Bagger Racing League: Xaus Wins Bagger GP At Motorsports Park Hastings

David Swarts

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May 29, 2024

Bagger Racing League: Xaus Wins Bagger GP At Motorsports Park Hastings

The Bagger Racing League’s (BRL) 2024 season kicked off on May 24-26 at Motorsports Park Hastings in Hastings, Nebraska.

The BRL Bagger GP feature race had the following results: 1. Ruben Xaus, 2. Sam Guerin, 3. Cody Gilmore, 4. Jesse Janisch, 5. Arnie Wells, 6. Jake Masters, 7. Eric Reyes, 8. Tony Sallima, 9. Tyler Elliott, 10. Joe Sanderson, 11. Oleg Pianykh.

BLR SuperStreet results: 1. Jake Masters, 2. Chris Rivas, 3. Sean Hoffman, 4. Carl Schlacht, 5. Phil Doty, 6. Joe Sanderson.

BRL Air Cooled Twins winner: Chris Rivas

BRL American Twins Unlimited winner: Carl Schlacht

BRL Liquid Cooled Twins winner: Andrew Berkeley

Ruben Xaus. Photo by Richard Gergely, courtesy BRL. — In the spirit of his new BRL race winner’s belt, Ruben Xaus strikes a fighter’s pose. Photo by Richard Gergely, courtesy BRL.

And the new BRL Metric Classes Podium Results:

Unlimited Superbike: 1. Brett Folkerts, 2. Chris Haesemeyer, 3. Brian Haig.

Lightweight Superbike: 1. Brett Folkerts, 2. Scott Short, 3. Arch E. York.

Middleweight Superbike: 1. Chris Haesemeyer, 2. Jamie Hanson, 3. Keira Noble.

Next Generation Superbike: 1. Jamie Hanson, 2. James Milroy Jr., 3. Catherine Bukowski.

NEXT ROUND : June 28-30 at Gingerman Raceway, South Haven, Michigan.

Isle Of Man TT: Todd Tops Two Classes During Qualifying

David Swarts

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May 29, 2024

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Isle Of Man TT: Todd Tops Two Classes During Qualifying

TODD TOPS THE LEADERBOARDS

Davey Todd was the man on the move during Wednesday evening’s qualifying session at the Isle of Man TT Races, with the Milwaukee BMW Motorrad rider topping both the Superbike and Superstock leaderboards at 131.821mph and 130.439mph respectively.

Michael Dunlop was quickest in the Supersport class at 126.917mph, this time on his MD Racing with Jamie Coward the pacesetter in the Supertwin class on his KTS Racing powered by KW Electrical/Steadplan Kawasaki at 119.285mph. In the Sidecar class, it was again the Manx pairing of Ryan and Callum Crowe who were quickest at an increased speed of 118.814mph.

The Superbike/Superstock session was the first to take to the Mountain Course this evening where conditions were bright and sunny albeit breezy. It was Dean Harrison (Honda Racing UK) and Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Honda) who were first away followed by James Hillier (WTF Racing Honda), Ian Hutchinson (Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda), Todd and Josh Brookes (Monster Energy BMW by FHO Racing).

Both Michael Rutter (Bathams Ales BMW) and Conor Cummins (Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda) were slow to get away and Harrison was also having issues, the Honda man slow through each sector and eventually pulling in at Parliament Square.

Coward was first to complete a lap at 128.220mph on his Superstock machine but Todd quickly followed him and was considerably quicker on his Superbike at 131.821mph. Dunlop (Hawk Racing Honda) was also over the 130mph barrier at 130.342mph and he was followed by Peter Hickman (129.339mph) and Brookes (129.007mph). Hillier was the quickest Superstock machine with a lap of 128.318mph.

Todd opted to go straight through with Coward, Dunlop, Hickman and Hillier amongst those to pull in, whilst Brookes also continued for a second lap on his Superbike and posted 205.098mph through the Sulby speed trap.

Todd was slightly slower on his second lap with a speed of 131.745mph with Brookes slightly quicker than his opening lap with a speed of 129.205mph but he was overhauled by John McGuinness (129.269mph) who went fourth quickest in the Superbike class. David Johnson was also going well on the Platinum Club Kawasaki (128.348mph), which put him sixth on the Superbike leaderboard but Dunlop closed to within 0.7seconds of Todd with a second lap of 131.729mph.

Hickman, meanwhile, went quickest in the Superstock class with a lap of 129.723mph – that put him 7seconds ahead of Coward who upped his pace to 128.844mph only for Todd to overhaul them both with a speed of 130.349mph. Cummins finally got his first lap done too with a speed of 126.961mph before moving third quickest with a lap of 129.286mph. After his earlier troubles, Harrison went fourth on the leaderboard with a speed 129.226mph.

Newcomer Patrick Hoff was improving steadily too with a lap of 117.546mph before recording 118.839mph later in the session whilst Hickman managed to get another lap on his Superbike where he lapped at 130.804mph.

At 7.25pm, it was the turn of the Supersport/Supertwin session and Dunlop immediately went quickest (126.034mph) with Coward (125.674mph) only 3s slower on his Triumph. They were followed by Hickman (123.581mph), Paul Jordan (123.485mph), Mike Browne (123.248mph) and Harrison (122.855mph) with Croatian newcomer Loris Majcan completing his first lap at 111.982mph after retiring on the opening lap of Monday’s session.

