Canadian Superbike: Race One Results From RAD Torque Raceway

David Swarts

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June 22, 2024

Canadian Superbike: Race One Results From RAD Torque Raceway

More, from a press release issued by CSBK:

Young holds off Collins to win hectic race one at Edmonton

Edmonton, AB – Ben Young escaped with a crucial and dramatic victory at RAD Torque Raceway on Saturday, fending off Torin Collins in a last-lap duel at the third round of the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship.

Young led the race from start-to-finish, grabbing the holeshot and gradually extending a comfortable advantage as the rest of the field battled behind him, but a charging Collins rapidly erased that gap in the final five laps as he chased a historic victory in his CSBK debut.

Collins got a poor start from second on the grid and slid to fourth behind Alex Dumas and Jordan Szoke, allowing Young to build up as much as a five-second advantage by the midway point, but Collins would eventually claw his way through Szoke and Dumas to find clean air and begin his hunt towards Young.

The 18-year-old Collins was carving away nearly a second-per-lap on Young before the championship leader stabilized things with three laps to go, but lapped traffic held Young up just enough to allow Collins to close within striking distance on the final lap.

The two would go side-by-side in the final few corners before Young slammed the door, escaping with the race one victory by just 0.4 seconds at the line.

It was a massive result for the Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW rider, who almost doubled his championship lead from 15 points to 29 in his first race at RAD Torque Raceway.

“I knew it was going to be wicked pace, and I was kinda keeping an eye on Torin all weekend,” Young admitted. “But our Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW was working well enough that I knew I could put my head down and run a comfortable pace, so it’s nice to bring home the win in my first trip here.”

The win was also a monumental one for BMW as a manufacturer, as they score their 63rd career Superbike victory – equalling Suzuki’s mark for second all-time (and now just eleven behind Kawasaki for the feature class lead).

Opening lap Superbike race one action with Ben Young (1) leading the field at RAD Torque Raceway. Defending CSBK champion Young went on to lead every lap on his way to the win. Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK. — Opening lap Superbike race one action with Ben Young (1) leading the field at RAD Torque Raceway. Defending CSBK champion Young went on to lead every lap on his way to the win. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.

As for Collins, the Novalda Kawasaki rookie put on quite the impressive showing in his wildcard debut, reeling in Young and nearly stealing a victory in his first ever Superbike race, a feat that would have put him alongside Dumas as the only riders to ever do so.

“I knew I was going to have to work really hard out there, but I got a bad start and then the bike just felt a little slow,” Collins said. “After the first couple laps I knew I had better pace though, so once I got by Alex I was lapping really well. Another lap or two would have been nice, but I’ll take second.”

Settling for third in his CSBK return was Dumas, who didn’t have as much of a challenge for his rival Young as he would have hoped. However, the Economy Lube Ducati rider remains confident that with some mechanical fixes he can close the gap on Sunday.

“First off, I have to thank Steve Moxey from Economy Lube, crew chief Scott Miller, and the whole team for the opportunity. A week ago I didn’t even know if we’d be here,” Dumas said. “I had some front chatter which was weird and made things really difficult, but we’ll do our homework tonight and get back up to the front tomorrow.”

Dumas extended his streak of having every career finish be on the podium, but by the finest of margins after Szoke nearly spoiled his return on the final lap.

The CKM Kawasaki veteran managed to stay with Dumas once Collins had made his way through the pair and wound up just three second off the victory, one of his closest efforts yet as he continues to work his way back from 2022 injuries.

Rounding out the top five was Sam Guérin, who ran a lonely race for the EFC Group BMW team as he ultimately couldn’t stick with the lead quartet. While still a solid result in his first trip to RAD Torque, it was a bitter one for the championship fight as Guérin slips to 29 points behind Young entering race two.

Local favourite Paul Macdonell earned a career-best sixth in his homecoming, charging through a late-race battle with former regional foes Brian Worsdall and Tosh Gable. The Grande Prairie, Alberta native made a great pass on Worsdall into turn one and held on the rest of the way aboard his PMR/Vass Performance BMW, moving him into fifth in the overall championship.

Edmonton Superbike Race One podium: Ben Young (center), Torin Collins (left), and Alex Dumas (right). Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK. — Edmonton Superbike Race One podium: Ben Young (center), Torin Collins (left), and Alex Dumas (right). Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.

Worsdall would relinquish another position to 16-year-old Philip DeGama-Blanchet in the final laps, an excellent result for the rookie aboard his lesser-powered Vass Performance Kawasaki Sport Bike machine, though Worsdall held on for an impressive eighth for Mots Machining Honda.

Pro Rookie of the Year leader Connor Campbell made some late improvements to earn ninth, keeping him tied with Macdonell for fifth in the championship aboard his B&T MacFarlane/Kubota Kawasaki.

Jon Bullee would complete the top ten at his home circuit for Riverside Honda, holding off Bronti Verbeek in a late battle. Verbeek, notably the first female pro since Stacey Nesbitt in 2017, would settle for a strong eleventh for Jack Carter Powersports BMW.

Missing from the final order was David MacKay, who crashed out of sixth early in the race. The ODH Snow City Cycle Honda rider was reeling in Guérin for fifth when he fell in turn ten, though he’ll retain fourth in the championship entering Sunday.

While it was a difficult day for Guérin, his performance coupled with Young’s victory was enough to add a slight extension to BMW’s total in the Constructors Championship, though Kawasaki countered with an excellent day from Collins and Szoke.

BMW will hope for an even better day in race two as they try to build upon their dominant 82-point advantage, while Kawasaki tries to hold off Honda, Suzuki, and Ducati for second.

Race two of the feature class is scheduled to get underway at roughly 3 pm local time (5 pm ET) on Sunday, with the full slate kicking off at 1 pm local time.

American Flat Track: Arai Sponsoring Bridgeport Half-Mile

David Swarts

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June 22, 2024

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American Flat Track: Arai Sponsoring Bridgeport Half-Mile

Arai Helmet, Drag Specialties Named Title and Presenting Sponsors of Bridgeport Half-Mile

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 22, 2024) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is excited to announce Arai Helmet and Drag Specialties as the respective title and presenting sponsor of the newly branded Arai Bridgeport Half-Mile presented by Drag Specialties at Bridgeport Speedway in Swedesboro, New Jersey, today, Saturday, June 22.

