MotoAmerica racers Corey Alexander and James Rispoli are thrilled to announce the release of Episode 15 of the Pipe Dreams Podcast, featuring a special guest, rookie MotoAmerica Superbike rider for the TopPro Racing Team, Sean Dylan Kelly.
At just 22 years old, Sean Dylan Kelly (@seandylankelly) boasts an impressive motorcycle road-racing resume. His career has taken him and his family from their home base in Miami to various parts of the world and now back again. Despite his young age, Sean has accumulated a wealth of wisdom and has experienced the extreme highs and lows of racing, topics we frequently explore in our episodes.
Among Sean’s highs is racing in the prestigious Moto2 World Championship. However, he has also faced significant challenges, including the tough decision to put his dream of racing abroad on hold. In 2024, he will be returning home to compete in MotoAmerica Superbike as a rookie.
In this episode, Sean opens up about his childhood experiences, his time in Europe racing Moto2, and how these experiences have shaped him both as a racer and as a person. His story is one of resilience, determination, and growth.
We hope you enjoy this episode of Pipe Dreams and find inspiration in Sean’s incredible journey!
Available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, the fifteen full episode with Sean is out now. Video of the episode can be viewed on your favorite Spotify or YouTube.
About Pipe Dreams Podcast:
Pipe Dreams Podcast launched in 2023 by MotoAmerica and American Flat Track riders Corey Alexander and James Rispoli in an effort to share the stories of fellow racers and motorsport professionals around the world. The podcast releases twice per month for streaming on all major platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube. Editing is curated by Sabotno Media. Follow @pipedreams_pod on social media or visit https://anchor.fm/pipe-dreams to listen now.
The SBK Commission is currently working on the introduction of a new entry class to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in 2026, marking a significant evolution in the racing landscape. This new class will replace the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship (WorldSSP300), which has successfully served as a feeder class since its inception in 2017.
WorldSSP300 has fulfilled its mission of providing a sustainable and affordable platform for emerging talents to enter the World Championship. Building on this success, the introduction of the new class aims to further enhance the sporting and commercial relevance of the entry category.
One of the key objectives of this new initiative is to smoothen the progression path for riders moving up to the larger classes, particularly to the FIM Supersport World Championship (WorldSSP). By closing the performance gap between the entry and intermediate classes, the aim is to create a more seamless transition for riders, fostering their development and preparing them for the competitive demands of higher categories.
Additionally, this move is designed to attract greater interest from manufacturers by allowing them to showcase machinery that reflects a growing market segment. The new class will feature nimble bikes with more powerful mid-tier capacity engines, details of which will be specified by the SBK Commission in the coming weeks and months.
Launched in 2017, the WorldSSP300 class provided a global platform for young talents, allowing them to showcase their abilities and learn the intricacies of a world racing series and quickly becoming a popular entry point for aspiring professional riders.
The final season of the WorldSSP300 series will take place in 2025, providing teams and manufacturers ample time to prepare for the transition to the new class in 2026. This period will ensure a smooth and well-coordinated shift, allowing all stakeholders to adapt to the new technical and sporting regulations.
DOUGLAS, UK. The Isle of Man TT 2024 has come to a thrilling conclusion, with the world’s fastest riders battling it out on the legendary mountain course. A key factor in the success of almost all podium finishers was the superior braking performance provided by SBS Friction A/S, who also in 2024 was the preferred brake supplier for the event.
SBS has a long history in international road racing that started back in the 80s with ceramic-based brake pads. Over the years, SBS has developed and complemented its product range with sinter brake pads and technological integrations, such as NUCAP NRS bonding technology, developed in close collaboration with top teams and riders in international championship classes. To this date, SBS racing brake pads are the preferred choice, also in Isle of Man TT.
The 2024 edition of the Isle of Man TT was a spectacle of speed and skill, with several highlights that will be remembered for years to come. Michael Dunlop’s 29th victory was a testament to his skill and experience that has continued his family’s TT legacy. Davey Todd’s double win – and his first overall – showcased his result-orientated strategy and determined execution.
– When racing at the high-speed straights between villages and in the mountains on the Isle of Man, all brake system components are repeatedly cooled and heated. When braking with high pressure for the turns, brake system parts reach extreme temperatures to affect thermally the overall brake performance. SBS DS Dual Sinter compounds are designed to perform at these extreme shifts from cold to warm temperatures, giving our riders a reliable and consistent brake lever feel and power to lap the complete 60 km circuit of Isle of Man TT at a record pace, says Allan Østli, Race Manager at SBS.
Other SBS racers and champions Dean Harrison, Peter Hickman, Nathan Harrison, Josh Brookes, Paul Cassidy, Conor Cummins, James Hillier, Davo Johnson, and Ian Hutchinson also statued strong performances, each bringing their unique perspective and strategy to the race. The event showed some impressive lap records, adding to the excitement and intensity of the event.
The Isle of Man TT 2024 was a memorable event showcasing the best of (real) road racing and highlighting the brake system’s intense performance requirements. With the support of SBS Friction A/S and the exceptional performances of the racers, the event was a resounding success. As we look forward to the next race, we celebrate the achievements of this year’s event and the incredible skill and determination of all the racers.
Podium overview
Superbike TT Race 1
1st: Peter Hickman* (SBS DS-1, DS-2, RQ)
2nd: Davey Todd* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
3rd: Dean Harrison* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
Senior TT Race
1st: Davey Todd* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Josh Brookes* (SBS DS-1, DS-2, RQ)
3rd: Dean Harrison* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
Supertwin TT Race 1
1st: Michael Dunlop* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Peter Hickman* (SBS DS-1, DS-2, RQ)
3rd: Dominic Herbertson
Supertwin TT Race 2
1st: Michael Dunlop* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Peter Hickman* (SBS DS-1, DS-2, RQ)
3rd: Mike Browne
Superstock TT Race 1
1st: Davey Todd* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Peter Hickman* (SBS DS-1, DS-2, RQ)
3rd: Michael Dunlop* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
Superstock TT Race 2
Cancelled
Supersport TT Race 1
1st: Michael Dunlop* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Davey Todd* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
3rd: Dean Harrison* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
Supersport TT Race 2
1st: Michael Dunlop*(SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Dean Harrison* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
3rd: Davey Todd* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
* SBS sponsored rider
The SBS Dynamic Racing Concept – DS-1 and DS-2 – is a revolutionary approach to motorcycle braking technology, designed to cater to the individual braking preferences of riders. The concept combines the best of two worlds – the strong initial bite and linear in-stop performance from DS-1 and the smooth initial bite and progressive in-stop performance from DS-2. It allows for the simultaneous use of two different brake pad compounds, offering riders a unique sense of control and brake power that can be tailored to their specific needs.
Daniels Leads Grand National Championship Battle to Bridgeport Half-Mile
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, picks right back up this weekend with the second-ever running of the Bridgeport Half-Mile at Bridgeport Speedway in Swedesboro, New Jersey, on Saturday, June 22.
Last season’s stop marked the first-ever motorcycle race in the history of the half-century old venue and was rewarded with an epic Mission AFT SuperTwins showdown that saw Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) overcome reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) by 0.095 seconds to secure his first-career Half-Mile victory.
Daniels returns with the momentum of a freight train after earning his second-career Half-Mile victory in this past weekend’s Orange County Half-Mile and doing so in utterly dominant fashion.
The circumstances might invite overconfidence if not for the reminder that rival Mees was in the exact same situation – having won both the season’s previous race and last year’s race at Orange County – before encountering an uncharacteristically difficult round. Buried outside the top ten early, Mees fought his way up to fifth to limit the damage done to his title chances, which he’ll no doubt look to bolster with a bounce-back ride this weekend.
While fellow title hopefuls Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) continued to race near the front of the field and expect to do so again at Bridgeport, the final results underlined the incredible diversity and competitiveness of the premier class.
Five different manufacturers finished inside the top five thanks to the impressive ‘24 Mission SuperTwins debuts of Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) and Billy Ross (No. 29 Mission Foods/Digitale Kawasaki Ninja 650).
Meanwhile, a big crop of veteran frontrunners will be looking to make their presence felt in New Jersey, a crew that consists of Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp) among others.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Double defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) rewrites the history books seemingly every time he throws a leg over his KTM, and this weekend has the potential for yet another revision.
With a win this weekend, Kopp will break a tie with Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) to take sole possession of first on the all-time class wins list at 20, while moving into a tie with Texter-Bauman for most career Half-Mile wins at 11. However, he’ll have to overcome recent history to make history for a change considering he finished outside the top five following an uncharacteristically quiet day in last season’s inaugural Bridgeport Half-Mile.
Instead, it was rising star Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) who ruled the day. He’ll look to do so again this year, and his cause may be aided by the fact that both riders who joined him on the podium last year – Max Whale (No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing Indian FTR750) – have since graduated to premier-class duty.
Fourth- and fifth place, however, went to Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), a pair of riders with the talent and motivation to push for the checkered flag this weekend.
The deep field of challengers is again fronted by the California trio of James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R), and Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), while rookie Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) feels due for a breakthrough performance.
Along with the incredible action on track, the Bridgeport Half-Mile will also feature live music courtesy of acclaimed Southern New Jersey cover band Poor Mouth Henry, the Kids Zone, designated motorcycle parking, numerous vendors, and a variety of food and beverage options.
General Admission Grandstand tickets are just $40 (kids 12 and under $5), while Reserved Grandstand tickets are only $10 more (All Ages). A Pit Pass Upgrade provides all-day access to the pit area where fans can scope out the world’s fastest dirt track motorcycles and get up close and personal with the stars of the sport is also available. Multi-day camping passes are available to purchase for $95.
New for 2024 is the Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan Experience ($150 all ages). This ticket option provides reserved seating with Pit Pass access, a guided tour of, and photo opportunities at, the infield podium and start/finish line, infield viewing of Opening Ceremonies and the heat races, and a track talk and photo opportunity with 2016 Grand National Champion Bryan Smith.
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).
Superbike Preview: Young reignites rivalry with Dumas in Edmonton
Hamilton, ON – The third round of the 2024 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship is shaping up to be the most-anticipated yet, as a number of notable entries will set the tone for a thrilling return to RAD Torque Raceway, June 21-23.
The GP Bikes Pro Superbike class is already fresh off its most unpredictable weekend in years at Grand Bend, as Sam Guerin and Trevor Daley each took maiden victories to limit Ben Young’s gap atop the standings, and now Young will have to deal with another old rival as Alex Dumas returns to the series in Edmonton.
Watch the official RD3 video preview HERE!
None of Young, Guerin, or Dumas were present at RAD Torque when the series last visited the circuit in 2015, and Daley will unfortunately not be competing in round three, leaving the lead group all on equal terms when it comes to prior knowledge of the 2.7 km, 14-turn layout.
Young and Guerin will enter in seemingly similar positions, as both will be navigating their familiar BMW machinery around the unfamiliar venue, though Young will be the one expected to set the benchmark as he carries an eleven-point championship lead into Alberta.
The Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW rider is a near-automatic bet to fight for the win, having missed the podium just three times in his last 44 races – an absurd stretch dating back to 2018 – and amassing seven victories in eight races prior to Grand Bend.
The three-time champion will not have much of a cushion in the standings, however, following a fantastic debut victory for Guerin in round two. The EFC Group BMW rider has coupled his strong pace with much more consistency in 2024, putting legitimate pressure on Young despite a season that would have seemed more straight-forward in the absence of Dumas.
Making matters worse for Young is that the aforementioned absence is now over, with Dumas set to make his CSBK return for a revamped Economy Lube Ducati squad.
The 2021 champion may need more time to adjust to his V4 Panigale after just two days of testing, but he will be a definitive race-winning threat should he come to grips with the new machine right away, complicating the championship picture.
Lost in all the drama is the lone rider without any unfamiliarity, as Jordan Szoke will enter round three with perhaps his best shot at a victory since his 2022 injuries.
Szoke swept both races at Edmonton in 2015 and is the only former national Superbike winner at the venue, giving the CKM Kawasaki team an important advantage when the field arrives on Thursday.
