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Racer, Former AHRMA Chairman Carl Anderson, R.I.P. (Updated With Service Info)

David Swarts
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Racer, Former AHRMA Chairman Carl Anderson, R.I.P. (Updated With Service Info)

AHRMA Mourns the Passing of Carl Anderson

(July 18, Knoxville, TN) Carl Anderson, a pillar of the vintage racing community and former chairman of the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) Board of Trustees, has died.

“Carl’s passing is a heartbreaking and profoundly saddening loss to our AHRMA family,” said Greg Tomlinson, 2024 Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. “He served our membership honorably, with a passion for every aspect of our club. His contributions were significant, and his legacy will help guide our future.”

Anderson served as a member of the Board of Trustees for several years before serving as chairman during 2017, 2018, and 2023.  He also served several years as Technical Consultant for the Vintage Roadracing Rules and Eligibility Committee.

As Chairman of the Board during 2023, Anderson successfully spearheaded AHRMA’s recovery efforts from financial difficulties. 

“Carl had a relentless passion for the AHRMA organization and its members,” said Daniel May, AHRMA Executive Director. “He was a mentor, teacher, racer, and builder who always had time to help a willing learner.   His calm and cool demeanor along with an unselfish approach to fairness will remain unmatched.  Godspeed as you reach terminal velocity in the afterlife.”

As a racer, Anderson built, raced and maintained several motorcycles for both road racing and off-road events.  During the last several years he supported and promoted young racers, specifically his protégé’s Colton Roberts and Jonathan Hollingsworth, who also competes in MotoAmerica events.

“Carl was one of the greatest friends anyone could ever have been blessed with. But to me and many others, he was family,” said Colton Roberts.  “He had the ability to move mountains, but more than anything loved to see the people that he surrounded himself with succeed. He shared his wisdom, his expertise, and his witty sense of humor with all that had the privilege of meeting him. He truly loved his friends, family, and our sport,”

“Carl was my mentor, not only in racing, but in my life too. He was one of the most kindhearted people I will ever meet. I’ll always be eternally grateful for our friendship and cherish the many great memories we shared. I will always carry a piece of him with me in my heart, he was my best friend. We will all miss him dearly,” said Roberts.

Tomlinson said, “Our paddocks will miss his genuine enthusiasm for the machines he loved to race and build. Our fellow racers will miss his mentorship, willingness to teach, and sage advice. Our board will miss his institutional knowledge, fair-mindedness, and selfless volunteerism. I will personally miss the light in his eyes and his bearish, southern growl. He was truly one of a kind. On behalf of the AHRMA and vintage racing community, I wish to extend our deepest sympathy to his family and friends. Godspeed, good buddy. You will be missed but not forgotten.”

AHRMA will be paying tribute to Anderson with a parade lap at the 2024 Barber Vintage Festival.  Details to be announced later.

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.

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by The J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services:

Jay Carl Anderson, 59, of Decatur, AL, formally of Murray, KY passed away Wednesday, July 17th at Huntsville Hospital surrounded by family. He is survived by his mother, Sharon Anderson of Murray; brother, Michael Anderson and wife Alicia; nieces, Ashten (husband Taylor) and Amanda; nephews, Brandon and Blake all of Mississippi, and several aunts, cousins, and an uncle.

He was preceded in death by his father, Buford Anderson. 
 
Carl graduated Murray State University at 22 and had a decorated 18-year career at Cape Canaveral, FL working on the shuttle program.  He relocated to Decatur and worked on Delta rockets at ULA for 17 years and retired in 2022.
 
Carl’s great passion outside work was building and racing vintage motorcycles. He traveled far and wide and formed many special friendships.  He was a great ambassador to the sport of motorcycle racing and AHRMA.  A fantastic rider and builder of race bikes with a winning smile, subtle wit, and incredible memory for all things.  Godspeed Carl!
 
A memorial service will be held at J. H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Saturday, July 27th at 11:00 a.m. with visitation from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Burial will be held in Arlington Cemetery, Arlington, KY at 1:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306.
 
Online condolences can be made at, www.jhchurchill.com  

World Endurance: More From The Suzuka 8-Hours

David Swarts
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World Endurance: More From The Suzuka 8-Hours

Young, Team Taro BMW finish 13th at Suzuka 8 Hours

Hamilton, ON – Three-time Canadian Superbike champion Ben Young turned in an excellent performance in his FIM World Endurance debut on Sunday, helping Team Taro Plus One BMW finish 13th overall at the famed Suzuka 8-Hours in Japan.

Young joined Japanese riders Taro Sekiguchi and Kyosuke Okuda in the Team Taro program, qualifying 23rd out of 46 entries with an average time of 2:08.944. 

Initially slated to ride third in the rotation, Young’s long-run pace and consistency led the team to promote him to second on race day, taking over from Sekiguchi in 28th position and helping them climb to 19th by the end of his first stint.

After the team slipped back to 20th by the midway point, Young regained three positions in his second stint and exited in 17th. His third and final rotation would be the most crucial, climbing to 15th and stretching his stint long enough to avoid an extra stop in the final hour, something many teams ahead of them couldn’t avoid.

Sekiguchi would take over in the final hour and gain two more positions, finishing 13th overall and 12th in the feature WEC Superbike class, the best result in team history at Suzuka.

Johann Zarco, Takumi Takahashi, and Teppei Nagoe would win the Suzuka 8-Hours for Team HRC with Japan Post, Honda’s record-extending 30th victory at the circuit.

A full hour-by-hour recap, including more information on Young and Team Taro BMW’s efforts, can be found below.

Hour One (11:30 am local time)

Markus Reiterberger would grab the holeshot for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, but his lightning start was quickly negated by pole-sitters YART Yamaha and Niccolo Canepa.

A hard-charging Ryo Mizuno would put Ducati Team Kagayama into the lead on lap five, before Mizuno, Canepa, and Takumi Takahashi traded blows over the next handful of laps in an epic early battle. Takahashi would ultimately take the lead for good on lap 13 and began to stretch his advantage for Team HRC.

A difficult start saw Taro Sekiguchi drop from 23rd on the grid to as low as 30th for Team Taro Plus One BMW, though he was able to stabilize his pace and reclaim two positions by the time Ben Young took over roughly 50 minutes into the race.

Sekiguchi’s stop would set Young up to undercut some of the riders ahead, climbing to 22nd by the end of the first hour. 

Hour Two

MotoGP star Johann Zarco would take over for Team HRC, extending their lead further to over 25 seconds through the first 90 minutes of the race. YART remained second, while SDG Team Honda climbed to third ahead of Ducati Kagayama and Yoshimura SERT Suzuki.

Young continued to charge his way up the field, climbing to 19th by the 90-minute mark and lapping better than the three riders ahead of him. He would hand things over to Kyosuke Okuda roughly an hour and 45 minutes into the race, with Okuda holding steady in 20th for the remainder of his stint.

Hour Three

With track temperatures exceeding 60ºC, Team HRC managed to extend their gap over YART to nearly 35 seconds, with Josh Waters and Ducati Kagayama moving up to third.

Sekiguchi would take over for Okuda and manage the Team Taro machine back to 18th, benefitting from a string of issues for former WEC champions F.C.C. Honda. 

Young would then begin his second stint just before the halfway point, making up another position to 17th.

Hour Four (2:30 pm local time)

Yoshimura SERT Suzuki continued to charge up the leaderboards, with Dan Linfoot moving them past Ducati Kagayama for third. Moto2 star and former Moto3 champion Albert Arenas, who missed practice and qualifying with passport issues, took over for Linfoot despite his lack of track time with SERT Suzuki.

Young would end his second rotation in 17th place, putting in 24 laps across nearly a full hour, with Sekiguchi quickly making up a pair of positions to climb to 15th. 

Hour Five

Team HRC continues their dominant showing, with Zarco helping lap up to fifth place on the grid. YART trails by over 40 seconds, with a pit stop ranging between 40 and 45 seconds for the top teams, nearly giving HRC a “free” stop.

Sekiguchi caps off his stellar third run in 16th, with Okuda staying in the same position throughout the rest of hour five. Eleven of the top 12 teams are running Bridgestone tires, as are Team Taro BMW.

Hour Six

YART has responded slightly, cutting their deficit to just under 40 seconds and erasing a “free stop” for Team HRC. Ducati Kagayama moves back past Yoshimure SERT Suzuki for third, while BMW Motorrad hunts down SDG Team Honda for fifth.

SERT Suzuki is given a ride-through penalty for a fuel cap infringement, which came as Arenas exited the pits for his first stint. This pushes them nearly a minute behind Ducati Kagayama in the battle for the final podium spot.

Young takes over for Okuda once again at 6:17 local time, joining in 16th and quickly chasing down Team Beringer Honda for 15th. Young claims 15th on lap 171, extending a large cushion between himself and the group behind Team Taro. Sekiguchi takes over once again just before the seven-hour mark, with the sun beginning to set.

Hour Seven

Team HRC has restored their 45-second advantage, securing a “free” stop as teams juggle their strategy over the final two hours. Ducati Kagayama makes an early stop, forcing them to make two more over the final 90 minutes.

SDG Team Honda drops down the order after late mechanical issues, slipping from fifth to tenth and promoting BMW Motorrad into the top-five.

Young take over for Sekiguchi early in the hour and puts in a long stint, completing 25 laps and crucially allowing Team Taro to require only one stop in the final hour. Other teams will not have enough fuel to do so, needing a “splash and dash” scenario in their final rotation. 