Dunlop improved to 126.917mph second time around with Todd (124.054mph) going third on the leaderboard after his first lap on the Powertoolmate Ducati before improving to 125.063mph on his second lap. Harrison (124.811mph) and Jordan (123.947mph) also increased their speed.

Pierre-Yves Bian was quickest on the opening lap on the Supertwins (116.930mph) followed by last year’s Senior Manx Grand winner Joe Yeardsley (114.687mph) and Michael Russell (114.411mph) but Browne upstaged all of them with a lap of 118.069mph putting him quickest on the Scott Racing Aprilia. He didn’t stay there long though as firstly Rob Hodson on the SMT Racing Paton (118.163mph) and then Coward (119.285mph) overhauled him, the latter ending the session quickest ahead of Hickman who posted a late lap of 118.851mph.

Founds/Walmsley were again first away in the Sidecars, whose session started at 8.10pm, but they were overhauled on the Mountain climb by the Crowes, and it was the Manx pairing who were quickest on the opening lap at 118.814mph – their quickest ever lap on the Mountain Course.

Founds/Walmsley (117.837mph) were second followed by Birchall/Rousseau (116.398mph), Crawford/Hardie (112.987), Reeves/Wilkes (112.985mph) and Blackstock/Rosney (112.522mph) with newcomers Ellis/Clement (110.830mph) slotting into eighth after their first 110mph+ lap.

Birchall/Rousseau upped their pace to an impressive 118.271mph before the session was curtailed by a red flag.

MotoGP: Can Bagnaia Make It Three In A Row At Mugello?

David Swarts

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May 29, 2024

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MotoGP: Can Bagnaia Make It Three In A Row At Mugello?

Home turf & enemy territory: who will make a statement at Mugello?

The most recent winner, Bagnaia, keeps spoiling the party for some home heroes – now they have chance to hit back

Wednesday, 29 May 2024

Barcelona hosted a weekend of shock twists, incredible racing and enough storylines to fill a season review, and yet we’re only six Grands Prix deep. Now it’s time to hit the road to Mugello for the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo, with statement after statement already made and more sure to come as Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and eight-time world Champion Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) continue to duke it out.

At the Catalan GP, however, it wasn’t a three-way fight at the front. This time it was a Bagnaia-Martin duel on Sunday, and after the #1 had put himself on the back foot following a crash out the lead in the Tissot Sprint. It was as close as a race in May can be to a must-win, but win he did. After victory in the last two Italian Grands Prix, including the double last year, that puts the target straight on Bagnaia’s back at Mugello.

For Martin, though, it wasn’t quite a must-win – neither on Saturday nor Sunday. It was a weekend where he wasn’t the fastest but another where he leaves with a protected lead and some very good points. His willingness, too, to take points in the Sprint – even when that meant missing out on the podium – speaks to a rider playing the long game, and his 39-point lead speaks to it paying off. Mugello offers a very tempting statement though: the chance to win in enemy territory. That’s something Bagnaia has now done in the last three Grands Prix in Spain.

Marc Marquez, meanwhile, has one focus first: qualify better. In France he still managed to charge up to the fight for the win, but in Barcelona he “only” managed to fight for the rostrum. Twice. With that though, he remains very much in contention near the top of the Championship, and that’s more than slightly worrying for his rivals if he does qualify much further forward. Mugello is also enemy territory, with plenty the #93 could say with a win, and it’s also where he bowed out before taking a break to have more surgery on his injured arm. So as we return in 2024, the incentives are overflowing with the chance to take centre stage.

HOME HEROES

They are for the home heroes too. Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) wants to prove there’s more to his current form than protest votes and dalliances with the Stewards, Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) wants to find that Jerez form to overturn teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio’s advantage in the standings, Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) is looking for a step forward and Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) even more so. They all know Mugello rather well. Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) is also racing on home turf for the team.

Aprilia, too, are on home turf. It’s not just Ducati who want to raise the tricolore. As the “maybe now we’ll get an Italian on an Italian bike” echoes round the paddock from Massimo Rivola, everyone who could win or lose from that statement will be wanting to make their cases at Mugello as well. After an emotional weekend for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) announcing his retirement, he’ll want to show his speed is still very much there at Mugello and teammate Maverick Viñales will want to flip the form book for the Noale factory back in his favour. And that’s after Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) did a fine job of that in Barcelona, qualifying on the front row, leading the Sprint and then taking Trackhouse’s best MotoGP™ result yet, so teammate Miguel Oliveira will want to hit back.

Aprilia also field test rider Lorenzo Savadori as a wildcard ahead of the test on Monday as they look to take the fight to Ducati and KTM even further.

MISSION: POSSIBLE

For KTM and GASGAS, there’s also plenty swirling about the future but the bigger focus as the circus kicks into gear is simple: move forward from a tougher Barcelona, after their form so far this season has promised more. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was impressive once again in Catalonia as the rookie superstar took a Sprint podium, but on race day he made his second mistake of the season to crash out of the podium fight. After doing the same at Le Mans, he’ll be absolutely committed to taking a top finish at Mugello, where he’s won the last two in Moto2™. He also has his last chance to become the youngest polesitter.

Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), meanwhile, scored some solid points on Sunday – after having led and then crashed out of the Sprint – but that’s not why he goes racing and he’ll be raring to get back to that Qatar GP form. With the top speed record in his pocket, set in the Sprint at Mugello last season, he knows he’ll have some firepower to work with too. For Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) it’s a tougher spell as they look for finishes and/or progress, and they’ll want both in Italy.

There’s also a very first wildcard for Pol Espargaro with KTM and seeing what he’s testing ahead of the official test on Monday at Mugello – as well as where he slots into the pecking order – will be interesting to watch.

THE ROAD TO PROGRESS

At Yamaha and Honda, Mugello is more familiar territory in 2024 after the factories tested here recently, so that could be something to watch. It was also fruitful enough for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) and teammate Alex Rins to employ some of their findings in Barcelona, so as the paddock returns to Mugello they’ll hope that gives them even more edge. The teammate rivalry is also ongoing, with Rins making it to Q2 last time out but then Quartararo hitting back in race trim.

For Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team), teammate Marini on home turf, Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR), there’s also recent testing data on the table, and a whole battle to be top Honda that rages on. The main mission, however, is to collaborate on moving forward – and ahead of the test there’s another weekend to fight for points, gather information, and then get even more track time right after the Grand Prix. Will that big step forward come home?

That Grand Prix is sure to deliver another incredible chapter for the world’s most exciting sport, and there’s more history on the line. That history-making average gap between the winner and second place that was the closest in the MotoGP™ era before Barcelona remains the lowest ever heading into Mugello: just 1.083s over the first six Grands Prix. And what a six Grands Prix they’ve been! Don’t miss the Gran Premio d’Italian Brembo as the seventh promises just as much.

SHOWTIME

Saturday

Tissot Sprint: 15:00 (UTC +2)

Sunday

Grand Prix: 14:00 (UTC +2)

What’s happening at the #ItalianGP

On Thursday afternoon, the podcast welcomes CASTROL Honda LCR’s Johann Zarco at 15:05 (UTC +2).

The first Press Conference at 16:00 then hosts Championship leader Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).

The second line up at 16:35 is Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team), Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) and Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing).

Target acquired: Moto2™ field look to hit back at Garcia and Ogura

They might have only completed six races in their short time as a Moto2™ squad, but the MT Helmets – MSI outfit have already cemented themselves as the team to beat heading to the Gran Premio d’Italia Brembo after back-to-back one-two finishes. Sergio Garcia took the spoils in Le Mans, before Ai Ogura then found the perfect riposte in Barcelona for his first win in nearly 18 months. Garcia now comfortably leads the title chase, with Ogura heading to the Tuscan hillsides now sitting third.

A response is needed then from two names in particular: Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing Team) and Fermin Aldeguer (MB Conveyors SpeedUp). The American never quite got going in Barcelona, eventually coming home in eighth, but Mugello is another favourite circuit on the calendar, so expectations will be sky high. And it’s a huge weekend for Aldeguer too after a costly crash during the Catalan GP. The pre-season favourite is now 46 points back in fourth, knowing a big result will help shift momentum his way ahead of a few weekends off.

All that’s without mentioning the likes of Jake Dixon (CFMoto Inde Aspar Team), back on the podium in Barcelona, and the home heroes on the grid looking to make their mark and join Mugello history. Even at this early juncture, there is so much on the line in the intermediate class. So, don’t miss a single lap of the action from 12:15 local time (UTC +2) on Sunday!

Moto3™: can anyone stop Alonso?

Colombian David Alonso (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) arrives at the magnificent Mugello in serious form, after victory last time out in Barcelona saw him reclaim the lead of the Moto3™ World Championship. The 18-year-old has topped a jaw-dropping 18 of the 20 lightweight class sessions, and his eight Grand Prix victories have all come in the last 18 rounds dating back to the British GP in August of last year.

Looking to bite back is the rider now second in the standings, Red Bull GASGAS Tech3’s Dani Holgado. The Spaniard came home sixth in Barcelona but will be buoyed by the fact that one his four wins came at Mugello in 2023. On that day, he clinched victory on the final lap of a thrilling encounter by just 0.051 of a second.

Hot in pursuit of the top two in the Championship is a pair of riders looking to claw back their deficit: Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) and Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI). The Dutchman is 43 points adrift of Alonso after narrowly missing out on a third straight podium finish for the first time in his career last weekend, whilst Ortola pushed Alonso all the way in Barcelona before having to settle for second. Still, it’s a third podium this season to leave him 48 behind the #80.

After some bad luck and illness struggles, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was right back in the mix in Barcelona, and David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) will be one to watch after a third top five finish in his last four outings. The home heroes, meanwhile, will be absolutely pushing to overturn the pecking order of late as the mythical Mugello offers the chance for home glory. The Moto3™ grid will do battle on Sunday at 11:00 local time (UTC +2) – it’ll be worth your time, we promise!