While remaining a small family-owned company, Arai has won countless championships across the globe, including in Progressive American Flat Track, Formula 1, MotoGP and far beyond. Globally recognized as the world’s premier helmet manufacturer, Arai has provided competitors and enthusiasts alike with unparalleled protection, comfort, technology, and style for generations.

Drag Specialties, alongside its sister brand, Parts Unlimited, is the world’s largest distributor of aftermarket accessories in the powersports industry. They have also been an active supporter of motorsports for as long as they have been supplying dealerships and enthusiasts worldwide with the ultimate selection of accessories.

Arai and Drag Specialties rank among Progressive AFT’s longest serving and most active supporters. Both companies boast direct ties with Progressive AFT in an official capacity dating back to 2018, while having previously been involved in the series via various rider, team, and series sponsorship initiatives that trace back decades earlier.

Tickets for today’s Arai Bridgeport Half-Mile presented by Drag Specialties are available to purchase both online and at the gate. Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/bridgeport-half-mile-86133 to reserve your seats today.

Gates will open for fans at 3:00 p.m. ET (12:00 p.m. PT) with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. ET (4:00 p.m. PT). You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FloRacing. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2024. FloSports is available by visiting https://flosports.link/aft or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.

FOX Sports coverage of the Bridgeport Half-Mile, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, June 29, at 2:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT).

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

About Progressive American Flat Track

Progressive American Flat Track is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. Progressive American Flat Track is televised on FOX Sports and streams live via FloRacing. For more information on Progressive American Flat Track, please visit us on the web, like us on Facebook, follow us on X, and check us out on Instagram.

Where To Ride In June: Track Days, Schools, And Races

David Swarts

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June 22, 2024

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Where To Ride In June: Track Days, Schools, And Races

The following track days, riding schools, and racing events are scheduled by organizations based in the United States and Canada during June 2024.

This list includes 194 opportunities to ride your motorcycles at races, schools, and track days during the month of June in North America.

Motorcycle track days, riding schools, and races are posted under the Event Calendar tab on the home page of this website, or you can access the Event Calendar for June 2024 directly by clicking HERE.

Once on the Event Calendar page, you can search for the event you are looking for by its date.

When you click on the event you want to attend you should find a link to the website and/or email address of the host organization, a link to the website of the host venue, the physical address of the host venue, a Google map to the host venue, and buttons to add the event and its information to your calendar application.

To have your motorcycle racing or riding event added to the Event Calendar on this website and published in the print edition of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine, submit your calendar and contact information via the contact page on this website or by clicking HERE.

5/31-6/2 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI

6/1 ASMA Track Days and Advanced Rider Training, Arroyo Seco Raceway, Deming, NM

6/1 Compact Octane Track Days, Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA

6/1 SFLminiGP (South Florida MiniGP) Rider Development Days (Minis), Herrin Compound, Dublin, GA

6/1 ZARS Advanced Riding Schools, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount, MN

6/1-2 Alaska Motorcycle Road Racing Series and Track Days, Tanacross Race Course, Tok, AK

6/1-2 ARL Series (Canada), Atlantic Motorsport Park, Mill Village, NS

6/1-2 ASMA Series, Arroyo Seco Raceway, Deming, NM

6/1-2 Carters@thetrack Track Days, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

6/1-2 Cornerspin School: Roadracing In The Dirt (Dirt Track School), Cornerspin Facility, Spencer, NC

6/1-2 Evolve GT School and Track Days, Atlanta Motorsports Park, Dawsonville, GA

6/1-2 Fastrack Riders Academy & Apex Club Track Days & School, Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Desert Center, CA

6/1-2 HART Rider Training/Motorcycle Lapping Days, Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, Hallett, OK

6/1-2 Motorheads Track Attacks Track Days, Rad Torque Raceway, Edmonton, AB

6/1-2 N2 Track Days, NCM Motorsports Park, Bowling Green, KY

6/1-2 NorthWest Mini Moto & Endurance Challenge (Minis), Mac Track, McMinnville, OR (MotoAmerica Mini Cup Qualifier)

6/1-2 Performance Riding Experience (PRE) Track Days, Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw, SC

6/1-2 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Kids Ride & Wrench Camp)

6/1-2 RideSmart Motorcycle School, MSR Houston, Angleton, TX

6/1-2 South Florida MiniGP Series (Minis), Herrin Compound, Dublin GA

6/1-2 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, AL

6/1-2 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Gingerman Raceway, S. Haven, MI

6/2 Legion Moto Trackdays, Pikes Peak International Raceway, Fountain, CO

6/2 Rocky Mountain Mini Moto Series (Minis), SBR Motorsports Park, Calhan, CO

6/2 Superbike-Coach Corp. (Schools), Little 99 Raceway, Stockton, CA

6/2 Team Pro-Motion Track Days & Schools, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, PA

6/3 2 Wheels Track Days, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow, CA

6/3 N2 Track Days, Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point, WV

6/3 SoCal Supermoto School, Adams Motorsport Park, Riverside, CA

6/3 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI

6/5 Pineview Run Two Wheel Wednesday Track Days, Pineview Run Auto & Country Club, LaFayette, NY

6/5 Road America Motorplex Open Track Days, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI

6/5-6 Penguin Riding School, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, NH

6/6 2Fast Motorcycle Track Days & Instruction, Pacific Raceways, Kent, WA

6/6 HardNoX Track Dayz, Rocky Mountain Motorsports, Carstairs, AB (Track Night)

6/7 2Fast Motorcycle Track Days & Instruction, Portland International Raceway, Portland, OR

6/7 Edmonton Motorcycle Roadracing Association (EMRA) Track Days, Rad Torque Raceway, Edmonton, AB (Track Night)

6/7 N2 Track Days, Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw, SC (Racer Practice Day)

6/7-9 (Bridgestone) Canadian Superbike Championship, Grand Bend Motorplex, Grand Bend, ON

6/7-9 OMRRA Series, Portland International Raceway, Portland, OR

6/7-9 WMRRA Series, Portland International Raceway, Portland, OR

6/8 Learning Curves Racing School, Blackhawk Farms Raceway, S. Beloit, IL

6/8 N2/WERA Endurance Series, Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw, SC

6/8 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Learn To Ride Off-Road)