As if the trip west and return of Dumas weren’t enough to throw at the leaders, the round will also feature the wildcard appearance of Torin Collins, who makes his CSBK and overall Superbike debut.
Collins is currently riding in the MotoAmerica Supersport class after departing the FIM JuniorGP series last season, and the 18-year-old out of nearby Calgary will now try his hand aboard a Superbike as he pilots a privateer Kawasaki in front of his home fans.
Those home spectators will have plenty of others to cheer for, though, as a number of local riders are expected to be in attendance, headlined by CSBK regular Paul Macdonell.
The Grande Prairie native currently sits seventh in the overall standings for the Vass Performance/PMR BMW team and has plenty of experience at RAD Torque, having won the regional Open Superbike championship in 2021.
A number of Macdonell’s former regional foes are now expected to join him at their home round, including EMRA round one winner Brian Worsdall. The Mots Racing Honda rider has been regularly lapping in the same range as the top-five did nine years ago, putting Worsdall potentially in the podium mix given his track expertise.
All the new arrivals will be bad news for first-year Superbike riders David MacKay and Connor Campbell, who will have another challenge ahead of them as they hunt for their own debut national podiums in Edmonton.
MacKay remains fourth in the championship despite a race two crash with Macdonell at Grand Bend, and the ODH Snow City Cycle Honda rider has looked comfortable right out of the gates aboard his new machine, but he will now put that to the test at a brand-new circuit.
As for Campbell, the Brooklin Cycle Racing Pro Rookie of the Year leader has been riding at less than full health following a rib injury in round one, but is finally hoping to be back at 100% as he heads west for the first time aboard his B&T MacFarlane/Kubota Kawasaki.
Like Szoke, another returning rider from 2015 will hope to put his knowledge to good use, as Sebastien Tremblay will also continue his double-duty at Edmonton.
The Turcotte Performance Suzuki rider is shorthanded aboard his lesser-displacement GSX-R750, the same machine he leads the Pro Sport Bike championship with, but will hope his previous experience can limit the difference at RAD Torque.
As for the Constructors Standings, the new venue will need to throw a lot at Young and Guerin to displace BMW from the top spot, who will also have a valuable third option in home favourite Macdonell.
However, the battle for second will get far more complicated with Dumas joining fifth-placed Ducati, who look to chase down Suzuki (fourth), Honda (third), and Kawasaki – the latter of whom will get their own boost with the wildcard appearance of Collins.
More information on the third round at RAD Torque Raceway can be found on CSBK’s official website.
Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final Set For Live Streaming On MotoAmerica Live+
The Stars Of Tomorrow Will Be Featured Live From Road America, August 10-11
IRVINE, CA – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, is happy to announce that the debut of the Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final will be streamed live from Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 10-11, on MotoAmerica Live+.
All the action from the inaugural National Final will be streamed live and on-demand and will feature road racing champions Roger Hayden and James Rispoli as commentators calling all the Mini Cup action, which includes Stock 50, Stock 110, Stock 125, GP160, GP190 and Street GP classes.
The MotoAmerica Live+ streaming package will cost $12.99 for the single event and will also be available for free to current subscribers of MotoAmerica Live+.
“The first year of doing our regional qualifiers has been successful,” said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “Now we’re happy to announce that the racers who have qualified for the Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final will have their efforts rewarded and their friends, family and race fans in general will be able to watch the event unfold live on MotoAmerica Live+”
The event will utilize two different tracks at the Briggs and Stratton Motorplex at Road America and consist of four races over the weekend (two on Saturday and two on Sunday) for each of the six classes competing. Each race will pay points and the rider with the highest points total in each class being awarded the AMA National Champion number-one plate.
Riders who have qualified at one of the many Mission MotoAmerica Mini Cup By Motul Qualifier events across the country start the event with 10 points automatically earned.
For information on where to participate in your local regional qualifier, information can be found at www.motoamerica.com/mini-cup-events
The deadline for entry in the 2024 Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final is August 5.
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.
Former racer Ottis “Otter” Lance, of Argyle, Texas, died June 16. He was 66 years old.
Lance’s road racing career spanned four decades starting with club races in Texas, AMA Pro Nationals around the United States, and most recently International races like the Phillip Island Classic historic event at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, in Australia. He competed in AMA Pro Superbike from 1985 to 1991and his best finish was a third place on a Kosar Racing Yamaha FZ750 behind Fred Merkel and Bubba Shobert at Sears Point Raceway (now known as Sonoma Raceway) in 1986. He also finished fourth in the 1989 Daytona 200. He also owned a Suzuki dealership in Fort Stockton, Texas.
Ottis “Otter” Lance (left) and Deano Swims (right) raced in Australia at the 2020 Phillip Island Classic. Photo courtesy Phil Hall.
He is survived by his daughter Sydney.
We will update this post with more information as it becomes available.
Former AMA Pro Superbike racer and 2010 and 2012 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion Martin Cardenas made a victorious return to racing in his home country of Colombia this past weekend.
Racing on a nearly stock Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, Cardenas, age 42, entered the Superbike class at the Federacion Colombiana de Motocislismo Gran Prix Colombiana Velocidad Vitrix at Autodromo de Tocancipa and finished second in Race One and won Race Two.
Martin Cardenas wore his M4 Monster Energy Suzuki leathers while racing in Colombia. Photo courtesy Mauricio Mesa.
Cardenas’ last known race was in 2015 in the FIM Supersport World Championship.
The rider who beat Cardenas in Race One is Alfonso Linares, who currently races in MotoAmerica Supersport for TopPro Racing.
Martin Cardenas (36) in action in Colombia. Photo courtesy Mauricio Mesa.
VANCE & HINES HARLEY-DAVIDSON RACER HAYDEN GILLIM SWEEPS KING OF THE BAGGERS WEEKEND AT BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Factory Harley Racer James Rispoli Podiums on Sunday
MILWAUKEE – RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson rider Hayden Gillim dominated the MotoAmerica® Mission King of the Baggers double-header race weekend at Brainerd International Speedway in Brainerd, Minn. Aboard a race-prepared 2024 Road Glide® motorcycle, the defending Mission King of the Baggers champion Gillim set a new track record to top qualifying, won the Mission King of the Baggers Challenge dash for cash sprint race, and both feature races on Saturday and Sunday.
Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing rider James Rispoli bounced back from a crash on Saturday to finish third on Sunday and score his fourth podium finish of the season. Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing rider Kyle Wyman finished in fourth place on Saturday and in eighth place on Sunday following a mechanical issue.
“A weekend like this is a payoff for all the work the Vance & Hines team has done since September,” said Gillim following the Sunday race. “It’s an awesome weekend after a rough one at Road America. The whole start of the season has been a little rough. Wearing the number one plate this season I thought it might be a little easier than it has been. I’m really happy for myself and the team and looking forward to Laguna.”
“I’m stoked to give my factory Harley-Davidson crew a podium today,” said Rispoli following the Sunday race. “It was greasy out there and I played the smart card to bring it home. I am bummed for Kyle and know he will rebound at Laguna Seca. Thank you everyone for your continued support.”
James Rispoli (43). Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson.
Gillim topped qualifying with a track-record lap of 1:34.717 on Saturday on the 2.5-mile, 13-turn Brainerd International road course. Gillim won the Mission King of the Baggers Challenge sprint race by 1.342 seconds over his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson teammate Rocco Landers. In the nine-lap Saturday race, Gillim set the pace from the start and opened a gap between him and a close fight between Factory Indian rider Tyler O’Hara, Rispoli and Wyman. Wyman got by O’Hara on the last lap to finish in fourth place, with Landers zapping Factory Indian’s Troy Herfoss in the last corner to take second place.
On Sunday, Gillim again led from the start and opened a lead that would stretch to 6.5 seconds at the finish. O’Hara, Herfoss, and Rispoli gave chase, with Herfoss crashing on lap 5 but able to pick up his bike and rejoin the race. Rispoli took third place behind O’Hara on the podium. Championship leader Herfoss finished seventh. After setting a record pace over the field in the Sunday morning warm-up session, Wyman suffered a clutch issue on the warm-up lap, but was able to complete the race in eighth place and claim 8 valuable championship points.
“Today was a big shame after setting the track record on the morning warm up on used tires. We really made huge step with the bike overnight on Saturday. I felt like we had a bike that could win,” said Wyman. “To have a clutch issue right out of the gate was tough to swallow on the warm-up lap. I just rolled around and tried to score all the points I could score. But we’re still in really good shape for the championship. And I’m looking forward to Laguna Seca and the rest of the races.”
After 10 of 18 rounds in the 2024 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series, Herfoss leads the championship with 205 points. Wyman is second with 192 points, followed by O’Hara with 142 points, Gillim with 135 points, and Rispoli with 108 points.
Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing returns to action July 12-14 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, Calif. for the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey.
The Mission King of the Baggers series features race-prepared American V-Twin touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing Road Glide® motorcycles are powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, plus competition exhaust, race tires and lightweight bodywork.
Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing is sponsored by Mission® Foods, Rockford Fosgate®, Brembo®, Öhlins®, Protolabs®, SYN3® lubricants, and Screamin’ Eagle® Performance Parts and Accessories.
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Brainerd Race 1
James Rispoli (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
Cory West (H-D) Saddleman/Harley-Davidson
Max Flinders (Ind) Mad Monkey Motorsports
Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
Kyle Wyman (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Petersen Returns to Podium in Superbike Race 2 at Brainerd
Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen finishes third in MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at Brainerd International Raceway
MARIETTA, Ga. – June 17, 2024 – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen returned to the podium with a third-place finish in yesterday’s MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at Brainerd International Raceway. His teammate Jake Gagne salvaged points on a tough weekend in Brainerd, Minnesota, with a seventh-place finish.
In Sunday’s Race 2, Petersen got another great start from the second row of the grid to the runner-up spot. The South African rode a strong pace but was passed on Lap 7. He stayed on the heels of the competition for most of the race and ultimately rode on to score third for his fifth podium finish of the season. Petersen’s efforts advanced his position to fourth and within 28 points of the top spot in the hotly contested title chase.
After another less-than-ideal start, Gagne found himself sixth and was shuffled to seventh on the second lap. Despite being unable to ride to his full potential with arm pump issues, the defending three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion did what he could to salvage points with a seventh-place finish. As the series approaches the halfway mark, Gagne remains within reach of the championship lead, trailing fellow Yamaha rider Bobby Fong by eight points.
The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team returns to action in two weeks’ time as racing resumes with MotoAmerica Superbike Round 5 at The Ridge in Shelton, Washington, on June 28-30.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Not much to say really. We lost this round, but we’ll move on and smash them at The Ridge.”
Cameron Petersen (45). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #45
“It was not a bad weekend for me and the team. I’m happy with the podium in the second race and we’re still right in the hunt for the championship. I will go back to work and show up stronger for The Ridge so we can put up more of a fight. I have to give a massive shoutout to the whole team for all their hard work.”
Jake Gagne (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Jake Gagne – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #1
“It was another rough day with hand issues, which was definitely a bummer because the bike was awesome here. I’ll get it sorted and back where we belong!”
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars [sold, serviced, and distributed by Yamaha Golf-Car Company], Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, three corporate offices in Georgia, as well as facilities in Wisconsin, Alabama, and Florida. YMUS subsidiaries Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America (YMMC), based in Georgia, and Yamaha Jet Boat Manufacturing U.S.A. (YJBM) based in Tennessee, each assemble and manufacture selected Yamaha brand products. YMUS owns Skeeter Boats [Texas] with its division G3 Boats [Missouri]. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company, Inc. (YMSC) with subsidiary Siren Marine [Rhode Island] and divisions Bennett Marine [Florida], Yamaha Marine Rotational Molders [Wisconsin] and Yamaha Precision Propeller Inc. [Indiana].
Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation, USA, dba Yamaha Financial Services, is an affiliate of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA offering financing solutions to support Yamaha Dealers and loyal Yamaha Customers nationwide.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:
SUZUKI WINS BOTH TWINS CUP RACES AT BRAINERD
New GSX-8R Continues to Excel, Suzuki Teams Earn Multiple Podiums
Rocco Landers (left) and Rossi Moor (right) both finished on the podium in MotoAmerica Twins Cup. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Brea, CA, (June 17, 2024) — Suzuki Motor USA (Suzuki) and its MotoAmerica teams RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki and Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki– continued to lock into their midseason form with a hugely successful weekend at Brainerd International Raceway in which they collected a combined two wins, five podiums, and eight top five finishes.
Race Highlights
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki
Twins Cup
Rocco Landers continued to assert his dominance on the field with a double victory aboard the GSX-8R.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
Twins Cup
Rossi Moor grabbed a pair of podiums, highlighted by a come from behind run on Sunday.
Supersport
Teagg Hobbs put together his best weekend of the season, earning a podium on Saturday and fighting for another on Sunday.
Tyler Scott was quick per usual with a strong bounce-back to fourth after crashing from contention in Race 1.
Joel Ohman continued to gain experience and increase his comfort level with the team.
Superbike
Brandon Paasch earned his second top-five of the season.
Xavi Forés was unable to perform at his peak following a qualifying crash.
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki racer Rocco Landers (97) was effectively perfect on the weekend, claiming a pair of Twins Cup victories from pole aboard the quickly developing Suzuki GSX-8R – the first win in runaway fashion, and the second following a heated three-way scrap. The wins were the 18th and 19th of Landers Twins Cup career and allowed him to further stretch his rapidly expanding championship advantage.
Rocco Landers (97) extends his Twins Cup championship lead, winning both races at Brainerd. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Landers said, “It’s amazing where we are now considering where we started on the GSX-8R when we finished P5 in the season opener at Daytona. The bike was new to us, but one thing we did have was a direction, and we’ve just been following the breadcrumbs ever since. The GSX-8R has been getting better and better every round, and the team has worked hard. At this point we have a great base setup, we made one small tweak this weekend – and now it’s obviously feeling incredible.”
Landers was twice joined on the Twins Cup box by Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Rossi Moor (92), who also made gains on the GSX-8R. The young gun earned a pair of thirds, including a particularly impressive ride on Sunday in which he chased down the leaders and fought for the race win.
Rossi Moor (92) had a strong weekend, with two podium Twins Cup finishes. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
“This was a hard-fought third,” Moor said. “As the race was going on, I could see we were in better shape with our tires, and I was able to close the gap. I did my best to try for the victory, but these are all top-level racers, and I’m grateful just to be pushing them and learning. The Suzuki GSX-8R worked great. It was really fantastic throughout both races. I’m really happy for these results and to get as many points as possible.”
Moor’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport teammates were also in the podium mix all weekend on the next-generation Suzuki GSX-R750. Teagg Hobbs (79) broke through following a difficult start to his sophomore Supersport campaign with an outstanding ride to third on Saturday. Hobbs led early in Sunday’s race but was shuffled down to fifth in a late three-rider fight for the podium.
Teagg Hobbs (79) continues strong progression, earning a podium in Supersport Race 1. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
On his Saturday podium, Hobbs said, “It’s long overdue. I’ve got to give it up to my Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki crew. The GSX-R750 was on rails. We’ve put ourselves in the right spots, and the whole team is working so hard. Finally all that hard work is paying off.”
Teammate Tyler Scott (70) opened both races from pole thanks to his blistering qualifying performance on the GSX-R750. Scott used that starting slot and sheer pace to lead both races. Unfortunately, his Saturday race ended in a lap-five crash. He bounced back to challenge Hobbs and another rider for the podium on Sunday, ultimately coming home in fourth.
Tyler Scott (70) earned pole positions in both of Brainerd’s Supersport races. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Scott said, “I felt great on the GSX-R750. I wanted to be with the first group racing for the win, but I was struggling a bit with front end traction. We’re improving every weekend, and there’s more to come from the bike, myself, and the team. We’re going to come back swinging.”
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s third Supersport runner, Joel Ohman (92), continued to gain valuable experience and grows more and more accustomed to competing against the nation’s elite racers.
Joel Ohman (92) continues to gain experience with the fast MotoAmerica pace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
“It was the toughest weekend for me yet,” Ohman admitted. “I was off the pace, and in Race 2, the tire went off, and I lost even more. I was looking for improvement and couldn’t find it, which was frustrating. We’ll come back for the next race and see if we can get back on track.”
Superbike pilot Brandon Paasch (96) backed up his best weekend of the season with an even better one at Brainerd on the GSX-R1000R. After securing sixth on Saturday, Paasch fought his way to fifth on Sunday.
Brandon Paasch (96) continued positive momentum in the hypercompetitive Superbike class. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
“We moved up the order and got some good results,” Paasch said. “Moving forward is exactly what we’re trying to do. It wasn’t one big move this time; it was a lot of areas where we made small gains, from feel for the bike, to my conditioning. That’s the key, to keep improving and getting the details better. Our goal is to get on the podium, and we know it will be hard. The plan now is to go to the Ridge and pick up where we left off. Everything is super positive and going in the right direction.”
Reigning Supersport champion Xavi Forés (34) was beat up in a Friday crash which limited his ability to ride the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R to his full potential. Forés was forced to pull in during both of the weekend’s races, despite demonstrating the pace to run inside the top ten early on both Saturday and Sunday.
Xavi Forés (34) had a challenging weekend in Brainerd, suffering a crash on Friday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Forés said, “It was a tough weekend after my crash on Friday. Physically, I was very sore, and it was difficult to manage. Today I was feeling better and coming back with a good pace, but we had an issue that forced me to retire. There’s not much to say. I want to apologize to the team for a difficult weekend, and now I’m really looking forward to healing well and to be strong at Ridge, a track I really like.”
The Suzuki contingent travels next to Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, on June 28-30 when the 2024 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship resumes.
The 2024 season marks Team Hammer’s 44th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won over 130 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums over 360 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport). The team has also won over 130 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
DI MARIO RIDES APRILIA RS 660 TO SECOND CONSECUTIVE DOUBLE PODIUM WEEKEND IN MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP RACES AT BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
RODIO RACING – POWERED BY ROBEM ENGINEERING RIDER READY TO VIE FOR TWINS CUP TITLE AT SEASON FINALE AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS IN SEPTEMBER
BRAINERD, MN — 17 JUNE 2024 — MotoAmerica Twins Cup rookie Alessandro Di Mario is proving to be a model of consistency in MotoAmerica’s Twins Cup. The rider from Kentucky piloted his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660 to his second double-podium weekend in the past two rounds on Saturday and Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway. Though he came close to clinching his second victory of his rookie Twins Cup campaign on Sunday, Di Mario is one of just two riders in contention for the 2024 MotoAmerica Twins Cup title.
Both Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering riders were near the top of the time sheet Twins Cup Friday practice, with Gus Rodio and his teammate Di Mario were third and fourth, respectively. EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing Team’s Avery Dreher missed out on the top five by less than a tenth of a second. The trio of Aprilia riders performed even better in Friday’s Qualifying 1, as Rodio provisionally qualified second, Di Mario third, and Dreher in fifth.
In Saturday’s Qualifying 2, Di Mario ended up the fastest of the Aprilia riders. He qualified second, and his teammate Rodio qualified third to give Aprilia two of the three front row grid positions. Dreher made it three Aprilia riders in the top five by qualifying fifth for the weekend’s two Twins Cup races.
During Race 1, Di Mario found himself in what turned out to be a race-long battle for second place. Rodio followed in a mostly lonely fourth place throughout the 11-lap race, while Dreher fought throughout for the fifth position. Though Di Mario finished the first three laps in third place, he made the move to second place on Lap 4 and held off a late-race challenge for the runner-up spot to secure his sixth podium appearance of the season by a mere 0.036 seconds. Dreher came out on top in the battle for fifth place – his fifth top-five finish this year. Team JBR’s Josef Bittner finished ninth.
Sunday’s Race 2 had an action-packed opening lap, as Di Mario made a move for the lead early in the first lap, but a few corners later was bumped by another rider and fell back to fifth place. Dreher took advantage of Di Mario’s bad luck moving to third place in the running order. Unfortunately for Dreher, a technical problem ended his race on Lap 2. Rodio ran another lonely fourth place Sunday, while Di Mario quickly worked his way back to the front and led the end of Laps 7-10 of the 11-lap race. A pass by another frontrunning rider early in the final lap ended Di Mario’s chance at victory, but he held off a challenge from another rider to claim his second runner-up finish of the weekend and score his fifth
consecutive podium appearance.
Of the 26 riders registered to compete in MotoAmerica Twins Cup at Brainerd International Raceway, 11 were slated to race Aprilia RS 660s.
The last Twins Cup round of the 2024 MotoAmerica season takes place Sept. 13-15 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Alessandro Di Mario (27). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.
Alessandro Di Mario / Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering
“I didn’t really expect to be this fast this weekend since this is not one of my favorite tracks. My tires were really bad by the end of Saturday’s race, so by the last lap I just tried blocking every passing opportunity and was able to hold onto second by just a small margin. Today’s race was good. Our pace in this race was absolutely insane, but I wasn’t able to win the race by just a little bit. I can’t wait for the next round at Circuit of the Americas and want to thank the team and everybody that’s help me out this weekend.”
More, from a press release issued by Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering:
Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering’s Di Mario scores another two podium finishes in MotoAmerica Twins Cup races at Brainerd International Raceway
Di Mario’s teammate Gus Rodio bounces back from downer round at Road America with two fourth places
BRAINERD, Minn. – It was another strong showing by Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering rider and MotoAmerica Twins Cup rookie Alessandro Di Mario this past weekend at Brainerd International Raceway. The 2022 Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award winner added second-place finishes on Saturday and Sunday to his already impressive rookie campaign and is one of two riders who can clinch the 2024 Twins Cup title with two races remaining.
Di Mario’s teammate, Gus Rodio, enjoyed positive results at Brainerd after enduring setbacks in both races at the previous round at Road America. The Hammonton, N.J., resident claimed two fourth-place finishes and is now third in the Twins Cup points standings.
The weekend started well for both Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering riders. Rodio and Di Mario finished Friday morning practice in third and fourth place, respectively. Later Friday, the pair each moved up one position on the timing sheets to provisionally qualify second and third. Qualifying wrapped up Saturday morning with Di Mario having clinched second on the starting grid and Rodio third to put both riders on the front row for both of the round’s Twins Cup contests.
Race 1 was a lonesome event for Rodio. He ran in a mostly uncontested fourth place for all 11 laps of the race, while Di Mario found himself in a fierce fight for second place. Though he ran in third place on Laps 1-3, Di Mario made his move on Lap 4 and held off a persistent challenge from another frontrunning rider right to the last corner of the last lap to claim his third consecutive runner-up result by 0.036 seconds.
The start of Sunday’s Race 2 witnessed Di Mario pushing hard to take the lead early in the first lap, but contact with another rider later in that lap caused him to slip behind his teammate Rodio into fifth place. Di Mario quickly got by Rodio and was running in second place by the end of Lap 3. Di Mario then caught up to the race leader and assumed the lead on Lap 7. He held onto the lead for the next three laps, but got passed early in the final lap and had to settle for another second-place result – his fourth in a row. After the first couple laps, Rodio ran and finished in a lonely fourth place.
The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering team now has a several month break before the MotoAmerica Twins Cup season finale takes place Sept. 13-15 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Alessandro Di Mario (27). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering.
Alessandro Di Mario / No. 27
“I didn’t really expect to be this fast this weekend since this is not one of my favorite tracks. My tires were really bad by the end of Saturday’s race, so by the last lap I just tried blocking every passing opportunity and was able to hold onto second by just a small margin. Today’s race was good. Our pace in this race was absolutely insane, but I wasn’t able to win the race by just a little bit. I can’t wait for the next round at Circuit of the Americas and want to thank the team and everybody that’s help me out this weekend.”