MRA: Hendry Dominates Premier Class At Pueblo Motorsports Park

David Swarts

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May 29, 2024

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MRA: Hendry Dominates Premier Class At Pueblo Motorsports Park

Hendry extends lead in Premier Class at round two

Hendry and Behmer extend Premier Class leads at MRA’s 2024 season

Pueblo, CO – The second round of the 2024 Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) Championship Series took place the weekend of May 26-27 on the 2.2-mile road course at Pueblo Motorsports Park (PMP). With temperatures hovering around 80° F and above on both days, the conditions were near perfect, if not for some high winds adding an extra challenge to the racers participating.

On Saturday, the Rocky View Family Dental-sponsored Amateur GTO payout class gridded up for race two of the series. Tim May-Ellis took pole for the second time this season with a time of (1:39.451), followed closely by Paul Frysig with a (1:39.893). Steven Racz completed the front row with a (1:40.526). Off the start it was Racz, Seth McClaine and May-Ellis through Turn One. May-Ellis made a mistake on the first lap, running off in Turn Seven and re-entering in last place, which left Racz and McClaine in a closely fought battle for the remainder of the race. May-Ellis, who won the first race of the series, fought back through the pack to finish fourth, retaining the points lead in the class. Racz held off the charging McClaine until the checkered flag, finishing less than half a second ahead of McClaine. Mark Weidner was 4.9 seconds back, rounding out the podium.

On Sunday, with the weather an almost carbon copy of the day before, Brad Hendry placed his BMW S 1000 RR on pole for the second time this season with a qualifying time of (1:32.101) for the Fay Myers Motorcycle World-sponsored Race of the Rockies (ROR) GTO class. Gage Mollman qualified in second with a (1:34.461) and Jeremy Ross rounded out the front row with a (1:34.499).

Kreece Elliot qualified fastest in the Apex Auto Glass-sponsored ROR GTU class on his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R with a time of (1:34.681). Ken Yee’s time of (1:35.268) was fast enough for second, and Tyrel Diekmann was close behind in third with a (1:35.501). Elliot started from the back of the grid due to borrowing another Ninja ZX-6R for the race after his engine failed during qualifying.

Off the start, Hendry leapt ahead of the pack down PMP’s long front straight and went into Turn One with a small gap, as the following pack battled for positions through the long sweeping first turn. With Hendry slowly extending his lead, Mollman and Ross settled into a tight battle for second. Yee managed to put a sizable gap on his GTU class competition early on, holding fourth overall behind Ross.

Four laps into the race, Hendry skillfully saved a brief scare on the exit of Turn Seven, which enabled Mollman to take a small chunk out of Hendry’s lead.

By the halfway point of the 14 lap race, Yee had extended his lead to a comfortable nine seconds over his GTU class competitors. Justen Behmer (GTU) passed Dan Spurlock (GTO) to take over fifth overall and second in the GTU class. Diekmann and Salvatore Rizzo (GTU) joined Spurlock and Behmer in the tight battle for fifth overall, until Rizzo made a pass on Spurlock and set about chasing down Behmer and Yee. With five laps remaining, Elliot retired from the race on his borrowed Ninja ZX-6R.

With the remaining laps dwindling, Hendry settled into consistent 1:33 lap times and stretched his lead to 15 seconds over Mollman with Ross in third another eight seconds back. Yee had been protecting fourth place, and the GTU class lead, with a seven-second advantage over the chasing pack until he suffered a broken shift rod on the penultimate lap and fell out of contention. Spurlock passed Rizzo to reclaim fifth, then started chasing down Behmer. Diekmann also got past Rizzo, putting himself in second place of the GTU battle.

At the checkered flag it was Hendry with a 17 second lead over Mollman, and Ross took his first ever premier class podium, coming in third for the GTO class. Spurlock caught up to Behmer and beat him to the line by less than 0.05 second for fourth place in GTO and overall. Rizzo made a move on Diekmann in the closing moments of the race, stealing second place in the GTU class shortly before the finish line. Behmer took first in the GTU class by a slim 1.2 second margin over Rizzo, with Diekmann in third just 3 tenths of a second behind.

The MRA will return to PMP for the third round of its Championship Series and a full weekend of racing on June 8-9, including the SuperStreet event on Saturday afternoon. SuperStreet gives street riders the opportunity to experience motorcycle road racing with minimal cost and preparation. See mra-racing.org/superstreet/superstreet-information for details.

The MRA welcomes racers from other clubs across the nation. If you’re a currently licensed racer, we have several reciprocity agreements in place along with very competitive pricing on license & entries to our 28 classes. Click here for MRA membership & entry information.

The Motorcycle Roadracing Association is dedicated to promoting safe and competitive motorcycle road racing events for enthusiasts in Colorado and the surrounding area. For more information go to mra-racing.org.

2024 MRA Round 2 Results for AMA

UtahSBA: Norton Wins Again, Joins Elite List

David Swarts

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May 29, 2024

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UtahSBA: Norton Wins Again, Joins Elite List

UtahSBA: Norton Wins Again in Utah at USBA Round Two

After a snow-affected Round One on May 4^th, the Utah Sport Bike Association (UtahSBA) redeemed itself on Memorial Day weekend with a complete Round Two of the Utah Motorcycle Law Masters of the Mountains race series. Back to the fast and flowing UMC West configuration, there were mixed conditions on Saturday but perfect dry weather for the big races on Sunday.