6/8 Sandy Hook Mini Moto Road Race Series (Minis), Sandy Hook Speedway, Street, MD

6/8 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Talladega Gran Prix Raceway, Munford, AL (Ladies First)

6/8 ZARS Advanced Riding Schools, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount, MN

6/8-9 101^st Loudon Classic/ASRA Mid-West Roadracing Championship/AMA Sanctioned ASRA Outlaw Bagger Series, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Loudon, NH

6/8-9 California Superbike School, Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA

6/8-9 EMRA Series (Canada), Rad Torque Raceway, Edmonton, AB

6/8-9 Evolve GT School and Track Days, Pineview Run Auto & Country Club, LaFayette, NY

6/8-9 Fun Track Dayz, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

6/8-9 MRA Series and New Racer School and Super Street Racing Days, Pueblo Motorsports Park, Pueblo, CO

6/8-9 Riders Club Track Days, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/8-9 WERA Sportsman Series Atlantic Coastal/Southeast Region, Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw, SC

6/8-11 Pro 6 Cycle Inc. Track Days, Calabogie Motorsports Park, Calabogie, ON

6/9 Florida Trackdays, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL

6/9 John Long’s Longevity Racing School, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL

6/9 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Off-Road Challenge Course)

6/9 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Talladega Gran Prix Raceway, Munford, AL

6/9 Superbike-Coach Corp. (Schools), Little 99 Raceway, Stockton, CA

6/9-10 Optimum Performance Rider Training Track Days, Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton, WA

6/9-10 SoCal Supermoto School, Adams Motorsport Park, Riverside, CA

6/9-10 USCRA Road Racing Series, Canaan Motor Club, Canaan, NH

6/10 Evolve GT School and Track Days, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/10 Evolve GT School and Track Days, Summit Point Motorsports Park (Main), Summit Point, WV

6/10 Motogladiator Series, Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point, WV

6/10 Motovid.com Performance Riding Clinic, Blackhawk Farms Raceway, S. Beloit, IL

6/10 Westwood Motorcycle Racing Club School & Track Days, Mission Raceway Park, Mission, BC

6/10 ZARS Advanced Riding Schools & Track Days, Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, MN

6/10-11 California Superbike School, Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA (Two-Day Camp)

6/10-11 Fishtail Riding School, Club Motorsports, Tamworth, NH

6/10-11 Yamaha Champions Riding School, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willow, CA

6/11 USCRA Road Racing Series, Tower Hill Climb, Weirs Beach, Laconia, NH

6/11-12 2Fast Motorcycle Track Days & Instruction, Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton, WA

6/11-12 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Kids Ride & Wrench Summer Camp)

6/12 Pineview Run Two Wheel Wednesday Track Days, Pineview Run Auto & Country Club, LaFayette, NY

6/12-13 Riders Club Track Days, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/12-13 Shannonville Motorsport Park Motorcycle Lapping Days, Shannonville Motorsport Park, Shannonville, ON

6/13-14 California Superbike School, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA

6/14 ARL Track Days And High Performance Riding Academy, Atlantic Motorsport Park, Mill Village, NS

6/14 Fast Line Track Days, Putnam Park Road Course, Mt. Meridian, IN (Ladies Day)

6/14 MARRC Racing School and Track Days, Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point, WV

6/14 Road America Motorplex Open Track Days, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI

6/14-16 LegionSBK Series, Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, Jenning, OK

6/14-16 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series, Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, MN

6/14-16 N2 Track Days, Pittsburgh International Race Complex, Wampum, PA

6/15 (Progressive) AMA Pro American Flat Track (AFT), Orange County Half-Mile, Orange County Fair Speedway, Middletown, NY

6/15 Apex Track Days, Utah Motorsports Campus, Grantsville, UT

6/15 Tactical Motorcycle Dynamics Track Days, Utah Motorsports Campus, Grantsville, UT

6/15-16 ASRA Mid-Atlantic Roadracing Championship Series, Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point, WV

6/15-16 Carters@thetrack Track Days, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

6/15-16 Evolve GT School and Track Days, NCBike, Garysburg, NC

6/15-16 Fast Line Track Days, Putnam Park Road Course, Mt. Meridian, IN

6/15-16 Fasttrax Motorcycle Performance Track Days, Nelson Ledges Road Course, Garrettsville, OH

6/15-16 Let’s Ride Track Days, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow, CA

6/15-16 PanAmerican Superbike Series, Roebling Road Raceway, Bloomingdale, GA

6/15-16 RideSmart Motorcycle School, MotorSport Ranch, Cresson, TX

6/15-16 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Nashville Superspeedway, Lebanon, TN

6/15-16 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI

6/16 ASM Motosport Advanced Riding Course And Trackdays, Sanair Super Speedway, St-Pie, QC

6/16-17 Track Time Track Days, Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton, WA

6/17 Fun Track Dayz, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

6/17 Mid-Ohio School’s Performance Track Riding School, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, OH

6/17-18 ZARS Advanced Riding Schools & Track Days, Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, MN

6/18 MotoCorsa Track Days, Portland International Raceway, Portland, OR

6/18-19 Yamaha Champions Riding School, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/19 Pineview Run Two Wheel Wednesday Track Days, Pineview Run Auto & Country Club, LaFayette, NY

6/19-21 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Kids Ride & Wrench Summer Camp)

6/20 HardNoX Track Dayz, Rocky Mountain Motorsports, Carstairs, AB (Track Night)

6/20 Motorheads Track Attacks Track Days, Rad Torque Raceway, Edmonton, AB

6/20 Riders Club Track Days, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/21 2Fast Motorcycle Track Days & Instruction, Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton, WA

6/21 2WTD Mini Racing (Minis), Willow Springs International Raceway, Rosamond, CA

6/21 2 Wheels Track Days, Willow Springs International Raceway, Rosamond, CA

6/21 AHRMA Academy of Roadracing, Track Days & Ed Bargy Advanced Track Riding Technique, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/21 Fasttrax Motorcycle Performance Track Days, Nelson Ledges Road Course, Garrettsville, OH

6/21 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Gingerman Raceway, S. Haven, MI

6/21-23 (Bridgestone) AHRMA American Historic Racing Series, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/21-23 (Bridgestone) Canadian Superbike Championship, RAD Torque Raceway, Edmonton, AB

6/21-23 CRA (California Roadrace Association) Series, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow, CA