Hour Eight (6:30 pm local time)

Now fully dark, Zarco extends Team HRC’s lead to over 50 seconds, with Ducati Kagayama slipping behind SERT Suzuki after they are forced to make an extra stop for fuel. Hafizh Syahrin tries to fend off Cocoro Atsumi for Ducati, but it is unsuccessful as Atsumi seizes third place.

Young pits for the final time with 45 minutes to go, allowing Sekiguchi to take over in 15th with no extra stops required. Sekiguchi quickly passes Koki Suzuki and Team ATJ for 14th, before a late crash from Anthony West promotes Team Taro to 13th. 

Final Results (7:30 pm local time)

Team HRC is handed a 40-second penalty for a pit lane infringement, but Takumi Takahashi manages the gap enough to win his record sixth Suzuka 8 Hours and hold off YART Yamaha by just over seven seconds.

Despite the loss, YART Yamaha extend their lead in the WEC standings over Yoshimura SERT Suzuki with only one round remaining. SERT Suzuki holds onto the final podium spot, with Ducati Kagayama settling for fourth.

MotoGP star Zarco becomes the first premier class winner to take a victory at Suzuka since Valentino Rossi in 2001, and the first Frenchman to win the event since 1989.

Sekiguchi crosses the line 13th overall for Team Taro Plus One BMW, finishing 12th in the feature WEC Superbike class, their best result in team history. Young earns the best result for a Canadian in the modern Superbike era of the Suzuka 8 Hours, and the best finish in any classification for a CSBK rider since Jordan Szoke was 13th in 2002.

Video: More From The British Talent Cup Races At Brands Hatch

David Swarts
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Video: More From The British Talent Cup Races At Brands Hatch

Frost & Brinton grab the glory at Brands Hatch

Two more incredible showdowns bring us to the halfway point on the 2024 R&G British Talent Cup

 

Amanuel Brinton (43) and Ryan Frost (24) each won a British Talent Cup race at Brands Hatch. Lucas Brown (29) was on the podium in both races and leads the Championship point standings. Photo courtesy BTC.
Amanuel Brinton (43) and Ryan Frost (24) each won a British Talent Cup race at Brands Hatch. Lucas Brown (29) was on the podium in both races and leads the Championship point standings. Photo courtesy BTC.

 

Monday, 22 July 2024

As the lights went out on Race 1, Ryan Frost (Fibre Tec Honda) made a stunning start, taking the holeshot. In the early stages, Frost and Filip Surowiak (Team City Lifting / RS Racing) held the top spots, while Julian Correa (Microlise Cresswell Racing) and Amanuel Brinton (Kovara Projects / RS Racing) joined the battle, creating a tightly packed group at the front.

Lucas Brown (SENCAT Talent Team / Mortimer Racing) made an incredible triple overtake to put himself back in the fight at the sharp end, though he struggled to maintain the lead against the relentless attacks from Frost and Surowiak.

The final lap saw Brinton drop from the lead into fourth, with Frost, Brown, and Surowiak all making their bids for victory. In a breathtaking finish, Frost executed a perfect slipstream manoeuvre, overtaking Brown to take the victory. Filip Surowiak managed to edge himself up into a second place photo finish by 0.001 seconds, leaving Brown to settle for third.

 

The R&G British Talent Cup is streamed live on YouTube in 2024! Watch Race 1 above and Race 2 below.

 

Race 2 was an equally exciting affair. Julian Correa (Microlise Cresswell Racing)  made an impressive start from the middle of the front row. However, it was Ryan Frost (Fibre Tec Honda) who grabbed the holeshot again, with Lucas Brown (SENCAT Talent Team / Mortimer Racing) quickly asserting his claim on the race by moving into second place. Amanuel Brinton (Kovara Projects / RS Racing), determined to close the gap in the championship standings, slotted into third.

The front group, comprising Frost, Brown, and Brinton, began to break away from the pack. Filip Surowiak (Team City Lifting / RS Racing), starting from seventh, made excellent progress, carving through the field to join the battle at the front. The front group of four riders was then joined by another pack, led by Correa, creating an eight-rider battle for Brands Hatch honours.

A breathless final lap saw three different leaders, with Brinton, Brown, and Surowiak each taking turns at the front. However, it was out of the final corner that Brinton made his move, a drag to the line, diving past Brown to snatch victory by just 0.027 seconds. Surowiak secured third place, rounding out the podium.

With that, Brinton cut Brown’s championship lead down to just 22 points at the halfway point of the season.

Next time out, the R&G British Talent Cup will race alongside MotoGP™ at Silverstone on the 2nd to the 4th of August – their biggest stage of the season. Join us there for more incredible racing on the Road to MotoGP™!

British Superbike: Race Two & Race Three Results From Brands Hatch

David Swarts
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British Superbike: Race Two & Race Three Results From Brands Hatch

Editorial Note: In British Talent Cup Race One, Americans Julian Correa, Joshua Raymond, Jr., and Eli Banish finished fifth, 11th, and 16th, respectively. In British Talent Cup Race Two, Correa, Raymond, and Banish finished fifth, 10th, and 13th, respectively. Following the races at Brands Hatch, Correa, Raymond, and Banish sat fourth, 17th, and 19th, respectively, in the BTC Championship point standings.

 

BSB R2
 BSB R3
 BSB Points after R3

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by MSVR:

Vickers crowned the Monster Energy King of Brands with terrific treble

Ryan Vickers was crowned the Monster Energy King of Brands after an incredible treble win for OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing as he celebrated a career first with victory in race three.

Vickers had been unstoppable in the opening race yesterday and again he delivered a masterclass performance to win a red flag interrupted race two, in a five-lap restarted race.

The drama began early in race two on the opening lap when Glenn Irwin, Danny Kent and Danny Buchan crashed out heavily at Paddock Hill Bend, with the trio able to line up again in the final race of the weekend.

At the front, it had become a battle for the podium places between Vickers, reigning champion Tommy Bridewell, Christian Iddon and Andrew Irwin before the red flag when Luke Hedger crashed out at Hawthorns.

Vickers wasn’t taking any prisoners in the five-lap dash to the chequered flag after a lightning start, whilst behind him Bridewell, Kyle Ryde and Andrew Irwin diced for the final podium spots.

Bridewell was able to add to his top three tally in second place, holding off Ryde and Andrew Irwin as Honda Racing UK continue their resurgence this season.

In race three Vickers had his sights firmly set on a career first treble and he achieved the feat with another impressive performance that saw him rule on the Grand Prix circuit.

Meanwhile there was another intense dice for the remaining podium places, with Iddon able to attack and then fight off Ryde for second, as he became the fifth different rider to celebrate podium success this weekend.

Bridewell’s strong points haul puts him now at the top of the standings by 19 points ahead of Thruxton next month, whilst Glenn Irwin gave a gritty performance to finish seventh in race three, bouncing back from his crash to make up 16 positions from 23rd on the grid. The Hager PBM Ducati rider holds second in the overall standings despite his race two DNF.

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

  1. Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing)
  2. Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +1.188s
  3. Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +1.237s
  4. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +2.566s
  5. Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) +2.749s
  6. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +3.077s
  7. Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) +4.618s
  8. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +5.389s
  9. Franco Bourne (Rapid Honda) +5.742s
  10. Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +6.032s

 

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

  1. Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing)
  2. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +3.073s
  3. Kyle Ryde ( OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing)  +3.322s
  4. Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +4.316s
  5. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +8.015s
  6. Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) +9.997s
  7. Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) +12.599s
  8. Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +12.752s
  9. Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +13.012s
  10. Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) +14.483s

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

  1. Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 217
  2. Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati)  198
  3. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 193
  4. Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 185
  5. Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 148
  6. Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 146
  7. Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) 128
  8. Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) 122
  9. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 105
  10. Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) 98

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

 

Ryan Vickers

OMG GRILLA Racing Yamaha 

“There were a few nerves going into the last race when it’s on the line for the triple and you’re riding so well. So starting that last race I was fully focused, I just had to get a good start and I did again.

“I genuinely don’t think I missed an apex that [last] race so I’m extremely happy with that. I just rode to the limit, the same as Navarra. Towards the end of the race I backed off a bit and just managed the gap but it was really good. 

“The team worked really hard, they gave me great information on the pit board as well, so that made life a lot easier. Thanks to the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing Team, they’ve given me a fantastic bike this weekend.

“We’ve struggled with the bike the last few rounds and they’ve believed in me and what I need. To take that next step we needed to change a few things and we’ve done that this weekend and I really feel like I’ve got a race bike now.

“I really feel we’ve made a step with that and that fills me with confidence because it’s not just been a good weekend, we’ve figured something out with the bike so I think that’s going to put us in good stead for the rest of the season.”

EWC: Results From The 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours In Japan

Michael Gougis
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EWC: Results From The 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours In Japan

Team HRC with Japan Post won the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours endurance race by a slender 7.860-second margin over Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC. Team HRC with Japan Post received a 40-second penalty for a pit-stop violation but remained on top. It was Honda’s 30th win in the endurance classic. Takuma Takahashi, who rode with MotoGP winner Johann Zarco and Teppei Nagoe for the winning squad, notched his record-breaking sixth win in the 8-Hours.

 

Suzuka 2024 results

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by FIM EWC:

RACE REPORT: HONDA MAKES IT 30 WINS AT SWELTERING SUZUKA AS TEAM HRC SCORES A HOME EWC HAT-TRICK

·     MotoGP star Zarco joins team-mates Takahashi and Nagoe in winning iconic EWC race

·     EWC title advantage to YART following Top 10 Trial victory and maiden Suzuka podium

·     Yoshimura SERT Motul beats Ducati Team Kagayama to third in the scorching heat

·     Bio-fuelled Suzuki fitted with several eco-friendly components finishes eighth

·     TONE RT Syncedge 4413 BMW wins Suzuka’s FIM Endurance World Cup event

·     56,000 fans in attendance throughout the weekend, a 33% increase from last year

For immediate release (21 July 2024): Team HRC with Japan Post hit back from its Top 10 Trial defeat on Saturday to complete the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race on Sunday with a third consecutive victory – the 30th for Honda – in Japan’s round of the FIM Endurance World Championship.