Friday evening featured a track walk with longtime USBA member, the one and only Shane Turpin, who is one of the few members of the UMC West 1:29 club. We think all racers that attended the track walk set personal best lap times this weekend. Thanks, Shane!

Saturday started out raining with the first practice sessions declared wet. King of the Mountain (KOM) qualifying was declared dry, but a drying track made things interesting. The fastest guys didn’t seem phased, putting down some strong laps to set the KOM grid:

Anthony Norton 1:30.5

Brian Childree 1:32.9

Michael Bradshaw 1:33.1

USBA’s intro to racing “Street GP” program, with 10 riders this time, finished just in time before the next drenching rainstorm resulting in more wet races in the early afternoon.

Dry conditions were again declared for Race One of Novice GTO by Outlaw Garage. We wanted to see which of our novice racers have gotten good at changing their wheels under time pressure. A race-long battle for the top five positions resulted in the final order of Kohl Burmester, Daniel Christiani, Brian Cassel, Richard Umplby, and Adam Decario.

Formula 40 is one of UtahSBA’s most competitive classes. New UtahSBA competitor Reid Edwards, from Seattle, took the win in GTO over Chris Mousley in second and Alex Zinaich in third. In the GTU division, Kory Cowan left the second wave GTU field behind and quickly caught up to the GTO riders, easily winning GTU and ending up fifth overall.

Sunday’s action started early with Norton putting in a 1:29.7 lap in Open Superbike, joining Turpin and a few others in the exclusive UMC West 1:29 club.

Perfect conditions for the KOM race finally – 63 degrees and sunny. Defending KOM Champion Norton starting from pole position, most recent KOM race winner Brian Childree started second, UtahSBA veteran Michael Bradshaw started third.

Norton got a blazing holeshot, Childree got away second, and Bradshaw was third off the line. This group immediately gapped the rest of the field. Norton started to pull away with a 1:29.7 on lap two, and Childree and Bradshaw were the race to watch for second and third. In the middle phase of the race, Norton built the gap up to eight seconds, then went into management mode, relaxing his pace to 1:31s. Bradshaw showed Childree a wheel several times in the remaining laps but ultimately settled for third. The final top seven KOM finishing order was Norton, Childree, Bradshaw, Wyatt Ferguson, Chris Mousley, Steven Marco, then Josh Fisher – on a 600!

The UtahSBA Burt Brothers King of the Mountain podium: winner Anthony Norton (center), runner-up Brian Childree (right), and third-place finisher Michael Bradshaw (left). Photo by Brother Chunky Images, courtesy UtahSBA.

Norton had this to say: “Round One was highly anticipated being back on the East Course thanks to the Roadracing World Action Fund and the addition of Airfence for UMC… But I’ve had a bone to pick on the West track since last season and I couldn’t wait for this weekend! Long story short, my bike was on rails and the TrackStar Performance Dunlops were working amazing! Winning the Burt Brothers KOM race was great, but for me the highlight was breaking into the 1:29s this weekend and adding my name to the short list of people who have done that! Gotta thank Precision Fab Machinery for their support this year that helps keep me and my program laser sharp. Looking forward to the rest of the Utah Motorcycle Law USBA season!”

In a gesture that didn’t surprise anyone, Michael Bradshaw donated his purse money to the Roadracing World Action Fund for more Airfence. Thanks, Mike!

Another highlight of the weekend was having Stefano Mesa present. Some USBA racers even had the privilege of racing him in Open Twins where the top 5 finishing order was Stefano Mesa, Nolan Kiiskila, Matheus Gomes, Brian Larrabure, Brandon Morgan.

Nolan Kiiskila (913) battles with Stefano Mesa (37). Photo by Drive-By Shootings, courtesy UtahSBA.

After a banger of a Race Two in Novice GTO presented by Outlaw Garage, the overall purse positions were: Kohl Burmester, Daniel Christiani, Brian Cassel, Richard Umpleby and Tyler Gulden.

It takes a village to put on these events. We have so many people to thank:

UMC outstanding facility and staff

USBA Board

USBA Volunteers

USBA Sponsors

Racers’ friends and family

Roadracing World Action Fund

There are three more UtahSBA rounds at Utah Motorsports Campus this year, each preceded by a Friday Apex Track Days track day, making for a full three-day event. We’d love to see you here, Utah in general is great and UMC is a gem of a track.

Round 3 July 5-7 UMC West

Round 4 August 2-4 UMC East

Round 5 Sept 13-15 UMC West

N2/WERA Endurance: Alpha Omega Rollers Wins At Road Atlanta

David Swarts

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May 29, 2024

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N2/WERA Endurance: Alpha Omega Rollers Wins At Road Atlanta

Alpha Omega Rollers Wins a Dramatic N2/WERA National Endurance Race at Road Atlanta

Media, PA (May 2024) – The Alpha Omega Rollers Endurance Team with riders Eziah Davis, Blake Davis, and Anthony Mazziotto took the overall and Heavyweight class wins in dramatic round one of the N2/WERA National Endurance Series at Road Atlanta. The race featured multiple red flags for crashes, weather, and a mechanical for the bike that ultimately won! In all, a total of 58 teams competed for over $100,000 in purse and contingency for the first round of the 2024 N2/WERA National Endurance Championship.