6/21-23 NJMiniGP (Minis) Track Days and Camps, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/21-23 OMRRA Series, Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton, WA

6/21-23 Performance Riding Experience (PRE) Track Days, VIRginia International Raceway, Alton, VA

6/21-23 SOAR Series (Canada), Grand Bend Motorplex, Grand Bend, ON

6/21-23 WMRRA Series, Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton, WA

6/22 AFM Series, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

6/22 (Progressive) AMA Pro American Flat Track (AFT), Bridgeport Half-Mile, Bridgeport Speedway, Bridgeport, NJ

6/22 DMVminiGP (Minis), United Karting Raceway, Hanover, MD

6/22 Learning Curves Racing School, Gingerman Raceway, S. Haven, MI

6/22 Sandia Motorcycle Roadracing Inc. (SMRI) Schools And Track Days, Sandia Motorsports Park (currently named Suika Circuit), Albuquerque, NM

6/22 Southeast Mini Moto Series (Minis) and Track Days, Lamar County Speedway, Barnesville, GA

6/22 ZARS Advanced Riding Schools, Dakota County Technical College, Rosemount, MN

6/22-23 2WTD Mini Racing (Minis), Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA

6/22-23 2 Wheels Track Days, Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA

6/22-23 Alaska Motorcycle Road Racing Series and Track Days, Tanacross Race Course, Tok, AK

6/22-23 ASRA Mid-West Roadracing Championship Series, Gingerman Raceway, South Haven, MI

6/22-23 ASRA Southeast Roadracing Championship Series, Roebling Road Raceway, Bloomingdale, GA

6/22-23 Evolve GT School and Track Days, Roebling Road Raceway, Bloomingdale, GA

6/22-23 Fast Line Track Days, NCM Motorsports Park, Bowling Green, KY

6/22-23 Higgy’s On The Track Track Days, Vancouver Island Motorsports Circuit, Duncan, BC

6/22-23 Motogladiator Series, Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw, SC

6/22-23 MRA Series (Canada), Gimli Motorsports Park, Gimli, MB

6/22-23 N2 Track Days, NCBike, Garysburg, NC

6/22-23 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Grattan Raceway, Belding, MI

6/22-23 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Talladega Gran Prix Raceway, Munford, AL

6/22-23 WERA Sportsman Series North Central Region, Nelson Ledges Road Course, Garrettsville, OH

6/22-24 Cyclesmith Track Days (formerly known as Tony’s Track Days), New York Safety Track, Harpersfield, NY

6/23 3:16 Superbike Camp, Circuit of The Americas, Austin, TX

6/23 Carters@thetrack Track Days, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

6/23 Florida Trackdays, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL

6/23 John Long’s Longevity Racing School, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL

6/23 Legion Moto Trackdays, Pueblo Motorsports Park, Pueblo, CO

6/23 Rocky Mountain Mini Moto Series (Minis), Grand Junction Motor Speedway, Grand Junction, CO

6/23 SMRI Series, Sandia Motorsports Park (currently named Suika Circuit), Albuquerque, NM

6/23 Superbike-Coach Corp. (Schools), Little 99 Raceway, Stockton, CA

6/23 Team Pro-Motion Track Days & Schools, Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, PA

6/23 UtahSBA Supermoto/Mini Series (Minis), Utah Motorsports Campus Kart Track, Grantsville, UT

6/23-24 Penguin Riding School, Thompson Speedway, Thompson, CT

6/23-24 SoCal Supermoto School, Adams Motorsport Park, Riverside, CA

6/24 Evolve GT School and Track Days, Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point, WV

6/24 N2 Track Days, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/24-25 2Fast Motorcycle Track Days & Instruction, Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton, WA

6/24-25 Pro 6 Cycle Inc. Track Days, Calabogie Motorsports Park, Calabogie, ON

6/26 Pineview Run Two Wheel Wednesday Track Days, Pineview Run Auto & Country Club, LaFayette, NY

6/26 Road America Motorplex Open Track Days, Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI

6/26-28 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Kids Ride & Wrench Advanced Summer Camp)

6/27 Riders Choice Lapping Days, Shannonville Motorsport Park, Shannonville, ON

6/27-28 Riders Club Track Days, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/28 ARL Track Days And High Performance Riding Academy, Atlantic Motorsport Park, Mill Village, NS

6/28 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Autobahn Country Club, Joliet, IL (Ladies First)

6/28-29 Shannonville Motorsport Park Motorcycle Lapping Days, Shannonville Motorsport Park, Shannonville, ON

6/28-30 Bagger Racing League (BRL), Gingerman Raceway, S. Haven, MI

6/28-30 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series, Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton, WA

6/28-30 VRRA Series (Vintage Canada), Calabogie Motorsports Park, Calabogie, ON

6/29 (Progressive) AMA Pro American Flat Track (AFT), Lima Half-Mile, Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH

6/29 Central Illinois Mini Moto Track Days (Minis), Mid-State Kart Club, Dawson, IL

6/29 Sandy Hook Mini Moto Road Race Series (Minis), Sandy Hook Speedway, Street, MD

6/29 TrackAddix/Ducati Omaha Racing Series, Motorsports Park Hastings, Hastings, NE

6/29-30 ARL Series (Canada), Atlantic Motorsport Park, Mill Village, NS

6/29-30 ASRA Atlantic/Mid-Atlantic Roadracing Championship Series, New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ

6/29-30 Central Illinois Mini Moto Series (Minis), Mid-State Kart Club, Mechanicsburg, IL

6/29-30 Evolve GT School and Track Days, Polecat Training Center, Fayetteville, TN

6/29-30 MRA Series, High Plains Raceway, Deer Trail, CO

6/29-30 N2 Track Days, Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Braselton, GA

6/29-30 Northern Nevada Kart Club (NNKC) Series, Shasta Kart Track, Redding, CA (MotoAmerica Mini Cup Qualifier)

6/29-30 Pacific Track Time Track Days, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

6/29-30 PanAmerican Superbike Series, Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, AL

6/29-30 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Autobahn Country Club, Joliet, IL

6/29-30 Superbike-Coach Corp. (Schools), Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

6/29-30 Z² Track Days, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA

6/30 TrackAddix/Ducati Omaha Track Days, Motorsports Park Hastings, Hastings, NE

6/30-7/1 Fishtail Riding School, Palmer Motorsports Park, Palmer, MA

Canadian Superbike: Young On Pole Position In Edmonton

David Swarts

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June 21, 2024

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Canadian Superbike: Young On Pole Position In Edmonton

Superbike Preview: Young reignites rivalry with Dumas in Edmonton

Edmonton, AB – A change in venues couldn’t prevent Ben Young from snatching pole position on Friday, as he captured his third consecutive BS Battery Pole award in a scorching qualifying session at RAD Torque Raceway.