Starting in third position on the packed grid, lead rider Takumi Takahashi began to inch ahead halfway through his first stint before team-mates Teppei Nagoe and MotoGP star Johann Zarco combined to secure first place ahead of Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team and Suzuki-powered Yoshimura SERT Motul. 

However, Team HRC’s winning margin was a slender 7.860s after a 40-second penalty was applied due to a pitstop infringement in what proved to be an anxious finish for the squad as darkness fell. 

“I feel totally relieved and honestly very exhausted,” Takahashi said. “I’m very happy to have won my sixth Suzuka 8 Hours and for Honda their 30th win. I really need to thank my team-mates who are two fantastic riders, all of us together were able to accomplish our goal.”

For 34-year-old Japanese rider Takahashi, the result marked a record sixth victory in the Suzuka 8 Hours, the first coming back in 2010. Another record was set with both Team HRC and YART covering 220 laps to beat the previous benchmark of 219 set by Team Cabin Honda in 2002.

“Now I’ve done six wins the only way is up and I wish to continue,” Takahashi said. “I hope I get an offer next season and in which case I will be here. But I wasn’t focused on my sixth win, I just wanted to get a gap and keep a good average pace. In my last stint I was a bit too relaxed maybe, it was hard to focus towards the end in the dark and I was getting cramps. In the last lap, at the 130R corner, I rode over a yellow armband, which a rider must have dropped, I almost slipped and that was a bit scary.”

Following his EWC debut win on his first Suzuka appearance, Zarco said: “I feel good because when you fix this target and you have the victory it’s a big relief. I feel happy, proud and it gives big satisfaction. I’ve been very impressed by the pace of Takumi and his control of the race. I’m so happy with the progress Teppei made form the test to the race. The three riders were necessary for this victory because with the heat we all needed to control the energy.”

Having arrived in Japan one point behind Yoshimura SERT Motul in the 2024 championship standings, YART will return to its Austria base with an advantage of six points after it bagged five points for winning Saturday’s Top 10 Trial, plus 24 points for its first Suzuka podium courtesy of riders Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz and Karel Hanika.

Canepa had led after overtaking early pacesetter Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team) just before the completion of the opening lap but reckoned his “gamble” to fit a soft-compound front tyre counted against him as the opening stint unfolded amid track temperatures just short of 60 degrees centigrade.

“I realised we chose the wrong front tyre and I realised immediately I didn’t have a good feeling with the bike.” Canepa said. “I tried to stay in front as much as I can because I knew if they passed me, they would go away and I tried to pass back every time they passed me until Takahashi-san was too fast to pass him back. He did an amazing first stint and I regret that it was partly my mistake to choose this front tyre because I would like to have fought with him longer. I think we had the package to do it.”

Ducati Team Kagayama’s Ryo Mizuno also held top spot during a frenetic opening hour with first place switching between the #2 machine, Takahashi’s #30 entry and Canepa’s #1 bike. 

In its first Suzuka 8 Hours with Ducati power, Team Kagayama lost vital ground when Hafizh Syahrin was delayed restarting the Panigale V4R at the first round of pitstops. Having slipped out of contention for second place, Ducati Team Kagayama then became embroiled in a thrilling battle for third with Yoshimura SERT Motul, which wasn’t decided until the final 30 minutes of racing.

Despite the latter losing ground after serving a ride-through penalty – handed out when it emerged the fuel tank cover cap hadn’t been replaced following a pitstop – Japan’s Cocoro Atsumi, who learned to ride at Suzuka Circuit in his youth, produced a spectacular final stint to take third place as the clock ticked down. He was joined on the podium by team-mates Dan Linfoot and Moto2 rider Albert Arenas, a Suzuka rookie prior to Friday morning’s Free Practice.

“I’m really happy to be here on the podium for the first time,” Atsumi said. “I’ve been with Yoshimura SERT Motul as a fourth rider and I’ve been checking and learning a lot. I was asked to join this race and I’m very pleased to have this opportunity. We’re fighting for the championship with YART and finishing in third position means the gap is small and we’ll be in a good position at the Bol d’Or to keep fighting for the championship.” 

As he did in the 8 Hours of Spa Motos last month, Markus Reiterberger swept into an early lead. But the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team rider couldn’t keep the chasing Canepa at bay and was behind at the entry to the chicane before the opening lap was done. The Belgian squad, which qualified a Suzuka-best fourth finished a Suzuka-best fifth.

The F.C.C. TSR Honda France trio of Mike Di Meglio, Josh Hook and Alan Techer spent the race adapting to their 2024-specification bike, which they were using in competition for the first time. An electronics issue, falls for Hook and Di Meglio and a stop and go penalty, which was issued after work was carried out on the #5 machine during refuelling, left the 2022 EWC title-winning team a distant 34th to compound a frustrating season so far.

Tati Team Beringer Racing’s first Suzuka 8 Hours with Honda power netted 15th to strengthen its status as the EWC’s top independent team, while KM 99 achieved its target of a top 10 finish in 10th place. Motobox Kremer Racing failed to cover more than 15 laps of its 10th Suzuka 8 Hours.

It was a challenging Suzuka 8 Hours for Kawasaki Webike Trickstar.  After Grégory Leblanc was ruled out of the race through injury following a crash in this morning’s Warm-Up, Christian Gamarino and Román Ramos were set to race as a pair until Ramos was taken ill, leading to a lengthy stop before the team eventually returned to the track. 

Team Suzuki CN Challenge won the Experimental class in a fine eighth overall with a factory-supported GSX-R1000R CN SPEC, which used 40 per cent bio-sourced sustainable ELF Moto R40 FIM fuel, plus other eco-friendly products. They included a bio-sourced base oil from Motul, a catalytic converter developed by Yoshimura, low-dust brake pads from Sunstar Engineering, tyres from Bridgestone with an increased ratio of recycled materials, front and rear fenders made from a natural flax fibre supplied by Bcomp, plus bodywork provided by JHI and utilising recycled carbon materials. 

TONE RT SYNCEDGE 4413 BMW TAKES SUPERSTOCK GLORY

Rookie Hannes Soomer helped TONE RT Syncedge 4413 BMW to victory in the Dunlop-equipped FIM Endurance World Cup, which included the Suzuka 8 Hours on its schedule for the first time. Partnered by Japanese riders Tomoya Hoshino and Ainosuke Yoshida, the Estonian was making his Suzuka debut and overcame a late gear issue to triumph ahead of Team Étoile, which beat Taira Promote Racing to second place on the final lap by 2.213s.

“I came here on Tuesday for the first time and now I’ve ended up winning.” Soomer said. “Every motorcycle racer wants to be on this podium and now I’m on the first step I’m very, very happy.”

Teramoto@J-Trip Racing’s bid to convert its Superstock pole position into victory unravelled when Takeru Murase inflicted substantial damage by crashing at Turn 8 after 30 minutes. National Motos Honda FMA finished fifth but a crash for Gino Rea exiting the second Degner Curve in the opening 20 minutes dropped Wójcik Racing Team out of contention.

 

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days: MotoAmerica Deploying RWAF Soft Barriers

David Swarts
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AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days: MotoAmerica Deploying RWAF Soft Barriers

AMA Thanks Roadracing World Action Fund, MotoAmerica for Support in VMD Road Racing Efforts

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — With a wide collection of vintage road racing on the schedule at 2024 Permco AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Yamaha — running July 26-28 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio — the American Motorcyclist Association extends its gratitude to the Roadracing World Action Fund (RWAF) and MotoAmerica for their assistance in creating an excellent road racing program at VMD this year.

“We are so grateful to our friends at the RWAF and MotoAmerica for their support in our road racing efforts at VMD,” AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant said. “RWAF Founder and President John Ulrich and the RWAF have shown tremendous generosity for this event, specifically allowing us to use their inflatable soft barriers for VMD road races.”

The RWAF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to reducing racetrack injuries through education and advocating for safer racetrack practices. Created in 2001, the RWAF works with racing and track day organizations to facilitate deployment of soft barriers at events across the country.

Soft barriers made by Alpina and Airfence have an internal ambient air chamber supported by inflated ribs. They’re made to be deployed in front of steel barriers, tire walls, embankments and other hard objects surrounding racetracks. When a rider crashes and hits a soft barrier, air is pushed out through blow-off valves, absorbing energy; in simple terms, soft barriers can be thought of as being like a giant, pre-inflated car airbag.

“Thanks to our generous supporters, the Roadracing World Action Fund has been able to fund the Alpina and Airfence soft barriers assigned to MotoAmerica and deployed at MotoAmerica Superbike events sanctioned by the AMA,” RWAF Founder and President John Ulrich said. “Since the next MotoAmerica round will be held at Mid-Ohio August 16-18, those soft barriers will already be at Mid-Ohio, and I’m happy that we’re able to have AMA use them for the VMD road races. I am proud that, working with MotoAmerica, AMA, and other organizations nationwide, we’ve been able to improve rider safety and reduce injuries. Together, we have helped make a big difference in the culture of road racing in the United States, making attention on rider safety not just accepted, but also expected.”