Gus Rodio (96). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“Saturday’s race was interesting. I started the race with decent feeling in the bike, but after three laps the grip in my rear tire was gone. The team worked really hard after the race to figure out what had gone wrong. Overall, the two fourth-place finishes wasn’t our best showing as a team, but far from our worst. It was nice to score a bunch of points after how the last couple rounds have gone, and I’m excited to get to work during the break and finish the season strong in Texas.”
Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering’s technical partners for the 2024 season include Spellcaster Productions, Luxestar VIP, Geoscape Solar, MAR Contractors, Blud Lubricants, Spiegler Performance, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag Performance Wheels, Millennium Technologies, Sprint Filter, Dunlop, SC Project, MVR Endeavor, GRG Designs, REB Graphics, NGK Spark Plugs, EvolveGT, Bitubo Suspension and N2 Racing.
More, from a press release issued by OrangeCat Racing:
OrangeCat Racing’s Uribe victorious Sunday in MotoAmerica Stock 1000 race at Brainerd International Raceway
Californian takes win in just his fourth Stock 1000 race, now second in points standings
BRAINERD, Minn. – Though he’s a rookie in this year’s MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Class, the value of OrangeCat Racing’s Jayson Uribe’s wealth of overseas road racing experience was on full display Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway. The Californian followed up a fourth-place result in Saturday’s Stock 1000 contest with his first victory in the class in just his fourth race this year.
Uribe’s win — along with some bad luck for the current Stock 1000 points leader in Sunday’s race – allowed Uribe to move up from fourth to second in the Stock 1000 points standings and close the gap to the previously-undefeated class leader to just 16 points with six races remaining.
OrangeCat Racing’s second rider, Travis Wyman, struggled a little for pace on Friday and Saturday, but managed to salvage a top-10 result in Saturday’s race and score a seventh place on Sunday.
Both OrangeCat Racing riders showed good pace in the first on-track session of the round. Uribe finished Friday morning practice third-fastest, and Wyman wrapped up that session as the sixth-fastest rider. Later Friday, both riders slipped back one position in Qualifying 1, as Uribe concluded that session in fourth place and Wyman in seventh. Qualifying 2 took place Saturday morning and saw Uribe clinch sixth on the starting grid and Wyman 11th for the round’s two Stock 1000 races.
Saturday afternoon’s Race 1 featured both riders finishing higher in the running order than they started. Uribe moved up one position early in the first lap and finished that lap running in third place. Wyman quickly moved up to ninth place early in the first lap and ran as high as eighth at the end of Laps 1 and 2 before falling back to ninth, which is the position he finished the race in. Uribe was putting up a good challenge for second place until the closing stages of the last lap, when a failed pass attempt caused him to finish just off the podium in fourth place.
Though he didn’t get a great jump off the line, Uribe’s stellar pace in Sunday’s Race 2 was quickly evident. He’d moved up to fourth place by the time the field reached Turn 2 on the first lap. Wyman also advanced a couple positions up the running order early during the first lap. The race leader crashed out early in Lap 2, which promoted Uribe to third place and Wyman to eighth. Uribe then moved up to second place on Lap 3, and another frontrunner crashed on Lap 5 to elevate Wyman up to seventh in the running order. Uribe gradually closed the gap to the race lead and took over the point at Turn 3 on the last lap to capture his first Stock 1000 triumph by 0.144 seconds. Wyman finished in a lonely seventh place.
The MotoAmerica Stock 1000 class will be back in action later this month at the next round, which is slated for June 28-30 at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Wash.
Jayson Uribe (360). Photo by Fatal Visualz, courtesy OrangeCat Racing.
Jayson Uribe / No. 360
“Overall, it was a successful weekend at Brainerd. Coming to a new track is always a bit stressful, but we managed to get up to speed pretty quickly. Our one-lap pace was never lightning quick, but our race pace and consistency were incredible. Race 1 on Saturday was a good learning lesson. It proved to me and everyone else that we had the speed to be on the podium. In Race 2, I knew if I could stay in touch with the riders in front of me, we’d have a shot at the win. I tried to play it safe and make smart, calculated moves — and got the win! I’m super pumped for the entire OrangeCat Racing team.”
Travis Wyman (10). Photo by Fatal Visualz, courtesy OrangeCat Racing.
Travis Wyman / No. 10
“We had a slow start to the weekend, and the team worked really hard to try to turn the weekend around. We made progress with the bike setup every session. The pace in both races was super fast, but we did make a bit of an improvement to get Sunday’s result. We need to make another step like that to get to the front, and I’m looking forward to myself and the team accomplishing that at the next round at ‘The Ridge.’”
OrangeCat Racing’s promotional and technical partners for the 2024 MotoAmerica season include Motoworks Chicago, Ohlins USA, and alpha Racing.
Travis Wyman’s promotional partners for the 2024 MotoAmerica season include SP Connect, Klingler Thrillers, Fast Line Motorcycle Performance, Stomp Grip, On Any Moto, Bilmola USA and Alpinestars.
Jayson Uribe’s promotional partners for the 2024 MotoAmerica season include CT Racing, 4SR, San Jose Motorsport and Red Engine Brewing.
To learn more about OrangeCat Racing, visit the team’s website at http://orangecatracing.com and follow the team on Instagram at @orangecatracing.
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:
JD inside the top six, Herfoss performs well on SBK debut, Mesa adds to SSP tally
Tytlers Cycle Racing were back in action in the latest round of the 2024 MotoAmerica Championship at Brainerd last weekend, with all three riders JD Beach, Troy Herfoss and Stefano Mesa each achieving double finishes in the Superbike and Supersport categories, respectively.
JD Beach delivered the team’s best result in the premier class – sixth in race two on Sunday. He finished seventh twenty-four hours earlier. Alongside him and making his BMW M1000 RR debut was multiple Australian Superbike Champ, and current King of the Baggers front runner Troy Herfoss. Herfoss adapted well considering the lack of track time, crossing the line ninth in the opening encounter of the weekend on Saturday. He went one better with a P8 on Sunday.
Herfoss, who will continue with the squad whilst Cameron Beaubier recovers, is optimistic of further steps forward when the series takes to the track next at “The Ridge” in Washington State next week. JD, who currently sits eighth overall in the points standings is equally optimistic of running at the front after producing some impressive opening laps in Brainerd’s second race.
Cameron Beaubier sits seventh overall in the standings despite not competing after his Road America spill.
In Supersport, Stefano Mesa improved his lap times from twelve months ago aboard his Kawasaki. The #37 rider adding valuable championship points to his tally with seventh and ninth place finishes. The results elevate Mesa to ninth overall in the Supersport standings. Mesa and the team continue to be highest placed Kawasaki rider in the series and look forward to being more competitive at The Ridge, a circuit which should suit their bike a little better.
JD Beach: “Brainerd was a little bit of a frustrating weekend for me. The Tytlers team and my crew worked hard but I was left chasing my tail a bit. I feel like for set up we could improve on part of the bike but hinder another part. We were close to two top five finishes, but I need to work on getting up to pace a bit quicker on Friday to give us a better chance in the races. Race two for me were some of my best opening laps of the season but I need to work on keeping that pace going. It was weird not having Cam in the truck for the weekend, but it was cool to get to work with Troy, he’s an Australian Superbike legend so I know I can learn from him.”
Troy Herfoss: “I had a lot of fun throughout the weekend and enjoyed working with a new crew, riding a new bike as well as riding another new track. Like normal, as a racer I’m frustrated purely because I can feel the potential of the package I’m riding and there simply wasn’t enough time in the weekend for me to adapt properly. I made a good step in morning warm up Sunday which gives me a lot of motivation heading into The Ridge in a few weeks. I want to thank the team for their patience throughout the weekend and JD for helping me feel at home while Cam continues his recovery.”
Stefano Mesa: “Brainerd was definitely the toughest round we have had. We knew coming into the weekend that it wouldn’t be easy knowing how stacked the class is, but the team worked hard throughout the weekend to keep me fast and make progress every time out. We ended up going faster than last year so I am happy about that but not happy with the results. We will do some homework and come back stronger at ‘The Ridge.’ I appreciate the team for all the good help and support.”
More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
MotoAmerica: Altus Motorsports Results from Brainerd International Raceway
Jake Lewis (85). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
(Brainerd, MN) The MotoAmerica round at Brainerd International Raceway presented a challenging weekend for the Altus Motorsports team. The riders faced difficulties with chatter, but the team’s relentless effort to optimize the setup led to commendable performances.
Jake Lewis demonstrated consistent skill, qualifying 6th and securing strong finishes in both races. He clinched 5th place in Race 1 and followed up with a 6th place finish in Race 2. This now puts Jake in 3rd place in the Championship Points.
Jaret Nassaney started both races from 16th position. In Race 1, he was part of a four-rider battle for 11th, ultimately finishing 13th. Despite not finding an optimal set-up, he finished Race 2 in 16th place.
Jaret Nassaney (59). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Jaret Nassaney: “We struggled all weekend on setup. I just couldn’t get the front-end confidence I needed. Hoping to have a strong weekend at the Ridge. I like that track a lot and have gone fast there in the past.”
Starting from 19th, Torin Collins fought his way up to finish 11th place in Race 1. In the Sunday race, he crossed the finish line in 14th.
Torin Collins (171). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Torin Collins: “Overall, it was a super difficult weekend. Learning Brainerd was harder than expected, and honestly, our setup throughout the entire weekend was off and we never found that perfect middle ground. Though with these struggles, we were still able to make good comebacks in both races starting from 19th and battling to P11 in Race 1 and P14 in Race 2. I’m super excited that we are finally going to some of the tracks that I know. I’m feeling the most confident out of all the rounds so far going into The Ridge. Thanks to the team for the hard work throughout the weekend and for never giving up.”
George Nassaney: “Despite the challenges with chatter, our Team worked hard to improve their results. This is our 10th year in the MotoAmerica Paddock and I know there will always be race weekends when the results don’t truly show our Team’s ability. If racing were easy everyone would Win every weekend. We know going into the Ridge we have some good setup information and all 3 riders have raced there before. We are excited to see what we can do. I want to personally Thank all of the support from our sponsors and partners.”
Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, WPS, Firepower, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Buy A Jet From Steve Main, Barnett, Evol Technology, Maxima Oils, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, SBS Brakes, BrakeTech USA, Inc., Pit Bull Products, GB Racing, Ohlins, Puig Racing, RS Taichi, Arai, Core Moto, Pro Bolt, Chicken Hawk Tire Warmers, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing
Race results from Round Three of the ASRA National Series presented by Pirelli held June 16 at Summit Point Motorsports Park, in Summit Point, West Virginia.
Sean Dylan Kelly (40) on his TopPro Racing BMW Superbike. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Sean Dylan Kelly – Homecoming
June 19th, 2024 – Birmingham, Alabama
MotoAmerica racers Corey Alexander and James Rispoli are thrilled to announce the release of Episode 15 of the Pipe Dreams Podcast, featuring a special guest, rookie MotoAmerica Superbike rider for the TopPro Racing Team, Sean Dylan Kelly.
At just 22 years old, Sean Dylan Kelly (@seandylankelly) boasts an impressive motorcycle road-racing resume. His career has taken him and his family from their home base in Miami to various parts of the world and now back again. Despite his young age, Sean has accumulated a wealth of wisdom and has experienced the extreme highs and lows of racing, topics we frequently explore in our episodes.
Among Sean’s highs is racing in the prestigious Moto2 World Championship. However, he has also faced significant challenges, including the tough decision to put his dream of racing abroad on hold. In 2024, he will be returning home to compete in MotoAmerica Superbike as a rookie.
In this episode, Sean opens up about his childhood experiences, his time in Europe racing Moto2, and how these experiences have shaped him both as a racer and as a person. His story is one of resilience, determination, and growth.
We hope you enjoy this episode of Pipe Dreams and find inspiration in Sean’s incredible journey!
