ASRA action from Summit Point. Photo by Vae Vang/Noiseless Productions.
ASRA is heading into a big Memorial Day event this weekend, with Friday practice and endurance races already sold out, and Saturday and Sunday races close to sold out.
The weekend has also sold out ASRA’s new package combining a race license class & Friday practice, plus entries for any Saturday and/or Sunday races for a flat fee of $500, limited to 10 riders per weekend.
BBQ cookouts are being held on Friday and Saturday evening.
The event has already attracted 250+ entries, making it ASRA’s biggest event other than the annual Race of Champions held at Daytona in October.
Mathew Scholtz Strengthens Championship Lead with Barber Superbike Sweep.
Strack Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz extends his MotoAmerica Superbike Championship lead with a pair of victories, while Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s JD Beach earns his first podiums of the season.
After a strong debut aboard the Strack Racing Yamaha R1 at the MotoAmerica Superbike opener at Road Atlanta, Mathew Scholtz raised the bar at Round 2 at Barber Motorsports Park with a dominant weekend sweep. It was a statement ride from the back-to-back MotoAmerica Supersport champ, who thus far has three wins and a runner-up finish to give him a healthy 34-point lead early in the title chase.
It was also a strong weekend for fellow Yamaha BLU CRU rider JD Beach. Although the weekend didn’t start out smoothly, the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing rider continued to make improvements, with Beach earning a pair of podium finishes in just his second full-time Superbike round with the squad.
Superbike Race 1 start at Barber. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Superbike Race 1 was an intense battle on the 2.38-mile circuit in Leeds, Alabama. Scholtz grabbed the holeshot, with the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing duo of Bobby Fong and Beach also getting strong starts inside the top five despite not qualifying on the front row. The teammates battled throughout the opening laps before settling into fourth and fifth, respectively. Just before half-race distance, PJ Jacobsen crashed, moving them both up a spot before bringing out the red flag.
After the restart, Scholtz once again nailed the start and quickly began to distance himself from the field, putting in consistently fast laps to secure the win by a healthy four-second margin.
Bobby Fong (50) and JD Beach (95) at Barber. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Behind him, Fong slotted into second and Beach third after the restart, with the duo remaining in the thick of a multi-rider fight for the podium positions. Beach battled with Cameron Beaubier and was shuffled back to fourth, while Fong was also passed by the reigning champion with around four laps to go. In the closing laps, Beach continued to push, making a decisive move in Charlotte’s Web on the final lap to secure third – his first podium of the season – with Fong finishing right behind in fourth.
Race 2 featured many of the same players, with Scholtz once again asserting himself early. After slotting into second off the start, the South African took over the lead on the opening lap and quickly began building a gap.
Beach once again showed a strong pace, quickly moving into podium contention after starting sixth. The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing rider made his way into second on Lap 3 and once again found himself battling with Beaubier, who briefly passed him before crashing shortly after. From there, Beach settled into a strong pace and rode a lonely race in second.
JD Beach on the left and Mathew Scholtz on the podium of the Superbike race 2 at Barber. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
In fourth after the start, Fong remained locked in a multi-rider battle for the podium position. He was shuffled back to fifth on that opening lap and continued to fight. Fong made his way back to fourth and then into third after Beaubier’s crash, but ultimately dropped back to sixth in the latter half of the race.
At the front, Scholtz continued to control the race, securing his second dominant victory of the weekend by a margin of 6.6 seconds. Beach followed him home in second and moved to third in the championship standings, with Fong sitting fourth and trailing his teammate by a point.
“Coming into the Barber weekend, I was pretty excited,” said Scholtz. “It’s been a good track for me. After having a great outing with the team at the first race, I was excited to get back on it and carry on working on the development of the Yamaha R1. We definitely had some setbacks during the practice sessions, but when we needed to come through in the race, we did. To come out with a double win – I couldn’t be happier. I’m thankful for the situation that I’m in and looking forward to going to Road America. It’s been a bit of a difficult track for me in the past, but this season, everything feels different.”
Supersport Race at Barber. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
In MotoAmerica Supersport, Scholtz’s teammate, Blake Davis, continued to show speed in the highly competitive class. After qualifying seventh, the young Virginian battled inside the lead group in both races. Race 1 featured multiple red flags and restarts, but Davis remained firmly in the mix throughout, running as high as third before ultimately finishing sixth. In Race 2, the Strack Racing Yamaha rider once again battled inside the top five before securing another sixth-place finish.
Liberty St. Yamaha Racing’s Dominic Doyle also continued to make progress in the Supersport class. After qualifying 11th, Doyle improved throughout the weekend and worked his way to seventh in Race 1. In Race 2, he was once again battling inside the top 10 before an unfortunate crash with around five laps remaining ended his race early.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:
Ty Scott on the podium for M4 ECSTAR Suzuki in Alabama.
Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer continued their trophy winning ways this weekend as the 2026 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship picked back up at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Over the course of the weekend, the factory-backed squad combined to tally six top fives, including a pair of podium finishes.
Race Highlights:
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
Supersport
Tyler Scott notched up his fourth podium finish of the season with another all-around impressive weekend.
Superbike
Richie Escalante charged his way to a pair of top fives.
Brandon Paasch twice battled forward to fight his way into the top ten.
Twins Cup
Matthew Chapin picked up a second-place finish on Saturday and backed it with a close fourth on Sunday.
Bodie Paige was ruled unfit following a qualifying crash on Friday.
Tyler Scott earned another hard-fought Supersport podium aboard the GSX-R750. Photo courtesy Suzuki
MotoAmerica Supersport title hopeful Tyler Scott finished off the podium aboard his next-generation GSX-R750 for the first time all season in Saturday’s contest, missing out on the box by just 0.067 seconds after taking the checkered flag only 0.296 seconds behind the winners.
The M4 ECSTAR Suzuki ace made his amends in Sunday’s rematch, parlaying his front-row grid position into a third-place finish. Scott got his revenge for his Saturday fourth with a last-lap strike on Sunday that saw him nudge into third at the checkered flag by an impossibly close 0.009 seconds, while again finishing only a half second away from victory.
Scott said, “I felt really good this weekend. We’re not quite where we want to be yet, but we’re getting there. I can’t give my M4 ESCSTAR Suzuki crew enough thanks. They’ve got the bike dialed in, and I’m comfortable on the bike. I can really ride it the way I know how to ride it, and it’s going to battle on it now.”
Richie Escalante charged forward all weekend, earning a pair of strong top-five Superbike finishes. Photo courtesy Suzuki.
Meanwhile, the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki duo of Richie Escalante and Brandon Paasch were on the charge aboard their GSX-R1000Rs at Barber Motorsports Park.
Despite qualifying on the outside of Row 3, Escalante twice fought his way into the top five. He took fifth – and only 1.5 seconds away from second – on Saturday. The Mexican star went one better on Sunday, racing up from the bottom of the top ten to come home in fourth.
“It was a nice weekend,” Escalante said. “We got two top fives, which is good for the championship. But the most important thing is that I have a really good feeling from the bike again. The crew did a great job, always pushing to improve and find more. I am really happy about our race pace. Qualifying has changed this year to just 15 minutes, so my focus at Road America will be to get up to speed and get a good flying lap. That puts us closer to the podium again. I am really happy with the weekend, the bike, and the team.”
Brandon Paasch fought through the field twice at Barber, charging to back-to-back top-10 finishes. Photo courtesy Suzuki.
Paasch pulled a similar trick. He twice finished eighth after starting on Row 4, including a Sunday ride that saw him climb to that position from outside the top 15 after being forced to take evasive action to avoid a downed rider.
He said, “There were some nice positives from the weekend. It started out a little rough. I have never gone that great at Barber, which is no excuse, and we didn’t qualify very well. In Race 1, I was trying to stick with the top ten pack and was able to get a good result. I tried to do it in Race 2, but there was a crash in front of me. I had to avoid it and ended up last but was able to charge up to eighth by the end. I wasn’t really happy at the time, but we were able to run some people down and make passes. I didn’t crash all weekend, and we made the bike better, so we continued our forward momentum. I really like Road America so it should be good.”
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Twins Cup squad was down a rider early after Australian Bodie Paige was ruled out following a Friday qualifying crash. Class title contender Matthew Chapin picked up the slack on the GSX-8R, winning out in a last-lap duel for second on Saturday. He narrowly missed out on a double-podium weekend by finishing a close fourth on Sunday.
Bodie Paige crashed in Twins Cup qualifying and could not race. Photo courtesy Suzuki.Matthew Chapin finished on the podium in Twins Cup Race One. Photo courtesy Suzuki.
Following his runner-up finish, Chapin said, “That was a fun race. I had a lot of fun battling and the pace was pretty good. I want to give a huge thanks to my M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team – we’ve struggled with small things all weekend, but together we were able to get it sorted for the race. I dropped like a second compared with my qualifying time in the race, and that’s absolutely absurd.”
The 2026 MotoAmerica season will resume in ultra high-speed fashion when it arrives at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on May 29-31.
OrangeCat Racing Secures Its Third Superbike Podium of the Season at Barber. Sean Dylan Kelly turned a difficult start into a Superbike podium finish at Barber Motorsports Park, with teammate Jayson Uribe having an up-and-down weekend in Alabama.
The second round of the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, held at the picturesque Barber Motorsports Park, started strongly for OrangeCat Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly, with the Floridian leading both Superbike sessions on Friday on his BMW M 1000 RR.
On Saturday morning, however, things changed with Kelly having a big crash in the final qualifying session that left him with an injured hand. Kelly managed to fight through the discomfort to finish seventh in Saturday’s race one. On Sunday, birthday boy Kelly rebounded to finish the weekend on a high with a third-place finish, and his third podium of the season.
Kelly’s teammate Jayson Uribe had a difficult weekend that saw the Californian finishing a fighting twelfth and sixteenth in the two races after off-track excursions in both.
With three podiums in four races, Kelly holds on to second in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. Despite his difficult weekend, Uribe is tenth in the title chase.
The weekend started on a high for Kelly as his 1:23.372 in Free Practice 1 put him atop the leaderboard. On Friday afternoon, Kelly went even quicker in Superbike Q1, with his 1:22.908 leading the pack going into the eventful Saturday morning qualifying session. Despite the crash, Kelly still ended up fifth-fastest and would start both races from the second row of the grid. Uribe ended the 15-minute Superbike qualifying session tenth.
The first of two Superbike races on the 2.380-mile Barber Motorsports Park road course was red-flagged after a crash deflated a section of Air Fence. By this point in the race, Uribe was already having issues after contact with another rider led to an off-track excursion. He would eventually finish twelfth.
Kelly was sixth for the first two laps of the restarted eight-lap race before losing a spot on the third lap. From there, Kelly rode to a seventh-place finish.
Sunday was a much better day for Kelly and his BMW as he moved forward from seventh on the opening lap to sixth on lap three, fifth on lap five, fourth on lap six, and third on lap eight. He would hold onto the final podium spot throughout the completion of the 20-lap race.
Uribe’s race two ended with a sixteenth place finish.
Jeff Connors – Team Principal: “Our Superbike program went through some adversity this weekend. It was a bummer, because Friday was extremely positive for both bikes. SDK was top of the board and Jayson was happy with the feel of the BMW. We came into Saturday with some confidence, maybe too much. The team did a great job getting SDK back on the podium in race 2. Jayson and SDK have some injuries going into Road America, but the week off should help get them back to 100 percent. SDK has the pace to compete for another podium and Jayson just needs to catch a break. I am proud of the team and how they handled the adversity. We have an incredible group and with the support of BMW Motorrad Motorsport and alpha Racing, we are looking forward to the next event.”
Jayson Uribe #36 sets up to enter Charlotte’s Web. Photo by: Brian J. Nelson
Jayson Uribe – No. 36: “We had a roller coaster of a weekend at Barber! I felt comfortable right off the bat on Friday, being able to flirt with the top five consistently throughout the weekend. We made a positive step in bike setup, which allowed me to push more than I have previously and feel more at home on the Superbike. In both races, I started strong but got tangled up in other riders’ issues. In Race 1, I was rammed off track in the early laps and had to play catch-up the rest of the race. Race 2 was the same story — a good start and fighting for the top five until I was hit by another rider, taking us both down.
We got unlucky. The speed was there, the starts were good — just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Huge shoutout to the OrangeCat crew for giving me a package I could fight with! It felt good to be in the lead pack. It’s where we belong!”
Sean Dylan Kelly secures third place at Barber Motorsports Park in Superbike race two, putting the BMW M 1000 RR straight onto the podium. Photo by Brian J. Nelson
Sean Dylan Kelly – No. 40: “It was great to start off the weekend topping both Friday sessions and feeling really confident on the bike. Saturday turned out to be a bit tougher after a heavy crash in qualifying left me pretty banged up, but I’m thankful to have walked away from it. We regrouped well for Sunday’s race 2, and despite still dealing with some pain, I pushed as hard as I could and was happy to finish on the podium with a P3. Huge thank you to my whole team for all the effort they put in throughout the weekend, especially after working hard to get the bike repaired and ready to go again after the crash. I’m already focused on Road America and excited to come back there at 100%.”
For full results of the opening round of the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, click Saturday (race one) and Sunday (race two).
The third round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, May 29-31.