Visiting the Edmonton circuit for the first time in his career, Young immediately moved to the top of Q1 behind a time of 1:17.947 and exited with a comfortable advantage, securing his entry to the top-ten Q2 session.

Torin Collins and Jordan Szoke would gradually chip away at the Q1 deficit, but it would be inconsequential as all three lapped safely inside the top-ten. However, the same was not true for Alex Dumas, who set a new lap record earlier in the day in FP1.

Having completed just one flying lap, Dumas went straight off at turn seven with a rear brake issue and sat parked for the remainder of Q1, tumbling down the order and clinging to a Q2 spot with a time of 1:20.642.

Ultimately, Dumas would narrowly squeeze through in eighth and allow the Economy Lube Ducati team to make the necessary repairs prior to Q2, setting up a showdown between himself, Young, Collins, and Szoke for pole.

There was little to separate the quartet early in the final session, as Young paced the field from Collins, Szoke, and Dumas with less than a half-second covering them all.

However, Young would blitz the timesheets around the midway point of Q2, lowering Dumas’ lap record time from the morning with a new best of 1:17.374, almost a half-second clear of the previous lap record from 2015.

That seemed like an insurmountable gap, but Collins would put in a late time attack to inch closer to what would have been a historic pole position, putting his Novalda Kawasaki within 0.137 seconds of Young but eventually settling for second.

That preserved a third consecutive pole for Young and the Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW squad and the 16th of his Superbike career, putting him at the front for both feature class races this weekend.

Dumas would salvage a dramatic third and the final spot on the front row, climbing to within 0.132 seconds of Collins as only 0.269 seconds blanketed the lead trio.

Szoke would lose a bit of steam in the final stints of Q2 but managed to put himself a strong fourth on the grid and at the front of row two, less than a second from pole.

Centering the second row will be round two breakout winner Sam Guérin, who closed the gap to the front over his two qualifying sessions but would still wind up fifth, only marginally behind Szoke aboard his EFC Group BMW.

David MacKay found over a full second of improvement in Q2 to place his ODH Snow City Cycle Honda into sixth and the end of row two, while fellow Honda rider Brian Worsdall will kick off row three in seventh, headlining the local contingent for the Mots Machining team.

Fellow EMRA star Tosh Gable will sit alongside him in eighth, while Sebastien Tremblay put his Turcotte Performance Suzuki just ahead of Paul Macdonell and the PMR/Vass Performance BMW team in the final places of the top-ten.

Young’s qualifying effort will extend his advantage in the BS Battery Pole Position Award standings, where he opens up a 16-point lead over Szoke and Guerin with only three rounds and 30 points left up for grabs.

Full results from Friday’s qualifying can be found on the series’ official website.

Video: Crescent Selling 215-Horsepower Track Yamahas

David Swarts

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June 21, 2024

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Video: Crescent Selling 215-Horsepower Track Yamahas

Limited Edition “Ultimate Track Day” GYTR R1

International shipping available.

Crescent Yamaha continues to expand its GYTR Pro Shop offering by launching its take on the ultimate track day R1, in the exclusive Jonathan Rea Winter Test livery by renowned motorsport designer Drudi Performance.

The team at Crescent aimed to create a track-only R1 that hits the sweet spot of peak performance, desirability and exclusivity, aligned with reliability and day-to-day usability, by specifying readily-available GYTR parts and additional Crescent performance tuning.

This exclusive Crescent Yamaha GYTR R1 is ready to hit the track with notable performance upgrades centered on practical, real rider demands. Beginning with the engine, Crescent Yamaha’s cylinder head porting and an increased compression ratio match the GYTR race kit camshafts, air funnel kit and factory-spec EWC Akrapovic exhaust to take this R1 to a power output of around 215bhp – a 30bhp+ increase over the standard bike. Performance and rideability are further enhanced via the fully-customizable GYTR kit electronics, via the race spec wiring harness and WSBK lookalike handlebar adjustment switches.

A stripped down view of Crescent Yamaha's GYTR Pro Shop "Ultimate Track Day" R1. Photo courtesy Crescent Yamaha. — A stripped down view of Crescent Yamaha’s GYTR Pro Shop “Ultimate Track Day” R1. Photo courtesy Crescent Yamaha.

The R1’s grip and stability are amplified further by the WorldSBK style underslung swingarm and Öhlins TTX rear shock, alongside race-specification Öhlins road & track front forks with adjustable steering damper, as well as the complete industry-benchmark Brembo braking system and Marchesini forged-aluminum wheels.

Crescent Yamaha's GYTR Pro Shop will ship its limited-edition "Ultimate Track Day" R1 Internationally. Photo courtesy Crescent Yamaha. — Crescent Yamaha’s GYTR Pro Shop will ship its limited-edition “Ultimate Track Day” R1 Internationally. Photo courtesy Crescent Yamaha.

This special bike is finished with the same care and attention to detail that you would expect from a WorldSBK-inspired Crescent Yamaha-built GYTR Pro Shop machine, including carbon bodywork, Pro-Bolt titanium fasteners throughout, and further recognizable GYTR parts and one-off details.

There will be only 10 Limited Edition units built in the exclusive Jonathan Rea 2024 Winter Test livery colourway, all delivered with signed Crescent Yamaha certification and the opportunity to be a guest and meet “JR” at any round of the WorldSBK Championship. Every buyer who uses the bike on track will benefit from the support of a Crescent Yamaha GYTR Pro Shop technician by attending a track day of the customer’s choice to set up suspension, electronics and to ensure the bike is correctly adjusted to each individual client (UK track days only).

Each R1 is priced at £65,000 ($82,187 USD) excluding UK VAT and is available to be shipped internationally.