The race started with beautiful North Georgia spring weather. The relay team of Smoke Shack Racing led the first 30 minutes with former Moto2 rider Robertino Pietri on a very stock Suzuki GSX-R1000. Eventually, Pietri pitted for fuel and a rider switch giving the lead to Army of Darkness’s Taylor Knapp on a Dunlop-shod Yamaha YZF-R1. Army of Darkness held the lead until lap 52 when the first red flag came out for multiple crashes and rain. The clean-up took an hour and 13 minutes due to oil on a wet track.

On the restart, Army of Darkness had a one-lap lead over Alpha Omega Rollers when they took the restart with rider Cody Wyman on rain tires. Alpha Omega Rollers started Eziah Davis on Dunlop slicks, and when the track dried quickly, Davis was lapping more than six seconds a lap faster than Wyman. Alpha Omega Rollers eventually passed Army of Darkness taking their lap back [and then took the race lead when Army of Darkness made their final pit stop].

On lap 69, Eziah Davis pitted and Alpha Omega Rollers sent Mazziotto out with a new tire. Unfortunately, the Alpha Omega Rollers team left a spacer out of the rear wheel causing excessive wear on the swingarm, brake caliper, and rotor of the Yamaha YZF-R1. Mazziotto only made it one lap before he pitted and the Alpha Omega Rollers team thought their race was over. At the same time, an unrelated crash occurred causing a red flag and the race was stopped. The Alpha Omega Rollers bike was extensively damaged and would not make the restart, but lightning in the area extended the red flag and the race was eventually called complete. Because the results reverted back to the last complete lap, Alpha Omega Rollers was declared the winner.

The Middleweight Class was won by Trash Panda with riders Chuck Ivey, Micah Hand, Nathan Seethaler, and Sean Hopkins

Robem Engineering won the Lightweight Class with young riders Alessandro Di Mario and Hank Vossberg on an Aprilia RS 660.

Riot Racing won the 2-Hour Ultralightweight Endurance Race on a Kawasaki Ninja 400 with riders Chris Evans and Damian Jigalov.

The Relay Class was one by Cheetah Elite with riders Wristin Grigg and Rohan Siddaraj.

Round 2 of the N2/WERA National Endurance Series is at Carolina Motorsports Park on June 8th. Check with www.n2td.org for details.

About N2: N2 – Ride, Learn, Race.

Founded in 2014, N2’s mission is to build a sustainable motorcycle community through safe, structured motorcycle track days, advanced rider training programs based on Yamaha Champions Riding School teaching methods, with a strong affinity for motorcycle road racing. N2 successfully resurrected Motorcycle Endurance Racing in America partnering with WERA Roadracing and creating the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop. N2 is a premier participant in the MotoAmerica Pro Racing Series with a multi-rider team competing in several classes. N2 is also a major contributor to the Roadracing World Action Fund through fundraising efforts and support from its large member base.

The N2 National Endurance Series is proudly sponsored by: N2 Track Days, Yamaha Motor USA, Dainese, Woodcraft Technologies, BobbleHeadMoto, WERA Motorcycle Roadracing, KYT Helmet America, REB Graphics, Millennium Technologies, Wiseco Powersports, JE Pistons, Ghetto Customs 128, Pit-Lane Moto SBSbrakes and Yamaha Champions Riding School.

For more information: www.n2td.org

MotoAmerica Superbike: Beaubier Leads Heading To Road America (Updated)

David Swarts

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May 29, 2024

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MotoAmerica Superbike: Beaubier Leads Heading To Road America (Updated)

The Heat Is On As MotoAmerica Superbikes Head To Road America

The Steel Commander Superbike Championship Ready To Attack Popular Road America, May 31-June 2

IRVINE, CA (May 29, 2024) – The cream of the MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike crop generally makes one, possibly two race mistakes a year. Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier has made his, yet he leads the championship by 13 points as the championship moves to inarguably its most popular round – Road America – after two rounds and five races. Predictable? Not entirely. Race fans with short memories? Definitely.

When Beaubier crashed out of the lead at Barber Motorsports Park a bit over two weeks ago in race one, there was plenty of groaning as it handed Attack Performance/Progressive/Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne a 20-point lead over the BMW M 1000 RR-mounted Beaubier. The championship was over, blah, blah, blah.

A day later and Beaubier was on the top step of the podium twice after winning both races on Sunday while Gagne struggled mightily with arm pump that left him eighth and seventh in the two races.

Thus, Beaubier will start the first of two Steel Commander Superbike races at Road America, May 31-June 2, with a 13-point lead after two. But if we learned anything from the three-race Barber round it’s that bad days by the cream of the crop no longer result in podium finishes. Instead, a stacked field of Superbikes can mean that a bad result is now seventh or eighth. Or worse.

Which brings us to the age-old Yogi Berra quote of “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” This is far from over.

Beaubier was the fastest rider at Barber. Everyone knew it, including race-one winner Cameron Petersen and his teammate and defending series champion Gagne, both of whom took advantage of Beaubier’s miscue to take the top two spots in race one.

