Home Blog Page 49

WorldWCR: Provisional 2026 Calendar Unveiled

The provisional calendar for the 2026 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship is here, with six rounds set to deliver another action-packed season. True to its goal of showcasing women’s racing on the world stage, the Championship continues to rotate venues to reach new fans.

For 2026, two iconic circuits rejoin the schedule, returning to host WorldWCR after featuring in the inaugural season – adding fresh challenges for the riders and new stories for fans to follow.

The season gets underway at the rollercoaster Autodromo Internacional do Algarve on the 27th-29th March, one of two returning venues on the calendar. After Portimao, the Championship heads to the historic TT Circuit Assen on the 17th-19th April. The visit to Hungary has an earlier date this season, across the 1st-3rd May, at the Balaton Park Circuit.

Then it’s time for a trip to Italy as the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” hosts WorldWCR again, which returns to the calendar for 2026, before Donington Park in the UK from the 10th-12th July. The season concludes at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto from the 16th-18th October.

An Official Test will take place at Portimao on the 23rd March, with two mandatory media days on the 21st and 22nd March at the same venue.

 

 

About WorldWCR: 
 
The FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) is a groundbreaking single-make series exclusively for aspiring female riders, featuring the Yamaha R7. Building on the success of its inaugural season in 2024, which saw Ana Carrasco crowned, the series aims to continue advancing women’s motorsport by fostering new talent and showcasing competitive racing on a global stage.
 
WorldWCR offers emerging talent an equal platform to showcase their skills alongside the world’s best riders. By addressing disparities and breaking down barriers, the series empowers women to reach new heights in professional racing. As a dedicated space for female riders, WorldWCR celebrates skill, passion, and diversity. It inspires the next generation of female racers while shaping a more inclusive motorsport landscape.

American Daniel Jr. Will Race for Third Season in Red Bull Rookies Cup

Barcelona, Spain – September 18, 2025 – Kristian Daniel Jr. has officially been invited to return for his third season in the prestigious Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2026. The American teenager has continued to impress on the international stage, building momentum throughout the 2025 season with two podium finishes, one front row start, and multiple laps led against the world’s best young riders.

After two seasons of steady growth and standout performances, Daniel Jr. is setting his sights higher than ever. The upcoming year marks a pivotal opportunity for the young talent to convert his speed and experience into victories.

 

Kristian Daniel Jr. during the 2025 Red Bull Rookies Cup in Austria. Photo courtesy Kristian Daniel Sr.
Kristian Daniel Jr. during the 2025 Red Bull Rookies Cup in Austria. Photo courtesy Kristian Daniel Sr.

 

“I’ve learned so much over the past two years racing in the Rookies Cup,” said Daniel Jr.

“Getting on the podium and fighting at the front gave me the confidence that I belong with the best. For 2026, my goal is clear—I want to win races and fight for the championship.”

The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is widely recognized as the premier stepping stone for riders aiming to progress into the Moto3 World Championship and ultimately MotoGP. Competing on identical KTM machinery, the series puts a spotlight on pure talent, making Daniel Jr.’s results a strong testament to his potential.

With another year of experience under his belt and a proven ability to challenge at the front, Kristian Daniel Jr. enters the 2026 season ready to take on the next chapter of his racing career.

American Chris Clark Rides At The 2025 Yamaha Mastercamp

American teenager Chris Clark, currently second overall in the 2025 Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup has successfully completed the Yamaha Mastercamp at the Aspar Circuit in Spain. 

 

Chris, who won the opening round of the series – which runs alongside the FIM Superbike World Championship – took part in the invitation only event last month. Taking part in the week-long training camp, Chris tried his hand at flat track, rode several Yamaha road race machines, raced go-karts, went jet skiing, and took part in a variety of physical activities both on and off the track alongside some of the world’s top motorcycle road racers including former MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo and six-time FIM Superbike World Champion Jonathan Rea. 

 

Chris Clark at the Aspar Circuit in Spain. Photo courtesy Chris Clark Racing.
Chris Clark at the Aspar Circuit in Spain. Photo courtesy Chris Clark Racing.

 
Chris Clark: “The mastercamp was pure awesomeness for five straight days. I am thankful to Yamaha and to everyone who made it possible, it was amazing. The first day was technical training and focused on technique and I learned so much even at slow speed that I can take into my racing going forward. I then tried flat track, which was new for me. I got to ride with Jonathan Rea and Remy Gardner, and they taught me so much stuff. When I am back home in the off season, I will start training flat track. We then did a kart race, and I went jet skiing which was so cool and so much fun. I rode a Yamaha R7 which was another new challenge as the bike is heavier and faster than I am used to, but I took to it quickly and felt comfortable which I am happy about. We then did more intense technical training and Fabio Quartararo showed up and I got to share the track with him. Everyone that took part was amazing and I loved the whole experience. Thank you again to Yamaha and BLU CRU for inviting me. I am fully focused on putting everything into practice in Aragon in a couple of weeks and ending the season strong.”

 
The penultimate round of the Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup takes place at Motorland Aragon in just under two weeks, with the series finale taking place at Estoril in Portugal in the middle of October. 

 

For more information visit Chris’s website

FIM Long Track: Heads To Roden in the Netherlands

The 2025 FIM Long Track World Championship powered by Anlas, Kineo and HKC Koopmann comes to a thrilling climax this coming Sunday (21 September) in Roden in the Netherlands and with just four points between the top three contenders – and only eight points separating first and fourth – fireworks are guaranteed.

 

  • Just four points separate top three with one round to go
  • Lukas Fienhage leads from Zach Wajtknecht and Chris Harris
  • Defending champion Martin Smolinski ruled out due to injury

 

This season has been one of the most exciting and unpredictable in recent years with reigning champion Martin Smolinski, who will unfortunately not race this weekend due to injury and hence will not be able to defend his title, who took the lead after round one in Mühldorf. Then Zach Wajtknecht who held the advantage following round two in Marmande, followed by former champion Lukas Fienhage who seized control last time out in Scheessel.

 
Chosen to host the final round of the championship for the second successive season, the six-hundred-metre track at the Speed Centre Roden in the north of the country is renowned for close, competitive racing and should put the perfect seal on a dramatic and incredibly hard-fought championship.

 
Germany’s Fienhage, the champion in 2020 and runner-up last year, holds a slender two-point advantage over Wajtknecht heading into the fourth and deciding round, but the twenty-seven-year-old British rider is just two points ahead of his compatriot Chris Harris – who won in Scheessel, the scene is set for a sensational showdown.

 
It was the now sidelined German veteran Smolinski, who was bidding to win his third title in a row and his fourth in total, who struck first on home ground in Mühldorf at the start of July ahead of Wajtknecht and Fienhage, however the British rider fought back one week later in France.

 
With a below-par performance from Smolinski, who failed to make the Grand Final in Marmande, Wajtknecht’s first victory in almost three years gave him the series lead ahead of Fienhage as the championship headed to Scheessel in the second half of August.