Available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music, the fifteen full episode with Sean is out now. Video of the episode can be viewed on your favorite Spotify or YouTube.
About Pipe Dreams Podcast:
Pipe Dreams Podcast launched in 2023 by MotoAmerica and American Flat Track riders Corey Alexander and James Rispoli in an effort to share the stories of fellow racers and motorsport professionals around the world. The podcast releases twice per month for streaming on all major platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Youtube. Editing is curated by Sabotno Media. Follow @pipedreams_pod on social media or visit https://anchor.fm/pipe-dreams to listen now.
Aidi Satya Mahendra (57) leads Galang Hendra Pratama (56), Jeffrey Buis (1), Inigo Iglesias Bravo (58), and the rest of the WorldSSP 300 field during Race Two at Misano. Mahendra won the race. Photo courtesy Dorna.
New entry class to debut in 2026
The SBK Commission is currently working on the introduction of a new entry class to the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship in 2026, marking a significant evolution in the racing landscape. This new class will replace the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship (WorldSSP300), which has successfully served as a feeder class since its inception in 2017.
WorldSSP300 has fulfilled its mission of providing a sustainable and affordable platform for emerging talents to enter the World Championship. Building on this success, the introduction of the new class aims to further enhance the sporting and commercial relevance of the entry category.
One of the key objectives of this new initiative is to smoothen the progression path for riders moving up to the larger classes, particularly to the FIM Supersport World Championship (WorldSSP). By closing the performance gap between the entry and intermediate classes, the aim is to create a more seamless transition for riders, fostering their development and preparing them for the competitive demands of higher categories.
Additionally, this move is designed to attract greater interest from manufacturers by allowing them to showcase machinery that reflects a growing market segment. The new class will feature nimble bikes with more powerful mid-tier capacity engines, details of which will be specified by the SBK Commission in the coming weeks and months.
Launched in 2017, the WorldSSP300 class provided a global platform for young talents, allowing them to showcase their abilities and learn the intricacies of a world racing series and quickly becoming a popular entry point for aspiring professional riders.
The final season of the WorldSSP300 series will take place in 2025, providing teams and manufacturers ample time to prepare for the transition to the new class in 2026. This period will ensure a smooth and well-coordinated shift, allowing all stakeholders to adapt to the new technical and sporting regulations.
Michael Dunlop (6) at speed at the Isle of Man TT. Photo courtesy SBS Friction.
SBS TAKES THE LEAD IN ISLE OF MAN TT
DOUGLAS, UK. The Isle of Man TT 2024 has come to a thrilling conclusion, with the world’s fastest riders battling it out on the legendary mountain course. A key factor in the success of almost all podium finishers was the superior braking performance provided by SBS Friction A/S, who also in 2024 was the preferred brake supplier for the event.
SBS has a long history in international road racing that started back in the 80s with ceramic-based brake pads. Over the years, SBS has developed and complemented its product range with sinter brake pads and technological integrations, such as NUCAP NRS bonding technology, developed in close collaboration with top teams and riders in international championship classes. To this date, SBS racing brake pads are the preferred choice, also in Isle of Man TT.
The 2024 edition of the Isle of Man TT was a spectacle of speed and skill, with several highlights that will be remembered for years to come. Michael Dunlop’s 29th victory was a testament to his skill and experience that has continued his family’s TT legacy. Davey Todd’s double win – and his first overall – showcased his result-orientated strategy and determined execution.
– When racing at the high-speed straights between villages and in the mountains on the Isle of Man, all brake system components are repeatedly cooled and heated. When braking with high pressure for the turns, brake system parts reach extreme temperatures to affect thermally the overall brake performance. SBS DS Dual Sinter compounds are designed to perform at these extreme shifts from cold to warm temperatures, giving our riders a reliable and consistent brake lever feel and power to lap the complete 60 km circuit of Isle of Man TT at a record pace, says Allan Østli, Race Manager at SBS.
Other SBS racers and champions Dean Harrison, Peter Hickman, Nathan Harrison, Josh Brookes, Paul Cassidy, Conor Cummins, James Hillier, Davo Johnson, and Ian Hutchinson also statued strong performances, each bringing their unique perspective and strategy to the race. The event showed some impressive lap records, adding to the excitement and intensity of the event.
The Isle of Man TT 2024 was a memorable event showcasing the best of (real) road racing and highlighting the brake system’s intense performance requirements. With the support of SBS Friction A/S and the exceptional performances of the racers, the event was a resounding success. As we look forward to the next race, we celebrate the achievements of this year’s event and the incredible skill and determination of all the racers.
Podium overview
Superbike TT Race 1
1st: Peter Hickman* (SBS DS-1, DS-2, RQ)
2nd: Davey Todd* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
3rd: Dean Harrison* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
Senior TT Race
1st: Davey Todd* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Josh Brookes* (SBS DS-1, DS-2, RQ)
3rd: Dean Harrison* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
Supertwin TT Race 1
1st: Michael Dunlop* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Peter Hickman* (SBS DS-1, DS-2, RQ)
3rd: Dominic Herbertson
Supertwin TT Race 2
1st: Michael Dunlop* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Peter Hickman* (SBS DS-1, DS-2, RQ)
3rd: Mike Browne
Superstock TT Race 1
1st: Davey Todd* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Peter Hickman* (SBS DS-1, DS-2, RQ)
3rd: Michael Dunlop* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
Superstock TT Race 2
Cancelled
Supersport TT Race 1
1st: Michael Dunlop* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Davey Todd* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
3rd: Dean Harrison* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
Supersport TT Race 2
1st: Michael Dunlop*(SBS DS-1, RQ)
2nd: Dean Harrison* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
3rd: Davey Todd* (SBS DS-1, RQ)
* SBS sponsored rider
The SBS Dynamic Racing Concept – DS-1 and DS-2 – is a revolutionary approach to motorcycle braking technology, designed to cater to the individual braking preferences of riders. The concept combines the best of two worlds – the strong initial bite and linear in-stop performance from DS-1 and the smooth initial bite and progressive in-stop performance from DS-2. It allows for the simultaneous use of two different brake pad compounds, offering riders a unique sense of control and brake power that can be tailored to their specific needs.
Dallas Daniels (32). Photo by Tim Lester, courtesy AFT.
Daniels Leads Grand National Championship Battle to Bridgeport Half-Mile
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, picks right back up this weekend with the second-ever running of the Bridgeport Half-Mile at Bridgeport Speedway in Swedesboro, New Jersey, on Saturday, June 22.
Last season’s stop marked the first-ever motorcycle race in the history of the half-century old venue and was rewarded with an epic Mission AFT SuperTwins showdown that saw Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) overcome reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) by 0.095 seconds to secure his first-career Half-Mile victory.
Daniels returns with the momentum of a freight train after earning his second-career Half-Mile victory in this past weekend’s Orange County Half-Mile and doing so in utterly dominant fashion.
The circumstances might invite overconfidence if not for the reminder that rival Mees was in the exact same situation – having won both the season’s previous race and last year’s race at Orange County – before encountering an uncharacteristically difficult round. Buried outside the top ten early, Mees fought his way up to fifth to limit the damage done to his title chances, which he’ll no doubt look to bolster with a bounce-back ride this weekend.
While fellow title hopefuls Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke) and Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) continued to race near the front of the field and expect to do so again at Bridgeport, the final results underlined the incredible diversity and competitiveness of the premier class.
Five different manufacturers finished inside the top five thanks to the impressive ‘24 Mission SuperTwins debuts of Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650) and Billy Ross (No. 29 Mission Foods/Digitale Kawasaki Ninja 650).
Meanwhile, a big crop of veteran frontrunners will be looking to make their presence felt in New Jersey, a crew that consists of Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750), Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Vinson/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda Transalp) among others.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Double defending Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) rewrites the history books seemingly every time he throws a leg over his KTM, and this weekend has the potential for yet another revision.
With a win this weekend, Kopp will break a tie with Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) to take sole possession of first on the all-time class wins list at 20, while moving into a tie with Texter-Bauman for most career Half-Mile wins at 11. However, he’ll have to overcome recent history to make history for a change considering he finished outside the top five following an uncharacteristically quiet day in last season’s inaugural Bridgeport Half-Mile.
Instead, it was rising star Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) who ruled the day. He’ll look to do so again this year, and his cause may be aided by the fact that both riders who joined him on the podium last year – Max Whale (No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Mission Foods/Zanotti Racing Indian FTR750) – have since graduated to premier-class duty.
Fourth- and fifth place, however, went to Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), a pair of riders with the talent and motivation to push for the checkered flag this weekend.
The deep field of challengers is again fronted by the California trio of James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450), Tarren Santero (No. 75 Vinson Construction/P&M Motorcycles Honda CRF450R), and Travis Petton IV (No. 82 ECG Racing/A.M Ortega KTM 450 SX-F), while rookie Evan Renshaw (No. 265 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) feels due for a breakthrough performance.
Along with the incredible action on track, the Bridgeport Half-Mile will also feature live music courtesy of acclaimed Southern New Jersey cover band Poor Mouth Henry, the Kids Zone, designated motorcycle parking, numerous vendors, and a variety of food and beverage options.
General Admission Grandstand tickets are just $40 (kids 12 and under $5), while Reserved Grandstand tickets are only $10 more (All Ages). A Pit Pass Upgrade provides all-day access to the pit area where fans can scope out the world’s fastest dirt track motorcycles and get up close and personal with the stars of the sport is also available. Multi-day camping passes are available to purchase for $95.
New for 2024 is the Opening Ceremonies Trackside Fan Experience ($150 all ages). This ticket option provides reserved seating with Pit Pass access, a guided tour of, and photo opportunities at, the infield podium and start/finish line, infield viewing of Opening Ceremonies and the heat races, and a track talk and photo opportunity with 2016 Grand National Champion Bryan Smith.
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).
Ben Young (1) continues to lead the CSBK championship standings as the series shifts west to Edmonton this weekend after the BMW rider finished behind new Superbike race winners in both races at round two. Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK.
Superbike Preview: Young reignites rivalry with Dumas in Edmonton
Hamilton, ON – The third round of the 2024 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship is shaping up to be the most-anticipated yet, as a number of notable entries will set the tone for a thrilling return to RAD Torque Raceway, June 21-23.
The GP Bikes Pro Superbike class is already fresh off its most unpredictable weekend in years at Grand Bend, as Sam Guerin and Trevor Daley each took maiden victories to limit Ben Young’s gap atop the standings, and now Young will have to deal with another old rival as Alex Dumas returns to the series in Edmonton.
Watch the official RD3 video preview HERE!
None of Young, Guerin, or Dumas were present at RAD Torque when the series last visited the circuit in 2015, and Daley will unfortunately not be competing in round three, leaving the lead group all on equal terms when it comes to prior knowledge of the 2.7 km, 14-turn layout.
Young and Guerin will enter in seemingly similar positions, as both will be navigating their familiar BMW machinery around the unfamiliar venue, though Young will be the one expected to set the benchmark as he carries an eleven-point championship lead into Alberta.
The Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW rider is a near-automatic bet to fight for the win, having missed the podium just three times in his last 44 races – an absurd stretch dating back to 2018 – and amassing seven victories in eight races prior to Grand Bend.
The three-time champion will not have much of a cushion in the standings, however, following a fantastic debut victory for Guerin in round two. The EFC Group BMW rider has coupled his strong pace with much more consistency in 2024, putting legitimate pressure on Young despite a season that would have seemed more straight-forward in the absence of Dumas.
Making matters worse for Young is that the aforementioned absence is now over, with Dumas set to make his CSBK return for a revamped Economy Lube Ducati squad.
The 2021 champion may need more time to adjust to his V4 Panigale after just two days of testing, but he will be a definitive race-winning threat should he come to grips with the new machine right away, complicating the championship picture.
Lost in all the drama is the lone rider without any unfamiliarity, as Jordan Szoke will enter round three with perhaps his best shot at a victory since his 2022 injuries.