“We really wanted to ‘throw the kitchen sink’ at this Limited Edition ‘JR Winter Test’ track bike, both from the GYTR catalogue and our other performance suppliers, to create the ultimate Crescent Yamaha track day R1,” said Crescent Yamaha Managing Director and Yamaha WorldSBK Team Principal Paul Denning, “and we’re pretty confident that we’ve nailed it! We want to cater to the guys who want something special but who also really want to use up their tires and come back with a massive grin on their faces – and to do that we considered every part in terms of both performance and maintenance, with durability in mind. There are a lot of details on this machine that are super close to WorldSBK but still openly available in the market, so this bike is designed to be used. With the engine upgrades and torque output, we’ve created something that can make a mega lap time in skilled hands but still delivers the very forgiving, very linear power delivery that the R1 is famous for. Alongside a huge step in grip, braking power and stability, and coming in underneath the WorldSBK lower weight limit, this R1 is going to be very special to ride.”

For information or to place an order, go to https://crescentyamahaproshop.co.uk/products/jonathan-rea-gytr-r1-factory-yamaha-worldsbk-replica?_kx=-tY6pmaaY-YkZAijmuFgsnuZTIGUPSXVU_dgLH3jNOr4oBcGFkufzMw9u9kqFO-M.Xwb8X6

World Endurance: Zarco On Pace Testing At Suzuka

David Swarts

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June 20, 2024

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World Endurance: Zarco On Pace Testing At Suzuka

Team HRC with Japan Post Fourth Fastest Again in Day 2 of Tests

On Thursday June 20, the second day of test sessions organized by Suzuka Circuit was held at Suzuka Circuit in preparation for the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race (Suzuka 8 Hours).

The 40 participating teams were once again divided into groups A and B. For each group, an 80-minute Session 5 in the morning, and a 90-minute Session 6 in the afternoon was allocated.

In Session 5, Team HRC with Japan Post (Takumi Takahashi / Teppei Nagoe / Johann Zarco) set the 5th fastest lap with 2’06.671 and in Session 6, 4th fastest with 2’06.385.

Johann Zarco of Team HRC with Japan Post conducted a long run, and despite leaving the track at one point, he set better-than-expected average times. Nagoe also completed a long run, achieving the best average time for the tests so far. Takahashi focused on overcoming issues and succeeded in finding a positive direction for improving the bike’s setup.

Moving forward, Team HRC with Japan Post will continue preparing for the race using the times of other teams as benchmarks.

Takahashi’s best lap time was 2’08.490, Nagoe’s was 2’06.385, and Zarco’s was 2’06.671.

Overall, Team HRC with Japan Post was 4th fastest with a best lap time of 2’06.385.

Full Results Courtesy of Suzuka Circuit

Takumi Takahashi 30

“On Day 2, I only did two or three laps. Due to the limits on the number of tires, our objective in these tests was to have Zarco learn the track, improve his average times, and get a feel for the pace. I think we achieved that. The temperature was much cooler today than we expected, but I believe we managed to check what we wanted to. Even though I didn’t get many laps to test the bike, I left with a positive impression. I will work on fine-tuning the bike during race weekend.”

Teppei Nagoe 30

“Due to the tire limit, I didn’t ride in the morning session, but in the afternoon, I was able to do a long run. I think we made progress as I could maintain the pace up towards the end. We have been doing long runs at every test, and a 27-lap stint is becoming less of a challenge for me. I heard that Takahashi worked on the bike and found a good direction, and I think we are improving overall. I received clear advice, and I feel that I have grown as a person. I hope to show the results of my efforts in the race.”

Johann Zarco 30

“I was able to learn the track by riding a lot during these two days. Takahashi is very fast, so I tried to learn from him as much as possible. I think we had a really enjoyable test. MotoGP races last about 40 minutes, but a Suzuka 8 Hours stint lasts an hour. I had never raced for such a long time before. I was nervous on Day 1 because it was all new to me, but gradually I became more relaxed and could ride better. I think I will perform better in the race. I will have MotoGP races between now and the Suzuka 8 Hours, but I will try to keep this feeling as long as possible so that I don’t forget it when I return to Suzuka.”

Kawasaki Selling 2025 Elektrode 20 Online

David Swarts

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June 20, 2024

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Kawasaki Selling 2025 Elektrode 20 Online

2025 KAWASAKI ELEKTRODE® 20 IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON KAWASAKI.COM

Kawasaki is thrilled to announce the latest addition to its Elektrode® lineup, the Elektrode® 20 electric balance bike is now available for purchase through Kawasaki.com. This quick and easy online purchasing process and convenient home delivery option opens the market to a wider range of young riders.

“We are excited to launch the new Elektrode 20 on our enhanced e-commerce platform,” said Bob O’Brien, Director of Marketing, Kawasaki. “By offering the Elektrode 20 for sale on Kawasaki.com, we can reach an even larger audience, expanding accessibility of our products while growing our customer base. It’s an exciting addition that will allow new riders to experience the thrill of owning a Kawasaki with a convenient purchasing process.”

The all-new Elektrode 20 features 20-inch wheels and is designed for youth and teens ages 8 and older. Built with a long run time*, quick acceleration, and a max speed of up to 24 mph*, these game-changing 20-in Elektrode® electric balance bikes built by Kawasaki are engineered with premium quality for top performance and fun. Young riders will be drawn to its motocross-inspired styling and exciting features such as a powerful 750W motor, selectable power modes and integrated battery.

*Top speed and running time vary based on battery age, charge, and the number of charge cycles it has had, rider weight, speed, and riding conditions.

ALL-NEW 2025 KAWASAKI ELEKTRODE® 20 HIGHLIGHTS:

● NEW Powerful 750W in-wheel brushless electric motor

● NEW Chainless drive and silent operation

● NEW Premium disc brakes

● NEW Long-lasting in-frame battery with up to 3 hours of running time*

● NEW Telescopic front fork

● NEW Large 20” spoke wheels

● NEW 24mph max speed* with three selectable speed modes

● NEW KX-inspired styling

Additionally, Kawasaki encourages Elektrode owners to take advantage of its all-new website feature that allows owners to register their Elektrode electric balance bike, activating the product warranty.

AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Class Of 2024 Announced

David Swarts

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June 20, 2024

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AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Class Of 2024 Announced

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2024

Five influential motorcyclists to be inducted on Oct. 10 during the AMA’s Hall of Fame Days event in Pickerington, Ohio

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — Following weeks of voting, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame announced the five inductees who will be honored during the 2024 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Oct. 10 in Pickerington, Ohio.