 

2025 FIM Long Track World Championship, Marmande. Photo credit Jesper Veldhuizen
2025 FIM Long Track World Championship, Marmande. Photo credit Jesper Veldhuizen

 

Following a slow start at the opening round, forty-two-year-old Harris had been steadily building and after finishing third in Marmande he raced to victory in Scheessel to assert his claim to the title he came within a few points of winning in 2023.

Both Wajtknecht and Smolinski saw their title aspirations suffer heavy blows in Scheessel following a collision in the Grand Final that resulted in the British rider being disqualified – and, therefore, limited to thirteen points for fifth – while an injured Smolinski trailed home fourth in the re-run as Fienhage followed Harris across the line to take the championship lead from Wajtknecht and set up this coming Sunday’s thrilling finale.

 
Of course, while the focus will predominantly be on the leading championship contenders, they are by no means the only riders who will be aiming to make their presence felt at the front. Dutchman Dave Meijerink – who currently lies fifth in the points – knows he needs to remain in the top six to earn an automatic starting position for next year and British veteran Andrew Appleton, who is holding that all-important sixth position, will want to build on his podium finish in Scheessel to guarantee his place in next season’s elite.

 
Both riders’ main threat to their top-six status should come from Mathias Trésarrieu who sits seventh, although after winning the FIM Long Track Challenge earlier this month the young Frenchman has already booked his place behind the tapes for 2026 and as a result may not be quite as determined to pull back the six-point deficit to Appleton. The inclusion of newcomers such as Patrick Kruse, Fabian Wachs, Jake Mulford, William Kruit plus Nynke Sijbesma as a female reserve rider is sure to add an extra ingredient to the season finale.

 
The action in the Speed Centre Roden is scheduled to get under way at 14:00 (local time) with the first of fifteen Heats.

 

FIND THE STARTING LIST HERE

MotoAmerica Reveals 2026 Racing Calendar

From Road Atlanta In April To New Jersey Motorsports Park In September, The Best Of The Best Will Race Across The Country In 2026.

IRVINE, CA (September 18, 2025) – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. is excited to announce its nine-round, 20-race MotoAmerica Superbike Championship in 2026 that will kick off in mid-April at Road Atlanta and conclude in late September at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

 

 

The 2026 championship will also mark the 50th anniversary of the first official AMA Superbike race held at Daytona International Speedway in March of 1976. Reg Pridmore captured that Superbike Championship on a BMW R90S.

All nine rounds next year will feature the premier Superbike and Motovation Supersport classes, with the Superbikes again set to have two tripleheaders – at VIRginia International Raceway and New Jersey Motorsports Park.

In addition to the Superbike and the newly revised Superbike Cup and Supersport classes, the championship will feature five additional classes at select rounds – Mission King Of The Baggers, Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul, Twins Cup, Mission Super Hooligan National Championship, and Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race.

The 2026 Motovation Supersport series will consist of 19 races as the 84thrunning of the Daytona 200 will be the opening round of the championship, March 5-7, in Daytona Beach, Florida, bringing even greater importance to the already prestigious Daytona 200. In the four years since MotoAmerica took over the running of the “Great American Motorcycle Race,” the 200 has been a standalone race and not a round of the Supersport Championship.

Paying championship points for the Daytona 200 is nothing new as for the majority of its years it was the opening points race of the AMA Championship.

The sophomore season of the Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul will see the ultra-competitive class racing 16 times, with the series’ youngest riders set to battle at all the Superbike rounds except for Road America and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The Talent Cup racers will again get the chance to showcase their skills to the world as their series will begin at Circuit of The Americas during the MotoGP weekend in Texas, March 27-29.

Mission King Of The Baggers will race 14 times next year, with doubleheaders at Daytona International Speedway, Road Atlanta, Road America, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Circuit of The Americas, and New Jersey Motorsports Park.

The Mission Super Hooligan National Championship will join the Baggers at six of the rounds – Daytona, Barber, Ridge Motorsports Park, Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio and Circuit of The Americas.

The ever-popular SC-Project Twins Cup will battle 14 times and will start its season at Daytona with six more rounds at Road Atlanta, Barber, Road America, Mid-Ohio, VIR, and NJMP.

The women of the Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. series will again chase an eight-race championship with their schedule set to be released shortly.

This has been our best season to date,said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “The racing has been outstanding, and the Superbike Championship looks set to go right down to the last lap at New Jersey. We’ve had some incredible crowds this year and we can’t wait to see even more fans join us in 2026. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of AMA Superbike racing will make it a season to remember.”

 

 

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, Talent Cup, Super Hooligan National Championship, 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 MotoAmerica’s social platforms on FacebookInstagramTikTokTwitter, and YouTube. To watch all things MotoAmerica, subscribe to MotoAmerica’s live streaming and video on-demand service, MotoAmerica Live+ 

FIM Motocross of Nations: Jeff Ward Named Grand Marshal

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame & Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee to Lead Opening Ceremonies at World’s Most Prestigious Motocross Event. 

MX Sports, host organizer of the 2025 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN), is pleased to announce that AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer and USA Motocross Team icon Jeff Ward, the most prolific racer of the 1980s, will serve as Grand Marshal of the world’s most prestigious motocross event, which will return to American soil from October 3-5 from Crawfordsville, Indiana’s Ironman Raceway. Ward will join this year’s USA rider lineup of Haiden Deegan, Chase Sexton, and Eli Tomac during the kickoff Nucor Grand Parade of Nations on Friday, October 3, and will also lead opening ceremonies on race day, Sunday, October 5.

 

Simply put, Ward is “Captain America” at the MXoN. Not only is he the most successful racer in USA Motocross Team history with the most appearances for his home country, but he is also the single-most-successful competitor in the 78-year history of the storied event. Ward represented the stars and stripes on seven different occasions between 1983 and 1990 and went a perfect 7-for-7 in those appearances. An unprecedented level of success that still stands to this day, 35 years since Ward’s final MXoN.

 

“Jeff Ward represents everything the Motocross of Nations stands for — national pride, world-class talent, and a relentless drive to win,” said Tim Cotter, Event Director for the 2025 MXoN. “It is only fitting that the winningest American in MXoN history leads Team USA and our fans into this year’s event as Grand Marshal.”

 

Ward (left) was selected to represent the USA seven times during his Hall of Fame career and successfully led his country to victory every time to become an MXoN icon.Photo Courtesy Racer X Archives & Moto Verte
Ward (left) was selected to represent the USA seven times during his Hall of Fame career and successfully led his country to victory every time to become an MXoN icon. Photo Courtesy Racer X Archives & Moto Verte

 

Adding to Ward’s heralded legacy at the MXoN were winning performances in each displacement division, with five wins riding a 500cc Kawasaki KX500 and one win apiece riding a 250cc Kawasaki KX250 and a 125cc KawasakiKX125. He helped lead the USA to victories in six different host nations, including the MXoN debut on American soil from New York’s Unadilla MX in 1987, and became a cornerstone figure in the country’s ascension to dominance at the MXoN, where the USA has the most Chamberlain Trophy triumphs with 23 victories.