Szoke swept both races at Edmonton in 2015 and is the only former national Superbike winner at the venue, giving the CKM Kawasaki team an important advantage when the field arrives on Thursday.
As if the trip west and return of Dumas weren’t enough to throw at the leaders, the round will also feature the wildcard appearance of Torin Collins, who makes his CSBK and overall Superbike debut.
Collins is currently riding in the MotoAmerica Supersport class after departing the FIM JuniorGP series last season, and the 18-year-old out of nearby Calgary will now try his hand aboard a Superbike as he pilots a privateer Kawasaki in front of his home fans.
Those home spectators will have plenty of others to cheer for, though, as a number of local riders are expected to be in attendance, headlined by CSBK regular Paul Macdonell.
The Grande Prairie native currently sits seventh in the overall standings for the Vass Performance/PMR BMW team and has plenty of experience at RAD Torque, having won the regional Open Superbike championship in 2021.
A number of Macdonell’s former regional foes are now expected to join him at their home round, including EMRA round one winner Brian Worsdall. The Mots Racing Honda rider has been regularly lapping in the same range as the top-five did nine years ago, putting Worsdall potentially in the podium mix given his track expertise.
All the new arrivals will be bad news for first-year Superbike riders David MacKay and Connor Campbell, who will have another challenge ahead of them as they hunt for their own debut national podiums in Edmonton.
MacKay remains fourth in the championship despite a race two crash with Macdonell at Grand Bend, and the ODH Snow City Cycle Honda rider has looked comfortable right out of the gates aboard his new machine, but he will now put that to the test at a brand-new circuit.
As for Campbell, the Brooklin Cycle Racing Pro Rookie of the Year leader has been riding at less than full health following a rib injury in round one, but is finally hoping to be back at 100% as he heads west for the first time aboard his B&T MacFarlane/Kubota Kawasaki.
Like Szoke, another returning rider from 2015 will hope to put his knowledge to good use, as Sebastien Tremblay will also continue his double-duty at Edmonton.
The Turcotte Performance Suzuki rider is shorthanded aboard his lesser-displacement GSX-R750, the same machine he leads the Pro Sport Bike championship with, but will hope his previous experience can limit the difference at RAD Torque.
As for the Constructors Standings, the new venue will need to throw a lot at Young and Guerin to displace BMW from the top spot, who will also have a valuable third option in home favourite Macdonell.
However, the battle for second will get far more complicated with Dumas joining fifth-placed Ducati, who look to chase down Suzuki (fourth), Honda (third), and Kawasaki – the latter of whom will get their own boost with the wildcard appearance of Collins.
More information on the third round at RAD Torque Raceway can be found on CSBK’s official website.
The Mission MIni Cup By Motul National Final at Road America will be streamed live on MotoAmerica Live+. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final Set For Live Streaming On MotoAmerica Live+
The Stars Of Tomorrow Will Be Featured Live From Road America, August 10-11
IRVINE, CA – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, is happy to announce that the debut of the Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final will be streamed live from Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 10-11, on MotoAmerica Live+.
All the action from the inaugural National Final will be streamed live and on-demand and will feature road racing champions Roger Hayden and James Rispoli as commentators calling all the Mini Cup action, which includes Stock 50, Stock 110, Stock 125, GP160, GP190 and Street GP classes.
The MotoAmerica Live+ streaming package will cost $12.99 for the single event and will also be available for free to current subscribers of MotoAmerica Live+.
“The first year of doing our regional qualifiers has been successful,” said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “Now we’re happy to announce that the racers who have qualified for the Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final will have their efforts rewarded and their friends, family and race fans in general will be able to watch the event unfold live on MotoAmerica Live+”
The event will utilize two different tracks at the Briggs and Stratton Motorplex at Road America and consist of four races over the weekend (two on Saturday and two on Sunday) for each of the six classes competing. Each race will pay points and the rider with the highest points total in each class being awarded the AMA National Champion number-one plate.
Riders who have qualified at one of the many Mission MotoAmerica Mini Cup By Motul Qualifier events across the country start the event with 10 points automatically earned.
For information on where to participate in your local regional qualifier, information can be found at www.motoamerica.com/mini-cup-events
The deadline for entry in the 2024 Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final is August 5.
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.
Ottis Lance (right) on the AMA Superbike podium at Sears Point International Raceway in 1986 with Bubba Shobert (left) and race winner Fred Merkel (center). Photo by Larry Lawrence/Lawrence Media, used with permission, all rights reserved.
Former racer Ottis “Otter” Lance, of Argyle, Texas, died June 16. He was 66 years old.
Lance’s road racing career spanned four decades starting with club races in Texas, AMA Pro Nationals around the United States, and most recently International races like the Phillip Island Classic historic event at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, in Australia. He competed in AMA Pro Superbike from 1985 to 1991and his best finish was a third place on a Kosar Racing Yamaha FZ750 behind Fred Merkel and Bubba Shobert at Sears Point Raceway (now known as Sonoma Raceway) in 1986. He also finished fourth in the 1989 Daytona 200. He also owned a Suzuki dealership in Fort Stockton, Texas.
Ottis “Otter” Lance (left) and Deano Swims (right) raced in Australia at the 2020 Phillip Island Classic. Photo courtesy Phil Hall.
He is survived by his daughter Sydney.
We will update this post with more information as it becomes available.
Martin Cardenas (36) as seen this past weekend in Colombia. Note the stock exhaust pipe and headlights still on Cardenas' Kawasaki. Photo courtesy Mauricio Mesa.
Former AMA Pro Superbike racer and 2010 and 2012 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion Martin Cardenas made a victorious return to racing in his home country of Colombia this past weekend.
Racing on a nearly stock Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, Cardenas, age 42, entered the Superbike class at the Federacion Colombiana de Motocislismo Gran Prix Colombiana Velocidad Vitrix at Autodromo de Tocancipa and finished second in Race One and won Race Two.
Martin Cardenas wore his M4 Monster Energy Suzuki leathers while racing in Colombia. Photo courtesy Mauricio Mesa.
Cardenas’ last known race was in 2015 in the FIM Supersport World Championship.
The rider who beat Cardenas in Race One is Alfonso Linares, who currently races in MotoAmerica Supersport for TopPro Racing.
Martin Cardenas (36) in action in Colombia. Photo courtesy Mauricio Mesa.
Hayden Gillim (right) and Rocco Landers (left) with members of the RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson team at Brainerd. Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson.
VANCE & HINES HARLEY-DAVIDSON RACER HAYDEN GILLIM SWEEPS KING OF THE BAGGERS WEEKEND AT BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Factory Harley Racer James Rispoli Podiums on Sunday
MILWAUKEE – RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson rider Hayden Gillim dominated the MotoAmerica® Mission King of the Baggers double-header race weekend at Brainerd International Speedway in Brainerd, Minn. Aboard a race-prepared 2024 Road Glide® motorcycle, the defending Mission King of the Baggers champion Gillim set a new track record to top qualifying, won the Mission King of the Baggers Challenge dash for cash sprint race, and both feature races on Saturday and Sunday.
Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing rider James Rispoli bounced back from a crash on Saturday to finish third on Sunday and score his fourth podium finish of the season. Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing rider Kyle Wyman finished in fourth place on Saturday and in eighth place on Sunday following a mechanical issue.
“A weekend like this is a payoff for all the work the Vance & Hines team has done since September,” said Gillim following the Sunday race. “It’s an awesome weekend after a rough one at Road America. The whole start of the season has been a little rough. Wearing the number one plate this season I thought it might be a little easier than it has been. I’m really happy for myself and the team and looking forward to Laguna.”
“I’m stoked to give my factory Harley-Davidson crew a podium today,” said Rispoli following the Sunday race. “It was greasy out there and I played the smart card to bring it home. I am bummed for Kyle and know he will rebound at Laguna Seca. Thank you everyone for your continued support.”
James Rispoli (43). Photo courtesy Harley-Davidson.
Gillim topped qualifying with a track-record lap of 1:34.717 on Saturday on the 2.5-mile, 13-turn Brainerd International road course. Gillim won the Mission King of the Baggers Challenge sprint race by 1.342 seconds over his RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson teammate Rocco Landers. In the nine-lap Saturday race, Gillim set the pace from the start and opened a gap between him and a close fight between Factory Indian rider Tyler O’Hara, Rispoli and Wyman. Wyman got by O’Hara on the last lap to finish in fourth place, with Landers zapping Factory Indian’s Troy Herfoss in the last corner to take second place.
On Sunday, Gillim again led from the start and opened a lead that would stretch to 6.5 seconds at the finish. O’Hara, Herfoss, and Rispoli gave chase, with Herfoss crashing on lap 5 but able to pick up his bike and rejoin the race. Rispoli took third place behind O’Hara on the podium. Championship leader Herfoss finished seventh. After setting a record pace over the field in the Sunday morning warm-up session, Wyman suffered a clutch issue on the warm-up lap, but was able to complete the race in eighth place and claim 8 valuable championship points.
“Today was a big shame after setting the track record on the morning warm up on used tires. We really made huge step with the bike overnight on Saturday. I felt like we had a bike that could win,” said Wyman. “To have a clutch issue right out of the gate was tough to swallow on the warm-up lap. I just rolled around and tried to score all the points I could score. But we’re still in really good shape for the championship. And I’m looking forward to Laguna Seca and the rest of the races.”
After 10 of 18 rounds in the 2024 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series, Herfoss leads the championship with 205 points. Wyman is second with 192 points, followed by O’Hara with 142 points, Gillim with 135 points, and Rispoli with 108 points.
Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing returns to action July 12-14 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Salinas, Calif. for the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey.
The Mission King of the Baggers series features race-prepared American V-Twin touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing Road Glide® motorcycles are powered by modified Screamin’ Eagle® Milwaukee-Eight® 131 Performance Crate Engines. The team bikes also feature upgraded suspension components, including Screamin’ Eagle/Öhlins Remote Reservoir Rear Shocks, plus competition exhaust, race tires and lightweight bodywork.
Harley-Davidson® Factory Racing is sponsored by Mission® Foods, Rockford Fosgate®, Brembo®, Öhlins®, Protolabs®, SYN3® lubricants, and Screamin’ Eagle® Performance Parts and Accessories.
MotoAmerica King of the Baggers Race Results – Brainerd Race 1
James Rispoli (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
Jake Lewis (H-D) Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson
Cory West (H-D) Saddleman/Harley-Davidson
Max Flinders (Ind) Mad Monkey Motorsports
Troy Herfoss (Ind) S&S/Indian Motorcycle
Kyle Wyman (H-D) Harley-Davidson Factory Racing
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Petersen Returns to Podium in Superbike Race 2 at Brainerd
Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen finishes third in MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at Brainerd International Raceway
MARIETTA, Ga. – June 17, 2024 – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen returned to the podium with a third-place finish in yesterday’s MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at Brainerd International Raceway. His teammate Jake Gagne salvaged points on a tough weekend in Brainerd, Minnesota, with a seventh-place finish.
In Sunday’s Race 2, Petersen got another great start from the second row of the grid to the runner-up spot. The South African rode a strong pace but was passed on Lap 7. He stayed on the heels of the competition for most of the race and ultimately rode on to score third for his fifth podium finish of the season. Petersen’s efforts advanced his position to fourth and within 28 points of the top spot in the hotly contested title chase.
After another less-than-ideal start, Gagne found himself sixth and was shuffled to seventh on the second lap. Despite being unable to ride to his full potential with arm pump issues, the defending three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion did what he could to salvage points with a seventh-place finish. As the series approaches the halfway mark, Gagne remains within reach of the championship lead, trailing fellow Yamaha rider Bobby Fong by eight points.
The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team returns to action in two weeks’ time as racing resumes with MotoAmerica Superbike Round 5 at The Ridge in Shelton, Washington, on June 28-30.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“Not much to say really. We lost this round, but we’ll move on and smash them at The Ridge.”
Cameron Petersen (45). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #45
“It was not a bad weekend for me and the team. I’m happy with the podium in the second race and we’re still right in the hunt for the championship. I will go back to work and show up stronger for The Ridge so we can put up more of a fight. I have to give a massive shoutout to the whole team for all their hard work.”