More, from another press release issued by OrangeCat:
OrangeCat Racing Marks the Lightfighter’s First MotoAmerica Podium Finish at Barber Motorsports Park. Josh Herrin raced the Lightfighter V3-RH to second place on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, putting the all-electric Lightfighter on the podium for the first time at MotoAmerica.
Josh Herrin of OrangeCat Racing rode the Lightfighter electric bike to fourth place on Saturday at Barber Motorsports Park. On Sunday, he did even better, leading the Super Hooligan race for three of the eight laps before finishing second place in what was the MotoAmerica racing debut for the electric bike.
On a motorcycle beginning its development journey, Herrin and his teammate Kaleb De Keyrel progressed throughout the weekend on the Lightfighter, with Herrin finishing fourth and second in the two races with De Keyrel eleventh and eighth.
Starting from his position on the front row after qualifying third-fastest, Herrin was in the mix on both Saturday and Sunday. It was Sunday, however, that showed just what the Lightfighter is capable of. In Saturday’s race, Herrin was fourth with a best lap time of 1:28.217. On Sunday, he was second with a best lap of 1:27.519.
Herrin finished almost three seconds clear of last year’s Super Hooligan National Champion James Rispoli.
Josh Herrin power wheelies out of a corner at Barber Motorsports Park. Photo by: Brian J. Nelson
On Saturday, Herrin completed the first lap in fifth place before pushing himself and the Lightfighter into the battle for third. With three laps to go, Herrin looked to have a realistic chance of a podium finish as he circulated in third place. A lap later, he lost the spot and would race to fourth.
De Keyrel started fifteenth, but pushed ahead and battled his way to eleventh in the eight-lap race. Along with Herrin, De Keyrel topped the speed trap in the race.
Herrin wasted no time in racing to the lead on Sunday, settling in for a race-long battle at the front. Herrin led laps two through four and chased race winner Gus Rodio to the finish with those two well clear of the chasing pack.
De Keyrel showed big improvements, as well, finishing eighth a day after his eleventh place finish. He also set fastest trap speed in Sunday’s race with a recorded speed of 142.5 mph.
Jeff Connors – Team Principal: “The Super Hooligan races were awesome! I get nervous when we race in this class with the Lightfighter, because it is such a new package. What an incredible performance by Josh to get the first MotoAmerica podium for Lightfighter. Both bikes get better every time they hit the track. It is such a cool project to be a part of and I am very happy for everyone involved. The amount of work that OrangeCat Racing, Lightfighter, and alpha Racing put into these bikes since Daytona is impressive. I can’t wait to get to the Ridge.”
Brian Wismann – CEO and Co-founder, Lightfighter: “Coming into the weekend we had high hopes of redemption after the heartbreak of Daytona but never expected to find ourselves landing a maiden podium. We’re out to show that an EV powertrain can race competitively with its gas-burning brethren, and I think we’ve achieved that this weekend. We’re looking forward to continuing our development at The Ridge next month.”
Kaleb De Keyrel #51 fires out of Museum Corner. Photo by: Brian J. Nelson
Kaleb De Keyrel – No. 51: “Overall, it was a great weekend: we got better every time we hit the track. My crew, Alex and David, worked extremely hard to give me the best possible set up and they nailed it for race 2. The bike felt amazing and I could put it exactly where I wanted. Josh was able to show the true potential of the bike and that it’s a frontrunner in the class. I’m looking forward to growing and improving in the races to come!”
For full results of the second round of the 2026 Mission Super Hooligan Championship, click Saturday (race one) and Sunday (race two).
The third round of the Mission Super Hooligan Championship will be held at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, June 26-28.
More, from a press release issued by Team Hammer:
Progress for Sonya Lloyd in Alabama.
Team Hammer’s Sonya Lloyd continued her upward trajectory in MotoAmerica Twins Cup competition during the Barber Motorsports Park race weekend, even if the final results obscured the extent of her progress.
The Georgian picked up where she left off at Road Atlanta on her M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-8R, qualifying 16th fastest with a best lap of 1:35.580. Lloyd carried a similar pace into Saturday’s race, claiming her third points-paying result of the young season by coming home 15th.
The former WorldWCR pilot had designs of making significant gains in Sunday’s rematch after locking in a much-improved set-up during the morning warm-up. Race 2 opened in promising fashion, as she made her way up to 13th before a sensor issue halted her progress and forced her into the pits. Following a quick correction by her crew, Lloyd returned to the fray to log more laps, allowing her to accumulate additional data and experience.
Sonya Lloyd (28) earned points in Twins Cup at Barber. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Following the up-and-down weekend, she said,“It was a lotta good and some not so good, but I am leaving the track feeling like we are in a good spot. Practice and qualifying went well. I started 16th, about where I thought we would be. We had tried out a lot of settings changes over the weekend. There was some chaos in our class with red flags and moving the races to the end of the day, too. I got good starts and in the first race I was able to match my qualifying pace to get 15th.
“For Sunday, we found a really good setup and that was a night-and-day difference. I felt great in the race, and we had moved up to 13th, but we had a sensor failure, the bike went into limp mode, and I had to pit. The team did a great job and was able to quickly fix the bike. I went back out, a couple of laps down. The good news is I felt great on the bike the rest of the way and got some good laps in. We are in a good position going forward. I wish the next one in two weeks was even sooner.”
Lloyd will next take on the high-speed and tactically demanding Road America when the 2026 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship season resumes on May 29-31, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
More from a press release issued by Real Steel Honda:
Real Steel Honda Racing and Andrew Lee dominate the Superbike Cup races at the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Alabama event.
Andrew Lee, scoring both wins in the Superbike Cup class at the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Alabama, leads that championship with 95 points. Hayden Gillim in the Superbike class reversed his Atlanta results with a 6th place finish instead of a DNF in Race 1 but unfortunately suffered a DNF in race 2. Hayden remains in 11th place in the Superbike championship standings with 19 points.
Real Steel Honda Racing’s Talent Cup competitors had a good showing with Derek Sanchez scoring a 7th place finish in Race 1 and a 5th place finish in Race 2. Ian Fraley, after his best ever qualifying result with a 6th place on the second row of the grid, came away with 10th and 8th place finishes in the 2 races. Derek lies in 6th place while Ian is in 8th place in the Talent Cup championship standings.
Next up for the team is the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Road America event May 29-31 at Road America in Elkhart Lake WI.
Real Steel Honda Racing is proudly supported by American Honda, HRC, Progressive Insurance, Pro Honda Oils. Southern Honda Powersports, Idemitsu, Last Ark: Tactics Analogue, Vesrah, K-Tech suspension, Orient Express, Dunlop, Akrapovic Exhaust Systems, Sprint Filter, Armor Bodywork, Vortex and REB Graphics.
Hayden Gillim (69) at Barber. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda
Hayden Gillim – Rider #69 / Team Principal:“Coming into Barber I was really excited about the gains we had made since last season there. It’s always been one of my best tracks and kind of a home race for me.
We got off to a great start ending Friday 4th fastest and made more strides Saturday. With times being so close at Barber you know it’s always going to be a fight in the races and that is exactly what took place. After a not-so-great start in the first go of race 1 I got a little fortunate with a red flag and was able to capitalize on it by being in the hunt for the podium ultimately ending up 6th.
Sunday, I felt with it being warmer out and the track being a bit greasier so that I could have a very good race. Again, I got off to a bad start and got caught up with a slower rider on lap 1 and 2 that allowed the front group to get a gap and forced the other rider into a mistake that ended with us both on the ground. I am glad to walk away safe, but bummed feeling like we should have had a top 5 finish in race 2. We will keep making strides with the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP and continue getting stronger.
Thanks to all of the fans, my family, my team, and everyone from American Honda and Southern Honda Powersports for coming out.”
Andrew Lee (14) at Barber. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda
Andrew Lee – Rider #14:“I’m happy with how Barber went for us. Our goal this weekend was to find a setting in the bike that helped give me a bit more confidence. The whole crew worked together to get us closer. We are not fully there yet, but we are closing in. Finished with 2 top 10s in superbike and 2 firsts in superbike cup. So, it was a good weekend for us. Looking forward to continuing the progress in Wisconsin in a few weeks.”
Ian Fraley (10) at Barber. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda
Ian Fraley – Rider #10:“It was a very positive weekend! I mean we qualified on the second row! I made a little mistake which made race 1 end early. This weekend showed us that we can be up there with the other boys every weekend. Thanks to the team for putting a great bike underneath me.”
Derek Sanchez (23) at Barber. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda
Derek Sanchez – Rider #23:“What can I say? It was a good weekend, and I couldn’t be happier with how we finished considering the hand we were dealt. Coming off the damage from that Road Atlanta crash, we were fighting uphill from the start. Friday was a disaster mechanical in FP1, another mechanical in Q1, and a total of only 5 laps. By Q2, the track was too cold to drop times, leaving us to start all the way back in 8th. But I wasn’t worried about the starting position or the problems. The only goal was to battle for the podium. In Race 1, I was fighting in 4th early on, but the bike’s issues made it tough to hold that brutal pace, and we crossed the line in 7th. By Sunday morning, a switch flipped. I refused to be outside the top 5. I went out for warmup and just sent it, finishing the session 4th.
In Race 2, I got an awesome start—5th into Turn 1—and spent the first half of the race in an absolute dogfight for 3rd. We crossed the line in 5th. Even though it was not a podium, it was a 5th place I worked my absolute hardest for. Massive thank you to my dad and the whole crew. It was a brutal weekend in the pits trying to get the bike comfortable, but we rode through every single problem. Even with all the issues, we were right there in the mix. Next round at The Ridge, it’s podium time.”
More from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
Gerardo Finishes 5th; Collins Gets Double Top 10s; Martinez Keeps Momentum from Atlanta; Nassaney Builds On New Chassis Setup.
Round three of the 2026 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship took place at Barber Motorsports Park, where the Altus Motorsports team continued to make improvements to the YZF-R9 chassis which led to them finishing as the top Yamaha in Race 2.
Supersport – Altus leaves Barber as the top Yamaha.
Torrin Collins (71) at Barber. Photo courtesy Altus.
Torrin Collins started from 9th on the grid and secured two top 10 finishes over the course of the weekend. Despite the chaos of Race 1 that had red flags and three restarts, Torin was able to finish in 10th overall after battling for position the entire race. Race 2 went better for Collins, who fought his way from 12th at the end of the first lap all the way to a strong 8th place finish. He was especially fast in the final four laps where he set lap times that were equal with riders in the top 5. Collins finished the weekend at 11th place in the championship standings with 26 points in total.
Torin Collins:“Barber is always a challenging track because it’s so technical and you spend so much time right on the edge of the tire. We came away with 10th in Race 1 and 8th in Race 2. Can’t be too upset with a double top 10, but I’m definitely hungry for a top 5 soon. Despite dealing with a couple clutch issues and me making a few mistakes throughout the races, I’m still really happy with the progress my crew and I are making. I was able to run top-5 pace on Sunday, which is super positive moving forward. Road America is always electric with the fans, so I’m super excited to get there”.
Maximiliano Gerardo (241) at Barber. Photo courtesy Altus.
Maximiliano Gerardo qualified in 10th right behind Collins and made the most of his strong race pace. Gerardo was able to climb up to 9th place in race 1, but was relegated back to 13th place due to a jump start penalty. Gerardo was able to put the penalty behind him and give everything he had on Sunday in race 2. Gerardo had an excellent start which gained him four positions in the first lap, and was able to set consistently fast laps as the race went on which chipped away at the gap to the rider in front of him. Gerardo managed to make a pass on the last lap in the last corner to take the position. Gerardo finished the weekend as the fastest Yamaha and took 9th place in the championship standings.
Maximiliano Gerardo:“Barber was a weekend of hard work to be competitive. After qualifying 10th and finishing the race 1st in 13th due to a penalty, we managed to come away with a good result in race 2 that we finished 5th grabbing our first top 5 of the year. I am happy for this result which motivates us to continue working for the next round in Road America”
Jaret Nassaney (59) at Barber. Photo courtesy Altus.
While it was another challenging weekend for Jaret Nassaney, he continued to improve his positions in qualifying and in both races and build on the momentum from Road Atlanta. Nassaney qualified 17th and finished 16th in Race 1. The team made some chassis setup changes on Saturday night, which made Nassaney feel more confident on the bike for Race 2 where he finished in 15th place. The changes the team made have helped Nassaney steer into corners and drive out of them even better, and he is looking forward to achieving even better results in a couple weeks time at Road America.
Jaret Nassaney:“A 16th and a 15th on the weekend. Not the result I’m looking for, but we are making big strides in getting the bike to work better for me! So a big positive there, and we will continue to improve our results as the season goes on! I believe we have a good base setup now and won’t have to make too dramatic of changes.”
Austin Martinez (999) at Barber. Photo courtesy Altus.
Austin Martinez qualified 25th on his Suzuki GSX-R 750 and made big strides in both races to work his way forward. He finished 24th on Saturday after the restart and made even more passes on Sunday in Race 2 to finish 17th overall. Martinez continues to improve with each session and is working hard to get comfortable in his rookie year of the MotoAmerica Supersport class.