 

While Ward’s accolades at the MXoN alone is the stuff of legend, his career résumé in American motocross as a whole is equally incredible. Ward captured seven SuperMotocross championships during an illustrious 15-year career, with two titles in Supercross and five titles in Pro Motocross. He will also forever carry the distinction of being the only rider in AMA history to win a championship in each displacement, in both disciplines. 

 

Upon his retirement from motocross, Ward made a successful transition to four wheels, notably in IndyCar where he competed in 61 races over a seven-year period, with one victory at Texas Motor Speedway in 2002 and both a second and third-place finish at the legendary Indianapolis 500. Ward then made a triumphant return to two wheels at over 40 years of age, where he dominated the AMA Supermoto Championship with both a pair of titles (2004 & 2006) and a pair of X Games Gold Medals (2006 & 2008). He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and was later inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2006.

 

Ward's unprecedented seven wins saw him compete aboard each displacement of Kawasaki motorcycles – 500cc, 250cc, and 125cc.Photo Courtesy Racer X Archives & Moto Verte
Ward’s unprecedented seven wins saw him compete aboard each displacement of Kawasaki motorcycles – 500cc, 250cc, and 125cc. Photo Courtesy Racer X Archives & Moto Verte

 

As Grand Marshal, Ward will serve as the ceremonial leader of the event, participating in opening ceremonies, leading the Nucor Grand Parade of Nations, and welcoming the world’s top motocross athletes and fans to Ironman Raceway for what promises to be one of the most historic motocross events ever held on American soil.

 

More information about the 2025 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations can be found by visiting www.MXoNUSA.com. Also follow MXoN USA on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on everything surrounding this year’s event.
 
For admission information, please email [email protected] with any questions.
 

For more information on Ironman Raceway please call (304) 284-0084 or visit the official website a www.IronmanRaceway.com. Also follow Ironman Raceway on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram for exclusive content and to catch the latest news.

Refunds may be available for the face value of the purchased ticket only, minus a 10% processing fee, until September 2, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET. All tickets purchased after September 2, 2025, are not refundable. Email [email protected] for all refund requests.

MotoAmerica: Even More From Teams At COTA

More from a press release issued by OrangeCat Racing: 

OrangeCat Racing’s Lee clinches 2025 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 title Sunday at Circuit of the Americas. Lee’s teammate Uribe caps off 2025 season with two runner-up finishes at Sept. 12-14 event. 
 

AUSTIN, Texas – The inaugural season of MotoAmerica’s Stock 1000 Class in 2018 saw Andrew Lee crowned the new class’ first champion. On Sunday, Lee bookended the eight-year run of the class as its final champion. The OrangeCat Racing rider clinched the 2025 Stock 1000 title Sunday after scoring fourth place finishes on Saturday and Sunday at the class’ season finale at Circuit of the Americas to finish two points ahead of his closest championship rival. It was Lee’s third time collecting an AMA/MotoAmerica Stock 1000 National No. 1 plate in the class, as he also repeated as class champion in 2019. 

Lee’s 2025 championship win also marks the first for an OrangeCat Racing rider, which has had one of its riders finish second in the Stock 1000 championship chase in 2023 and 2024. 

Lee’s teammate and the 2024 Stock 1000 runner-up, Jayson Uribe, capped off his 2025 season with a pair of hard-fought second place finishes to wrap up third in the 2025 Stock 1000 points standings. 

Both OrangeCat Racing riders were at or near the top of the time sheets for the round’s first on-track session. Uribe was the fastest rider in Friday morning practice by almost a second, and Lee was fourth fastest. Later Friday, Uribe and Lee provisionally qualified third and fourth in the first of two qualifying sessions. Qualifying wrapped up Saturday morning with Uribe and Lee having each moved up one position to secure second and third place on the starting grid for the weekend’s two Stock 1000 races. 

In Saturday afternoon’s Race 1, Uribe and Lee both got off the line well. Lee was a little off the frontrunning pace and had to settle for a lonely fourth-place finish. Uribe had a race-long battle with another championship-contending rider and finished a mere 0.590 seconds behind him in second place. 

The title-deciding Race 2 on Sunday saw Lee take no chances and finish where he needed to wrap up the title. Lee latched onto the tail end of the four-rider group at the front of the field and ran a conservative pace to secure a lonely-but-championship-clinching fourth-place finish. Uribe put in an even more stout performance in his race-long battle for the lead with another rider. A false neutral as Uribe was braking for Turn 12 on the last lap caused him to run wide and lose time to the eventual race winner. Uribe ultimately finished in second place for his eighth podium appearance of the season. 

The team thanks its many sponsors and fans for their support this season.

OrangeCat Racing also recently announced its plans to enter the MotoAmerica RSD Super Hooligans Class with a Lightfighter V3-RH electric motorcycle for 2026. 

 
OrangeCat Racing riders Andrew Lee (left) and Jayson Uribe pose in victory circle at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday after clinching first place and third place, respectively, in the 2025 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Championship. Photo credit: Brian J. Nelson
OrangeCat Racing riders Andrew Lee (left) and Jayson Uribe pose in victory circle at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday after clinching first place and third place, respectively, in the 2025 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Championship. Photo credit: Brian J. Nelson

 

 
 

Andrew Lee / No. 14 

“I’m so excited to be able to wrap up the championship this year! The whole OrangeCat Racing team really put in so much effort this year, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to ride with them this year. The race weekend itself was a very conservative, low risk weekend. The two fourth-place results were what we needed. I had much better pace in the second race but didn’t want to push over the edge and lose the championship by a silly mistake. So, I just settled in and brought it home.” 

 

Jayson Uribe / No. 36 

“Overall, it’s been a very successful weekend at Circuit of the Americas for the OrangeCat Racing crew. Wrapping up the Stock 1000 Championship was always the goal for 2025, and we achieved that. Unfortunately, my mistake at Road America took me out of the running for this year’s title, but I’m happy I could at least help contribute to bringing the No. 1 plate to the team. Our pace this weekend was strong, and we took the fight to our competition in both races. Race 2 was a bit heartbreaking, as I had made the pass for the lead into Turn 12, but a false neutral in the hardest braking zone of the track took me off track and out of fight. Overall, a huge shoutout to everyone at OrangeCat Racing. The mechanics, techs, management, and everyone behind the scenes really put in the work and gave us an incredible package this year.” 

 

OrangeCat Racing’s promotional and technical partners for the 2025 MotoAmerica season include Motoworks Chicago, Ohlins USA, and alpha Racing. 

Jayson Uribe’s personal sponsors for the 2025 MotoAmerica season include Dainese, Arai Helmets, CT Racing, Code 3 Consultations, San Jose BMW, and BSP Racing.