The road racing program at VMD is sure to deliver, with 35 classes taking to the 2.4-mile racetrack to compete for AMA National No. 1 plates. For the first time, the AMA Amateur National Bagger Champion will be crowned at VMD, adding to the exciting racing slate.

There will be plenty more to do at Permco AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Yamaha, with North America’s largest swap meet, a collection of vendor displays and seminars at the Hall of Fame Fanzone in the infield, demo rides, bike shows, and much more!

There will also be plenty more racing action during the three-day celebration of vintage motorcycling, with competition in motocross, trials, hare scrambles and road racing all taking place. In addition to the extensive racing schedule, this year’s VMD will also include North America largest motorcycle swap meet, vendor displays, stunt shows and much more!

To stay engaged on all things VMD, visit the Vintage Motorcycle Days website at https://vintagemotorcycledays.com/, subscribe to the VMD Newsletter and follow the official VMD social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. Besides offering members money-saving discounts on products and services, the AMA also publishes American Motorcyclist, a recently revitalized and monthly full-color magazine (and digital version of same) that covers current events and motorcycle history with brilliant photography and compelling writing. American Motorcyclist is also North America’s largest-circulation magazine. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Not a member? Join the AMA today: AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Seen At Services for Aaron Dreher, R.I.P. (Updated With Videos)

John Ulrich
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Seen At Services for Aaron Dreher, R.I.P. (Updated With Videos)

Some scenes and photos seen at services for Aaron Dreher, father of MotoAmerica racers Avery and Ella Dreher, held today (Friday) at the Church at Viera in Viera, Florida. More information will be posted as it becomes available, along with more photos. Send comments or a photo(s) to [email protected]

 

Watch a video of snapshots of Aaron Dreher HERE.

Scroll down to watch a video of the service that was live-streamed on YouTube.

 

Handout from Aaron Dreher’s services.

 

The services drew many people.

 

Aaron Dreher in the foreground at the races, circa 2024, along with other recent and not so recent photos, usually with his kids. Aaron Dreher and his best friend John Ludwig were Bad Boy Racing and supported Avery and Ella Dreher in MotoAmerica Junior Cup. Avery won the class Championship in 2023. Aaron’s other kids are Brady and Carter.

 

A young Aaron Dreher (right) with life-long best friend John Ludwig (left) and another friend, with streetbikes, circa 1995.

 

Aaron Dreher hugs his son Avery after Avery won a MotoAmerica Junior Cup race at Barber Motorsports park earlier this year.

 

Ryan Rawls, Tonya Rawls, Max Van and his close friend Avery Dreher after the services.

 

World Supersport Race Two Results From Autodrom Most

John Ulrich
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World Supersport Race Two Results From Autodrom Most

Aruba Ducati’s Adrian Huertas won the second World Supersport race at Most, by a margin of 2.821 seconds over second place Stefani Manzi on a Pata Yamaha. Yari Montella was third on a Barni Ducati, 7.721 seconds behind Huertas with past MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Valentin Debise fourth, 8.000 seconds behind Huertas. J. Navarro was fifth on another Ducati V2, 13.766 seconds behind race winner Huertas.

Results

 

WorldSBK: Race Two Results From Autodrom Most (Updated)

David Swarts
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WorldSBK: Race Two Results From Autodrom Most (Updated)

Toprak Razgatlioglu continued his recent dominant run of form by taking another victory in World Superbike Race Two Sunday at Autodrom Most, in the Czech Republic.

The flamboyant Turkish rider won the 22-lap race by 3.213 seconds on his Pirelli-shod ROKiT BMW Motorrad M 1000 RR, making his 10th consecutive race win and extending his lead in the Championship point standings.

Nicolo Bulega, the reigning Supersport World Champion, was the runner-up on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Andrea Locatelli placed third on his Pata Prometeon Yamaha YZF-R1.

American Garrett Gerloff got 12th on his Bonovo Action BMW.

Hayden Gillim, the MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and King Of The Baggers Champion, finished 18th while filling in for the injured Tarran Mackenzie on the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda.

Notable non-finishers included two-time and defending World Champion Alvaro Bautista and Race One podium finisher Danilo Petrucci, who crashed together in Turn One at the start of the race. The incident is still being investigated by officials.

 

WSBK R2
 WSBK Points after R2

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Ten out of ten for Toprak Razgatlioglu

Toprak Razgatlioglu enjoyed a perfect weekend at Autodrom Most. The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team rider now holds a 64 point championship advantage after his tenth consecutive victory.

 

Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Tissot Superpole Race Highlights

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) led the opening three laps of the Superpole Race. Once the Italian was overtaken by Razgatlioglu he settled into a battle with his teammate Alvaro Bautista. On the final lap Bautista crashed while attempting an overtake at the first corner. Bulega was forced to avoiding action and rode through the gravel trap. He returned to the track in second position and held that to the flag
 
Bautista’s crash led to his first retirement of the season. The double WorldSBK champion endured a pointless day at Most and now falls 104 points behind Razgatlioglu in the championship standings
 
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) climbed his seventh podium of the campaign. After crashing in Race 1 the Englishman bounced back to be rewarded with a podium and a front row start for Race 2
 
A last lap one position penalty for Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) dropped the Dutchman to ninth position and the final points paying position
Race 2 Highlights

Razgatlioglu’s tenth victory in a row was as commanding as expected. Taking the lead from Bulega with a move on lap 4 he eventually opened a lead of three seconds as the chequered flag marked the end of a 22 lap race
 
Bulega further cemented his position as second in the championship with his tenth runner-up finish of the season. The Italian ended the race over three seconds behind Razgatlioglu
 
With a hard fought third place finish Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) finished on the podium for the first time since the opening round of the year in Australia. The Yamaha rider enjoyed a race long battle with Michael van der Mark and Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team)
 
Gardner made it three top five finishes at the Czech Round with a fifth place finish in Race 2. It was the Australian’s best round since Assen
 
A first corner crash saw Bautista and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) removed from the proceedings after they clashed with each other. The Italian rider is now four points behind Andrea Iannone in the battle for Independent honours with the Team GoEleven rider recovering from being forced wide by the crash at turn one. He dropped to 18th position but eventually finished in ninth position

Key Points:

Pole position: Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)

Race 1 winner: Toprak Razgatlioglu

Race fastest lap: Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’32.100s

More on worldsbk.com

P1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team

“I’m really happy. I want to thanks my team, we did an incredible job this weekend. In every session we improved and finally, we were really strong. In Race 2 I was not pushing hard because I needed to save the rear tyre. Finally, we won again. It’s another three wins this weekend and ten wins in total for us now! I am looking at the record for consecutive wins and I still need two more for this. Thanks to all fans and see you next year.”

P2 | Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati

“I did the maximum again today. I didn’t make any mistakes but it was difficult today, Toprak was again very fast. I started well and I tried to follow him and to open a gap to the riders behind. It’s another P2 and I’m happy.”

P3 | Andrea Locatelli | Pata Prometeon Yamaha

“We’re back on the podium. We’ve been working really hard. During this weekend, honestly, the confidence with the bike was not really quite high. It was difficult but the guys worked really hard yesterday and this morning, and they give me an incredible bike.”

DNF | Alvaro Bautista |  Aruba.it Racing – Ducati

“In Race 2 I had a really good start. I was like a rocket because I arrived to first corner in third or fourth place. I saw Toprak and Nicolo in front of me and then when I went into the corner, I saw Gardner on the inside. I had just to keep the line to not touch him but at that moment someone hit me and I crashed. I reviewed the image on the TV. And, it’s clear that there is not too much space for Petrucci, but he was behind, so he has to take care about others in front of him, no? This kind of corner is very tricky because we arrive very fast from the start and then we brake too hard. I was a bit unlucky but fortunately physically I’m ok. We are not performing like last year. This weekend something changed and we improved the feeling a lot for the next races. We now at least have a base for starting the next races.”

WorldSBK: Superpole Race Results From Autodrom Most

David Swarts
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WorldSBK: Superpole Race Results From Autodrom Most

Toprak Razgatlioglu won the FIM Superbike World Championship Superpole Race Sunday morning at Autodrom Most, in the Czech Republic. Riding his ROKiT BMW Motorrad M 1000 RR on Pirelli control tires, the Turkish star won the 10-lap race by 3.812 seconds. It was Razgatlioglu’s ninth straight race win, extending his lead in the point standings.

Rookie sensation Nicolo Bulega was the runner-up on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Alex Lowes placed third on his factory Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR, just 0.439 second behind Bulega.

American Garrett Gerloff was 12th on his Bonovo Action BMW.

Hayden Gillim, the MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and King Of The Baggers Champion, finished 20th while filling in for the injured Tarran Mackenzie on the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda.

Non-finishers included Bulega’s teammate Alvaro Bautista, Gerloff’s teammate Scott Redding, and ELF Marc VDS Racing Ducati’s Sam Lowes.

 

WSBK SP Race
 WSBK Points after SP Race

Racer, Former AHRMA Chairman Carl Anderson, R.I.P. (Updated With Service Info)

Carl Anderson (right) with Colton Roberts (left) at the Barber Vintage Festival in 2022. Photo by Jacinda Roberts, courtesy AHRMA.
Carl Anderson (right) with Colton Roberts (left) at the Barber Vintage Festival in 2022. Photo by Jacinda Roberts, courtesy AHRMA.

AHRMA Mourns the Passing of Carl Anderson

(July 18, Knoxville, TN) Carl Anderson, a pillar of the vintage racing community and former chairman of the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) Board of Trustees, has died.