Jake Gagne (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Jake Gagne – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #1
“It was another rough day with hand issues, which was definitely a bummer because the bike was awesome here. I’ll get it sorted and back where we belong!”
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars [sold, serviced, and distributed by Yamaha Golf-Car Company], Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, three corporate offices in Georgia, as well as facilities in Wisconsin, Alabama, and Florida. YMUS subsidiaries Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America (YMMC), based in Georgia, and Yamaha Jet Boat Manufacturing U.S.A. (YJBM) based in Tennessee, each assemble and manufacture selected Yamaha brand products. YMUS owns Skeeter Boats [Texas] with its division G3 Boats [Missouri]. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company, Inc. (YMSC) with subsidiary Siren Marine [Rhode Island] and divisions Bennett Marine [Florida], Yamaha Marine Rotational Molders [Wisconsin] and Yamaha Precision Propeller Inc. [Indiana].
Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation, USA, dba Yamaha Financial Services, is an affiliate of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA offering financing solutions to support Yamaha Dealers and loyal Yamaha Customers nationwide.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:
SUZUKI WINS BOTH TWINS CUP RACES AT BRAINERD
New GSX-8R Continues to Excel, Suzuki Teams Earn Multiple Podiums
Rocco Landers (left) and Rossi Moor (right) both finished on the podium in MotoAmerica Twins Cup. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Brea, CA, (June 17, 2024) — Suzuki Motor USA (Suzuki) and its MotoAmerica teams RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki and Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki– continued to lock into their midseason form with a hugely successful weekend at Brainerd International Raceway in which they collected a combined two wins, five podiums, and eight top five finishes.
Race Highlights
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki
Twins Cup
Rocco Landers continued to assert his dominance on the field with a double victory aboard the GSX-8R.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
Twins Cup
Rossi Moor grabbed a pair of podiums, highlighted by a come from behind run on Sunday.
Supersport
Teagg Hobbs put together his best weekend of the season, earning a podium on Saturday and fighting for another on Sunday.
Tyler Scott was quick per usual with a strong bounce-back to fourth after crashing from contention in Race 1.
Joel Ohman continued to gain experience and increase his comfort level with the team.
Superbike
Brandon Paasch earned his second top-five of the season.
Xavi Forés was unable to perform at his peak following a qualifying crash.
RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki racer Rocco Landers (97) was effectively perfect on the weekend, claiming a pair of Twins Cup victories from pole aboard the quickly developing Suzuki GSX-8R – the first win in runaway fashion, and the second following a heated three-way scrap. The wins were the 18th and 19th of Landers Twins Cup career and allowed him to further stretch his rapidly expanding championship advantage.
Rocco Landers (97) extends his Twins Cup championship lead, winning both races at Brainerd. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Landers said, “It’s amazing where we are now considering where we started on the GSX-8R when we finished P5 in the season opener at Daytona. The bike was new to us, but one thing we did have was a direction, and we’ve just been following the breadcrumbs ever since. The GSX-8R has been getting better and better every round, and the team has worked hard. At this point we have a great base setup, we made one small tweak this weekend – and now it’s obviously feeling incredible.”
Landers was twice joined on the Twins Cup box by Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Rossi Moor (92), who also made gains on the GSX-8R. The young gun earned a pair of thirds, including a particularly impressive ride on Sunday in which he chased down the leaders and fought for the race win.
Rossi Moor (92) had a strong weekend, with two podium Twins Cup finishes. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
“This was a hard-fought third,” Moor said. “As the race was going on, I could see we were in better shape with our tires, and I was able to close the gap. I did my best to try for the victory, but these are all top-level racers, and I’m grateful just to be pushing them and learning. The Suzuki GSX-8R worked great. It was really fantastic throughout both races. I’m really happy for these results and to get as many points as possible.”
Moor’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport teammates were also in the podium mix all weekend on the next-generation Suzuki GSX-R750. Teagg Hobbs (79) broke through following a difficult start to his sophomore Supersport campaign with an outstanding ride to third on Saturday. Hobbs led early in Sunday’s race but was shuffled down to fifth in a late three-rider fight for the podium.
Teagg Hobbs (79) continues strong progression, earning a podium in Supersport Race 1. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
On his Saturday podium, Hobbs said, “It’s long overdue. I’ve got to give it up to my Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki crew. The GSX-R750 was on rails. We’ve put ourselves in the right spots, and the whole team is working so hard. Finally all that hard work is paying off.”
Teammate Tyler Scott (70) opened both races from pole thanks to his blistering qualifying performance on the GSX-R750. Scott used that starting slot and sheer pace to lead both races. Unfortunately, his Saturday race ended in a lap-five crash. He bounced back to challenge Hobbs and another rider for the podium on Sunday, ultimately coming home in fourth.
Tyler Scott (70) earned pole positions in both of Brainerd’s Supersport races. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Scott said, “I felt great on the GSX-R750. I wanted to be with the first group racing for the win, but I was struggling a bit with front end traction. We’re improving every weekend, and there’s more to come from the bike, myself, and the team. We’re going to come back swinging.”
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s third Supersport runner, Joel Ohman (92), continued to gain valuable experience and grows more and more accustomed to competing against the nation’s elite racers.
Joel Ohman (92) continues to gain experience with the fast MotoAmerica pace. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
“It was the toughest weekend for me yet,” Ohman admitted. “I was off the pace, and in Race 2, the tire went off, and I lost even more. I was looking for improvement and couldn’t find it, which was frustrating. We’ll come back for the next race and see if we can get back on track.”
Superbike pilot Brandon Paasch (96) backed up his best weekend of the season with an even better one at Brainerd on the GSX-R1000R. After securing sixth on Saturday, Paasch fought his way to fifth on Sunday.
Brandon Paasch (96) continued positive momentum in the hypercompetitive Superbike class. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
“We moved up the order and got some good results,” Paasch said. “Moving forward is exactly what we’re trying to do. It wasn’t one big move this time; it was a lot of areas where we made small gains, from feel for the bike, to my conditioning. That’s the key, to keep improving and getting the details better. Our goal is to get on the podium, and we know it will be hard. The plan now is to go to the Ridge and pick up where we left off. Everything is super positive and going in the right direction.”
Reigning Supersport champion Xavi Forés (34) was beat up in a Friday crash which limited his ability to ride the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R to his full potential. Forés was forced to pull in during both of the weekend’s races, despite demonstrating the pace to run inside the top ten early on both Saturday and Sunday.
Xavi Forés (34) had a challenging weekend in Brainerd, suffering a crash on Friday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Forés said, “It was a tough weekend after my crash on Friday. Physically, I was very sore, and it was difficult to manage. Today I was feeling better and coming back with a good pace, but we had an issue that forced me to retire. There’s not much to say. I want to apologize to the team for a difficult weekend, and now I’m really looking forward to healing well and to be strong at Ridge, a track I really like.”
The Suzuki contingent travels next to Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, on June 28-30 when the 2024 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship resumes.
The 2024 season marks Team Hammer’s 44th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won over 130 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums over 360 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport). The team has also won over 130 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
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More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
DI MARIO RIDES APRILIA RS 660 TO SECOND CONSECUTIVE DOUBLE PODIUM WEEKEND IN MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP RACES AT BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
RODIO RACING – POWERED BY ROBEM ENGINEERING RIDER READY TO VIE FOR TWINS CUP TITLE AT SEASON FINALE AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS IN SEPTEMBER
BRAINERD, MN — 17 JUNE 2024 — MotoAmerica Twins Cup rookie Alessandro Di Mario is proving to be a model of consistency in MotoAmerica’s Twins Cup. The rider from Kentucky piloted his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660 to his second double-podium weekend in the past two rounds on Saturday and Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway. Though he came close to clinching his second victory of his rookie Twins Cup campaign on Sunday, Di Mario is one of just two riders in contention for the 2024 MotoAmerica Twins Cup title.
Both Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering riders were near the top of the time sheet Twins Cup Friday practice, with Gus Rodio and his teammate Di Mario were third and fourth, respectively. EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing Team’s Avery Dreher missed out on the top five by less than a tenth of a second. The trio of Aprilia riders performed even better in Friday’s Qualifying 1, as Rodio provisionally qualified second, Di Mario third, and Dreher in fifth.
In Saturday’s Qualifying 2, Di Mario ended up the fastest of the Aprilia riders. He qualified second, and his teammate Rodio qualified third to give Aprilia two of the three front row grid positions. Dreher made it three Aprilia riders in the top five by qualifying fifth for the weekend’s two Twins Cup races.
During Race 1, Di Mario found himself in what turned out to be a race-long battle for second place. Rodio followed in a mostly lonely fourth place throughout the 11-lap race, while Dreher fought throughout for the fifth position. Though Di Mario finished the first three laps in third place, he made the move to second place on Lap 4 and held off a late-race challenge for the runner-up spot to secure his sixth podium appearance of the season by a mere 0.036 seconds. Dreher came out on top in the battle for fifth place – his fifth top-five finish this year. Team JBR’s Josef Bittner finished ninth.
Sunday’s Race 2 had an action-packed opening lap, as Di Mario made a move for the lead early in the first lap, but a few corners later was bumped by another rider and fell back to fifth place. Dreher took advantage of Di Mario’s bad luck moving to third place in the running order. Unfortunately for Dreher, a technical problem ended his race on Lap 2. Rodio ran another lonely fourth place Sunday, while Di Mario quickly worked his way back to the front and led the end of Laps 7-10 of the 11-lap race. A pass by another frontrunning rider early in the final lap ended Di Mario’s chance at victory, but he held off a challenge from another rider to claim his second runner-up finish of the weekend and score his fifth
consecutive podium appearance.
Of the 26 riders registered to compete in MotoAmerica Twins Cup at Brainerd International Raceway, 11 were slated to race Aprilia RS 660s.
The last Twins Cup round of the 2024 MotoAmerica season takes place Sept. 13-15 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Alessandro Di Mario (27). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.
Alessandro Di Mario / Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering
“I didn’t really expect to be this fast this weekend since this is not one of my favorite tracks. My tires were really bad by the end of Saturday’s race, so by the last lap I just tried blocking every passing opportunity and was able to hold onto second by just a small margin. Today’s race was good. Our pace in this race was absolutely insane, but I wasn’t able to win the race by just a little bit. I can’t wait for the next round at Circuit of the Americas and want to thank the team and everybody that’s help me out this weekend.”
More, from a press release issued by Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering:
Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering’s Di Mario scores another two podium finishes in MotoAmerica Twins Cup races at Brainerd International Raceway
Di Mario’s teammate Gus Rodio bounces back from downer round at Road America with two fourth places
BRAINERD, Minn. – It was another strong showing by Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering rider and MotoAmerica Twins Cup rookie Alessandro Di Mario this past weekend at Brainerd International Raceway. The 2022 Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award winner added second-place finishes on Saturday and Sunday to his already impressive rookie campaign and is one of two riders who can clinch the 2024 Twins Cup title with two races remaining.
Di Mario’s teammate, Gus Rodio, enjoyed positive results at Brainerd after enduring setbacks in both races at the previous round at Road America. The Hammonton, N.J., resident claimed two fourth-place finishes and is now third in the Twins Cup points standings.
The weekend started well for both Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering riders. Rodio and Di Mario finished Friday morning practice in third and fourth place, respectively. Later Friday, the pair each moved up one position on the timing sheets to provisionally qualify second and third. Qualifying wrapped up Saturday morning with Di Mario having clinched second on the starting grid and Rodio third to put both riders on the front row for both of the round’s Twins Cup contests.
Race 1 was a lonesome event for Rodio. He ran in a mostly uncontested fourth place for all 11 laps of the race, while Di Mario found himself in a fierce fight for second place. Though he ran in third place on Laps 1-3, Di Mario made his move on Lap 4 and held off a persistent challenge from another frontrunning rider right to the last corner of the last lap to claim his third consecutive runner-up result by 0.036 seconds.