The racing at Barber was filled with surprising challenges, but the Altus Motorsports team worked tirelessly to push through and end the weekend better than it started. The team made excellent progress on the technical side and are understanding the chassis setup more and more with each session. Finishing the weekend as the top Yamaha was an incredible achievement, and the team is looking forward to continuing the upward trajectory at Road America.
“Barber was a good weekend for our team. All of our riders made improvements and to leave as the top Yamaha in race 2 was nice. Road America is in 10 days. We are already working on setup ideas to keep us moving forward. I appreciate all the hardwork our guys put in this past weekend.”Said Team Co Owner George Nassaney.
More from a press release issued by Robem Engineering Aprilia:
Vossberf vive veloce: the 15-year-old Robem Engineering Aprilia rider shows maturity in dominant double at Barber.
The Aprilia RS 660 proved once again to be the benchmark of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup class during the weekend at Barber Motorsports Park (May 15–17, 2026).
Highlighting the technical prowess and versatility of the platform, 23 of the 38 registered riders for the event chose the Aprilia RS 660 as their machine of choice, representing more than 60% of the most competitive field in this lightweight twin-cylinder race class, while an Aprilia RS 660 was the top of the charts for every session of the Alabama weekend.
While the depth of the field was on full display with a battle of brands across the MotoAmerica round at Barber, the RS 660 was piloted by five of the top 10 riders that finished the Qualifying 1 event on Friday: Robem Engineering Aprilia’s Hank Vossberg (P1), Speed Demon Racing powered by Ready to Ride’s Logan Cunnison (P2), Ghetto Customs’ Chris Parrish (P3), Brown Town Racing’s Chase Brown (P8), and MotoACE Racing’s Zachary Foster (P10).
As temperatures rose into Saturday, it was Vossberg (P1), Cunnison (P4), Brown (P6), and Parrish (P10), who held on to top 10 positions for the weekend’s race grid, while the Aprilia RS 660 was the machine that slated every grid placement from P11 through P18.
Hank Vossberg (31) at Barber. Photo by Sara Chappell.
When the racing began, the weekend belonged to who else but Hank Vossberg. His victory in Race 1 saw a 5.316-second margin over the nearest competitor, leading every lap of the 12-lap race. Cunnison battled for a podium position, before a mid-race mechanical ceased his challenge from fourth place ending his race early. Parrish finished fifth, and Weyh Racing’s Andrew Weyh seventh, while Foster rounded out the top 10.
After the initial Race 2 was red-flagged and delayed until later in the day for a restart, the 15-year-old Wisconsinite, Vossberg – with a plane to catch and school Monday morning – nearly doubled his lead in Race 2, crossing the finish line 9.809 seconds ahead of the field. Parish (P5), Weyh (P9) and Foster (P10), completed the final Aprilia RS 660 Machines within Race 2’s top 10.
Leaving Barber Motorsports Park, Vossberg makes an impressive jump in the championship standings leading the title chase with 136 total points, with a 45-point lead over second place. The championship heads to home track for Vossberg at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (May 29-31, 2026).
Hank Vossberg / Robem Racing Aprilia: “Super excited about the double [win] this weekend. My Aprilia RS 660 was hooked up all weekend, and I can’t give it up to the team enough for giving me such an amazing bike to ride!”
More from a press release issued by Karns / TST Industries:
Karns / TST Industries Delivers Breakthrough Weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in MotoAmerica Twins Cup Round 3.
Karns / TST Industries continued its strong 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup campaign with another standout weekend at Round 3 at Barber Motorsports Park, highlighted by podium finishes, championship points from all three riders, and continued growth across the team.
The self-proclaimed “Little Team That Could” once again proved it belongs among the front-runners, leaving Barber with momentum, confidence, and some of its strongest results of the season.
Solly Mervis (25) and Isaac Woodworth (27) at Barber. Photo by Brian J Nelson.
Isaac Woodworth #27 Continues Rise with First Twins Cup Podium
Isaac Woodworth delivered his strongest weekend of the year, qualifying on the front row in P3, finishing P4 in Race 1, and capturing his first MotoAmerica Twins Cup podium with a P2 finish in Race 2.
After showing pace from the opening session, Woodworth immediately established himself as a contender.
Qualifying – P3
“Qualifying went really well this weekend. I was able to put together a strong lap and secure a spot on the front row. The pace felt strong from the beginning of the weekend, and the team gave me a bike that I felt confident pushing every session.”
Race 1 – P4
A difficult launch off the line forced Woodworth to fight back through the field. Despite missing the podium, he maintained strong pace and consistency to secure a solid fourth-place finish.
“Race 1 was a bit of a struggle at the start. I didn’t get the launch I wanted and lost some ground early, which made it difficult to stay in the podium fight. I tried to recover throughout the race and stayed consistent, but by the end I came home in P4, just missing out on the podium.”
Race 2 – P2
Woodworth rebounded in a major way, getting a stronger start and immediately joining the battle at the front.
“Race 2 was definitely the highlight of the weekend. I got a much better start and immediately put myself in the fight for second. The pace felt really good, and I was battling hard up front for most of the race. Unfortunately, my teammate crashed out during the battle, and from that point I focused on staying smooth and bringing the bike home safely in P2.”
“Overall, this was definitely our strongest weekend of the season so far. Getting my first podium in the Twins Cup class is a huge confidence boost, and it shows that all the work from me and the team is paying off. We’re getting closer every round and building more momentum heading into the next round at Road America.”
Solly Mervis (25) at Barber. Photo by Brian J Nelson.
Solly Mervis #25 Continues Rapid Development with Career-Best Twins Cup Results
Fresh off his European campaign in Italy, Solly Mervis returned focused and determined, producing his best
MotoAmerica Twins Cup weekend to date aboard the Karns Performance / Ice Barn Racing Suzuki GSX-8R.
Mervis improved his personal best lap time in every session of the weekend and continued to show major growth as he gains confidence and experience in the class.
After qualifying P9, earning a third-row start, Mervis delivered back-to-back career-best finishes.
Race 1 – P8
Mervis continued adapting to the 2026 Suzuki GSX-8R and secured his best Twins Cup finish at the time.
“I continue to feel more comfortable on the Karns Performance / Ice Barn Racing Suzuki, and it’s showing in my results. I know I can continue to learn and grow as a racer as I gain experience. It’s what I want, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to improve. I’ve never let anything stop me before, and I’m not about to start now!”
Race 2 – P7
Mervis built again in Race 2, lowering his lap times further and earning another career-best finish in seventh.
“I had a blast today. I had a lot of fun in morning practice with the fifth-best lap time, and I knew then I was going to have a good race. I just had to stay cool, calm, and focused during the delay and heat, and be ready for the green flag. My team has my bike perfect for me, and I just need to do my job and compete hard. It was nice to reach P7, but I want more, and I believe I can continue to improve.”
Kevin Olmedo in the parc fermé at Barber. Photo by Brian J Nelson.
Kevin Olmedo #116 Shows Front-Running Pace and Leadership
Kevin Olmedo entered Barber carrying strong momentum as he continues rebuilding pace following a lengthy layoff due to illness.
Throughout the weekend, Olmedo once again demonstrated speed, consistency, and leadership for Karns/ TST Industries.
He earned a podium finish in Race 1 with P3, adding valuable championship points.
“I felt really good with the bike from FP1 and wanted to do as many laps as possible to build confidence and understand race pace. We had a strong qualifying session, which helped me stay with the front group in both races. I was happy with the podium in Race 1 and to score points for the championship.”
In Race 2, despite two red flags disrupting momentum, Olmedo remained in contention before a low-side crash ended his race early.”At the restart, I tried to have a good start and follow the leader. I felt comfortable running in the 1:29s and wanted to finish the race with that pace, but unfortunately a low-side ended our race early. I really appreciate all the support and all the hard work of the team, and I want to continue fighting for podiums and championship points.”
Jason Karns team principal:“ I could not be more proud, this was a very good weekend. I think we are in a good place with the team everyone deserves credit for the way the weekend went. Especially with all the delays and moving both races till the end of the day. Keeping focus with delays is difficult and the team did a spectacular job. Also shout out to all the riders that couldn’t finish the weekend due to injury. With a heartfelt GET WELL SOON.”
Team Momentum Builds Heading to Road America
Karns TST Industries leaves Barber Motorsports Park with continued momentum and strong championship positioning:
•Isaac Woodworth — 4th in Twins Cup standings
•Kevin Olmedo — 6th in Twins Cup standings
•Solly Mervis — 12th in Twins Cup standings
With podium pace, all three riders scoring points, and visible growth across the board, the “Little Team That Could” now heads to Road America for Round 4 of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup, May 29–31, before the summer break.
Karns Performance continues to prove that determination, development, and teamwork can put even a small team in the fight with the best in the paddock.
Thank you to all that help us get to where we are.
Rounds 9 and 10 of the AHRMA season took place May 16th and 17th at Motorsport Park Hastings; Hastings, NE, as part of the 2026 AHRMA National Roadracing Series, presented by VIB-ISO.
Sponsored by Roadracingworld.com, and NYC Norton (nycnorton.com), this year AHRMA’s 2026 Vintage Cup features the 250 Grand Prix class, which includes any fully GP-kitted 250cc OHV/OHC four-stroke; 250cc air-cooled single cylinder two stroke; 175cc liquid cooled single cylinder two-stroke; or 175cc air-cooled twin-cylinder two-stroke built before December 31, 1968. It’s a showdown of classic small displacement racing that relies heavily on corner-speed, momentum, and precise engineering, and certain to leave fans on the edge of their seats.
Typical AHRMA 250GP grids include a wide variety of motorcycles such as Aermacchi, Bultaco, Greeves, Montesa, Ducati, NSU, Ossa, and more.
Saturday’s Vintage Cup race began with Holly Varey, aboard her 1968 VanTech CS3, taking the holeshot and early lead. Close behind were Paul Germain on his 1967 Yamaha DT1RR and Craig Hirko on a 1967 Bridgestone TA1, followed by the rest of the field—including Jack Kainz on a 1972 Yamaha CS3 and Dave Roper riding his 1967 Harley-Davidson CRTT.
Germain passed Varey on lap one to take the lead. Hirko steadily closed the gap, overtaking Varey on lap three before battling Germain wheel-to-wheel. The pair swapped leads several times in a close fight until Hirko secured the advantage before the final turn and held on to win. Germain finished second, Varey third, Roper fourth, and Kainz fifth.
Sunday’s race started the same way, with Varey grabbing the holeshot and holding the lead through the first six laps, with Germain right behind her, followed by Kainz, Trevor Scales on his 1969 Honda CB160, and Roper. A mechanical issue then forced Varey to retire, handing the lead to Germain.
Scales moved up to second by passing Kainz. Germain went on to take the win, with Scales second, Kainz third, Varey fourth, and Roper fifth.
“AHRMA rolled into the fruited plains of Hastings, Nebraska, with a great amount of excitement building in our Vintage Cup”, said series sponsor Kenny Cummings of NYC Norton. “There has been some stand out racing before and during this weekend. Fellow New Yorker Craig Hirko came into the weekend in the points lead and managed to put in a solid win on Saturday. Roper, who watched it all from behind, called in a full race report after each day’s race, and claimed Hirko had a broken gearbox and was able to *just* nurse it across the line for his win and another 1000 points, but this meant the weekend was over for him. Sunday started with a clean slate, and Canadians Paul Germain and Holly Varey showed us again that our friends and neighbors from up north are quite poised to put on the big show. And what a nail-biter Sunday was! It seemed Holly had a slight advantage, but only just… Germain put the moves on her every corner he could, yet she’d take it right back. Both riders were going to school on each other and was just a matter who was going to put in the move on the last lap and make it stick. The entire crowd let out an audible moan when Vary pulled off in the 7th lap due to a mechanical. Fast Germain got it done cleanly on his spectacularly turned out DT1. Good stuff!
After talking with Roper, it’s clear the little, smaller displacement 2-strokes are tuned to the hilt, and the attrition is speaking loudly. Let’s hope everyone gets these beautiful little machines buttoned up as we head into Joliet in a few weeks for AHRMA’s first outing at Autobahn Country Club June 5-7th. Very much looking forward to that one!”
Paul Germain (61), Holly Varey (50H), David Roper (7), Craig Hirko (641). Photo by Cecil Smalley Photos
“When I looked at the entries for the weekend, I immediately wondered if one of the new names would disrupt the triple threat of Hirko, Germain and Varey”, shared AHRMA’s Road Race Director, Leasha Overturf. “They tried, but it was a no go. For each of Holly Varey’s hole shots, I just know she was smiling big under her helmet. The action was strong both days, but I have to say the race on Sunday had me holding my breath as I stood at the wall watching Germain and Varey go head to head. I was disappointed that Varey had a mechanical issue because the energy was firing in the paddock as we all watched the two swap places. I’m excited to see the action at our upcoming weekend at Autobahn in Joliet, IL.”
AHRMA first launched the Vintage Cup series during 2019 by spotlighting the 350 GP class. The series resumed during 2021 and highlighted the 500 Premier class. It was followed by Vintage Superbike Heavyweight in 2022 and Formula 750 in 2023. In 2024, the second rotation of featured classes was initiated with 350GP, followed by 500 Premier in 2025. 250GP was added to the series in 2026, the first year it has been featured.
Rounds eleven and twelve of the AHRMA National Road Race Series Presented by VIB-ISO will be June 6-7 at Autobahn, Joliet, IL.