“Carl’s passing is a heartbreaking and profoundly saddening loss to our AHRMA family,” said Greg Tomlinson, 2024 Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. “He served our membership honorably, with a passion for every aspect of our club. His contributions were significant, and his legacy will help guide our future.”

Anderson served as a member of the Board of Trustees for several years before serving as chairman during 2017, 2018, and 2023.  He also served several years as Technical Consultant for the Vintage Roadracing Rules and Eligibility Committee.

As Chairman of the Board during 2023, Anderson successfully spearheaded AHRMA’s recovery efforts from financial difficulties. 

“Carl had a relentless passion for the AHRMA organization and its members,” said Daniel May, AHRMA Executive Director. “He was a mentor, teacher, racer, and builder who always had time to help a willing learner.   His calm and cool demeanor along with an unselfish approach to fairness will remain unmatched.  Godspeed as you reach terminal velocity in the afterlife.”

As a racer, Anderson built, raced and maintained several motorcycles for both road racing and off-road events.  During the last several years he supported and promoted young racers, specifically his protégé’s Colton Roberts and Jonathan Hollingsworth, who also competes in MotoAmerica events.

“Carl was one of the greatest friends anyone could ever have been blessed with. But to me and many others, he was family,” said Colton Roberts.  “He had the ability to move mountains, but more than anything loved to see the people that he surrounded himself with succeed. He shared his wisdom, his expertise, and his witty sense of humor with all that had the privilege of meeting him. He truly loved his friends, family, and our sport,”

“Carl was my mentor, not only in racing, but in my life too. He was one of the most kindhearted people I will ever meet. I’ll always be eternally grateful for our friendship and cherish the many great memories we shared. I will always carry a piece of him with me in my heart, he was my best friend. We will all miss him dearly,” said Roberts.

Tomlinson said, “Our paddocks will miss his genuine enthusiasm for the machines he loved to race and build. Our fellow racers will miss his mentorship, willingness to teach, and sage advice. Our board will miss his institutional knowledge, fair-mindedness, and selfless volunteerism. I will personally miss the light in his eyes and his bearish, southern growl. He was truly one of a kind. On behalf of the AHRMA and vintage racing community, I wish to extend our deepest sympathy to his family and friends. Godspeed, good buddy. You will be missed but not forgotten.”

AHRMA will be paying tribute to Anderson with a parade lap at the 2024 Barber Vintage Festival.  Details to be announced later.

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.

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by The J.H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services:

Jay Carl Anderson, 59, of Decatur, AL, formally of Murray, KY passed away Wednesday, July 17th at Huntsville Hospital surrounded by family. He is survived by his mother, Sharon Anderson of Murray; brother, Michael Anderson and wife Alicia; nieces, Ashten (husband Taylor) and Amanda; nephews, Brandon and Blake all of Mississippi, and several aunts, cousins, and an uncle.

He was preceded in death by his father, Buford Anderson. 
 
Carl graduated Murray State University at 22 and had a decorated 18-year career at Cape Canaveral, FL working on the shuttle program.  He relocated to Decatur and worked on Delta rockets at ULA for 17 years and retired in 2022.
 
Carl’s great passion outside work was building and racing vintage motorcycles. He traveled far and wide and formed many special friendships.  He was a great ambassador to the sport of motorcycle racing and AHRMA.  A fantastic rider and builder of race bikes with a winning smile, subtle wit, and incredible memory for all things.  Godspeed Carl!
 
A memorial service will be held at J. H. Churchill Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Saturday, July 27th at 11:00 a.m. with visitation from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Burial will be held in Arlington Cemetery, Arlington, KY at 1:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959 or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306.
 
Online condolences can be made at, www.jhchurchill.com  

World Endurance: More From The Suzuka 8-Hours

Ben Young (6) during Suzuka 8-Hours competition on Sunday. The CSBK star joined Team Taro Plus One BMW between Canadian rounds to help bring the team to a 13th place overall finish in Japan. Photo courtesy Team Taro Plus One and CSBK.
Ben Young (6) during Suzuka 8-Hours competition on Sunday. The CSBK star joined Team Taro Plus One BMW between Canadian rounds to help bring the team to a 13th place overall finish in Japan. Photo courtesy Team Taro Plus One and CSBK.

Young, Team Taro BMW finish 13th at Suzuka 8 Hours

Hamilton, ON – Three-time Canadian Superbike champion Ben Young turned in an excellent performance in his FIM World Endurance debut on Sunday, helping Team Taro Plus One BMW finish 13th overall at the famed Suzuka 8-Hours in Japan.

Young joined Japanese riders Taro Sekiguchi and Kyosuke Okuda in the Team Taro program, qualifying 23rd out of 46 entries with an average time of 2:08.944. 

Initially slated to ride third in the rotation, Young’s long-run pace and consistency led the team to promote him to second on race day, taking over from Sekiguchi in 28th position and helping them climb to 19th by the end of his first stint.

After the team slipped back to 20th by the midway point, Young regained three positions in his second stint and exited in 17th. His third and final rotation would be the most crucial, climbing to 15th and stretching his stint long enough to avoid an extra stop in the final hour, something many teams ahead of them couldn’t avoid.

Sekiguchi would take over in the final hour and gain two more positions, finishing 13th overall and 12th in the feature WEC Superbike class, the best result in team history at Suzuka.

Johann Zarco, Takumi Takahashi, and Teppei Nagoe would win the Suzuka 8-Hours for Team HRC with Japan Post, Honda’s record-extending 30th victory at the circuit.

A full hour-by-hour recap, including more information on Young and Team Taro BMW’s efforts, can be found below.

Hour One (11:30 am local time)

Markus Reiterberger would grab the holeshot for the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team, but his lightning start was quickly negated by pole-sitters YART Yamaha and Niccolo Canepa.

A hard-charging Ryo Mizuno would put Ducati Team Kagayama into the lead on lap five, before Mizuno, Canepa, and Takumi Takahashi traded blows over the next handful of laps in an epic early battle. Takahashi would ultimately take the lead for good on lap 13 and began to stretch his advantage for Team HRC.

A difficult start saw Taro Sekiguchi drop from 23rd on the grid to as low as 30th for Team Taro Plus One BMW, though he was able to stabilize his pace and reclaim two positions by the time Ben Young took over roughly 50 minutes into the race.

Sekiguchi’s stop would set Young up to undercut some of the riders ahead, climbing to 22nd by the end of the first hour. 

Hour Two

MotoGP star Johann Zarco would take over for Team HRC, extending their lead further to over 25 seconds through the first 90 minutes of the race. YART remained second, while SDG Team Honda climbed to third ahead of Ducati Kagayama and Yoshimura SERT Suzuki.

Young continued to charge his way up the field, climbing to 19th by the 90-minute mark and lapping better than the three riders ahead of him. He would hand things over to Kyosuke Okuda roughly an hour and 45 minutes into the race, with Okuda holding steady in 20th for the remainder of his stint.

Hour Three

With track temperatures exceeding 60ºC, Team HRC managed to extend their gap over YART to nearly 35 seconds, with Josh Waters and Ducati Kagayama moving up to third.

Sekiguchi would take over for Okuda and manage the Team Taro machine back to 18th, benefitting from a string of issues for former WEC champions F.C.C. Honda. 

Young would then begin his second stint just before the halfway point, making up another position to 17th.

Hour Four (2:30 pm local time)

Yoshimura SERT Suzuki continued to charge up the leaderboards, with Dan Linfoot moving them past Ducati Kagayama for third. Moto2 star and former Moto3 champion Albert Arenas, who missed practice and qualifying with passport issues, took over for Linfoot despite his lack of track time with SERT Suzuki.

Young would end his second rotation in 17th place, putting in 24 laps across nearly a full hour, with Sekiguchi quickly making up a pair of positions to climb to 15th. 

Hour Five

Team HRC continues their dominant showing, with Zarco helping lap up to fifth place on the grid. YART trails by over 40 seconds, with a pit stop ranging between 40 and 45 seconds for the top teams, nearly giving HRC a “free” stop.

Sekiguchi caps off his stellar third run in 16th, with Okuda staying in the same position throughout the rest of hour five. Eleven of the top 12 teams are running Bridgestone tires, as are Team Taro BMW.

Hour Six

YART has responded slightly, cutting their deficit to just under 40 seconds and erasing a “free stop” for Team HRC. Ducati Kagayama moves back past Yoshimure SERT Suzuki for third, while BMW Motorrad hunts down SDG Team Honda for fifth.

SERT Suzuki is given a ride-through penalty for a fuel cap infringement, which came as Arenas exited the pits for his first stint. This pushes them nearly a minute behind Ducati Kagayama in the battle for the final podium spot.

Young takes over for Okuda once again at 6:17 local time, joining in 16th and quickly chasing down Team Beringer Honda for 15th. Young claims 15th on lap 171, extending a large cushion between himself and the group behind Team Taro. Sekiguchi takes over once again just before the seven-hour mark, with the sun beginning to set.

Hour Seven

Team HRC has restored their 45-second advantage, securing a “free” stop as teams juggle their strategy over the final two hours. Ducati Kagayama makes an early stop, forcing them to make two more over the final 90 minutes.

SDG Team Honda drops down the order after late mechanical issues, slipping from fifth to tenth and promoting BMW Motorrad into the top-five.

Young take over for Sekiguchi early in the hour and puts in a long stint, completing 25 laps and crucially allowing Team Taro to require only one stop in the final hour. Other teams will not have enough fuel to do so, needing a “splash and dash” scenario in their final rotation. 

