart in race two.

“It was well worth the drive up here,” joked Hart. “That first corner really set the tone for the race, and it got really close out there but I was able to hold him off at the end and it was a lot of fun.”

Winning the season opener of the Mopar Express Lane Amateur Superbike category was Markham, ON’s Dave Natale, who narrowly held off the Kawasaki ZX-10R Ninja of Guillaume Fortin (Blainville, QC) aboard his Aprilia RSV4 RR.

As for the Parts Canada Amateur Sport Bike class, it was St. Marc-sur-Richelieu, QC’s Christian Allard dominating a shortened race aboard his Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja, with Oakville, ON’s Jared Walker finishing second aboard a similar machine.

Walker was also the winner of round one’s Parts Canada Hard Charger award, improving upon his qualifying time by nearly 1.2 seconds in Sunday’s race.

Full results from Sunday’s racing at Shannonville Motorsport Park can be found on the series’ official website at www.csbk.ca, as well as information regarding round two at the Grand Bend Motorplex on June 7-9.

More, from a press release issued by Ben Young Racing:

YOUNG TAKES THE SWEEP AT THE OPENING ROUND OF CSBK

Shannonville, Ont

May 17-19, 2019

Collingwood, Ontario’s, Ben Young dominated the first round of the 2019 MOPAR Canadian Superbike Championship on board the Scot-Build / Barrie Trim BMW S1000RR. Young topped the time sheets in every session, and he maximized on championship points by taking pole position, leading every lap in the race and by winning the first CSBK round at Shannonville Motorsport Park.

Straight off the bat, in unseasonably cold conditions, Young lead Friday morning’s first free practice 0.244 seconds in front of defending champion Jordan Szoke. Continuing the trend into free practice 2, Young topped the result sheet again with Szoke being 0.212 secs behind on his Kawasaki ZX10R.

Saturday, morning practice and qualifying brought slightly warmer conditions but a biting wind kept the track cool. With a few minor set up changes to work on, “The Flying Scotsman” put in a 1:05.695 lap time, 0.149 seconds ahead of fellow BWM rider, Micheal Leon in second.Afternoon Qualifying arrived with a sigh of relief, as in the morning practice Szoke had an off into turn 8, “Allan’s” where his ZX10R was launched into Pit Lane among race teams and awnings. Thankfully no one was injured.

The Qualifying was as thrilling as ever. CSBK runs a Superpole format, with a first 30-minute qualifying session for everyone, then the top ten fastest riders proceed into the 10 min Superpole session. This gives the teams 5 min to re-fuel, tire change and any make any final tweaks. Young was confident and determined to keep the top position. In his 3rd lap, he clocked a 1.05.025 lap which earned him his first pole position at Shannonville Motorsports Park. Concluding the front row grid line up was Jeff Williams (BMW) +0.038, Kenny Riedmann (Kawa) +0.184, and Szoke (Kawa) +0.192.

Race day bought the sun and heat for perfect race conditions. Morning practice again saw Young at the top of the time sheets, being 0.927 seconds in front of Szoke. It was ramping up to be an impressive first championship race.

Young got the hole shot into turn one with Riedmann and Szoke on his back wheel. The top three broke away with Young keeping ahead throughout the hard pressured 22-lap race. Both riders were on his heels all the way, in the hope he made a mistake. Each time the trio crossed the line, there was no more than 0.5 second covering the three of them. Young continued to lead every lap from the start and as ever, kept his nerve to take the chequered flag with Reidmann 0.677 seconds behind, and Szoke rounding out the podium.

Young said, “it’s an amazing start to the season. I knew I had the pace from the Friday, my team, Scott Cartier, Willy Vass and Steve Weir gave me an amazing bike over the whole weekend. In the race, I worked out it was Kenny and Jordan behind me as I saw their pit boards come up the same time as mine. It was a tough race with the boys being on my tail all the way, there was no rest. With two laps to go, I concentrated on my breathing to get my heart rate down, I got an incredible drive out the final turn going into the last lap and put my head down, I manage to pull a big enough gap to make sure neither Kenny or Jordan didn’t have the opportunity to draft on the back straight. Huge thanks for all my sponsors and BMW Motorrad Canada”.

Grand Bend Race Way, Ont. June 7/9 hosts the next exciting round of the 2019 MOPAR Canadian Superbike Championship.

Young’s partners for his 2019 CSBK Championship season include; Scot-build Developments, BMW Motorrad Canada, Barrie Trim & Mouldings, ACF-50, Joe Rocket, Arai Helmets, Hindle Exhaust, Woodcraft, Bickle Racing, DP Brakes, Motion Pro, K-Tech Suspension, Liqui-Moly, Weireverywhereracing, Willy Vass Performance Cycle.

The 25-year-old pilot of the #86 BMW S1000RR is also a proud “Laps for Muscular Dystrophy” (Laps4MD) rider who’s pledged to donate $1 for every lap he lead this season. These donations go to Muscular Dystrophy Canada to help make a difference in the lives of over 50,000 Canadians affected by a neuromuscular disorder.

To keep up-to-date on Ben Young throughout the year visit; www.BenYoungRacing.com, www.facebook.com/BenYoungRacing and on Twitter and Instagram: @benyoung_86.