The annual Vintage Cup spotlights one of AHRMA’s road racing classes with extra attention on competitors in the selected class during each race event. Enhanced awards for the Vintage Cup competitors are presented separately from other class trophies during the Saturday awards ceremony at each AHRMA National Road Race event. Highlights from each Vintage Cup race will be reported in RoadRacingWorld.com’s online edition. At the conclusion of each season, the perpetual Vintage Cup trophy will be engraved with the national champion winner’s name and presented to the winner at the National Awards Banquet to keep for one year.
2026 AHRMA Roadracing Series Presented by VIB-ISO, 250GP – Vintage Cup Results
Saturday, May 16, 2026
641 Craig Hirko, 1967 Bridgestone TA 1, Newark Valley, NY
61 Paul Germain, 1967 Yamaha DTIRR, Winnipeg, MB
50H Holly Varey, 1968 VanTech CS3, Brantford, ON
7 David Roper, 1967 Harley-Davidson CRTT, Hicksville, NY
35L Jack Kainz, 1972 Yamaha CS3, Helenville, WI
Sunday, May 17, 2026
61 Paul Germain, 1967 Yamaha DTIRR, Winnipeg, MB
779 Trevor Scales, 1969 Honda CB160, Graham, NC
35L Jack Kainz, 1972 Yamaha CS3, Helenville, WI
50H Holly Varey, 1968 VanTech CS3, Brantford, ON
7 David Roper, 1967 Harley-Davidson CRTT, Hicksville, NY
About AHRMA:
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to competing on fantastic classic and true vintage along with a wide range of modern motorcycles. With over 3,000 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.
Andreani USA Welcomes Matthew Sage as Business Development Manager
Hendersonville, NC — Andreani USA is proud to announce that Matthew Sage has joined the company as Business Development Manager, further strengthening the company’s presence and expertise within the U.S. suspension market.
Matthew brings nearly two decades of industry experience, having been with Öhlins since 2007. Over the years, he has held a variety of roles, building extensive knowledge across technical support, sales, and customer development within the motorcycle suspension sector.
After stepping away from Öhlins USA in October 2025 to take a well-deserved break from the industry, Matthew has now returned with renewed energy and focus, joining Andreani USA at a key moment of growth.
“I have known Matt since 2015, when I was serving as International Sales Manager at Andreani in Italy,” said Luciano Ubaldini. “He has always been a great support and a true professional. It has been a pleasure working with him over the years, and I’m personally very happy to welcome him to our team.”
In his new role, Matthew Sage will focus on business development initiatives, strengthening relationships within the industry, and supporting Andreani USA’s continued collaboration with Öhlins USA, while also contributing to a broader strategic vision of the evolving suspension market.
“I am excited to bring my years of experience and industry relationships to such a passionate company.
I spent years at Öhlins striving to deliver a high level of technical support and exceptional customer satisfaction. Together with Luciano, his wife Laura and the entire Andreani USA team, I hope to bring that same commitment to our industry with all of the top brands we offer.”
— Matthew Sage
His experience and insight are expected to play a key role in expanding Andreani USA’s reach and reinforcing its position as a leading provider of high-performance suspension solutions.
Kristian Daniel Jr. to step in for Evan Belford for the opening round of the season.
Following an injury sustained by Evan Belford during training last week, American rider Kristian Daniel Jr. will join the team for the opening round of the FIM Moto Junior World Championship this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Belford suffered a fracture to the second metacarpal in his left hand on Monday 11th May while preparing for the start of the season. The British rider is currently awaiting further medical assessment to determine whether surgery will be required, but he has already been ruled out of the opening round in Barcelona.
With an American rider stepping into the team for the weekend, the structure will compete under the name American Talent Team for the opening round of the season.
Kristian Daniel Jr., from Los Angeles, California, will take over riding duties aboard the team’s Honda machinery. The American began his racing career in 2015 and already has experience within the Moto Junior paddock, having competed in the category last season with the AGR Team.
For 2026, the #70 has focused his campaign on the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, currently competing in his third season in the category.
Kristian Daniel Jr.:“I’m super excited to be racing the opening round of the Moto Junior season in Barcelona. It was a last-minute opportunity following Evan’s injury, so first of all I want to wish him a speedy recovery. I can’t wait to start working with the team this weekend and I’ll be giving it 100% from the very first session.”
American rider Kristian Daniel Jr. to step in for Evan Belford for the opening round of the season. Photo courtesy GRYD Racing.
Macauley Webb (Team Manager): “First of all, we want to wish Evan a speedy recovery. It’s a real shame for him to suffer this injury after all the hard work and preparation he’s put in over the off-season ahead of the new campaign.
Obviously, it’s disappointing not to have him with us for the opening round, but right now the most important thing is making sure he recovers properly and can come back fully fit as soon as possible.
At the same time, we’re really excited to welcome Kristian into the team for Barcelona. He already has experience within the Moto Junior paddock and we’re looking forward to working with him this weekend.
We’d also like to thank the Road to MotoGP programme for helping make this opportunity possible for Kristian to step in and replace Evan for the opening round.”
The FIM Moto Junior World Championship gets underway this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a venue that holds strong memories for the team after securing a dominant victory by more than seven seconds with Marco Morelli in race two last season.
Johann Zarco: update after knee assessment in Lyon
On Tuesday 19th May, Johann Zarco visited doctor Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet in Lyon, a world-renowned consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Centre Orthopédique Santyin Lyon, France, specializing in the management of knee ligament injuries and sports trauma, to further assess his physical condition.
Following a thorough examination, it is estimated that he will need to wait a couple of weeks before undergoing surgery for the damage to his ligaments, allowing the initial trauma and other injuries to his knee some time to heal before the procedure.
Following the surgery, a detailed recovery plan will be established, allowing the medical team to evaluate a possible timeline for his return.
The whole Castrol Honda LCR team is in close contact with Johann Zarco and will continue to provide updates as the date gets closer.
We’ve teamed up with Lieto Factory to produce custom sublimated shirts locally. These are full-print, high-quality shirts built for the paddock, the road trip, and race weekends.
Available Options
T-Shirts — $38
Snap-Up Pit Shirts — $53
We’d love to see as many racers and supporters as possible rocking the Road Crew gear this summer — even if you are not attending one of the events. If you want a custom shirt with your name and number, get your order in.
Get a Free Shirt
If you upload proof that you plan to participate in one of the Road Crew events, CVMA will cover the cost of one shirt.
Examples include:
A race license with CRA, WMRRA, UtahSBK, or AFM
Registration with 2Fast Track Days
Tickets to watch MotoAmerica at The Ridge or Laguna Seca
A couple important notes:
You will NOT be charged when placing your order
Orders will first be reviewed and verified
Once finalized, payment will then be processed
Get your order in as soon as possible. If you want it before CRA, get your order in immediately!
June 22–23 — The Ridge (2Fast Track Days | Riding) June 26–28 — The Ridge (MotoAmerica | Spectating) June 29–30 — The Ridge (2Fast Track Days | Riding)
July 10-12 — Laguna Seca (MotoAmerica | Spectating)
Aug 8–9 — Burt Brothers Motorpark/UMC (UtahSBK | Racing)
Aug 29–30 — Buttonwillow Circuit (AFM | Racing)
—
Looking forward to seeing the CVMA Road Crew rolling deep this summer.
Rancho Cucamonga – Dunlop Motorcycle Tires is proud to announce that multiple new lap records were established during MotoAmerica competition at Barber Motorsports Park. Riders across several classes pushed the pace to new levels on Dunlop Sportmax Slick tires, continuing a season filled with record-breaking performances.
Talent Cup:
Lap Record: 1:34.475 – Nathan Gouker, Qualifying 1
Race Lap Record: 1:34.791 – Nathan Gouker, Race 2
Supersport:
Lap Record: 1:25.278 – Kayla Yaakov, Qualifying 2
Super Hooligan:
Lap Record: 1:27.434 – Gus Rodio, Qualifying 2
Race Lap Record: 1:27.247 – Gus Rodio, Race 2
These record-setting laps once again demonstrate the performance, consistency, and confidence riders continue to find with Dunlop Sportmax Slick tires at the highest level of road racing competition. From qualifying sessions to race-day battles, Dunlop technology continues to help riders push beyond previous limits.
About Dunlop Motorcycle Tires: Dunlop is the number one selling and largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in North America. For more information, visit www.DunlopMotorcycleTires.com. Follow @ridedunlop on Instagram, Facebook, and X for the latest Dunlop news. Use #RideDunlop and/or #RaceDunlop to share your Dunlop moments.
The #37 beats Quartararo and Bastianini to the top as a shortened test day sees the field head back out on Monday.
Backing up his pace from across the weekend, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) shrugged off Sunday’s disappointment to top the Barcelona Test on Monday. ‘The Shark’ pipped Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) with just 0.117 covering the top three and a second covering the top 13. The test ended prematurely as a huge downpour after between sessions saw nobody go out after lunch. All the fast times were set in the morning and it was officially declared done just over an hour ahead of schedule. There was a crash for Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) in the morning and despite a trip to hospital, no fractures were found.
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING AND TECH 3
Pole on Saturday and close to a Sprint win, a technical problem AND a last corner fall on the last lap on Sunday through no fault of his own, Acosta had quite the Catalan GP. Nothing could stop ‘The Shark’ in Monday’s test though with P1 bagged on his final flying lap of the first session after a couple of slower opening runs and a small tech issue. Teammate Brad Binder was 12th with much of the items being trialled already making previous appearances.
Bastianini suffered a first point-less weekend of 2026 but The Beast bounced back on Monday with P3 in testing. After returning to racing action with 11th place in Sunday’s Grand Prix, Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) was fast and towards the pointy end of the time sheets. He hailed improvements made to the front end of his RC16, reflected in a fourth-place finish on Monday. No shoulder issues to worry about, the #12 expects to see KTM’s newest parts in the next GPs. Three KTMs in the top four, encouraging ahead of Round 7.
MONSTER ENERGY AND PRIMA PRAMAC YAMAHA MOTOGP
Second on the timing sheets and just 0.064s away from top spot, Quartararo was impressed with the grip he found out on the track in Barcelona but put this down to the circuit being rubbered in rather than any specific solution found within the box. Still, P2 and a couple of tenths away from his qualifying time is a positive sign for the 2021 World Champion, who had some new front wings to dial in. Teammate Rins was 13th and the last of the riders within one second of Acosta’s time.
In the other Yamaha camp, Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) was 16th and teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu in 19th. Miller also donned Yamaha’s new front wings and got down to business with them, whilst ‘El Turco’ set 45 laps, the most of anyone in the field. Valuable data for the triple WorldSBK Champion, who had a tougher weekend.
APRILIA RACING, TRACKHOUSE MOTOGP TEAM
Following a dramatic Sunday for both riders, Trackhouse MotoGP Team’s Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura were back in action on Monday and set 74 laps between them. Their fastest laps came in their final runs and concluded the action in fifth and sixth respectively, finishing as top Aprilias. It was mainly setup work for Justin Marks’ team.
It was an early finish for Martin after the 2024 World Champion fell at Turn 7 and whilst he did get up to his feet straight away, he was taken to the medical centre and then hospital for full assessments. No breaks or fractures were found on the Martinator but rest will be needed ahead of Mugello. Prior to the fall, aero packages were on the agenda for the #89, who was 17th after just 15 laps. Championship-leading teammate Marco Bezzecchi finished P11 overall and after a tricky weekend, will look forward to his home Grand Prix at Mugello next time out.
DUCATI LENOVO TEAM, PERTAMINA ENDURO VR46 RACING TEAM AND BK8 GRESINI RACING MOTOGP
Three Ducati teams in action and all with one rider each; Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) was out injured before the weekend anyway, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing Team) continues to recover from Sunday’s crash and whilst he eventually won, an injury from his crash during the first red flag saw Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) sit out Monday’s test.
Top Ducati honours went to Sunday’s runner-up Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), just over three tenths off Acosta’s time for P1 whilst the next Ducati was Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), just one place and 0.045s behind the #54. The only rider doing any development work was Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) who continued to test the new swingarm seen during the weekend, finishing in P10.
HONDA HRC CASTROL AND PRO HONDA LCR
Top Honda honours went the way of Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR), who was in ninth place, the same as where he finished in Sunday’s Catalan GP. The Brazilian focused on setup throughout the day. In Honda HRC Castrol colours, Luca Marini just edged out teammate Joan Mir for 14th place overall by 0.014s. The Italian had a new side fairing to work with whilst 2020 World Champion Mir had a new smaller exhaust and modified swingarm. A depleted line-up on Monday for Honda, with Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) out with injury after Sunday’s scary Turn 1 fall.
That’s all! Check out the results here and then it’s a week at home before we’re off to the Tuscan hills; the Brembo Grand Prix of Italy awaits at Mugello!
ASRA action from Summit Point. Photo by Vae Vang/Noiseless Productions.
ASRA is heading into a big Memorial Day event this weekend, with Friday practice and endurance races already sold out, and Saturday and Sunday races close to sold out.
The weekend has also sold out ASRA’s new package combining a race license class & Friday practice, plus entries for any Saturday and/or Sunday races for a flat fee of $500, limited to 10 riders per weekend.
BBQ cookouts are being held on Friday and Saturday evening.