Hour Eight (6:30 pm local time)

Now fully dark, Zarco extends Team HRC’s lead to over 50 seconds, with Ducati Kagayama slipping behind SERT Suzuki after they are forced to make an extra stop for fuel. Hafizh Syahrin tries to fend off Cocoro Atsumi for Ducati, but it is unsuccessful as Atsumi seizes third place.

Young pits for the final time with 45 minutes to go, allowing Sekiguchi to take over in 15th with no extra stops required. Sekiguchi quickly passes Koki Suzuki and Team ATJ for 14th, before a late crash from Anthony West promotes Team Taro to 13th. 

Final Results (7:30 pm local time)

Team HRC is handed a 40-second penalty for a pit lane infringement, but Takumi Takahashi manages the gap enough to win his record sixth Suzuka 8 Hours and hold off YART Yamaha by just over seven seconds.

Despite the loss, YART Yamaha extend their lead in the WEC standings over Yoshimura SERT Suzuki with only one round remaining. SERT Suzuki holds onto the final podium spot, with Ducati Kagayama settling for fourth.

MotoGP star Zarco becomes the first premier class winner to take a victory at Suzuka since Valentino Rossi in 2001, and the first Frenchman to win the event since 1989.

Sekiguchi crosses the line 13th overall for Team Taro Plus One BMW, finishing 12th in the feature WEC Superbike class, their best result in team history. Young earns the best result for a Canadian in the modern Superbike era of the Suzuka 8 Hours, and the best finish in any classification for a CSBK rider since Jordan Szoke was 13th in 2002.

Video: More From The British Talent Cup Races At Brands Hatch

American Julian Correa (40) leads a group of riders at Brands Hatch. Photo courtesy BTC.
American Julian Correa (40) leads a group of riders at Brands Hatch. Photo courtesy BTC.

Frost & Brinton grab the glory at Brands Hatch

Two more incredible showdowns bring us to the halfway point on the 2024 R&G British Talent Cup

 

Amanuel Brinton (43) and Ryan Frost (24) each won a British Talent Cup race at Brands Hatch. Lucas Brown (29) was on the podium in both races and leads the Championship point standings. Photo courtesy BTC.
Amanuel Brinton (43) and Ryan Frost (24) each won a British Talent Cup race at Brands Hatch. Lucas Brown (29) was on the podium in both races and leads the Championship point standings. Photo courtesy BTC.

 

Monday, 22 July 2024

As the lights went out on Race 1, Ryan Frost (Fibre Tec Honda) made a stunning start, taking the holeshot. In the early stages, Frost and Filip Surowiak (Team City Lifting / RS Racing) held the top spots, while Julian Correa (Microlise Cresswell Racing) and Amanuel Brinton (Kovara Projects / RS Racing) joined the battle, creating a tightly packed group at the front.

Lucas Brown (SENCAT Talent Team / Mortimer Racing) made an incredible triple overtake to put himself back in the fight at the sharp end, though he struggled to maintain the lead against the relentless attacks from Frost and Surowiak.

The final lap saw Brinton drop from the lead into fourth, with Frost, Brown, and Surowiak all making their bids for victory. In a breathtaking finish, Frost executed a perfect slipstream manoeuvre, overtaking Brown to take the victory. Filip Surowiak managed to edge himself up into a second place photo finish by 0.001 seconds, leaving Brown to settle for third.

 

The R&G British Talent Cup is streamed live on YouTube in 2024! Watch Race 1 above and Race 2 below.

 

Race 2 was an equally exciting affair. Julian Correa (Microlise Cresswell Racing)  made an impressive start from the middle of the front row. However, it was Ryan Frost (Fibre Tec Honda) who grabbed the holeshot again, with Lucas Brown (SENCAT Talent Team / Mortimer Racing) quickly asserting his claim on the race by moving into second place. Amanuel Brinton (Kovara Projects / RS Racing), determined to close the gap in the championship standings, slotted into third.

The front group, comprising Frost, Brown, and Brinton, began to break away from the pack. Filip Surowiak (Team City Lifting / RS Racing), starting from seventh, made excellent progress, carving through the field to join the battle at the front. The front group of four riders was then joined by another pack, led by Correa, creating an eight-rider battle for Brands Hatch honours.

A breathless final lap saw three different leaders, with Brinton, Brown, and Surowiak each taking turns at the front. However, it was out of the final corner that Brinton made his move, a drag to the line, diving past Brown to snatch victory by just 0.027 seconds. Surowiak secured third place, rounding out the podium.

With that, Brinton cut Brown’s championship lead down to just 22 points at the halfway point of the season.

Next time out, the R&G British Talent Cup will race alongside MotoGP™ at Silverstone on the 2nd to the 4th of August – their biggest stage of the season. Join us there for more incredible racing on the Road to MotoGP™!

British Superbike: Race Two & Race Three Results From Brands Hatch

Fans enjoying Pit Walk on Sunday at Brands Hatch. Photo courtesy MSVR.

Editorial Note: In British Talent Cup Race One, Americans Julian Correa, Joshua Raymond, Jr., and Eli Banish finished fifth, 11th, and 16th, respectively. In British Talent Cup Race Two, Correa, Raymond, and Banish finished fifth, 10th, and 13th, respectively. Following the races at Brands Hatch, Correa, Raymond, and Banish sat fourth, 17th, and 19th, respectively, in the BTC Championship point standings.

 

BSB R2
 BSB R3
 BSB Points after R3

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by MSVR:

Vickers crowned the Monster Energy King of Brands with terrific treble

Ryan Vickers was crowned the Monster Energy King of Brands after an incredible treble win for OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing as he celebrated a career first with victory in race three.

Vickers had been unstoppable in the opening race yesterday and again he delivered a masterclass performance to win a red flag interrupted race two, in a five-lap restarted race.

The drama began early in race two on the opening lap when Glenn Irwin, Danny Kent and Danny Buchan crashed out heavily at Paddock Hill Bend, with the trio able to line up again in the final race of the weekend.

At the front, it had become a battle for the podium places between Vickers, reigning champion Tommy Bridewell, Christian Iddon and Andrew Irwin before the red flag when Luke Hedger crashed out at Hawthorns.

Vickers wasn’t taking any prisoners in the five-lap dash to the chequered flag after a lightning start, whilst behind him Bridewell, Kyle Ryde and Andrew Irwin diced for the final podium spots.

Bridewell was able to add to his top three tally in second place, holding off Ryde and Andrew Irwin as Honda Racing UK continue their resurgence this season.

In race three Vickers had his sights firmly set on a career first treble and he achieved the feat with another impressive performance that saw him rule on the Grand Prix circuit.

Meanwhile there was another intense dice for the remaining podium places, with Iddon able to attack and then fight off Ryde for second, as he became the fifth different rider to celebrate podium success this weekend.

Bridewell’s strong points haul puts him now at the top of the standings by 19 points ahead of Thruxton next month, whilst Glenn Irwin gave a gritty performance to finish seventh in race three, bouncing back from his crash to make up 16 positions from 23rd on the grid. The Hager PBM Ducati rider holds second in the overall standings despite his race two DNF.

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

  1. Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing)
  2. Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +1.188s
  3. Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) +1.237s
  4. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +2.566s
  5. Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) +2.749s
  6. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +3.077s
  7. Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) +4.618s
  8. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) +5.389s
  9. Franco Bourne (Rapid Honda) +5.742s
  10. Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +6.032s

 

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

  1. Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing)
  2. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +3.073s
  3. Kyle Ryde ( OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing)  +3.322s
  4. Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) +4.316s
  5. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) +8.015s
  6. Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) +9.997s
  7. Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) +12.599s
  8. Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) +12.752s
  9. Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) +13.012s
  10. Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) +14.483s

 

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

  1. Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 217
  2. Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati)  198
  3. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 193
  4. Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 185
  5. Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 148
  6. Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 146
  7. Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) 128
  8. Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) 122
  9. Andrew Irwin (Honda Racing UK) 105
  10. Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) 98

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

 

Ryan Vickers

OMG GRILLA Racing Yamaha 

“There were a few nerves going into the last race when it’s on the line for the triple and you’re riding so well. So starting that last race I was fully focused, I just had to get a good start and I did again.

“I genuinely don’t think I missed an apex that [last] race so I’m extremely happy with that. I just rode to the limit, the same as Navarra. Towards the end of the race I backed off a bit and just managed the gap but it was really good. 

“The team worked really hard, they gave me great information on the pit board as well, so that made life a lot easier. Thanks to the OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing Team, they’ve given me a fantastic bike this weekend.

“We’ve struggled with the bike the last few rounds and they’ve believed in me and what I need. To take that next step we needed to change a few things and we’ve done that this weekend and I really feel like I’ve got a race bike now.

“I really feel we’ve made a step with that and that fills me with confidence because it’s not just been a good weekend, we’ve figured something out with the bike so I think that’s going to put us in good stead for the rest of the season.”

EWC: Results From The 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours In Japan

BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (37) leads the start of the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours. Photo by Kohei Hirota.
BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team (37) leads the start of the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours. Photo by Kohei Hirota.

Team HRC with Japan Post won the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8-Hours endurance race by a slender 7.860-second margin over Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC. Team HRC with Japan Post received a 40-second penalty for a pit-stop violation but remained on top. It was Honda’s 30th win in the endurance classic. Takuma Takahashi, who rode with MotoGP winner Johann Zarco and Teppei Nagoe for the winning squad, notched his record-breaking sixth win in the 8-Hours.