Andrew Lee’s personal sponsors for the 2025 MotoAmerica season include CT Racing, KYT, Luxvoni, Aliv World Wide, KD.51CD, Coolbreeze Heating and Air, JP43 Training and Barrett Racing.   

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 Real Steel Honda: 
 

JD Beach sweeps COTA with victories in both Stock 1000 races and Superbike Cup races on his Honda CBR 1000 RR-R SP Fireblade.

Real Steel Honda Racing Austin, TX September 16, 2025: MotoAmerica Superbikes at Texas event held September 12 – 14, 2025, at Circuit of the Americas.

JD Beach had another unbeaten weekend for 2025 this time at COTA with MotoAmerica topping both Stock 1000 races and finishing first in both Superbike Cup races. Hayden Gillim matched his best Superbike finish with another 4th place in Superbike race 1 and despite a last lap tip-over in Race 2 managed a 7th place finish after remounting. Ian Fraley improved his lap times from the spring Talent Cup races at COTA and netted an 11th and 12th place finish.

In Stock 1000 Race 1 on Saturday JD battled the entire race, taking a hard-fought win with a last lap pass in the final corner to take the checkered flag. In Superbike Race 1 Hayden had a great race finishing 4th while JD was able to move forward and finish in 6th place. JD’s Superbike cup win on Saturday capped off the 2025 Superbike cup championship with 4 races remaining. In the Talent cup race Ian finished in 11th place.

On Sunday JD again won the Stock 1000 class in a race long battle but passed for the lead on the final lap a few corners earlier than the previous day. JD finished 2 points shy of the championship title in the final Stock 1000 championship standings. Despite a last lap crash, Hayden was able to finish in 7th place while JD finished in 6th place in Superbike Race 2 and as first in the Superbike cup. In the Superbike championship standings. JD is in 6th place with Hayden 2 spots behind in 8th place. In Talent cup race 2 Ian finished in 12 place and is in 13th place in the championship standings with 46 points.

Real Steel Honda Racing is proudly supported by American Honda, HRC, Progressive Insurance, Pro Honda Oils. Southern Honda Powersports, Steel Commander Corp, Idemitsu, Comstock Energy LLC, Vesrah, K-Tech suspension, Orient Express, Dunlop, Akrapovic Exhaust Systems, CRC Body Work, Vortex, Evol Technology and REB Graphics.

 

Hayden Gillim (69) at COTA. Photo courtesy JD Beach on the podium at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.
Hayden Gillim (69) at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.

 

Hayden Gillim – Rider #69: To be honest, I wasn’t really that excited about getting to COTA. I’ve never really meshed with the track that well, so I didn’t have very high of expectations.

Friday morning went good being pretty close in 6th and then we had some issues that afternoon in qualifying which kept me from getting any laps. We regrouped and the guys put together a good bike for me on Saturday. Ended up qualifying 7th only like 1.5 off I think, which for me at that track felt pretty good.

Race 1 I got my best start of the year and was able to put in some good laps early to keep the leaders within sight. I got lucky with a couple guys having some misfortune but was able to come home with a 4th place.

Race 2 I felt like I was having to dig pretty deep to keep tabs on the podium fight and just couldn’t get myself to within a second of them. I ended up losing the front in turn 10 on the last lap but got back up quickly and only ended up losing one spot to JD to come home 7th.

Overall, the weekend was better than I was expecting going in. That gives me some confidence going to New Jersey for the final races of the year where I feel like the Honda Fireblade will work really well for us.”

 

JD Beach on the podium at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.
JD Beach on the podium at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.

JD Beach – Rider #95: “COTA was another great weekend on the Honda CBR1000-RR SP Fireblade in both the Stock 1000 class and SuperBike.

It was our last round of Stock 1000, and we just had one job to do, and that was to go out and win both races. When it was all said and done the Real Steel Honda team gave me a weapon to battle at the front with in both races. We were able to come out on top in Race 1 and 2 after race long battles with Jayson Uribe. Bringing home both wins brought us just two points shy of the title.

In the SuperBike class both days we had some really good races going but making a small mistake cost us both days. We were close to the tail end of the podium battles but hitting neutral both days going into the many 1st gear turns didn’t help. I only hit neutral once in both races, but it dropped me back just enough I couldn’t bridge that.

We were able to wrap up the SuperBike Cup title which is awesome. So, all in all it was a great weekend. Now off to NJMP.”

 

Ian Fraley (10) at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.
Ian Fraley (10) at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.

 

Ian Fraley – Rider #10: “It was a good learning weekend for sure. The team has the bike feeling good and we kept improving. We had our ups and downs, but I was able to find 5 seconds from the first round at COTA, at the end of the weekend we were a better rider, and we learned what we need to work on for the next round. Really excited to be going to jersey but really bummed this season is coming to an end.”

 

Jerry Nickell – Team Principal: “Great weekend at COTA, we made some significant improvements in Superbike with Hayden, and we feel really strong as we head to New Jersey for the final round. JD did an amazing job and finished strong on the Stock 1000 Honda CBR 1000 RR-R SP Fireblade, just a little tough for JD and the crew to win five races, multiple podiums and miss the championship by 2 points. Overall, it’s been a great year in development of our Superbike program and continuing the proven dominance of the Honda Fireblade in our Stock 1000 program.”

—– 
 
More from a press release issued by Flo4Law Racing: 

 

Ben Smith and Bobby Davies show pace at Circuit of the Americas – Next stop NJMP. 

Flo4Law racing were back in action in the penultimate round of the 2025 MotoAmerica championship at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) this past weekend. 
 

Ben Smith (Superbike) and Bobby Davies (Stock1000) both performed well throughout the event, the pair once again showing speed and competitiveness at one of the longest and most challenging circuits on the calendar. 
 

For Ben, the weekend also saw him aboard a new bike after the team joined forces with ADR and whilst the machine was still a Yamaha it was completely different. He adapted well, improving throughout, qualifying ninth and finishing seventh and eighth respectively in the two races. The #78 lies eleventh in the overall standings with three races remaining.
 

Bobby also showed pace in the final two Stock1000 races of the year. Qualifying thirteenth he finished twelfth in Saturday’s opening race before unfortunately crashing out of the Sundays eight lap encounter. He was unhurt in the spill and remounted to finish twenty seventh.
 

The team now head to New Jersey for the season finale in a fortnight confident of ending the year on a high. 

 

Ben Smith (78) at COTA. Photo courtesy Flo4Law Racing.
Ben Smith (78) at COTA. Photo courtesy Flo4Law Racing.

 

Ben Smith: “It’s been a crazy couple of weeks. We had a lot of changes in the team and with the solid foundation that we already had in place Flo4Law was able to put me on a proven package and overall, I am happy with how the weekend went. I came into it with realistic expectations with it being the first weekend on this particular motorcycle and whilst it’s still a Yamaha R1 every bike is different. It was a positive weekend, and I was able to really focus on my riding. We made consistent progress and did our fastest lap of the weekend during race two. For us to walk away with a seventh and eighth place finish feels like a win for us at this point. I know our potential, and I am proud of the team and what we did. We proved to anyone looking that we are a team with a lot of heart and we never give in. I had a lot of fun at COTA and that’s what it comes down to in this sport. If you are having fun, you are most likely riding well. My plan is to come into New Jersey as focused and prepared as ever and I want to thank the entire Flo4Law team as none of this would be possible without them.”
 