The event has already attracted 250+ entries, making it ASRA’s biggest event other than the annual Race of Champions held at Daytona in October.
Mathew Scholtz (11) at Barber. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
More from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Mathew Scholtz Strengthens Championship Lead with Barber Superbike Sweep.
Strack Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz extends his MotoAmerica Superbike Championship lead with a pair of victories, while Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s JD Beach earns his first podiums of the season.
After a strong debut aboard the Strack Racing Yamaha R1 at the MotoAmerica Superbike opener at Road Atlanta, Mathew Scholtz raised the bar at Round 2 at Barber Motorsports Park with a dominant weekend sweep. It was a statement ride from the back-to-back MotoAmerica Supersport champ, who thus far has three wins and a runner-up finish to give him a healthy 34-point lead early in the title chase.
It was also a strong weekend for fellow Yamaha BLU CRU rider JD Beach. Although the weekend didn’t start out smoothly, the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing rider continued to make improvements, with Beach earning a pair of podium finishes in just his second full-time Superbike round with the squad.
Superbike Race 1 start at Barber. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Superbike Race 1 was an intense battle on the 2.38-mile circuit in Leeds, Alabama. Scholtz grabbed the holeshot, with the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing duo of Bobby Fong and Beach also getting strong starts inside the top five despite not qualifying on the front row. The teammates battled throughout the opening laps before settling into fourth and fifth, respectively. Just before half-race distance, PJ Jacobsen crashed, moving them both up a spot before bringing out the red flag.
After the restart, Scholtz once again nailed the start and quickly began to distance himself from the field, putting in consistently fast laps to secure the win by a healthy four-second margin.
Bobby Fong (50) and JD Beach (95) at Barber. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Behind him, Fong slotted into second and Beach third after the restart, with the duo remaining in the thick of a multi-rider fight for the podium positions. Beach battled with Cameron Beaubier and was shuffled back to fourth, while Fong was also passed by the reigning champion with around four laps to go. In the closing laps, Beach continued to push, making a decisive move in Charlotte’s Web on the final lap to secure third – his first podium of the season – with Fong finishing right behind in fourth.
Race 2 featured many of the same players, with Scholtz once again asserting himself early. After slotting into second off the start, the South African took over the lead on the opening lap and quickly began building a gap.
Beach once again showed a strong pace, quickly moving into podium contention after starting sixth. The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing rider made his way into second on Lap 3 and once again found himself battling with Beaubier, who briefly passed him before crashing shortly after. From there, Beach settled into a strong pace and rode a lonely race in second.
JD Beach on the left and Mathew Scholtz on the podium of the Superbike race 2 at Barber. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
In fourth after the start, Fong remained locked in a multi-rider battle for the podium position. He was shuffled back to fifth on that opening lap and continued to fight. Fong made his way back to fourth and then into third after Beaubier’s crash, but ultimately dropped back to sixth in the latter half of the race.
At the front, Scholtz continued to control the race, securing his second dominant victory of the weekend by a margin of 6.6 seconds. Beach followed him home in second and moved to third in the championship standings, with Fong sitting fourth and trailing his teammate by a point.
“Coming into the Barber weekend, I was pretty excited,” said Scholtz. “It’s been a good track for me. After having a great outing with the team at the first race, I was excited to get back on it and carry on working on the development of the Yamaha R1. We definitely had some setbacks during the practice sessions, but when we needed to come through in the race, we did. To come out with a double win – I couldn’t be happier. I’m thankful for the situation that I’m in and looking forward to going to Road America. It’s been a bit of a difficult track for me in the past, but this season, everything feels different.”
Supersport Race at Barber. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
In MotoAmerica Supersport, Scholtz’s teammate, Blake Davis, continued to show speed in the highly competitive class. After qualifying seventh, the young Virginian battled inside the lead group in both races. Race 1 featured multiple red flags and restarts, but Davis remained firmly in the mix throughout, running as high as third before ultimately finishing sixth. In Race 2, the Strack Racing Yamaha rider once again battled inside the top five before securing another sixth-place finish.
Liberty St. Yamaha Racing’s Dominic Doyle also continued to make progress in the Supersport class. After qualifying 11th, Doyle improved throughout the weekend and worked his way to seventh in Race 1. In Race 2, he was once again battling inside the top 10 before an unfortunate crash with around five laps remaining ended his race early.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:
Ty Scott on the podium for M4 ECSTAR Suzuki in Alabama.
Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer continued their trophy winning ways this weekend as the 2026 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship picked back up at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama. Over the course of the weekend, the factory-backed squad combined to tally six top fives, including a pair of podium finishes.
Race Highlights:
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
Supersport
Tyler Scott notched up his fourth podium finish of the season with another all-around impressive weekend.
Superbike
Richie Escalante charged his way to a pair of top fives.
Brandon Paasch twice battled forward to fight his way into the top ten.
Twins Cup
Matthew Chapin picked up a second-place finish on Saturday and backed it with a close fourth on Sunday.
Bodie Paige was ruled unfit following a qualifying crash on Friday.
Tyler Scott earned another hard-fought Supersport podium aboard the GSX-R750. Photo courtesy Suzuki
MotoAmerica Supersport title hopeful Tyler Scott finished off the podium aboard his next-generation GSX-R750 for the first time all season in Saturday’s contest, missing out on the box by just 0.067 seconds after taking the checkered flag only 0.296 seconds behind the winners.
The M4 ECSTAR Suzuki ace made his amends in Sunday’s rematch, parlaying his front-row grid position into a third-place finish. Scott got his revenge for his Saturday fourth with a last-lap strike on Sunday that saw him nudge into third at the checkered flag by an impossibly close 0.009 seconds, while again finishing only a half second away from victory.
Scott said, “I felt really good this weekend. We’re not quite where we want to be yet, but we’re getting there. I can’t give my M4 ESCSTAR Suzuki crew enough thanks. They’ve got the bike dialed in, and I’m comfortable on the bike. I can really ride it the way I know how to ride it, and it’s going to battle on it now.”
Richie Escalante charged forward all weekend, earning a pair of strong top-five Superbike finishes. Photo courtesy Suzuki.
Meanwhile, the M4 ECSTAR Suzuki duo of Richie Escalante and Brandon Paasch were on the charge aboard their GSX-R1000Rs at Barber Motorsports Park.
Despite qualifying on the outside of Row 3, Escalante twice fought his way into the top five. He took fifth – and only 1.5 seconds away from second – on Saturday. The Mexican star went one better on Sunday, racing up from the bottom of the top ten to come home in fourth.
“It was a nice weekend,” Escalante said. “We got two top fives, which is good for the championship. But the most important thing is that I have a really good feeling from the bike again. The crew did a great job, always pushing to improve and find more. I am really happy about our race pace. Qualifying has changed this year to just 15 minutes, so my focus at Road America will be to get up to speed and get a good flying lap. That puts us closer to the podium again. I am really happy with the weekend, the bike, and the team.”
Brandon Paasch fought through the field twice at Barber, charging to back-to-back top-10 finishes. Photo courtesy Suzuki.
Paasch pulled a similar trick. He twice finished eighth after starting on Row 4, including a Sunday ride that saw him climb to that position from outside the top 15 after being forced to take evasive action to avoid a downed rider.
He said, “There were some nice positives from the weekend. It started out a little rough. I have never gone that great at Barber, which is no excuse, and we didn’t qualify very well. In Race 1, I was trying to stick with the top ten pack and was able to get a good result. I tried to do it in Race 2, but there was a crash in front of me. I had to avoid it and ended up last but was able to charge up to eighth by the end. I wasn’t really happy at the time, but we were able to run some people down and make passes. I didn’t crash all weekend, and we made the bike better, so we continued our forward momentum. I really like Road America so it should be good.”
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Twins Cup squad was down a rider early after Australian Bodie Paige was ruled out following a Friday qualifying crash. Class title contender Matthew Chapin picked up the slack on the GSX-8R, winning out in a last-lap duel for second on Saturday. He narrowly missed out on a double-podium weekend by finishing a close fourth on Sunday.
Bodie Paige crashed in Twins Cup qualifying and could not race. Photo courtesy Suzuki.Matthew Chapin finished on the podium in Twins Cup Race One. Photo courtesy Suzuki.
Following his runner-up finish, Chapin said, “That was a fun race. I had a lot of fun battling and the pace was pretty good. I want to give a huge thanks to my M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team – we’ve struggled with small things all weekend, but together we were able to get it sorted for the race. I dropped like a second compared with my qualifying time in the race, and that’s absolutely absurd.”
The 2026 MotoAmerica season will resume in ultra high-speed fashion when it arrives at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, on May 29-31.
OrangeCat Racing Secures Its Third Superbike Podium of the Season at Barber. Sean Dylan Kelly turned a difficult start into a Superbike podium finish at Barber Motorsports Park, with teammate Jayson Uribe having an up-and-down weekend in Alabama.
The second round of the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, held at the picturesque Barber Motorsports Park, started strongly for OrangeCat Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly, with the Floridian leading both Superbike sessions on Friday on his BMW M 1000 RR.
On Saturday morning, however, things changed with Kelly having a big crash in the final qualifying session that left him with an injured hand. Kelly managed to fight through the discomfort to finish seventh in Saturday’s race one. On Sunday, birthday boy Kelly rebounded to finish the weekend on a high with a third-place finish, and his third podium of the season.
Kelly’s teammate Jayson Uribe had a difficult weekend that saw the Californian finishing a fighting twelfth and sixteenth in the two races after off-track excursions in both.
With three podiums in four races, Kelly holds on to second in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. Despite his difficult weekend, Uribe is tenth in the title chase.
The weekend started on a high for Kelly as his 1:23.372 in Free Practice 1 put him atop the leaderboard. On Friday afternoon, Kelly went even quicker in Superbike Q1, with his 1:22.908 leading the pack going into the eventful Saturday morning qualifying session. Despite the crash, Kelly still ended up fifth-fastest and would start both races from the second row of the grid. Uribe ended the 15-minute Superbike qualifying session tenth.
The first of two Superbike races on the 2.380-mile Barber Motorsports Park road course was red-flagged after a crash deflated a section of Air Fence. By this point in the race, Uribe was already having issues after contact with another rider led to an off-track excursion. He would eventually finish twelfth.
Kelly was sixth for the first two laps of the restarted eight-lap race before losing a spot on the third lap. From there, Kelly rode to a seventh-place finish.
Sunday was a much better day for Kelly and his BMW as he moved forward from seventh on the opening lap to sixth on lap three, fifth on lap five, fourth on lap six, and third on lap eight. He would hold onto the final podium spot throughout the completion of the 20-lap race.
Uribe’s race two ended with a sixteenth place finish.
Jeff Connors – Team Principal: “Our Superbike program went through some adversity this weekend. It was a bummer, because Friday was extremely positive for both bikes. SDK was top of the board and Jayson was happy with the feel of the BMW. We came into Saturday with some confidence, maybe too much. The team did a great job getting SDK back on the podium in race 2. Jayson and SDK have some injuries going into Road America, but the week off should help get them back to 100 percent. SDK has the pace to compete for another podium and Jayson just needs to catch a break. I am proud of the team and how they handled the adversity. We have an incredible group and with the support of BMW Motorrad Motorsport and alpha Racing, we are looking forward to the next event.”
Jayson Uribe #36 sets up to enter Charlotte’s Web. Photo by: Brian J. Nelson
Jayson Uribe – No. 36: “We had a roller coaster of a weekend at Barber! I felt comfortable right off the bat on Friday, being able to flirt with the top five consistently throughout the weekend. We made a positive step in bike setup, which allowed me to push more than I have previously and feel more at home on the Superbike. In both races, I started strong but got tangled up in other riders’ issues. In Race 1, I was rammed off track in the early laps and had to play catch-up the rest of the race. Race 2 was the same story — a good start and fighting for the top five until I was hit by another rider, taking us both down.
We got unlucky. The speed was there, the starts were good — just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Huge shoutout to the OrangeCat crew for giving me a package I could fight with! It felt good to be in the lead pack. It’s where we belong!”
Sean Dylan Kelly secures third place at Barber Motorsports Park in Superbike race two, putting the BMW M 1000 RR straight onto the podium. Photo by Brian J. Nelson
Sean Dylan Kelly – No. 40: “It was great to start off the weekend topping both Friday sessions and feeling really confident on the bike. Saturday turned out to be a bit tougher after a heavy crash in qualifying left me pretty banged up, but I’m thankful to have walked away from it. We regrouped well for Sunday’s race 2, and despite still dealing with some pain, I pushed as hard as I could and was happy to finish on the podium with a P3. Huge thank you to my whole team for all the effort they put in throughout the weekend, especially after working hard to get the bike repaired and ready to go again after the crash. I’m already focused on Road America and excited to come back there at 100%.”
For full results of the opening round of the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, click Saturday (race one) and Sunday (race two).
The third round of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, May 29-31.
More, from another press release issued by OrangeCat:
OrangeCat Racing Marks the Lightfighter’s First MotoAmerica Podium Finish at Barber Motorsports Park. Josh Herrin raced the Lightfighter V3-RH to second place on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, putting the all-electric Lightfighter on the podium for the first time at MotoAmerica.