Fortunately for Beaubier, and unfortunately for the rest, Barber was one of two rounds (WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is the other) that will feature three Steel Commander Superbike races. So, although Beaubier started Sunday 20 points behind, he was able to end it with two wins and a 13-point lead heading to Road America.

Gagne’s plight as the series heads to Wisconsin will revolve around his forearms. Arm pump slows the best of them, and Gagne is battling with it now. The long straightaways of Road America should be easier on him than the previous two rounds.

But this championship isn’t just about Beaubier vs. Gagne.

TopPro Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly has already proven to be a factor in his rookie season of Superbike racing and he’s only going to get better. Kelly earned the first two Superbike podiums of his debut season on Sunday at Barber with a second in race two and a third in race three. Kelly sits third in the championship, 22 points behind Beaubier and just nine behind Gagne, with the Floridian finishing all five races so far with two fourths and a fifth to go with his two podiums.

Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong is another who has shown speed in the opening races of the season and he arrives in Wisconsin 13 points behind Kelly and two in front of Petersen. Fong earned a podium in the series opener at Road Atlanta and another in the third race at Barber when he finished second to Gagne.

Petersen is the other rider in the field to win a race in 2024 as he joined Beaubier and his teammate Gagne as Superbike race winners when he held off Gagne to win race one at Barber after Beaubier’s third-lap crash. Petersen is just two points behind Fong.

Although the season has had a few bumps in the road so far for Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin and his French teammate Loris Baz, counting them out of any race would be a mistake. Especially, at Road America where the pair will be able to take full advantage of their very fast Ducati Panigale V4 Rs. Herrin has one podium finish so far (third in race on at Barber), but his points total suffered with a crash in race two in Alabama. However, he’s a proven race winner and will be looking to chase bags of points on the fast four-mile Road America.

Also, remember that Herrin was on pole for last year’s races at Road America and he finished third in race one prior to winning race two.

Baz is just two points behind Herrin in the championship after a consistent start to the season. Baz’s big however came in race three at Barber when he was hit from behind by a lapped rider and crashed. Baz should also find solace in the fact that the Ducatis work well at Road America.

Real Steel Motorsports’ Hayden Gillim, meanwhile, is tied with Baz for seventh after five consistent races on his Superstock-spec Honda CBR1000RR-R SP.

Beaubier’s Tytlers Cycle Racing teammate JD Beach had a Barber round that he would like to permanently erase from his memory banks as he scored just nine points from the three races after two crashes. Beach will get a fresh start at Road America this weekend.

Another who expected way more to the start of his season is Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch. Paasch is 10th in the title chase with a best finish of sixth thus far as he tries to make up ground from a miserable opening round at Road Atlanta where he failed to score a point.

Paasch will be joined again at Road America by Spaniard Xavi Forés, who is replacing the injured Richie Escalante. Forés was sixth in two of the three races in his debut with the team at Barber, but race two in Alabama was a DNF for the non-defending 2023 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion.

Just seven points separate Paasch in 10th from BPR Racing’s Bryce Prince, who sits 14th. Between the two are FLO4LAW Racing’s Benjamin Smith and Thrashed Bike Racing’s Max Flinders. Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates and Visit Indiana/Tom Wood Powersports’ Nolan Lamkin are tied for 15th in the series standings.

Pre-Race Road America Notes…

Last year’s two Superbike races at Road America were won by Cameron Beaubier and Josh Herrin. Beaubier beat his Tytlers Cycle Racing teammate PJ Jacobsen by 2.7 seconds with Herrin third in race one. In race two, Herrin took the win by a tick over two seconds over Jacobsen with Jake Gagne third. Oddly enough, Gagne had a DNF in race one and his championship rival Beaubier failed to finish race two.

Ducati Panigale V4 R-mounted Josh Herrin earned pole position last year with his lap of 2:09.111 of the four-mile-long Road America. Herrin was joined on the front row by the BMW M1000 RRs of Cameron Beaubier and PJ Jacobsen. The fastest lap of the two races was Herrin’s 2:09.025, which is the Superbike race lap record at Road America.

Five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier has won 11 Superbike races at Road America. That’s two more than Australian Mat Mladin and three more than Josh Hayes.

Active MotoAmerica racers with Superbike wins at Road America other than Beaubier include Josh Herrin, Jake Gagne, Cameron Petersen, Bobby Fong and Mathew Scholtz, who is now racing in the Supersport class.

With his three MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike victories this year, Beaubier now has 63 AMA Superbike wins – 19 wins behind all-time AMA Superbike win leader Mat Mladin and his 82 victories.

Yamaha continues to lead the way in manufacturer Superbike wins at Road America with 26 victories. Suzuki is second with 18 Superbike race wins at the venue in Elkhart Lake, followed by Honda with 12, Ducati with nine and Kawasaki with four. Cameron Beaubier’s race-one victory was the first Superbike win for BMW at Road America.

Three-time World Champion Freddie Spencer won the first-ever AMA Superbike race at Road America in 1980.

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. To watch all things MotoAmerica, subscribe to MotoAmerica’s live streaming and video on demand service, MotoAmerica Live+

More, from a press release issued by Ducati:

It’s game on for Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati teammates Josh Herrin and Loris Baz as MotoAmerica heads to Road America.