Bobby Davis (77) at COTA. Photo courtesy Flo4Law Racing.
Bobby Davis (77) at COTA. Photo courtesy Flo4Law Racing.

 

Bobby Davies: “COTA was a good weekend. I loved the track – it’s an amazing facility. I closed the gap to the front and as a rider and team we are constantly improving. I was able to find a solid base in practice and after we made a few changes for Q1 I threw down about nine laps on one tyre to be sure that I could go the full race distance on it. I was just outside of the top ten. Q2, I ran some decent times from the off but on my hot lap with a new tyre I got held up and ended thirteenth overall. We made some changes for race one but unfortunately went the wrong way and I finished twelfth. We ran our fastest time of the weekend to date in the warm up which was really encouraging. I was running quite well in race two and was closing the guys in front of me when I tucked the front and went down. I picked the bike up and tried my best to finish the race which I did. I had an entry in the second superbike race – competing in the Superbike Cup – but had to retire after burning out my clutch, which is a shame as we started strong. I am happy that we have been able to show our continued progression and that we are moving forward. I am looking forward to racing Superbike Cup in New Jersey and having a strong finish to the year. Thanks to the whole Flo4Law team and to the fans for coming out.”
 

 

Flo Moreno – Team Owner: “I am extremely proud of Flo4Law Racing at COTA. In just two and a half weeks, we practically built a new team from the ground up, with ADR Motorsports providing a proven R1 and Flex Racing supplying quality products to keep us competitive on and off the track. Our crew worked non-stop to deliver for our fans, and they came through. Ben finally got to show his skill, nailing every session with strong results, while Bobby kept climbing the Stock 1000 grid. Big thanks to our sponsors and fans – you are the backbone of this team. We are ready to hit New Jersey hard.”

 

—– 

More from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports: 

Round 8 of the 2025 MotoAmerica Championship brought the Altus Motorsports team to the world-class Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Despite a weekend marked by mechanical issues and race incidents, the team showed grit, resilience, and top-10 potential as they pushed through adversity to bring home championship points.

  • Stock 1000

 

Jaret Nassaney (59) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Jaret Nassaney (59) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.

 

Jaret Nassaney did double duty at COTA, riding in both the Supersport and the Stock 1000 classes. He qualified 18th of 45 in Stock 1000 – not bad for his first time racing the 1000. Unfortunately, he had to retire from Race 1 with clutch issues and withdrew from Race 2 to focus on the Supersport races.

 

  • Supersport

 

Jake Lewis (85) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Jake Lewis (85) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.

 

Jake Lewis returned to action on the Yamaha YZF-R9 after a few rounds off, showing strong pace early with a P8 qualifying position. Unfortunately, a crash in Race 1 on lap 4 pushed him to the back of the field. A mechanical issue sidelined Lewis in Race 2, leading to a DNF.

 

Torin Collins (71) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Torin Collins (71) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.

 

Torin Collins continued to impress on the Suzuki GSX-R750. After qualifying 10th, Collins delivered his strongest weekend yet, finishing 6th in Race 1 and 7th in Race 2, even battling in the group fighting for the podium.

Torin Collins: It felt good to be at the front. We’ve found something with the bike and I was able to run in the lead group in Race 2, even battling for 3rd at one point. We’re in the top 10 every session now. One more round in Jersey—let’s keep it going.”

 

Jaret Nassaney (59) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Jaret Nassaney (59) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.

 

Jaret Nassaney, also aboard a Yamaha YZF-R9, had a mixed weekend. After a crash on the opening lap of Race 1, Nassaney rebounded with an aggressive and smart ride in Race 2, climbing his way to a solid 14th-place finish.

Jaret Nassaney: “The results don’t show it, but it was actually a really good weekend. We had issues with the Stock 1000 bike, so I focused on Supersport. Got a great start in Race 1, but got collected by another rider’s crash. In Race 2, I hit a false neutral late in the race but still finished 14th. Honestly, it was a good weekend overall—and I got to bring my wife and son, so that made it extra special.”

After the final MotoAmerica round in New Jersey, Collins will be staying at NJMP to test on the Yamaha R9. 

 

Owen Williams (13) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Owen Williams (13) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.

Owen Williams, also on a GSX-R750, qualified 24th. He was forced to retire from Race 1 after 7 laps but bounced back in Race 2 to finish 20th, continuing his steady development in the ultra-competitive Supersport class.  Owen will also test the R9 at NJMP following the race weekend.  

 

Team Owner Janette Nassaney, “It was a challenging weekend with the heat and the couple crashes we had, but I’m really proud of how our team pulled together to get everyone on the track with the best bikes we could supply.  One of our main sponsor Buy A Jet from Steve Main spent time with the team and we had a blast. I’m excited to see how they take this positive movement into the last round.  Im incredibly proud of the hard work that Torin has been putting in.  He has been training hard and it’s starting to pay off!  He rode really well this weekend. We also had our newest team member Axel with us this weekend, Jaret’s three month old son and that added to our fun and excitement.”  

 

Looking Ahead: Final Round at New Jersey Motorsports Park

The 2025 MotoAmerica season wraps up at New Jersey Motorsports Park in a few short weeks. With Collins building momentum, Nassaney regaining form, and Lewis aiming for redemption, Altus Motorsports heads into the finale hungry for results.

 

 

More from a press release issued by Evike.com: 

 

4-time MotoAmerica Mini Cup champion Kensei Matsudaira made his debut in the main MotoAmerica paddock this past weekend, competing as a wildcard in the Parts Unlimited MotoAmerica Talent Cup by Motul category with the Roadracing World Young Guns team on board a Krämer APX-350 MA race bike.

Kensei came into the weekend without having ever ridden the Krämer APX-350 MA, but immediately showed his pace in the first and only free practice session of the weekend sitting P2 from his first lap and ending the session in P4.

With the race bike being delivered to the team on Thursday of the race weekend, there was no shortage of work to do for the team comprised of MotoAmerica veteran crew chief Stoney Landers, father of Rocco Landers, and Kensei’s father Kuni Matsudaira. With help from Krämer Motorcycles USA, Öhlins USA, and Team Hammer, the team quickly set about preparing the bike to be as competitive as possible, and by Saturday afternoon Kensei had qualified 3rd on the grid for the 2 races.

Race 1 on Saturday unfortunately ended with a DNF after a mechanical problem with the bike forced Kensei into the pits on the first lap.

By Sunday morning the team had addressed the mechanical issues with the bike and Kensei finished the warm-up session in P2 with a lap time of 2:27.2, just 0.5 seconds off the new lap record set during that session.