Josh Herrin of OrangeCat Racing rode the Lightfighter electric bike to fourth place on Saturday at Barber Motorsports Park. On Sunday, he did even better, leading the Super Hooligan race for three of the eight laps before finishing second place in what was the MotoAmerica racing debut for the electric bike.
On a motorcycle beginning its development journey, Herrin and his teammate Kaleb De Keyrel progressed throughout the weekend on the Lightfighter, with Herrin finishing fourth and second in the two races with De Keyrel eleventh and eighth.
Starting from his position on the front row after qualifying third-fastest, Herrin was in the mix on both Saturday and Sunday. It was Sunday, however, that showed just what the Lightfighter is capable of. In Saturday’s race, Herrin was fourth with a best lap time of 1:28.217. On Sunday, he was second with a best lap of 1:27.519.
Herrin finished almost three seconds clear of last year’s Super Hooligan National Champion James Rispoli.
Josh Herrin power wheelies out of a corner at Barber Motorsports Park. Photo by: Brian J. Nelson
On Saturday, Herrin completed the first lap in fifth place before pushing himself and the Lightfighter into the battle for third. With three laps to go, Herrin looked to have a realistic chance of a podium finish as he circulated in third place. A lap later, he lost the spot and would race to fourth.
De Keyrel started fifteenth, but pushed ahead and battled his way to eleventh in the eight-lap race. Along with Herrin, De Keyrel topped the speed trap in the race.
Herrin wasted no time in racing to the lead on Sunday, settling in for a race-long battle at the front. Herrin led laps two through four and chased race winner Gus Rodio to the finish with those two well clear of the chasing pack.
De Keyrel showed big improvements, as well, finishing eighth a day after his eleventh place finish. He also set fastest trap speed in Sunday’s race with a recorded speed of 142.5 mph.
Jeff Connors – Team Principal: “The Super Hooligan races were awesome! I get nervous when we race in this class with the Lightfighter, because it is such a new package. What an incredible performance by Josh to get the first MotoAmerica podium for Lightfighter. Both bikes get better every time they hit the track. It is such a cool project to be a part of and I am very happy for everyone involved. The amount of work that OrangeCat Racing, Lightfighter, and alpha Racing put into these bikes since Daytona is impressive. I can’t wait to get to the Ridge.”
Brian Wismann – CEO and Co-founder, Lightfighter: “Coming into the weekend we had high hopes of redemption after the heartbreak of Daytona but never expected to find ourselves landing a maiden podium. We’re out to show that an EV powertrain can race competitively with its gas-burning brethren, and I think we’ve achieved that this weekend. We’re looking forward to continuing our development at The Ridge next month.”
Kaleb De Keyrel #51 fires out of Museum Corner. Photo by: Brian J. Nelson
Kaleb De Keyrel – No. 51: “Overall, it was a great weekend: we got better every time we hit the track. My crew, Alex and David, worked extremely hard to give me the best possible set up and they nailed it for race 2. The bike felt amazing and I could put it exactly where I wanted. Josh was able to show the true potential of the bike and that it’s a frontrunner in the class. I’m looking forward to growing and improving in the races to come!”
For full results of the second round of the 2026 Mission Super Hooligan Championship, click Saturday (race one) and Sunday (race two).
The third round of the Mission Super Hooligan Championship will be held at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, June 26-28.
More, from a press release issued by Team Hammer:
Progress for Sonya Lloyd in Alabama.
Team Hammer’s Sonya Lloyd continued her upward trajectory in MotoAmerica Twins Cup competition during the Barber Motorsports Park race weekend, even if the final results obscured the extent of her progress.
The Georgian picked up where she left off at Road Atlanta on her M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-8R, qualifying 16th fastest with a best lap of 1:35.580. Lloyd carried a similar pace into Saturday’s race, claiming her third points-paying result of the young season by coming home 15th.
The former WorldWCR pilot had designs of making significant gains in Sunday’s rematch after locking in a much-improved set-up during the morning warm-up. Race 2 opened in promising fashion, as she made her way up to 13th before a sensor issue halted her progress and forced her into the pits. Following a quick correction by her crew, Lloyd returned to the fray to log more laps, allowing her to accumulate additional data and experience.
Sonya Lloyd (28) earned points in Twins Cup at Barber. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Following the up-and-down weekend, she said,“It was a lotta good and some not so good, but I am leaving the track feeling like we are in a good spot. Practice and qualifying went well. I started 16th, about where I thought we would be. We had tried out a lot of settings changes over the weekend. There was some chaos in our class with red flags and moving the races to the end of the day, too. I got good starts and in the first race I was able to match my qualifying pace to get 15th.
“For Sunday, we found a really good setup and that was a night-and-day difference. I felt great in the race, and we had moved up to 13th, but we had a sensor failure, the bike went into limp mode, and I had to pit. The team did a great job and was able to quickly fix the bike. I went back out, a couple of laps down. The good news is I felt great on the bike the rest of the way and got some good laps in. We are in a good position going forward. I wish the next one in two weeks was even sooner.”
Lloyd will next take on the high-speed and tactically demanding Road America when the 2026 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship season resumes on May 29-31, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
More from a press release issued by Real Steel Honda:
Real Steel Honda Racing and Andrew Lee dominate the Superbike Cup races at the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Alabama event.
Andrew Lee, scoring both wins in the Superbike Cup class at the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Alabama, leads that championship with 95 points. Hayden Gillim in the Superbike class reversed his Atlanta results with a 6th place finish instead of a DNF in Race 1 but unfortunately suffered a DNF in race 2. Hayden remains in 11th place in the Superbike championship standings with 19 points.
Real Steel Honda Racing’s Talent Cup competitors had a good showing with Derek Sanchez scoring a 7th place finish in Race 1 and a 5th place finish in Race 2. Ian Fraley, after his best ever qualifying result with a 6th place on the second row of the grid, came away with 10th and 8th place finishes in the 2 races. Derek lies in 6th place while Ian is in 8th place in the Talent Cup championship standings.
Next up for the team is the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Road America event May 29-31 at Road America in Elkhart Lake WI.
Real Steel Honda Racing is proudly supported by American Honda, HRC, Progressive Insurance, Pro Honda Oils. Southern Honda Powersports, Idemitsu, Last Ark: Tactics Analogue, Vesrah, K-Tech suspension, Orient Express, Dunlop, Akrapovic Exhaust Systems, Sprint Filter, Armor Bodywork, Vortex and REB Graphics.
Hayden Gillim (69) at Barber. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda
Hayden Gillim – Rider #69 / Team Principal:“Coming into Barber I was really excited about the gains we had made since last season there. It’s always been one of my best tracks and kind of a home race for me.
We got off to a great start ending Friday 4th fastest and made more strides Saturday. With times being so close at Barber you know it’s always going to be a fight in the races and that is exactly what took place. After a not-so-great start in the first go of race 1 I got a little fortunate with a red flag and was able to capitalize on it by being in the hunt for the podium ultimately ending up 6th.
Sunday, I felt with it being warmer out and the track being a bit greasier so that I could have a very good race. Again, I got off to a bad start and got caught up with a slower rider on lap 1 and 2 that allowed the front group to get a gap and forced the other rider into a mistake that ended with us both on the ground. I am glad to walk away safe, but bummed feeling like we should have had a top 5 finish in race 2. We will keep making strides with the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP and continue getting stronger.
Thanks to all of the fans, my family, my team, and everyone from American Honda and Southern Honda Powersports for coming out.”
Andrew Lee (14) at Barber. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda
Andrew Lee – Rider #14:“I’m happy with how Barber went for us. Our goal this weekend was to find a setting in the bike that helped give me a bit more confidence. The whole crew worked together to get us closer. We are not fully there yet, but we are closing in. Finished with 2 top 10s in superbike and 2 firsts in superbike cup. So, it was a good weekend for us. Looking forward to continuing the progress in Wisconsin in a few weeks.”
Ian Fraley (10) at Barber. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda
Ian Fraley – Rider #10:“It was a very positive weekend! I mean we qualified on the second row! I made a little mistake which made race 1 end early. This weekend showed us that we can be up there with the other boys every weekend. Thanks to the team for putting a great bike underneath me.”
Derek Sanchez (23) at Barber. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda
Derek Sanchez – Rider #23:“What can I say? It was a good weekend, and I couldn’t be happier with how we finished considering the hand we were dealt. Coming off the damage from that Road Atlanta crash, we were fighting uphill from the start. Friday was a disaster mechanical in FP1, another mechanical in Q1, and a total of only 5 laps. By Q2, the track was too cold to drop times, leaving us to start all the way back in 8th. But I wasn’t worried about the starting position or the problems. The only goal was to battle for the podium. In Race 1, I was fighting in 4th early on, but the bike’s issues made it tough to hold that brutal pace, and we crossed the line in 7th. By Sunday morning, a switch flipped. I refused to be outside the top 5. I went out for warmup and just sent it, finishing the session 4th.
In Race 2, I got an awesome start—5th into Turn 1—and spent the first half of the race in an absolute dogfight for 3rd. We crossed the line in 5th. Even though it was not a podium, it was a 5th place I worked my absolute hardest for. Massive thank you to my dad and the whole crew. It was a brutal weekend in the pits trying to get the bike comfortable, but we rode through every single problem. Even with all the issues, we were right there in the mix. Next round at The Ridge, it’s podium time.”
More from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
Gerardo Finishes 5th; Collins Gets Double Top 10s; Martinez Keeps Momentum from Atlanta; Nassaney Builds On New Chassis Setup.
Round three of the 2026 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship took place at Barber Motorsports Park, where the Altus Motorsports team continued to make improvements to the YZF-R9 chassis which led to them finishing as the top Yamaha in Race 2.
Supersport – Altus leaves Barber as the top Yamaha.
Torrin Collins (71) at Barber. Photo courtesy Altus.
Torrin Collins started from 9th on the grid and secured two top 10 finishes over the course of the weekend. Despite the chaos of Race 1 that had red flags and three restarts, Torin was able to finish in 10th overall after battling for position the entire race. Race 2 went better for Collins, who fought his way from 12th at the end of the first lap all the way to a strong 8th place finish. He was especially fast in the final four laps where he set lap times that were equal with riders in the top 5. Collins finished the weekend at 11th place in the championship standings with 26 points in total.
Torin Collins:“Barber is always a challenging track because it’s so technical and you spend so much time right on the edge of the tire. We came away with 10th in Race 1 and 8th in Race 2. Can’t be too upset with a double top 10, but I’m definitely hungry for a top 5 soon. Despite dealing with a couple clutch issues and me making a few mistakes throughout the races, I’m still really happy with the progress my crew and I are making. I was able to run top-5 pace on Sunday, which is super positive moving forward. Road America is always electric with the fans, so I’m super excited to get there”.
Maximiliano Gerardo (241) at Barber. Photo courtesy Altus.
Maximiliano Gerardo qualified in 10th right behind Collins and made the most of his strong race pace. Gerardo was able to climb up to 9th place in race 1, but was relegated back to 13th place due to a jump start penalty. Gerardo was able to put the penalty behind him and give everything he had on Sunday in race 2. Gerardo had an excellent start which gained him four positions in the first lap, and was able to set consistently fast laps as the race went on which chipped away at the gap to the rider in front of him. Gerardo managed to make a pass on the last lap in the last corner to take the position. Gerardo finished the weekend as the fastest Yamaha and took 9th place in the championship standings.
Maximiliano Gerardo:“Barber was a weekend of hard work to be competitive. After qualifying 10th and finishing the race 1st in 13th due to a penalty, we managed to come away with a good result in race 2 that we finished 5th grabbing our first top 5 of the year. I am happy for this result which motivates us to continue working for the next round in Road America”
Jaret Nassaney (59) at Barber. Photo courtesy Altus.
While it was another challenging weekend for Jaret Nassaney, he continued to improve his positions in qualifying and in both races and build on the momentum from Road Atlanta. Nassaney qualified 17th and finished 16th in Race 1. The team made some chassis setup changes on Saturday night, which made Nassaney feel more confident on the bike for Race 2 where he finished in 15th place. The changes the team made have helped Nassaney steer into corners and drive out of them even better, and he is looking forward to achieving even better results in a couple weeks time at Road America.
Jaret Nassaney:“A 16th and a 15th on the weekend. Not the result I’m looking for, but we are making big strides in getting the bike to work better for me! So a big positive there, and we will continue to improve our results as the season goes on! I believe we have a good base setup now and won’t have to make too dramatic of changes.”
Austin Martinez (999) at Barber. Photo courtesy Altus.
Austin Martinez qualified 25th on his Suzuki GSX-R 750 and made big strides in both races to work his way forward. He finished 24th on Saturday after the restart and made even more passes on Sunday in Race 2 to finish 17th overall. Martinez continues to improve with each session and is working hard to get comfortable in his rookie year of the MotoAmerica Supersport class.
The racing at Barber was filled with surprising challenges, but the Altus Motorsports team worked tirelessly to push through and end the weekend better than it started. The team made excellent progress on the technical side and are understanding the chassis setup more and more with each session. Finishing the weekend as the top Yamaha was an incredible achievement, and the team is looking forward to continuing the upward trajectory at Road America.
“Barber was a good weekend for our team. All of our riders made improvements and to leave as the top Yamaha in race 2 was nice. Road America is in 10 days. We are already working on setup ideas to keep us moving forward. I appreciate all the hardwork our guys put in this past weekend.”Said Team Co Owner George Nassaney.