The start of Sunday’s Race 2 witnessed Di Mario pushing hard to take the lead early in the first lap, but contact with another rider later in that lap caused him to slip behind his teammate Rodio into fifth place. Di Mario quickly got by Rodio and was running in second place by the end of Lap 3. Di Mario then caught up to the race leader and assumed the lead on Lap 7. He held onto the lead for the next three laps, but got passed early in the final lap and had to settle for another second-place result – his fourth in a row. After the first couple laps, Rodio ran and finished in a lonely fourth place.
The Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering team now has a several month break before the MotoAmerica Twins Cup season finale takes place Sept. 13-15 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Alessandro Di Mario (27). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering.
Alessandro Di Mario / No. 27
“I didn’t really expect to be this fast this weekend since this is not one of my favorite tracks. My tires were really bad by the end of Saturday’s race, so by the last lap I just tried blocking every passing opportunity and was able to hold onto second by just a small margin. Today’s race was good. Our pace in this race was absolutely insane, but I wasn’t able to win the race by just a little bit. I can’t wait for the next round at Circuit of the Americas and want to thank the team and everybody that’s help me out this weekend.”
Gus Rodio (96). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“Saturday’s race was interesting. I started the race with decent feeling in the bike, but after three laps the grip in my rear tire was gone. The team worked really hard after the race to figure out what had gone wrong. Overall, the two fourth-place finishes wasn’t our best showing as a team, but far from our worst. It was nice to score a bunch of points after how the last couple rounds have gone, and I’m excited to get to work during the break and finish the season strong in Texas.”
Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering’s technical partners for the 2024 season include Spellcaster Productions, Luxestar VIP, Geoscape Solar, MAR Contractors, Blud Lubricants, Spiegler Performance, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag Performance Wheels, Millennium Technologies, Sprint Filter, Dunlop, SC Project, MVR Endeavor, GRG Designs, REB Graphics, NGK Spark Plugs, EvolveGT, Bitubo Suspension and N2 Racing.
More, from a press release issued by OrangeCat Racing:
OrangeCat Racing’s Uribe victorious Sunday in MotoAmerica Stock 1000 race at Brainerd International Raceway
Californian takes win in just his fourth Stock 1000 race, now second in points standings
BRAINERD, Minn. – Though he’s a rookie in this year’s MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Class, the value of OrangeCat Racing’s Jayson Uribe’s wealth of overseas road racing experience was on full display Sunday at Brainerd International Raceway. The Californian followed up a fourth-place result in Saturday’s Stock 1000 contest with his first victory in the class in just his fourth race this year.
Uribe’s win — along with some bad luck for the current Stock 1000 points leader in Sunday’s race – allowed Uribe to move up from fourth to second in the Stock 1000 points standings and close the gap to the previously-undefeated class leader to just 16 points with six races remaining.
OrangeCat Racing’s second rider, Travis Wyman, struggled a little for pace on Friday and Saturday, but managed to salvage a top-10 result in Saturday’s race and score a seventh place on Sunday.
Both OrangeCat Racing riders showed good pace in the first on-track session of the round. Uribe finished Friday morning practice third-fastest, and Wyman wrapped up that session as the sixth-fastest rider. Later Friday, both riders slipped back one position in Qualifying 1, as Uribe concluded that session in fourth place and Wyman in seventh. Qualifying 2 took place Saturday morning and saw Uribe clinch sixth on the starting grid and Wyman 11th for the round’s two Stock 1000 races.
Saturday afternoon’s Race 1 featured both riders finishing higher in the running order than they started. Uribe moved up one position early in the first lap and finished that lap running in third place. Wyman quickly moved up to ninth place early in the first lap and ran as high as eighth at the end of Laps 1 and 2 before falling back to ninth, which is the position he finished the race in. Uribe was putting up a good challenge for second place until the closing stages of the last lap, when a failed pass attempt caused him to finish just off the podium in fourth place.
Though he didn’t get a great jump off the line, Uribe’s stellar pace in Sunday’s Race 2 was quickly evident. He’d moved up to fourth place by the time the field reached Turn 2 on the first lap. Wyman also advanced a couple positions up the running order early during the first lap. The race leader crashed out early in Lap 2, which promoted Uribe to third place and Wyman to eighth. Uribe then moved up to second place on Lap 3, and another frontrunner crashed on Lap 5 to elevate Wyman up to seventh in the running order. Uribe gradually closed the gap to the race lead and took over the point at Turn 3 on the last lap to capture his first Stock 1000 triumph by 0.144 seconds. Wyman finished in a lonely seventh place.
The MotoAmerica Stock 1000 class will be back in action later this month at the next round, which is slated for June 28-30 at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Wash.
Jayson Uribe (360). Photo by Fatal Visualz, courtesy OrangeCat Racing.
Jayson Uribe / No. 360
“Overall, it was a successful weekend at Brainerd. Coming to a new track is always a bit stressful, but we managed to get up to speed pretty quickly. Our one-lap pace was never lightning quick, but our race pace and consistency were incredible. Race 1 on Saturday was a good learning lesson. It proved to me and everyone else that we had the speed to be on the podium. In Race 2, I knew if I could stay in touch with the riders in front of me, we’d have a shot at the win. I tried to play it safe and make smart, calculated moves — and got the win! I’m super pumped for the entire OrangeCat Racing team.”
Travis Wyman (10). Photo by Fatal Visualz, courtesy OrangeCat Racing.
Travis Wyman / No. 10
“We had a slow start to the weekend, and the team worked really hard to try to turn the weekend around. We made progress with the bike setup every session. The pace in both races was super fast, but we did make a bit of an improvement to get Sunday’s result. We need to make another step like that to get to the front, and I’m looking forward to myself and the team accomplishing that at the next round at ‘The Ridge.’”
OrangeCat Racing’s promotional and technical partners for the 2024 MotoAmerica season include Motoworks Chicago, Ohlins USA, and alpha Racing.
Travis Wyman’s promotional partners for the 2024 MotoAmerica season include SP Connect, Klingler Thrillers, Fast Line Motorcycle Performance, Stomp Grip, On Any Moto, Bilmola USA and Alpinestars.
Jayson Uribe’s promotional partners for the 2024 MotoAmerica season include CT Racing, 4SR, San Jose Motorsport and Red Engine Brewing.
To learn more about OrangeCat Racing, visit the team’s website at http://orangecatracing.com and follow the team on Instagram at @orangecatracing.
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:
JD inside the top six, Herfoss performs well on SBK debut, Mesa adds to SSP tally
Tytlers Cycle Racing were back in action in the latest round of the 2024 MotoAmerica Championship at Brainerd last weekend, with all three riders JD Beach, Troy Herfoss and Stefano Mesa each achieving double finishes in the Superbike and Supersport categories, respectively.
JD Beach delivered the team’s best result in the premier class – sixth in race two on Sunday. He finished seventh twenty-four hours earlier. Alongside him and making his BMW M1000 RR debut was multiple Australian Superbike Champ, and current King of the Baggers front runner Troy Herfoss. Herfoss adapted well considering the lack of track time, crossing the line ninth in the opening encounter of the weekend on Saturday. He went one better with a P8 on Sunday.
Herfoss, who will continue with the squad whilst Cameron Beaubier recovers, is optimistic of further steps forward when the series takes to the track next at “The Ridge” in Washington State next week. JD, who currently sits eighth overall in the points standings is equally optimistic of running at the front after producing some impressive opening laps in Brainerd’s second race.
Cameron Beaubier sits seventh overall in the standings despite not competing after his Road America spill.
In Supersport, Stefano Mesa improved his lap times from twelve months ago aboard his Kawasaki. The #37 rider adding valuable championship points to his tally with seventh and ninth place finishes. The results elevate Mesa to ninth overall in the Supersport standings. Mesa and the team continue to be highest placed Kawasaki rider in the series and look forward to being more competitive at The Ridge, a circuit which should suit their bike a little better.
JD Beach: “Brainerd was a little bit of a frustrating weekend for me. The Tytlers team and my crew worked hard but I was left chasing my tail a bit. I feel like for set up we could improve on part of the bike but hinder another part. We were close to two top five finishes, but I need to work on getting up to pace a bit quicker on Friday to give us a better chance in the races. Race two for me were some of my best opening laps of the season but I need to work on keeping that pace going. It was weird not having Cam in the truck for the weekend, but it was cool to get to work with Troy, he’s an Australian Superbike legend so I know I can learn from him.”
Troy Herfoss: “I had a lot of fun throughout the weekend and enjoyed working with a new crew, riding a new bike as well as riding another new track. Like normal, as a racer I’m frustrated purely because I can feel the potential of the package I’m riding and there simply wasn’t enough time in the weekend for me to adapt properly. I made a good step in morning warm up Sunday which gives me a lot of motivation heading into The Ridge in a few weeks. I want to thank the team for their patience throughout the weekend and JD for helping me feel at home while Cam continues his recovery.”
Stefano Mesa: “Brainerd was definitely the toughest round we have had. We knew coming into the weekend that it wouldn’t be easy knowing how stacked the class is, but the team worked hard throughout the weekend to keep me fast and make progress every time out. We ended up going faster than last year so I am happy about that but not happy with the results. We will do some homework and come back stronger at ‘The Ridge.’ I appreciate the team for all the good help and support.”
More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
MotoAmerica: Altus Motorsports Results from Brainerd International Raceway
Jake Lewis (85). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
(Brainerd, MN) The MotoAmerica round at Brainerd International Raceway presented a challenging weekend for the Altus Motorsports team. The riders faced difficulties with chatter, but the team’s relentless effort to optimize the setup led to commendable performances.
Jake Lewis demonstrated consistent skill, qualifying 6th and securing strong finishes in both races. He clinched 5th place in Race 1 and followed up with a 6th place finish in Race 2. This now puts Jake in 3rd place in the Championship Points.
Jaret Nassaney started both races from 16th position. In Race 1, he was part of a four-rider battle for 11th, ultimately finishing 13th. Despite not finding an optimal set-up, he finished Race 2 in 16th place.
Jaret Nassaney (59). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Jaret Nassaney: “We struggled all weekend on setup. I just couldn’t get the front-end confidence I needed. Hoping to have a strong weekend at the Ridge. I like that track a lot and have gone fast there in the past.”
Starting from 19th, Torin Collins fought his way up to finish 11th place in Race 1. In the Sunday race, he crossed the finish line in 14th.
Torin Collins (171). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Torin Collins: “Overall, it was a super difficult weekend. Learning Brainerd was harder than expected, and honestly, our setup throughout the entire weekend was off and we never found that perfect middle ground. Though with these struggles, we were still able to make good comebacks in both races starting from 19th and battling to P11 in Race 1 and P14 in Race 2. I’m super excited that we are finally going to some of the tracks that I know. I’m feeling the most confident out of all the rounds so far going into The Ridge. Thanks to the team for the hard work throughout the weekend and for never giving up.”
George Nassaney: “Despite the challenges with chatter, our Team worked hard to improve their results. This is our 10th year in the MotoAmerica Paddock and I know there will always be race weekends when the results don’t truly show our Team’s ability. If racing were easy everyone would Win every weekend. We know going into the Ridge we have some good setup information and all 3 riders have raced there before. We are excited to see what we can do. I want to personally Thank all of the support from our sponsors and partners.”
Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, WPS, Firepower, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Buy A Jet From Steve Main, Barnett, Evol Technology, Maxima Oils, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, SBS Brakes, BrakeTech USA, Inc., Pit Bull Products, GB Racing, Ohlins, Puig Racing, RS Taichi, Arai, Core Moto, Pro Bolt, Chicken Hawk Tire Warmers, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing
Brian Grasso (724) won the ASRA Superstock race at Summit Point. Photo by Vae Vang/Noiseless Productions, courtesy ASRA.
Race results from Round Three of the ASRA National Series presented by Pirelli held June 16 at Summit Point Motorsports Park, in Summit Point, West Virginia.
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Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