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2024 is Mike Lafferty, Debbie Matthews, Mat Mladin, Rob Rasor and Kevin Windham.

“This year’s class represents a wide range of individuals who have helped push motorcycling forward, both as a sport and as a lifestyle,” AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman said. “Without the contributions of these racers, ambassadors and leaders, motorcycling would not be where it is today. We look forward to enshrining the legacies of these five outstanding motorcyclists into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame on Oct. 10.”

The Induction Ceremony will headline the AMA’s Hall of Fame Days, which is set for Oct. 10-13, and will include an AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Bike Night and open house at the Hall of Fame Museum. The Induction Ceremony will take place at the nearby Violet Township Event Center on Oct. 10, followed by a cocktail reception at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

Tickets for the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2024 Induction Ceremony are now on sale and can be found at AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact AMA Business Development Manager Michael Kula at (949) 466-7833 or [email protected].

Hall of Fame inductees are selected from eight areas of influence: Ambassadors/Industry, Design/Engineering, Dirt Track, Leadership/Motorcycle Rights, Motocross/Supercross, Off-Road, Road Racing and Specialty Competition.

MIKE LAFFERTY

Mike Lafferty was bitten by the enduro racing bug in 1982 when he was 7 years old, and he turned this passion into one of the most successful off-road careers ever. Racing throughout the 1980s, Lafferty broke through when he won back-to-back East Coast Enduro Association championships as a teenager in 1993 and 1994.

Lafferty hit a launching point in 1997, when he claimed his first AMA National Enduro Championship. In total he tallied 71 National Enduro wins — second all-time — and eight titles, which leaves him tied for the most all-time. Lafferty also raced AMA Grand National Cross Country and was a member of four U.S. ISDE teams.

DEBBIE MATTHEWS

Debbie Matthews has spent her life contributing to motorcycling and has done so by serving in — and excelling in — almost every role the sport has to offer to increase opportunities for women riders. Known for her smooth and effortless racing style, Matthews set the record for longest consecutive pro and amateur career in women’s motocross when she raced for 27 years.

In 1996, she co-founded the Women’s Motocross League, and Matthews further worked on behalf of women riders when she met with AMA Congress and drove the change to give women “A” Rider classification for the first time in history. Recognizing Matthews’ work promoting women’s motocross, announcer Erv Braun described her as the “Godmother of Women’s MX.”

MAT MLADIN

In a 10-year span from 1999 to 2009 that continues to defy belief in hindsight, Mat Mladin notched seven AMA Superbike titles and won 82 AMA Superbike nationals in the process — each of those numbers more than anyone in history.

Mladin also won the legendary Daytona 200 three times during that period, achievements that have him tied for third all-time behind AMA Hall of Famers and multi-time Daytona 200 winners Scott Russell (five) and Miguel Duhamel (four). In 1999, he won his first of seven AMA Superbike titles — achievements that would make him, according to series promoter MotoAmerica, “the most dominant rider in the history of the AMA Superbike Championship.”

ROB RASOR

For decades, Rob Rasor was instrumental in carrying out the AMA’s mission to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling.

Hired in 1973 as part of the AMA’s Government Relations Department, Rasor helped ward off a federal “superbike” ban, helmet requirements and bike bans in several states and cities, and aided in the fight to ban healthcare discrimination against motorcyclists. Rasor was also a champion for off-road riding and led the AMA’s efforts to win public land access for off-road riders.

Rasor’s efforts extended beyond the United States, and he was awarded the FIM Nicolas Rodi Del Valle Gold Medal in 2019.

KEVIN WINDHAM

Kevin Windham’s 19-year AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross career is one for the history books.

During his long, illustrious career, Windham raced to 47 total AMA Pro wins and collected the third-most starts (325), third-most points (9,070) and the seventh-most podiums (130). While Windham saw success domestically, he thrived in international competition — winning the 1999 FIM United States Grand Prix and 2005 Motocross of Nations as a member of the American team.

Windham retired from AMA professional racing in 2013, marking the end of a dominant career in the AMA and international circuits.

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.

Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast: MotoGP – A Matter Of Balance

David Swarts

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June 20, 2024

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Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast: MotoGP – A Matter Of Balance

Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom have started “The Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast,” which will be focused on the FIM MotoGP World Championship.

This podcast is “MotoGP – A Matter Of Balance.”

The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.

From the Oxley Bom Podcast:

Here’s an interesting question: what was the last time KTM won a race? And what was the last time they won while the track was dry?

The answer is three whole years. Yes, with no race in Kazakhstan this week, Mat instead decided to dive into some interesting statistics. The numbers don’t lie, and they point at something curious at KTM.

So this week we’re going to dive into why an incredibly competitive bike like the RC16 isn’t bringing home the gold more often. It’s a question that not only involves lots of engineering and data, but also a serious look at the different kinds of pilots riding these machines. And the answer might have some serious implications for the freshly-signed Enea Bastianini and Maverick Vinales…

Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman’s Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!

World Endurance: YART Yamaha Tests At Suzuka

David Swarts

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June 20, 2024

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World Endurance: YART Yamaha Tests At Suzuka

YART Yamaha Complete Successful Pre-Event Test for Suzuka 8 Hours

The Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team of Niccolò Canepa, Karel Hanika, and Marvin Fritz enjoyed a productive two-day Pre-Event test in Japan, with all three riders lapping in the 2:05s ahead of the 45th “Coca-Cola” Suzuka 8 Hours that will take place on the 18-21st of July.

The Yamalube YART Yamaha squad will be Yamaha Motor’s top team at the event, and the staff members and riders arrived in Japan on Monday, June 17th, to get themselves acclimated to the time difference and get ready to ride. In the days leading up to the test, heavy rain fell in many parts of Japan, but on Wednesday morning, clear and sunny skies greeted the defending FIM Endurance World Champions as they arrived at Suzuka Circuit.

In the first session, YART rode in Group B, showing off their R1, which featured a special Suzuka 8 Hours livery with a “YAMALUBE” logo design, denoting Yamaha Motor’s brand of genuine motor oils and chemicals to Japanese fans and media for the first time.