More from a press release issued by Robem Engineering Aprilia:
Vossberf vive veloce: the 15-year-old Robem Engineering Aprilia rider shows maturity in dominant double at Barber.
The Aprilia RS 660 proved once again to be the benchmark of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup class during the weekend at Barber Motorsports Park (May 15–17, 2026).
Highlighting the technical prowess and versatility of the platform, 23 of the 38 registered riders for the event chose the Aprilia RS 660 as their machine of choice, representing more than 60% of the most competitive field in this lightweight twin-cylinder race class, while an Aprilia RS 660 was the top of the charts for every session of the Alabama weekend.
While the depth of the field was on full display with a battle of brands across the MotoAmerica round at Barber, the RS 660 was piloted by five of the top 10 riders that finished the Qualifying 1 event on Friday: Robem Engineering Aprilia’s Hank Vossberg (P1), Speed Demon Racing powered by Ready to Ride’s Logan Cunnison (P2), Ghetto Customs’ Chris Parrish (P3), Brown Town Racing’s Chase Brown (P8), and MotoACE Racing’s Zachary Foster (P10).
As temperatures rose into Saturday, it was Vossberg (P1), Cunnison (P4), Brown (P6), and Parrish (P10), who held on to top 10 positions for the weekend’s race grid, while the Aprilia RS 660 was the machine that slated every grid placement from P11 through P18.
Hank Vossberg (31) at Barber. Photo by Sara Chappell.
When the racing began, the weekend belonged to who else but Hank Vossberg. His victory in Race 1 saw a 5.316-second margin over the nearest competitor, leading every lap of the 12-lap race. Cunnison battled for a podium position, before a mid-race mechanical ceased his challenge from fourth place ending his race early. Parrish finished fifth, and Weyh Racing’s Andrew Weyh seventh, while Foster rounded out the top 10.
After the initial Race 2 was red-flagged and delayed until later in the day for a restart, the 15-year-old Wisconsinite, Vossberg – with a plane to catch and school Monday morning – nearly doubled his lead in Race 2, crossing the finish line 9.809 seconds ahead of the field. Parish (P5), Weyh (P9) and Foster (P10), completed the final Aprilia RS 660 Machines within Race 2’s top 10.
Leaving Barber Motorsports Park, Vossberg makes an impressive jump in the championship standings leading the title chase with 136 total points, with a 45-point lead over second place. The championship heads to home track for Vossberg at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (May 29-31, 2026).
Hank Vossberg / Robem Racing Aprilia: “Super excited about the double [win] this weekend. My Aprilia RS 660 was hooked up all weekend, and I can’t give it up to the team enough for giving me such an amazing bike to ride!”
More from a press release issued by Karns / TST Industries:
Karns / TST Industries Delivers Breakthrough Weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in MotoAmerica Twins Cup Round 3.
Karns / TST Industries continued its strong 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup campaign with another standout weekend at Round 3 at Barber Motorsports Park, highlighted by podium finishes, championship points from all three riders, and continued growth across the team.
The self-proclaimed “Little Team That Could” once again proved it belongs among the front-runners, leaving Barber with momentum, confidence, and some of its strongest results of the season.
Solly Mervis (25) and Isaac Woodworth (27) at Barber. Photo by Brian J Nelson.
Isaac Woodworth #27 Continues Rise with First Twins Cup Podium
Isaac Woodworth delivered his strongest weekend of the year, qualifying on the front row in P3, finishing P4 in Race 1, and capturing his first MotoAmerica Twins Cup podium with a P2 finish in Race 2.
After showing pace from the opening session, Woodworth immediately established himself as a contender.
Qualifying – P3
“Qualifying went really well this weekend. I was able to put together a strong lap and secure a spot on the front row. The pace felt strong from the beginning of the weekend, and the team gave me a bike that I felt confident pushing every session.”
Race 1 – P4
A difficult launch off the line forced Woodworth to fight back through the field. Despite missing the podium, he maintained strong pace and consistency to secure a solid fourth-place finish.
“Race 1 was a bit of a struggle at the start. I didn’t get the launch I wanted and lost some ground early, which made it difficult to stay in the podium fight. I tried to recover throughout the race and stayed consistent, but by the end I came home in P4, just missing out on the podium.”
Race 2 – P2
Woodworth rebounded in a major way, getting a stronger start and immediately joining the battle at the front.
“Race 2 was definitely the highlight of the weekend. I got a much better start and immediately put myself in the fight for second. The pace felt really good, and I was battling hard up front for most of the race. Unfortunately, my teammate crashed out during the battle, and from that point I focused on staying smooth and bringing the bike home safely in P2.”
“Overall, this was definitely our strongest weekend of the season so far. Getting my first podium in the Twins Cup class is a huge confidence boost, and it shows that all the work from me and the team is paying off. We’re getting closer every round and building more momentum heading into the next round at Road America.”
Solly Mervis (25) at Barber. Photo by Brian J Nelson.
Solly Mervis #25 Continues Rapid Development with Career-Best Twins Cup Results
Fresh off his European campaign in Italy, Solly Mervis returned focused and determined, producing his best
MotoAmerica Twins Cup weekend to date aboard the Karns Performance / Ice Barn Racing Suzuki GSX-8R.
Mervis improved his personal best lap time in every session of the weekend and continued to show major growth as he gains confidence and experience in the class.
After qualifying P9, earning a third-row start, Mervis delivered back-to-back career-best finishes.
Race 1 – P8
Mervis continued adapting to the 2026 Suzuki GSX-8R and secured his best Twins Cup finish at the time.
“I continue to feel more comfortable on the Karns Performance / Ice Barn Racing Suzuki, and it’s showing in my results. I know I can continue to learn and grow as a racer as I gain experience. It’s what I want, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to improve. I’ve never let anything stop me before, and I’m not about to start now!”
Race 2 – P7
Mervis built again in Race 2, lowering his lap times further and earning another career-best finish in seventh.
“I had a blast today. I had a lot of fun in morning practice with the fifth-best lap time, and I knew then I was going to have a good race. I just had to stay cool, calm, and focused during the delay and heat, and be ready for the green flag. My team has my bike perfect for me, and I just need to do my job and compete hard. It was nice to reach P7, but I want more, and I believe I can continue to improve.”
Kevin Olmedo in the parc fermé at Barber. Photo by Brian J Nelson.
Kevin Olmedo #116 Shows Front-Running Pace and Leadership
Kevin Olmedo entered Barber carrying strong momentum as he continues rebuilding pace following a lengthy layoff due to illness.
Throughout the weekend, Olmedo once again demonstrated speed, consistency, and leadership for Karns/ TST Industries.
He earned a podium finish in Race 1 with P3, adding valuable championship points.
“I felt really good with the bike from FP1 and wanted to do as many laps as possible to build confidence and understand race pace. We had a strong qualifying session, which helped me stay with the front group in both races. I was happy with the podium in Race 1 and to score points for the championship.”
In Race 2, despite two red flags disrupting momentum, Olmedo remained in contention before a low-side crash ended his race early.”At the restart, I tried to have a good start and follow the leader. I felt comfortable running in the 1:29s and wanted to finish the race with that pace, but unfortunately a low-side ended our race early. I really appreciate all the support and all the hard work of the team, and I want to continue fighting for podiums and championship points.”
Jason Karns team principal:“ I could not be more proud, this was a very good weekend. I think we are in a good place with the team everyone deserves credit for the way the weekend went. Especially with all the delays and moving both races till the end of the day. Keeping focus with delays is difficult and the team did a spectacular job. Also shout out to all the riders that couldn’t finish the weekend due to injury. With a heartfelt GET WELL SOON.”
Team Momentum Builds Heading to Road America
Karns TST Industries leaves Barber Motorsports Park with continued momentum and strong championship positioning:
•Isaac Woodworth — 4th in Twins Cup standings
•Kevin Olmedo — 6th in Twins Cup standings
•Solly Mervis — 12th in Twins Cup standings
With podium pace, all three riders scoring points, and visible growth across the board, the “Little Team That Could” now heads to Road America for Round 4 of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup, May 29–31, before the summer break.
Karns Performance continues to prove that determination, development, and teamwork can put even a small team in the fight with the best in the paddock.
Thank you to all that help us get to where we are.
Craig Hirko (241) passes two Sportsman riders into Turn 11 on the final lap, using them to hold off Germain and Varey and secure the win. Photo by Craig Chawla.
Rounds 9 and 10 of the AHRMA season took place May 16th and 17th at Motorsport Park Hastings; Hastings, NE, as part of the 2026 AHRMA National Roadracing Series, presented by VIB-ISO.
Sponsored by Roadracingworld.com, and NYC Norton (nycnorton.com), this year AHRMA’s 2026 Vintage Cup features the 250 Grand Prix class, which includes any fully GP-kitted 250cc OHV/OHC four-stroke; 250cc air-cooled single cylinder two stroke; 175cc liquid cooled single cylinder two-stroke; or 175cc air-cooled twin-cylinder two-stroke built before December 31, 1968. It’s a showdown of classic small displacement racing that relies heavily on corner-speed, momentum, and precise engineering, and certain to leave fans on the edge of their seats.
Typical AHRMA 250GP grids include a wide variety of motorcycles such as Aermacchi, Bultaco, Greeves, Montesa, Ducati, NSU, Ossa, and more.
Saturday’s Vintage Cup race began with Holly Varey, aboard her 1968 VanTech CS3, taking the holeshot and early lead. Close behind were Paul Germain on his 1967 Yamaha DT1RR and Craig Hirko on a 1967 Bridgestone TA1, followed by the rest of the field—including Jack Kainz on a 1972 Yamaha CS3 and Dave Roper riding his 1967 Harley-Davidson CRTT.
Germain passed Varey on lap one to take the lead. Hirko steadily closed the gap, overtaking Varey on lap three before battling Germain wheel-to-wheel. The pair swapped leads several times in a close fight until Hirko secured the advantage before the final turn and held on to win. Germain finished second, Varey third, Roper fourth, and Kainz fifth.
Sunday’s race started the same way, with Varey grabbing the holeshot and holding the lead through the first six laps, with Germain right behind her, followed by Kainz, Trevor Scales on his 1969 Honda CB160, and Roper. A mechanical issue then forced Varey to retire, handing the lead to Germain.
Scales moved up to second by passing Kainz. Germain went on to take the win, with Scales second, Kainz third, Varey fourth, and Roper fifth.
“AHRMA rolled into the fruited plains of Hastings, Nebraska, with a great amount of excitement building in our Vintage Cup”, said series sponsor Kenny Cummings of NYC Norton. “There has been some stand out racing before and during this weekend. Fellow New Yorker Craig Hirko came into the weekend in the points lead and managed to put in a solid win on Saturday. Roper, who watched it all from behind, called in a full race report after each day’s race, and claimed Hirko had a broken gearbox and was able to *just* nurse it across the line for his win and another 1000 points, but this meant the weekend was over for him. Sunday started with a clean slate, and Canadians Paul Germain and Holly Varey showed us again that our friends and neighbors from up north are quite poised to put on the big show. And what a nail-biter Sunday was! It seemed Holly had a slight advantage, but only just… Germain put the moves on her every corner he could, yet she’d take it right back. Both riders were going to school on each other and was just a matter who was going to put in the move on the last lap and make it stick. The entire crowd let out an audible moan when Vary pulled off in the 7th lap due to a mechanical. Fast Germain got it done cleanly on his spectacularly turned out DT1. Good stuff!
After talking with Roper, it’s clear the little, smaller displacement 2-strokes are tuned to the hilt, and the attrition is speaking loudly. Let’s hope everyone gets these beautiful little machines buttoned up as we head into Joliet in a few weeks for AHRMA’s first outing at Autobahn Country Club June 5-7th. Very much looking forward to that one!”
Paul Germain (61), Holly Varey (50H), David Roper (7), Craig Hirko (641). Photo by Cecil Smalley Photos
“When I looked at the entries for the weekend, I immediately wondered if one of the new names would disrupt the triple threat of Hirko, Germain and Varey”, shared AHRMA’s Road Race Director, Leasha Overturf. “They tried, but it was a no go. For each of Holly Varey’s hole shots, I just know she was smiling big under her helmet. The action was strong both days, but I have to say the race on Sunday had me holding my breath as I stood at the wall watching Germain and Varey go head to head. I was disappointed that Varey had a mechanical issue because the energy was firing in the paddock as we all watched the two swap places. I’m excited to see the action at our upcoming weekend at Autobahn in Joliet, IL.”
AHRMA first launched the Vintage Cup series during 2019 by spotlighting the 350 GP class. The series resumed during 2021 and highlighted the 500 Premier class. It was followed by Vintage Superbike Heavyweight in 2022 and Formula 750 in 2023. In 2024, the second rotation of featured classes was initiated with 350GP, followed by 500 Premier in 2025. 250GP was added to the series in 2026, the first year it has been featured.
Rounds eleven and twelve of the AHRMA National Road Race Series Presented by VIB-ISO will be June 6-7 at Autobahn, Joliet, IL.