 

Kensei Matsudaira (right) was scored as third in Race 2. Photo credit: Karen E. Ott Photography
Kensei Matsudaira (right) was scored as third in Race 2. Photo credit: Karen E. Ott Photography

In race 2, Kensei got a great launch from the front row of the grid and slotted himself into 2nd by the first corner. Mid-way through the first lap, Kensei made a pass for the lead and held onto the position until the middle of the second lap when he had a big moment, losing the front. Despite still struggling with the bike due to lack of track time during the weekend, Kensei still managed to clock the second fastest lap-time of the weekend with a 2:26.8, just 0.2-second off the new lap record set during the race. During the rest of the 7-lap race, Kensei and another rider made a large gap to the group behind and would swap positions until the final lap, where Kensei beat the other rider to the line by 0.2-second. However, due to a track limits penalty of 2 seconds, Kensei was demoted to 3rd place in the final classification.

 

Kensei Matsudaira Makes MotoAmerica Debut at Circuit of the Americas with a Podium. Photo credit: Karen E. Ott Photography
Kensei Matsudaira Makes MotoAmerica Debut at Circuit of the Americas with a Podium. Photo credit: Karen E. Ott Photography

Kensei Matsudaira:

“I finally made my MotoAmerica debut this past weekend! I’ve never ridden a Kramer before and we had a lot of work to do with the bike, but I felt pretty good from the first session and qualified 3rd for the races. I knew I had a shot for the win and at least a podium, so I was very disappointed when I had to retire on the first lap of race 1 with a mechanical. In race 2 I was able to take the lead on the first lap and finished the race in P2 but due to a track limits penalty I ended up P3. Honestly I wanted a little more but in the end I’m happy to leave the weekend with a podium finish in my first race weekend with MotoAmerica, I had a great time and it was awesome being in the paddock with so many friends I grew up racing with.”

“A huge thank you to Roadracing World and MotoAmerica for putting this wildcard opportunity together for me, and to Chris Ulrich for all the support and help in the paddock. I can’t thank Stoney Landers enough, without him the weekend would have gone completely differently. He was working on the bike until midnight every day and working with everyone to get a bike under me that I could fight with. Thank you to Joe and Felix with Krämer USA, Barry with Öhlins USA, everyone at Dunlop for all their help this weekend. It was great to have Robert from HJC Helmets and the whole Bison Track family for trackside support, and special thanks to Cameron Jones, Kevin Martin from Monkey Moto, and California Superbike School for their help as well.”

“I’m back on the road again for the rest of the year but I would love to come back and race with MotoAmerica again if the opportunity arises!”

Stoney Landers, Crew Chief:

“Hats off to all of the people that contributed to this last minute project of Kensei racing in the Talent Cup class at COTA, especially Wayne Rainey and Chuck Aksland! My job was to work with Kuni and get the bike ready for Kensei to race. We all saw the bike for the first time on Thursday. I couldn’t have done my part without help from Joe and Felix with Kramer, Michael and Barry with Ohlins, the entire Dunlop crew and of course John and Chris Ulrich and guys from their team who helped us out. Kensei was a dream to work with, so focused, calm, and able to communicate with great detail both what he was getting from the bike and in turn what he needed from the bike. I was so impressed with him. At times it felt as if I was working with a kid in his twenties, but Kensei is only 14. When the shifter broke in race 1 he was understandably annoyed, but stayed calm. All we could do is fix the shifter and anything else we could imagine would be an issue with the bike. We replaced several parts and were confident we had a solid bike for Sunday. Kensei repaid our work with a podium finish. I was pretty bummed the weekend was over as I knew that with one more session, we could have the setup even better and he could be fighting for the win. The best of luck to Kensei and his hard working Dad, Kuni, in their remaining 2025 races in Japan, Korea and Spain.”

Kensei now travels to Japan to race as a wildcard in the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup alongside MotoGP at Motegi, Japan which will be held September 26-28.

Kensei Matsudaira is supported by: Evike.com, Iconic Motorbikes, HJC Helmets, Dave Designs, Bullit Electric Cycles, Bison Track, TJ Corse, Alpinestars, Almassera El Teular, Ohvale USA, Apex Motorsports Park, Project SLUSH, Moto Tecnica, California Superbike School, Slacker by Motool, Bickle Racing, MadLabs Minimoto, 73 Moto Parts, D.I.D Chain, Yoshimura R&D, American Racing, NLAB Studio & Wraps, Karen E. Ott Photography, VNM Sport, Vortex Racing, Renthal, Hans King, Live 100 Moto, KiwiMoto72

MRA Heads to Pikes Peak for 2025 Season Finale

As the 2025 Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA), sponsored by Aces Motorcycles, barrels toward its thrilling conclusion at Pikes Peak International Raceway on September 21st, all eyes are on the points tables across 21 fiercely contested classes. After four intense rounds—two each at High Plains Raceway and Pueblo Motorsports Park—the stage is set for a high-stakes showdown under the shadow of the Rockies.

Here’s a breakdown of the premier class and a teaser of the tight title battles ready to be settled in Round 5.

 

Cunha (95) chases Race of Rockies GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Cunha (95) chases Race of Rockies GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

Matthew Cunha (95) has been relentless in pursuit—after a third-place finish at Round 1, Cunha has nailed down three consecutive second-place finishes, refusing to let Hendry run away with the title. The margin heading into the finale? A razor-thin 25 points—one bad start or mechanical issue could swing the title.

 

Behmer (4) leads ahead of Cunha (95). Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Behmer (4) leads ahead of Cunha (95). Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

Justen Behmer (4) holds third in the standings despite a season marred by technical setbacks. His podium finishes in Rounds 2 and 3 show he’s a contender when the bike holds true to form. Meanwhile, Kevin Madden (69) and Ken Yee (433) round out the top five, both mathematically alive in the points and looking to end the season strong.

 

Apex Auto Glass Race of the Rockies GTU – Middleweight Mayhem

 

Rizzo (9) leads Krand (131) and Racz (37) in Race of Rockies GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Rizzo (9) leads Krand (131) and Racz (37) in Race of Rockies GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

If the GTO class has been a heavyweight brawl, the GTU category has been a chess match at 150 mph. Leading the charge is Sal Rizzo (9), whose commanding form this season has put him 23 points clear at the top of the standings heading into the finale at Pikes Peak.

Rizzo looked unstoppable early on, taking victory at Rounds 1, 2, and 4. But in a dramatic twist during Round 3, he crashed out in Turn 6 on the final lap, throwing a wrench into his otherwise perfect season and tightening the championship picture.

Orkun Krand (131) has kept the pressure on with consistent podiums—second place in Round 2, and back-to-back third-place finishes in Rounds 3 and 4—securing his current hold on second in the standings. However, hot on his heels is Jeremiah Walker (562), just 10 points behind Krand and very much in the hunt. Walker’s pace has been impressive with second-place finishes in Rounds 1, 3, and 4. If either front-runner falters, Walker could capitalize.