Looking at the combined times for Session 1 from Group A and Group B, Team HRC (that includes MotoGP rider Johann Zarco) held the top two quickest lap times with a 2’06.867 and a 2’07.097. Behind them was YART, who were still working on getting re-acclimated to Suzuka Circuit as it was the first time they had ridden the track since last year’s race. They quickly got down to speed, though, with times in the 2’08s for most of their laps, and in the end, they finished the session having set a 2’07.299 and 2’07.626 to finish in third and fourth overall.

In the second session of the day, Ducati Team KAGAYAMA were fastest, having set a 2’06.634, with YART in second with a 2’07.049. The third session of the day saw YART set a 2’07.495 to finish in fourth, while in the final night session, Canepa clocked the fastest time of the entire day with a 2’06.381 to make YART’s rivals fully aware of their presence.

On day two of the test, cloudy skies brought relatively milder temperatures than on Wednesday, which allowed teams to improve their times, and the Austrian squad was no exception. The team focused on longer runs before switching to time attack mode to prepare for qualifying practice at the main event, during which they bettered their fastest times for the test.

On Thursday, Session 5 began at 9:30 am and was followed by Session 6 at 2:00 pm, with both lasting 80 minutes in total, and the longer session times allowed for race simulations to be made. Once these were complete in Session 5, Canepa and Fritz both went out with fresh tyres and pushed for fast lap times, with both eventually setting consecutive laps in the 2’06 range, with fastest times of 2’06.137 and 2’06.198 respectively, improving on Canepa’s best time from Wednesday.

Although single lap times are not as important in endurance races like the 8 Hours, the team finished one-two in front of rivals Ducati Team KAGAYAMA, Yoshimura SERT Motul and Team HRC in the session. YART’s race pace was consistently in the 2’07 range, which demonstrated the level to which the team is already performing in the lead-up to the race.

In the final session, Ducati Team KAGAYAMA set a 2’05.162 to top the timesheets, which would go on to be the fastest lap of the test. YART spent most of the time working on longer race simulations, but once again, at the end of the session, fresh tyres were put on the R1s, and the riders went out to work on single-lap pace to prepare for qualifying. They could not quite match their rivals’ times, but all three YART riders set laps in the 2’05.6-7 range. Those times were on par with qualifying times from last year’s 8 Hours, confirming that everything within the team is proceeding well and according to plan ahead of the historic race in July.

Karel Hanika

Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team

“It was my first time back at Suzuka after a year, so the first thing I did was try to get the feeling back. The weather and track conditions were different from last year, but I already knew the track layout well, so I was able to set some fast lap times right from the start. I’m happy to be here because I like the Suzuka Circuit a lot, so I’m looking forward to the race. On the second day, we worked on the geometry, suspension and electronics a little bit each, and we found something positive compared to Wednesday. We worked on track to help each other with our riding, so overall, the test was good. We have a few small things to improve, but they are not major, and all three of us are fast. We know our rivals will be strong, but when we did long runs today, we were very competitive. We tried out some different tyres and saw, which worked well for the end of the stint, so I feel like we’ve done everything we needed to do in this test, and we’re ready for the race weekend. There are still some small things to improve, of course. In the month until the race, I’ll train like I normally do, but I know the 8 Hours will be hot like always, and luckily, it’s also getting hot where I live, so I’ll work on doing cardio outdoors in the heat to be in the best physical condition.”

Niccolò Canepa

Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team

“The first day was all about getting back up to speed at Suzuka, and I think we did that very quickly in the first session. We completed the testing plan we had for the day, and took all the comments from us three riders, and we’ll use those to make some small changes to the bike for tomorrow. My two teammates both did long runs, though I didn’t, and checked fuel consumption, which looked good. I set our fastest time on Wednesday, and I think it was because today is one of the coolest days I’ve ridden at Suzuka, so the conditions were perfect, which helped. I also had new tyres on, so when I pushed, we were able to set a fast time, though still not a perfect lap and not as fast as qualifying times. Everything went so well on Wednesday that we didn’t have much to do on the second day. Still, we worked a bit on the geometry, suspension and electronics. Compared to the other teams, I think we did an excellent job over the two days. We weren’t trying so hard to set a qualifying lap time, but we worked more on our race pace, and in the long runs we did, that pace was very good. At the end of the final session, we put on new tyres and tried a time attack. All three of us were very fast, which is great because that’s the goal of our team, for all three to be on the same level. I’ll do some training to prepare for the 8 Hours, but mostly, I need to focus on recovering my injured shoulder. Between competing at Spa and doing some WorldSBK testing, I have put a lot of stress on it, so now I need to do some physiotherapy, rest and recover.”

Marvin Fritz

Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team

“My first lap on track was a 2’07.6, so we were already at a fast pace right from the start. We mostly focused on our race pace on Wednesday. From all the years I’ve raced Suzuka, I think on the first day, I had my fastest average race pace ever. My teammates were also very fast, so we made a good start to the test. We didn’t have any issues, and the bike is working well, but there are still some small points we can improve on. On the second day, we focused on some small things, mostly the riding position, electronics and front suspension. We did some long runs to check our fuel consumption and, after that, did a time attack, where I was able to set a personal best here at Suzuka of 2’05.6. We can still improve some things, but overall, I’m happy. Of course, our rivals also set fast times over the test, but we can still go even faster, so I’m not too worried. Overall, I think we gained a lot of confidence for the race. To get ready, I’ll train even harder than usual.”

Mandy Kainz

Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team – Team Manager

”In the test, we had no mistakes, no problems at all, so if the actual race weekend is this trouble-free, we’d be very happy. The bike, the tyres, the riders and the mechanics all did their jobs perfectly. So perfectly that it’s almost scary! We were trying to work on race pace, and on average, our lap times are one second faster than last year’s, so we’re satisfied with this. I think the test overall has given the riders more confidence. If we can do exactly the same thing in three weeks, we’ll have very good results at the 8 Hours. I would say we’re ready to race right now, as we are, but we need the time for Niccolò to recover his shoulder.”

Canadian Superbike: Race One Results From RAD Torque Raceway

June 22, 2024

Last-lap Superbike action Saturday at RAD Torque Raceway saw Torin Collins (71) try multiple times to make a pass for the lead over victor Ben Young (1). Collins would finish second in his first CSBK race start. Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK.

Pro Superbike - Race 1