The annual Vintage Cup spotlights one of AHRMA’s road racing classes with extra attention on competitors in the selected class during each race event. Enhanced awards for the Vintage Cup competitors are presented separately from other class trophies during the Saturday awards ceremony at each AHRMA National Road Race event. Highlights from each Vintage Cup race will be reported in RoadRacingWorld.com’s online edition. At the conclusion of each season, the perpetual Vintage Cup trophy will be engraved with the national champion winner’s name and presented to the winner at the National Awards Banquet to keep for one year.
2026 AHRMA Roadracing Series Presented by VIB-ISO, 250GP – Vintage Cup Results
Saturday, May 16, 2026
641 Craig Hirko, 1967 Bridgestone TA 1, Newark Valley, NY
61 Paul Germain, 1967 Yamaha DTIRR, Winnipeg, MB
50H Holly Varey, 1968 VanTech CS3, Brantford, ON
7 David Roper, 1967 Harley-Davidson CRTT, Hicksville, NY
35L Jack Kainz, 1972 Yamaha CS3, Helenville, WI
Sunday, May 17, 2026
61 Paul Germain, 1967 Yamaha DTIRR, Winnipeg, MB
779 Trevor Scales, 1969 Honda CB160, Graham, NC
35L Jack Kainz, 1972 Yamaha CS3, Helenville, WI
50H Holly Varey, 1968 VanTech CS3, Brantford, ON
7 David Roper, 1967 Harley-Davidson CRTT, Hicksville, NY
About AHRMA:
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to competing on fantastic classic and true vintage along with a wide range of modern motorcycles. With over 3,000 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.
Andreani USA Welcomes Matthew Sage as Business Development Manager
Hendersonville, NC — Andreani USA is proud to announce that Matthew Sage has joined the company as Business Development Manager, further strengthening the company’s presence and expertise within the U.S. suspension market.
Matthew brings nearly two decades of industry experience, having been with Öhlins since 2007. Over the years, he has held a variety of roles, building extensive knowledge across technical support, sales, and customer development within the motorcycle suspension sector.
After stepping away from Öhlins USA in October 2025 to take a well-deserved break from the industry, Matthew has now returned with renewed energy and focus, joining Andreani USA at a key moment of growth.
“I have known Matt since 2015, when I was serving as International Sales Manager at Andreani in Italy,” said Luciano Ubaldini. “He has always been a great support and a true professional. It has been a pleasure working with him over the years, and I’m personally very happy to welcome him to our team.”
In his new role, Matthew Sage will focus on business development initiatives, strengthening relationships within the industry, and supporting Andreani USA’s continued collaboration with Öhlins USA, while also contributing to a broader strategic vision of the evolving suspension market.
“I am excited to bring my years of experience and industry relationships to such a passionate company.
I spent years at Öhlins striving to deliver a high level of technical support and exceptional customer satisfaction. Together with Luciano, his wife Laura and the entire Andreani USA team, I hope to bring that same commitment to our industry with all of the top brands we offer.”
— Matthew Sage
His experience and insight are expected to play a key role in expanding Andreani USA’s reach and reinforcing its position as a leading provider of high-performance suspension solutions.
American rider Kristian Daniel Jr. on the left and Macauley Webb - Team Manager. Photo courtesy GRYD Racing.
Kristian Daniel Jr. to step in for Evan Belford for the opening round of the season.
Following an injury sustained by Evan Belford during training last week, American rider Kristian Daniel Jr. will join the team for the opening round of the FIM Moto Junior World Championship this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Belford suffered a fracture to the second metacarpal in his left hand on Monday 11th May while preparing for the start of the season. The British rider is currently awaiting further medical assessment to determine whether surgery will be required, but he has already been ruled out of the opening round in Barcelona.
With an American rider stepping into the team for the weekend, the structure will compete under the name American Talent Team for the opening round of the season.
Kristian Daniel Jr., from Los Angeles, California, will take over riding duties aboard the team’s Honda machinery. The American began his racing career in 2015 and already has experience within the Moto Junior paddock, having competed in the category last season with the AGR Team.
For 2026, the #70 has focused his campaign on the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup, currently competing in his third season in the category.
Kristian Daniel Jr.:“I’m super excited to be racing the opening round of the Moto Junior season in Barcelona. It was a last-minute opportunity following Evan’s injury, so first of all I want to wish him a speedy recovery. I can’t wait to start working with the team this weekend and I’ll be giving it 100% from the very first session.”
American rider Kristian Daniel Jr. to step in for Evan Belford for the opening round of the season. Photo courtesy GRYD Racing.
Macauley Webb (Team Manager): “First of all, we want to wish Evan a speedy recovery. It’s a real shame for him to suffer this injury after all the hard work and preparation he’s put in over the off-season ahead of the new campaign.
Obviously, it’s disappointing not to have him with us for the opening round, but right now the most important thing is making sure he recovers properly and can come back fully fit as soon as possible.
At the same time, we’re really excited to welcome Kristian into the team for Barcelona. He already has experience within the Moto Junior paddock and we’re looking forward to working with him this weekend.
We’d also like to thank the Road to MotoGP programme for helping make this opportunity possible for Kristian to step in and replace Evan for the opening round.”
The FIM Moto Junior World Championship gets underway this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a venue that holds strong memories for the team after securing a dominant victory by more than seven seconds with Marco Morelli in race two last season.
Johann Zarco: update after knee assessment in Lyon
On Tuesday 19th May, Johann Zarco visited doctor Bertrand Sonnery-Cottet in Lyon, a world-renowned consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Centre Orthopédique Santyin Lyon, France, specializing in the management of knee ligament injuries and sports trauma, to further assess his physical condition.
Following a thorough examination, it is estimated that he will need to wait a couple of weeks before undergoing surgery for the damage to his ligaments, allowing the initial trauma and other injuries to his knee some time to heal before the procedure.
Following the surgery, a detailed recovery plan will be established, allowing the medical team to evaluate a possible timeline for his return.
The whole Castrol Honda LCR team is in close contact with Johann Zarco and will continue to provide updates as the date gets closer.
Deion Campbell (194) leading Nicholas Ciling (50), Andy DiBrino (62) and Michael Gilbert (55) at the start of The Shootout at CVMA's October round. Photo by Caliphotography.com/courtesy CVMA.
CVMA Racers –
The CVMA Road Crew gear is ready for order!
We’ve teamed up with Lieto Factory to produce custom sublimated shirts locally. These are full-print, high-quality shirts built for the paddock, the road trip, and race weekends.
Available Options
T-Shirts — $38
Snap-Up Pit Shirts — $53
We’d love to see as many racers and supporters as possible rocking the Road Crew gear this summer — even if you are not attending one of the events. If you want a custom shirt with your name and number, get your order in.
Get a Free Shirt
If you upload proof that you plan to participate in one of the Road Crew events, CVMA will cover the cost of one shirt.
Examples include:
A race license with CRA, WMRRA, UtahSBK, or AFM
Registration with 2Fast Track Days
Tickets to watch MotoAmerica at The Ridge or Laguna Seca
A couple important notes:
You will NOT be charged when placing your order
Orders will first be reviewed and verified
Once finalized, payment will then be processed
Get your order in as soon as possible. If you want it before CRA, get your order in immediately!
June 22–23 — The Ridge (2Fast Track Days | Riding) June 26–28 — The Ridge (MotoAmerica | Spectating) June 29–30 — The Ridge (2Fast Track Days | Riding)
July 10-12 — Laguna Seca (MotoAmerica | Spectating)
Aug 8–9 — Burt Brothers Motorpark/UMC (UtahSBK | Racing)
Aug 29–30 — Buttonwillow Circuit (AFM | Racing)
—
Looking forward to seeing the CVMA Road Crew rolling deep this summer.
Kayla Yaakov (19) at Barber. Photo by Brian J Nelson.
Rancho Cucamonga – Dunlop Motorcycle Tires is proud to announce that multiple new lap records were established during MotoAmerica competition at Barber Motorsports Park. Riders across several classes pushed the pace to new levels on Dunlop Sportmax Slick tires, continuing a season filled with record-breaking performances.
Talent Cup:
Lap Record: 1:34.475 – Nathan Gouker, Qualifying 1
Race Lap Record: 1:34.791 – Nathan Gouker, Race 2
Supersport:
Lap Record: 1:25.278 – Kayla Yaakov, Qualifying 2
Super Hooligan:
Lap Record: 1:27.434 – Gus Rodio, Qualifying 2
Race Lap Record: 1:27.247 – Gus Rodio, Race 2
These record-setting laps once again demonstrate the performance, consistency, and confidence riders continue to find with Dunlop Sportmax Slick tires at the highest level of road racing competition. From qualifying sessions to race-day battles, Dunlop technology continues to help riders push beyond previous limits.
About Dunlop Motorcycle Tires: Dunlop is the number one selling and largest supplier of original equipment and replacement motorcycle tires in North America. For more information, visit www.DunlopMotorcycleTires.com. Follow @ridedunlop on Instagram, Facebook, and X for the latest Dunlop news. Use #RideDunlop and/or #RaceDunlop to share your Dunlop moments.
Pedro Acosta (37) during the Barcelona Test at Calatunya. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
The #37 beats Quartararo and Bastianini to the top as a shortened test day sees the field head back out on Monday.
Backing up his pace from across the weekend, Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) shrugged off Sunday’s disappointment to top the Barcelona Test on Monday. ‘The Shark’ pipped Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) with just 0.117 covering the top three and a second covering the top 13. The test ended prematurely as a huge downpour after between sessions saw nobody go out after lunch. All the fast times were set in the morning and it was officially declared done just over an hour ahead of schedule. There was a crash for Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) in the morning and despite a trip to hospital, no fractures were found.
RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING AND TECH 3
Pole on Saturday and close to a Sprint win, a technical problem AND a last corner fall on the last lap on Sunday through no fault of his own, Acosta had quite the Catalan GP. Nothing could stop ‘The Shark’ in Monday’s test though with P1 bagged on his final flying lap of the first session after a couple of slower opening runs and a small tech issue. Teammate Brad Binder was 12th with much of the items being trialled already making previous appearances.
Bastianini suffered a first point-less weekend of 2026 but The Beast bounced back on Monday with P3 in testing. After returning to racing action with 11th place in Sunday’s Grand Prix, Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) was fast and towards the pointy end of the time sheets. He hailed improvements made to the front end of his RC16, reflected in a fourth-place finish on Monday. No shoulder issues to worry about, the #12 expects to see KTM’s newest parts in the next GPs. Three KTMs in the top four, encouraging ahead of Round 7.
MONSTER ENERGY AND PRIMA PRAMAC YAMAHA MOTOGP
Second on the timing sheets and just 0.064s away from top spot, Quartararo was impressed with the grip he found out on the track in Barcelona but put this down to the circuit being rubbered in rather than any specific solution found within the box. Still, P2 and a couple of tenths away from his qualifying time is a positive sign for the 2021 World Champion, who had some new front wings to dial in. Teammate Rins was 13th and the last of the riders within one second of Acosta’s time.
In the other Yamaha camp, Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) was 16th and teammate Toprak Razgatlioglu in 19th. Miller also donned Yamaha’s new front wings and got down to business with them, whilst ‘El Turco’ set 45 laps, the most of anyone in the field. Valuable data for the triple WorldSBK Champion, who had a tougher weekend.
APRILIA RACING, TRACKHOUSE MOTOGP TEAM
Following a dramatic Sunday for both riders, Trackhouse MotoGP Team’s Raul Fernandez and Ai Ogura were back in action on Monday and set 74 laps between them. Their fastest laps came in their final runs and concluded the action in fifth and sixth respectively, finishing as top Aprilias. It was mainly setup work for Justin Marks’ team.
It was an early finish for Martin after the 2024 World Champion fell at Turn 7 and whilst he did get up to his feet straight away, he was taken to the medical centre and then hospital for full assessments. No breaks or fractures were found on the Martinator but rest will be needed ahead of Mugello. Prior to the fall, aero packages were on the agenda for the #89, who was 17th after just 15 laps. Championship-leading teammate Marco Bezzecchi finished P11 overall and after a tricky weekend, will look forward to his home Grand Prix at Mugello next time out.
DUCATI LENOVO TEAM, PERTAMINA ENDURO VR46 RACING TEAM AND BK8 GRESINI RACING MOTOGP
Three Ducati teams in action and all with one rider each; Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) was out injured before the weekend anyway, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing Team) continues to recover from Sunday’s crash and whilst he eventually won, an injury from his crash during the first red flag saw Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) sit out Monday’s test.
Top Ducati honours went to Sunday’s runner-up Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP), just over three tenths off Acosta’s time for P1 whilst the next Ducati was Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), just one place and 0.045s behind the #54. The only rider doing any development work was Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) who continued to test the new swingarm seen during the weekend, finishing in P10.
HONDA HRC CASTROL AND PRO HONDA LCR
Top Honda honours went the way of Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR), who was in ninth place, the same as where he finished in Sunday’s Catalan GP. The Brazilian focused on setup throughout the day. In Honda HRC Castrol colours, Luca Marini just edged out teammate Joan Mir for 14th place overall by 0.014s. The Italian had a new side fairing to work with whilst 2020 World Champion Mir had a new smaller exhaust and modified swingarm. A depleted line-up on Monday for Honda, with Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) out with injury after Sunday’s scary Turn 1 fall.
That’s all! Check out the results here and then it’s a week at home before we’re off to the Tuscan hills; the Brembo Grand Prix of Italy awaits at Mugello!
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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