 

Suzuka 2024 results

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by FIM EWC:

RACE REPORT: HONDA MAKES IT 30 WINS AT SWELTERING SUZUKA AS TEAM HRC SCORES A HOME EWC HAT-TRICK

·     MotoGP star Zarco joins team-mates Takahashi and Nagoe in winning iconic EWC race

·     EWC title advantage to YART following Top 10 Trial victory and maiden Suzuka podium

·     Yoshimura SERT Motul beats Ducati Team Kagayama to third in the scorching heat

·     Bio-fuelled Suzuki fitted with several eco-friendly components finishes eighth

·     TONE RT Syncedge 4413 BMW wins Suzuka’s FIM Endurance World Cup event

·     56,000 fans in attendance throughout the weekend, a 33% increase from last year

For immediate release (21 July 2024): Team HRC with Japan Post hit back from its Top 10 Trial defeat on Saturday to complete the 45th Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race on Sunday with a third consecutive victory – the 30th for Honda – in Japan’s round of the FIM Endurance World Championship.

Starting in third position on the packed grid, lead rider Takumi Takahashi began to inch ahead halfway through his first stint before team-mates Teppei Nagoe and MotoGP star Johann Zarco combined to secure first place ahead of Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team and Suzuki-powered Yoshimura SERT Motul. 

However, Team HRC’s winning margin was a slender 7.860s after a 40-second penalty was applied due to a pitstop infringement in what proved to be an anxious finish for the squad as darkness fell. 

“I feel totally relieved and honestly very exhausted,” Takahashi said. “I’m very happy to have won my sixth Suzuka 8 Hours and for Honda their 30th win. I really need to thank my team-mates who are two fantastic riders, all of us together were able to accomplish our goal.”

For 34-year-old Japanese rider Takahashi, the result marked a record sixth victory in the Suzuka 8 Hours, the first coming back in 2010. Another record was set with both Team HRC and YART covering 220 laps to beat the previous benchmark of 219 set by Team Cabin Honda in 2002.

“Now I’ve done six wins the only way is up and I wish to continue,” Takahashi said. “I hope I get an offer next season and in which case I will be here. But I wasn’t focused on my sixth win, I just wanted to get a gap and keep a good average pace. In my last stint I was a bit too relaxed maybe, it was hard to focus towards the end in the dark and I was getting cramps. In the last lap, at the 130R corner, I rode over a yellow armband, which a rider must have dropped, I almost slipped and that was a bit scary.”

Following his EWC debut win on his first Suzuka appearance, Zarco said: “I feel good because when you fix this target and you have the victory it’s a big relief. I feel happy, proud and it gives big satisfaction. I’ve been very impressed by the pace of Takumi and his control of the race. I’m so happy with the progress Teppei made form the test to the race. The three riders were necessary for this victory because with the heat we all needed to control the energy.”

Having arrived in Japan one point behind Yoshimura SERT Motul in the 2024 championship standings, YART will return to its Austria base with an advantage of six points after it bagged five points for winning Saturday’s Top 10 Trial, plus 24 points for its first Suzuka podium courtesy of riders Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz and Karel Hanika.

Canepa had led after overtaking early pacesetter Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team) just before the completion of the opening lap but reckoned his “gamble” to fit a soft-compound front tyre counted against him as the opening stint unfolded amid track temperatures just short of 60 degrees centigrade.

“I realised we chose the wrong front tyre and I realised immediately I didn’t have a good feeling with the bike.” Canepa said. “I tried to stay in front as much as I can because I knew if they passed me, they would go away and I tried to pass back every time they passed me until Takahashi-san was too fast to pass him back. He did an amazing first stint and I regret that it was partly my mistake to choose this front tyre because I would like to have fought with him longer. I think we had the package to do it.”

Ducati Team Kagayama’s Ryo Mizuno also held top spot during a frenetic opening hour with first place switching between the #2 machine, Takahashi’s #30 entry and Canepa’s #1 bike. 

In its first Suzuka 8 Hours with Ducati power, Team Kagayama lost vital ground when Hafizh Syahrin was delayed restarting the Panigale V4R at the first round of pitstops. Having slipped out of contention for second place, Ducati Team Kagayama then became embroiled in a thrilling battle for third with Yoshimura SERT Motul, which wasn’t decided until the final 30 minutes of racing.

Despite the latter losing ground after serving a ride-through penalty – handed out when it emerged the fuel tank cover cap hadn’t been replaced following a pitstop – Japan’s Cocoro Atsumi, who learned to ride at Suzuka Circuit in his youth, produced a spectacular final stint to take third place as the clock ticked down. He was joined on the podium by team-mates Dan Linfoot and Moto2 rider Albert Arenas, a Suzuka rookie prior to Friday morning’s Free Practice.

“I’m really happy to be here on the podium for the first time,” Atsumi said. “I’ve been with Yoshimura SERT Motul as a fourth rider and I’ve been checking and learning a lot. I was asked to join this race and I’m very pleased to have this opportunity. We’re fighting for the championship with YART and finishing in third position means the gap is small and we’ll be in a good position at the Bol d’Or to keep fighting for the championship.” 

As he did in the 8 Hours of Spa Motos last month, Markus Reiterberger swept into an early lead. But the BMW Motorrad World Endurance Team rider couldn’t keep the chasing Canepa at bay and was behind at the entry to the chicane before the opening lap was done. The Belgian squad, which qualified a Suzuka-best fourth finished a Suzuka-best fifth.

The F.C.C. TSR Honda France trio of Mike Di Meglio, Josh Hook and Alan Techer spent the race adapting to their 2024-specification bike, which they were using in competition for the first time. An electronics issue, falls for Hook and Di Meglio and a stop and go penalty, which was issued after work was carried out on the #5 machine during refuelling, left the 2022 EWC title-winning team a distant 34th to compound a frustrating season so far.

Tati Team Beringer Racing’s first Suzuka 8 Hours with Honda power netted 15th to strengthen its status as the EWC’s top independent team, while KM 99 achieved its target of a top 10 finish in 10th place. Motobox Kremer Racing failed to cover more than 15 laps of its 10th Suzuka 8 Hours.

It was a challenging Suzuka 8 Hours for Kawasaki Webike Trickstar.  After Grégory Leblanc was ruled out of the race through injury following a crash in this morning’s Warm-Up, Christian Gamarino and Román Ramos were set to race as a pair until Ramos was taken ill, leading to a lengthy stop before the team eventually returned to the track. 

Team Suzuki CN Challenge won the Experimental class in a fine eighth overall with a factory-supported GSX-R1000R CN SPEC, which used 40 per cent bio-sourced sustainable ELF Moto R40 FIM fuel, plus other eco-friendly products. They included a bio-sourced base oil from Motul, a catalytic converter developed by Yoshimura, low-dust brake pads from Sunstar Engineering, tyres from Bridgestone with an increased ratio of recycled materials, front and rear fenders made from a natural flax fibre supplied by Bcomp, plus bodywork provided by JHI and utilising recycled carbon materials. 

TONE RT SYNCEDGE 4413 BMW TAKES SUPERSTOCK GLORY

Rookie Hannes Soomer helped TONE RT Syncedge 4413 BMW to victory in the Dunlop-equipped FIM Endurance World Cup, which included the Suzuka 8 Hours on its schedule for the first time. Partnered by Japanese riders Tomoya Hoshino and Ainosuke Yoshida, the Estonian was making his Suzuka debut and overcame a late gear issue to triumph ahead of Team Étoile, which beat Taira Promote Racing to second place on the final lap by 2.213s.

“I came here on Tuesday for the first time and now I’ve ended up winning.” Soomer said. “Every motorcycle racer wants to be on this podium and now I’m on the first step I’m very, very happy.”

Teramoto@J-Trip Racing’s bid to convert its Superstock pole position into victory unravelled when Takeru Murase inflicted substantial damage by crashing at Turn 8 after 30 minutes. National Motos Honda FMA finished fifth but a crash for Gino Rea exiting the second Degner Curve in the opening 20 minutes dropped Wójcik Racing Team out of contention.

 

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days: MotoAmerica Deploying RWAF Soft Barriers

With a wide collection of vintage road racing on the schedule at 2024 Permco AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Yamaha — running July 26-28 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio — the American Motorcyclist Association extends its gratitude to the Roadracing World Action Fund (RWAF) and MotoAmerica for their assistance in creating an excellent road racing program at VMD this year. Photo courtesy AMA.
The Roadracing World Action Fund and MotoAmerica are teaming up to provide inflatable safety barriers for the 2024 Permco AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Yamaha July 26-28 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, in Lexington, Ohio. Photo courtesy AMA.

AMA Thanks Roadracing World Action Fund, MotoAmerica for Support in VMD Road Racing Efforts

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — With a wide collection of vintage road racing on the schedule at 2024 Permco AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Yamaha — running July 26-28 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio — the American Motorcyclist Association extends its gratitude to the Roadracing World Action Fund (RWAF) and MotoAmerica for their assistance in creating an excellent road racing program at VMD this year.

“We are so grateful to our friends at the RWAF and MotoAmerica for their support in our road racing efforts at VMD,” AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant said. “RWAF Founder and President John Ulrich and the RWAF have shown tremendous generosity for this event, specifically allowing us to use their inflatable soft barriers for VMD road races.”

The RWAF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to reducing racetrack injuries through education and advocating for safer racetrack practices. Created in 2001, the RWAF works with racing and track day organizations to facilitate deployment of soft barriers at events across the country.

Soft barriers made by Alpina and Airfence have an internal ambient air chamber supported by inflated ribs. They’re made to be deployed in front of steel barriers, tire walls, embankments and other hard objects surrounding racetracks. When a rider crashes and hits a soft barrier, air is pushed out through blow-off valves, absorbing energy; in simple terms, soft barriers can be thought of as being like a giant, pre-inflated car airbag.