Not to be overlooked, Tyrel Diekmann (724) sits fourth overall and showed race-winning speed with a clutch win at Round 3 and a third-place finish at Round 1. Steven Racz (37) completes the top five, highlighted by a solid second-place finish in Round 2.

With multiple riders still mathematically in contention, the GTU class promises a finalround war that could come down to the last lap. Mistakes will be costly, and precision will be everything.

 

Rocky View Family Dental Amateur GTO – A Battle of Consistency and Comebacks

 

Evans (154) leads Amateur GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Evans (154) leads Amateur GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Rocky View Family Dental Amateur GTO class has delivered one of the most compelling storylines of the 2025 MRA season. With a mix of breakout performances, veteran steadiness, and unfortunate setbacks, the stage is set for a dramatic finale at Pikes Peak.

John Evans (154) leads the championship heading into Round 5, riding a near-perfect season. With victories in Rounds 1, 2, and 4, Evans has been the class of the field—though a jump start penalty at Round 3 cost him the win and tightened the title fight. He carries a 16-point lead into the finale over his closest challenger, Robert Brown (41).

Brown has been the picture of consistency, finishing on the podium in every round: third at Round 1, second at Rounds 2 and 4, and another third at Round 3. His steady results have kept him in striking distance, and with one more race to go, a championship upset isn’t out of the question—especially if Evans slips again.

Philip Takahashi (807) holds third in the standings, bolstered by a third-place finish at Round 2 and solid top-five results throughout the year. With a strong final showing, Takahashi could close the gap and challenge for second overall.

Vinh Nguyen (118) sits fourth, showing consistent pace throughout the season but still searching for another podium breakthrough. Meanwhile, Ryan Reasoner (88) rounds out the top five despite a heartbreaking end to his season following an injury sustained in a crash at Round 3. Reasoner’s early performances were strong enough to keep him in the top tier of the standings, and his return will be highly anticipated in 2026.

With one race left, the Amateur GTO title hangs in the balance, and with rising pressure and unpredictable variables at play, this championship is far from sealed.

 

Racing for Jay Troup Amateur GTU – Five Riders, One Title Fight

 

Stiefvater (63) leads Amateur GTU ampionship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Stiefvater (63) leads Amateur GTU ampionship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Racing for Jay Troup Amateur GTU class has become a true pressure cooker, with the top five riders separated by just 14 points heading into the final round at Pikes Peak. A championship that’s been anything but predictable is now set for an epic five-way shootout.

Leading the charge is Dave Stiefvater (63) with 73 points, thanks to a consistent string of finishes and a strategic approach to the season. Just behind him, by only three points, is Jared Shauers (233), who’s built strong momentum with a second-place finish at Round 1 and a dominant win at Round 3.

Tied in third are Ryan Reasoner (88) and Mika Davies (43) with 61 points apiece. Reasoner started the season strong with back-to-back victories in Rounds 1 and 2, before a crash in Turn 8 during Round 3 with Josh Radcliffe took him out of contention and, unfortunately, contributed to the injury that ended his season early. Despite missing the last round(s), his early success still keeps him in the title mix.

Davies has been a consistent podium threat, grabbing second at Round 1 and a third-place finish at Round 4, staying in the hunt through consistency and resilience. Meanwhile, Radcliffe (342) rounds out the top five with 59 points. He opened his season with a third-place finish at Round 1 and has shown impressive pace throughout the year—especially notable given his comeback after rebuilding his bike post-crash in Round 3.

With five riders in reach of the title and only one round remaining, the Amateur GTU class is on a knife’s edge. Expect fireworks at Pikes Peak as these competitors lay everything on the line for the final trophy—and the ultimate bragging rights.

 

350 Superbike – Vlasov and Dolan Set the Pace, but the Title Isn’t Done Yet

 

Vlasov (202) leads 350 Superbike Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell.
Vlasov (202) leads 350 Superbike Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell.

 

The 350 Superbike class has been defined by consistency at the front and fierce mid-pack battles as the field has grown deeper each round. With one race to go, Aleksandr Vlasov (202) sits atop the standings with 85 points, building a solid cushion thanks to a string of strong finishes.

Vlasov opened the season with a second-place finish at Round 1, then found his rhythm with back-to-back victories in Rounds 2 and 3, establishing himself as the man to beat in this ultra-competitive lightweight class.

But Andrew Dolan (278) remains in striking distance with 71 points, thanks to a podium sweep of his own—third at Round 1, followed by second-place finishes at Rounds 2 and 3. Dolan has been knocking on the door of a win all season, and a breakout ride at Pikes Peak could turn the tide if Vlasov encounters any trouble.

Behind the leading duo, a three-way tie for third in points highlights the depth of talent in the class. Juliana Fernandez (191), Jared Shauers (233), and Mike Surratt (18) all sit with 30 points apiece. Shauers made an early statement with a victory in Round 1, while Fernandez and Surratt have delivered steady rides throughout the season to keep themselves in the mix.

While Vlasov holds a commanding lead, the championship isn’t over yet. A DNF, mechanical issue, or on-track incident could open the door for Dolan—or even allow one of the tied third-place riders to leap up the final standings. The only guarantee heading into Round 5 is that nothing is guaranteed.

 

350 Supersport – Cruz and Vlasov Locked in a One-Point War

 

Cruz (21) leads 350 Supersport Championship by a single point. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Cruz (21) leads 350 Supersport Championship by a single point. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

Of all 21 race classes in the MRA championship, none is closer heading into Round 5 than the 350 Supersport division, where just one point separates the top two riders.

Geovanni Cruz (21) leads the standings with 106 points, narrowly ahead of Aleksandr Vlasov (202) at 105 points. The two have traded finishes and bar-to-bar battles all season, with each gaining momentum at different rounds.

Cruz started the season steady with a third-place finish at Round 1, followed by a second at Round 2, before hitting his stride with back-to-back wins in Rounds 3 and 4. His lateseason charge has made him the championship favorite—but barely.

Vlasov, meanwhile, has been the definition of consistency: second in Round 1, victory in Round 2, and runner-up finishes again in Rounds 3 and 4. While he hasn’t been able to stop Cruz’s winning streak, his podium sweep has kept him right in contention.

A bit further back in the standings, Andrew Dolan (278) holds third with 60 points, thanks to third-place finishes in Rounds 2 and 3. While out of championship contention, he remains a podium threat who could influence the final outcome if he splits Cruz and Vlasov in the finale.

Dan Ormsbee (690) and Jared Shauers (233) round out the top five, with 36 and 30 points respectively. Both have shown speed throughout the year and could play spoiler roles on race day.

As the title comes down to a winner-takes-all scenario between Cruz and Vlasov, Pikes Peak will serve as the ultimate stage. One mistake could be the difference between #1 and #2—and neither rider is planning to blink.