Sunnyvale, Calif., May 29, 2024 — Think motorcycle racing in North America and one of the circuits absolutely everyone wants to race at is the glorious Road America venue, located about an hour’s drive north of Milwaukee in Wisconsin.

Its 4.04 miles have played host to some of the most iconic races in MotoAmerica history, and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati riders Loris Baz and Josh Herrin will be hoping to write another chapter in 2024 with a Ducati race victory or two.

Road America is the longest track on the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship calendar. Its huge straights and fast sweeping corners are ideally suited to the strengths of the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Herrin and Baz will thus be looking for nothing less than the podium as America’s best descend on one of the world’s most picturesque racing venues.

Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#76)

“This track is something special,” Baz said. “The first time I went there in 2021, I absolutely loved it. It reminded me of all the famous racetracks around the world, like Monza and Mugello in Italy and Laguna Seca in America—those places have that special feeling, and Road America is the same.”

“It’s a great track for our Panigale V4 R. We’ve targeted a few little things to improve on the bike and I’m feeling good, even after the mishap in race two at Barber. I was a little beaten up after that one, but I’m grateful that my girlfriend is a physiotherapist! I’m all good now and ready to let the Panigale V4 R rip at Road America.”

Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#2)

“I am super excited to go to Road America this weekend,” said Herrin. “I’m especially keen to get going after a difficult start to the season at Road Atlanta and Barber. Road America is an excellent track for the V4 R. It has a fast and flowing layout, and I can’t wait to listen to the bike sing through the walls heading into Canada Corner!”

Action for round three of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will commence on Friday, May 31 at 8:30 a.m. CDT, with Herrin and Baz first taking to the track for Free Practice 1 at 11:15 a.m. CDT.

Race one for the Superbike category kicks off at 3:10 p.m. CDT on Saturday, June 1, with race two scheduled for 3:10 p.m. CDT on Sunday, June 2.

MotoGP: Kazakhstan GP Moved To September

David Swarts

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May 29, 2024

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MotoGP: Kazakhstan GP Moved To September

New dates for 2024 Kazakhstan GP confirmed

Wednesday, 29 May 2024

The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports can now announce new dates for the 2024 Grand Prix of Kazakhstan.

Flooding across the region caused the event to be postponed from June.

The inaugural Kazakhstan GP will now take place from the 20th to the 22nd of September as the first race on the Asian leg of the 2024 MotoGP™️ calendar.

MotoGP: Indian Grand Prix Postponed

David Swarts

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May 29, 2024

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Indian Grand Prix postponed to 2025

Wednesday, 29 May 2024

The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports announce that the Indian Grand Prix will not take place in 2024, with MotoGP™️ postponing its return to the country to early 2025 due to operational considerations.

Following advice from the Government of Uttar Pradesh as the state continues its long-term commitment to MotoGP™️, the sport will return to Buddh International Circuit in March 2025, when weather conditions are expected to be optimal for spectators and riders alike.

FIM Mini Cup USA Race Results From Summit Point

David Swarts

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May 29, 2024

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FIM Mini Cup USA Race Results From Summit Point

Here are complete race results from the 2024 FIM Mini Cup USA event held May 25-26 on the Shenandoah Circuit at Summit Point Motorsports Park, in Summit Point, West Virginia.

Bagger Racing League: Xaus Wins Bagger GP At Motorsports Park Hastings

May 29, 2024

Ruben Xaus (111) leads Sam Guerin (418) in the BRL Bagger GP race at Motorsports Park Hastings. Photo by Richard Gergely, courtesy BRL.

The Bagger Racing League’s (BRL) 2024 season kicked off on May 24-26 at Motorsports Park Hastings in Hastings, Nebraska.

The BRL Bagger GP feature race had the following results: 1. Ruben Xaus, 2. Sam Guerin, 3. Cody Gilmore, 4. Jesse Janisch, 5. Arnie Wells, 6. Jake Masters, 7. Eric Reyes, 8. Tony Sallima, 9. Tyler Elliott, 10. Joe Sanderson, 11. Oleg Pianykh.

BLR SuperStreet results: 1. Jake Masters, 2. Chris Rivas, 3. Sean Hoffman, 4. Carl Schlacht, 5. Phil Doty, 6. Joe Sanderson.

BRL Air Cooled Twins winner: Chris Rivas

BRL American Twins Unlimited winner: Carl Schlacht

BRL Liquid Cooled Twins winner: Andrew Berkeley

And the new BRL Metric Classes Podium Results:

Unlimited Superbike: 1. Brett Folkerts, 2. Chris Haesemeyer, 3. Brian Haig.

Lightweight Superbike: 1. Brett Folkerts, 2. Scott Short, 3. Arch E. York.

Middleweight Superbike: 1. Chris Haesemeyer, 2. Jamie Hanson, 3. Keira Noble.

Next Generation Superbike: 1. Jamie Hanson, 2. James Milroy Jr., 3. Catherine Bukowski.

NEXT ROUND : June 28-30 at Gingerman Raceway, South Haven, Michigan.

Isle Of Man TT: Todd Tops Two Classes During Qualifying

May 29, 2024