“Thanks to our generous supporters, the Roadracing World Action Fund has been able to fund the Alpina and Airfence soft barriers assigned to MotoAmerica and deployed at MotoAmerica Superbike events sanctioned by the AMA,” RWAF Founder and President John Ulrich said. “Since the next MotoAmerica round will be held at Mid-Ohio August 16-18, those soft barriers will already be at Mid-Ohio, and I’m happy that we’re able to have AMA use them for the VMD road races. I am proud that, working with MotoAmerica, AMA, and other organizations nationwide, we’ve been able to improve rider safety and reduce injuries. Together, we have helped make a big difference in the culture of road racing in the United States, making attention on rider safety not just accepted, but also expected.”

The road racing program at VMD is sure to deliver, with 35 classes taking to the 2.4-mile racetrack to compete for AMA National No. 1 plates. For the first time, the AMA Amateur National Bagger Champion will be crowned at VMD, adding to the exciting racing slate.

There will be plenty more to do at Permco AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days presented by Yamaha, with North America’s largest swap meet, a collection of vendor displays and seminars at the Hall of Fame Fanzone in the infield, demo rides, bike shows, and much more!

There will also be plenty more racing action during the three-day celebration of vintage motorcycling, with competition in motocross, trials, hare scrambles and road racing all taking place. In addition to the extensive racing schedule, this year’s VMD will also include North America largest motorcycle swap meet, vendor displays, stunt shows and much more!

To stay engaged on all things VMD, visit the Vintage Motorcycle Days website at https://vintagemotorcycledays.com/, subscribe to the VMD Newsletter and follow the official VMD social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. Besides offering members money-saving discounts on products and services, the AMA also publishes American Motorcyclist, a recently revitalized and monthly full-color magazine (and digital version of same) that covers current events and motorcycle history with brilliant photography and compelling writing. American Motorcyclist is also North America’s largest-circulation magazine. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Not a member? Join the AMA today: AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

Seen At Services for Aaron Dreher, R.I.P. (Updated With Videos)

Aaron Dreher at the races. He and best friend John Ludwig (seen in background wearing a Honda shirt) were Bad Boy Racing and supported Avery and Ella Dreher in MotoAmerica Junior Cup. Avery won the class Championship in 2023.

Some scenes and photos seen at services for Aaron Dreher, father of MotoAmerica racers Avery and Ella Dreher, held today (Friday) at the Church at Viera in Viera, Florida. More information will be posted as it becomes available, along with more photos. Send comments or a photo(s) to [email protected]

 

Watch a video of snapshots of Aaron Dreher HERE.

Scroll down to watch a video of the service that was live-streamed on YouTube.

 

Handout from Aaron Dreher’s services.

 

The services drew many people.

 

Aaron Dreher in the foreground at the races, circa 2024, along with other recent and not so recent photos, usually with his kids. Aaron Dreher and his best friend John Ludwig were Bad Boy Racing and supported Avery and Ella Dreher in MotoAmerica Junior Cup. Avery won the class Championship in 2023. Aaron’s other kids are Brady and Carter.

 

A young Aaron Dreher (right) with life-long best friend John Ludwig (left) and another friend, with streetbikes, circa 1995.

 

Aaron Dreher hugs his son Avery after Avery won a MotoAmerica Junior Cup race at Barber Motorsports park earlier this year.

 

Ryan Rawls, Tonya Rawls, Max Van and his close friend Avery Dreher after the services.

 

World Supersport Race Two Results From Autodrom Most

Autodrom Most. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Autodrom Most. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Aruba Ducati’s Adrian Huertas won the second World Supersport race at Most, by a margin of 2.821 seconds over second place Stefani Manzi on a Pata Yamaha. Yari Montella was third on a Barni Ducati, 7.721 seconds behind Huertas with past MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Valentin Debise fourth, 8.000 seconds behind Huertas. J. Navarro was fifth on another Ducati V2, 13.766 seconds behind race winner Huertas.

Results

 

WorldSBK: Race Two Results From Autodrom Most (Updated)

Autodrom Most. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Autodrom Most. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Toprak Razgatlioglu continued his recent dominant run of form by taking another victory in World Superbike Race Two Sunday at Autodrom Most, in the Czech Republic.

The flamboyant Turkish rider won the 22-lap race by 3.213 seconds on his Pirelli-shod ROKiT BMW Motorrad M 1000 RR, making his 10th consecutive race win and extending his lead in the Championship point standings.

Nicolo Bulega, the reigning Supersport World Champion, was the runner-up on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Andrea Locatelli placed third on his Pata Prometeon Yamaha YZF-R1.

American Garrett Gerloff got 12th on his Bonovo Action BMW.

Hayden Gillim, the MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and King Of The Baggers Champion, finished 18th while filling in for the injured Tarran Mackenzie on the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda.

Notable non-finishers included two-time and defending World Champion Alvaro Bautista and Race One podium finisher Danilo Petrucci, who crashed together in Turn One at the start of the race. The incident is still being investigated by officials.

 

WSBK R2
 WSBK Points after R2

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Ten out of ten for Toprak Razgatlioglu

Toprak Razgatlioglu enjoyed a perfect weekend at Autodrom Most. The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team rider now holds a 64 point championship advantage after his tenth consecutive victory.

 

Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Dorna.

 

Tissot Superpole Race Highlights

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) led the opening three laps of the Superpole Race. Once the Italian was overtaken by Razgatlioglu he settled into a battle with his teammate Alvaro Bautista. On the final lap Bautista crashed while attempting an overtake at the first corner. Bulega was forced to avoiding action and rode through the gravel trap. He returned to the track in second position and held that to the flag
 
Bautista’s crash led to his first retirement of the season. The double WorldSBK champion endured a pointless day at Most and now falls 104 points behind Razgatlioglu in the championship standings
 
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) climbed his seventh podium of the campaign. After crashing in Race 1 the Englishman bounced back to be rewarded with a podium and a front row start for Race 2
 
A last lap one position penalty for Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) dropped the Dutchman to ninth position and the final points paying position
Race 2 Highlights

Razgatlioglu’s tenth victory in a row was as commanding as expected. Taking the lead from Bulega with a move on lap 4 he eventually opened a lead of three seconds as the chequered flag marked the end of a 22 lap race
 
Bulega further cemented his position as second in the championship with his tenth runner-up finish of the season. The Italian ended the race over three seconds behind Razgatlioglu
 
With a hard fought third place finish Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) finished on the podium for the first time since the opening round of the year in Australia. The Yamaha rider enjoyed a race long battle with Michael van der Mark and Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team)
 
Gardner made it three top five finishes at the Czech Round with a fifth place finish in Race 2. It was the Australian’s best round since Assen
 
A first corner crash saw Bautista and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) removed from the proceedings after they clashed with each other. The Italian rider is now four points behind Andrea Iannone in the battle for Independent honours with the Team GoEleven rider recovering from being forced wide by the crash at turn one. He dropped to 18th position but eventually finished in ninth position

Key Points:

Pole position: Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)

Race 1 winner: Toprak Razgatlioglu

Race fastest lap: Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’32.100s

More on worldsbk.com

P1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team

“I’m really happy. I want to thanks my team, we did an incredible job this weekend. In every session we improved and finally, we were really strong. In Race 2 I was not pushing hard because I needed to save the rear tyre. Finally, we won again. It’s another three wins this weekend and ten wins in total for us now! I am looking at the record for consecutive wins and I still need two more for this. Thanks to all fans and see you next year.”

P2 | Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati

“I did the maximum again today. I didn’t make any mistakes but it was difficult today, Toprak was again very fast. I started well and I tried to follow him and to open a gap to the riders behind. It’s another P2 and I’m happy.”

P3 | Andrea Locatelli | Pata Prometeon Yamaha

“We’re back on the podium. We’ve been working really hard. During this weekend, honestly, the confidence with the bike was not really quite high. It was difficult but the guys worked really hard yesterday and this morning, and they give me an incredible bike.”

DNF | Alvaro Bautista |  Aruba.it Racing – Ducati

“In Race 2 I had a really good start. I was like a rocket because I arrived to first corner in third or fourth place. I saw Toprak and Nicolo in front of me and then when I went into the corner, I saw Gardner on the inside. I had just to keep the line to not touch him but at that moment someone hit me and I crashed. I reviewed the image on the TV. And, it’s clear that there is not too much space for Petrucci, but he was behind, so he has to take care about others in front of him, no? This kind of corner is very tricky because we arrive very fast from the start and then we brake too hard. I was a bit unlucky but fortunately physically I’m ok. We are not performing like last year. This weekend something changed and we improved the feeling a lot for the next races. We now at least have a base for starting the next races.”

WorldSBK: Superpole Race Results From Autodrom Most

Autodrom Most. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Autodrom Most. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Toprak Razgatlioglu won the FIM Superbike World Championship Superpole Race Sunday morning at Autodrom Most, in the Czech Republic. Riding his ROKiT BMW Motorrad M 1000 RR on Pirelli control tires, the Turkish star won the 10-lap race by 3.812 seconds. It was Razgatlioglu’s ninth straight race win, extending his lead in the point standings.

Rookie sensation Nicolo Bulega was the runner-up on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Alex Lowes placed third on his factory Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR, just 0.439 second behind Bulega.

American Garrett Gerloff was 12th on his Bonovo Action BMW.

Hayden Gillim, the MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and King Of The Baggers Champion, finished 20th while filling in for the injured Tarran Mackenzie on the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda.

Non-finishers included Bulega’s teammate Alvaro Bautista, Gerloff’s teammate Scott Redding, and ELF Marc VDS Racing Ducati’s Sam Lowes.

 

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