 

Metier Law 500 Supersport – Takahashi’s Title to Lose, But the Fight Isn’t Over

 

Takahashi (807) leads 500 Supersport Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Takahashi (807) leads 500 Supersport Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the Metier Law 500 Supersport class, it’s been a season of dominance for Philip Takahashi (807). With 115 points and victories in Rounds 1, 2, and 3, Takahashi has all but stamped his authority on the championship. His only blemish came at Round 4, where he finished second—still extending his points lead and showcasing consistency under pressure.

But behind him, there’s been a tight and entertaining battle for the remaining podium spots in the championship standings. Aaron West-Roberts (120) sits second overall with 85 points, thanks to a steady campaign that includes a third-place finish at Round 2, a second at Round 3, and another third at Round 4. While the points gap to Takahashi is significant, Aaron’s improvement over the season could set him up as a spoiler at Pikes Peak.

Sami Parker (316) holds third in the championship with 57 points, highlighted by a thirdplace finish at Round 1. Parker has shown pace but will need a strong final round to fend off the competition just behind.

The real battle may come between Madelyn Bowman (106) and Betsy Baker (109), who are currently tied at 50 points. Bowman showed great early-season form with back-toback second-place finishes in Rounds 1 and 2, while Baker has consistently collected points and remains well within reach of the final podium in the standings.

While Takahashi has one hand on the championship trophy, the fight for second through fifth is still wide open—and a surprise result at Pikes Peak could shuffle the order completely. With pride and podium positions on the line, expect every rider to be pushing to the absolute limit.

 

64 Degree Clubman Championship – The Ultimate All-Class Crown

 

Rizzo (9) leads Clubman Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Rizzo (9) leads Clubman Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Clubman Championship isn’t about just one class or one race — it’s the MRA’s ultimate test of versatility, endurance, and consistency. Riders accumulate points from all classes they compete in throughout the season, making this title a mark of complete dominance across disciplines.

Leading the charge into Round 5 is Sal Rizzo (9) with a massive 439 points, showcasing his pace, consistency, and ability to perform in multiple categories. Rizzo has been a threat all season long, particularly in GTU, and his points total reflects just how strong and busy his 2025 campaign has been.

Not far behind is Philip Takahashi (807) with 416 points. Takahashi has been a multiclass standout this season—especially in 500 Supersport and Amateur GTO—and his commitment to maximizing every race weekend has kept him firmly in the championship hunt.

Tied for third at 392 points are Justen Behmer (4) and Orkun Krand (131). Behmer, known for his high-level runs in Race of the Rockies GTO, has had to battle through mechanical adversity this season but has still collected solid points across the board. Krand, meanwhile, has been quietly consistent in the GTU ranks, steadily climbing the championship ladder.

Rounding out the top five is none other than Brad Hendry (1) with 357 points—the current Race of the Rockies GTO leader. Despite focusing on fewer classes, Hendry’s dominance in the premiere division has helped keep him well within the top tier of the Clubman standings.

As riders gear up for the final weekend at Pikes Peak, the Clubman Championship remains very much alive. With a full race card ahead, any of the top contenders could still shift the balance—and claim the title of MRA’s most complete racer.

 

Woody’s Wheel Works Formula 40 GTO – Hendry Perfect So Far, But Cunha Still Lurks

 

Hendry (1) leads Formula 40 GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Hendry (1) leads Formula 40 GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the Woody’s Wheel Works Formula 40 GTO class—where seasoned veterans go headto- head—Brad Hendry (1) has once again proven why he’s the reigning king of consistency and speed. With 120 points and four wins in four rounds, Hendry enters the final race at Pikes Peak with a perfect season on the line.

But the battle hasn’t been without pressure. Matthew Cunha (95) has finished second in every single round, collecting 100 points and keeping Hendry honest from the first green flag to the last checkered. While the points gap is 20, Cunha remains a threat—especially if Hendry falters or takes a conservative approach in the final round while managing multiple class leads.

The fight for third is much tighter. David Lambert (28) and Ken Yee (433) are tied with 60 points, both having scored consistently throughout the year. Yee, also a top-5 contender in the GTO class, continues to show versatility and stamina across categories.

Just behind them, Kevin Madden (69) sits fifth with 59 points, a single point off the thirdplace tie. Madden has quietly put together a strong season and could easily shake up the final standings with a podium finish at PPIR.

While Hendry seems destined for another Formula 40 GTO title, the battle for second through fifth is still very much in play. Expect the veterans of this class to bring all their experience, strategy, and fire to the final grid of the season.

 

The Radon Guy Formula 40 GTU – Stiefvater Leads, But the Pack is Closing In

 

Stiefvater (63) leads Clubman Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Stiefvater (63) leads Clubman Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the Radon Guy Formula 40 GTU class, the fight for the championship has turned into a tactical contest between consistency, late-season momentum, and strategic execution.

Dave Stiefvater (63) enters the final round with 87 points and the championship lead, having built his campaign on a solid foundation of results—including a third-place finish in Round 1 and a crucial victory in Round 2.

However, Stiefvater’s lead is far from comfortable. Hot on his heels is Mika Davies (43) with 75 points, thanks to a string of three consecutive second-place finishes in Rounds 1, 2, and 3. While Davies hasn’t stood on the top step yet, their relentless consistency has kept them in strong contention—and poised to capitalize on any slip from Stiefvater.

Not to be overlooked is Geovanni Cruz (21), sitting in third with 73 points. Cruz surged back into the title picture with a second-place finish in Round 3 and a commanding victory in Round 4, showcasing the kind of late-season form that could carry him all the way to the top at Pikes Peak.

Rounding out the top five are Navid Poran (51) with 60 points, and Matthew Duff (554) with 54 points—both of whom have delivered consistent points finishes throughout the season and could still shake up the final championship standings with a strong Round 5 performance.

With just 14 points separating the top three riders, the Formula 40 GTU class is shaping up for a dramatic finish. Stiefvater may lead, but Cruz has momentum, and Davies has the consistency. At Pikes Peak, it’ll all come down to execution—and perhaps a little bit of luck.

 

Spencer Russell Youth Racing Lightweight Grand Prix – A Class Too Close to Call

 

Dimick (16) leads Lightweight GP Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Dimick (16) leads Lightweight GP Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

If you’re looking for edge-of-your-seat racing, the Spencer Russell Youth Racing Lightweight Grand Prix has delivered the goods all season long. With ultra-tight finishes and a rotating cast of front-runners, this class has been one of the most competitive and thrilling to watch in 2025.

Kurt Dimick (16) currently leads the standings with 85 points, thanks to an impressive mid-season surge. Dimick claimed victories in Rounds 2 and 3, and backed them up with second-place finishes in Rounds 3 and 4. His ability to stay at the sharp end of the field every weekend has made him a serious contender for the title.

Philip Takahshi (807) holds close in 2nd with 82 points. Takahashi started the season strong with a win in Round 1, followed by a third-place finish in Round 2, and has collected solid finishes elsewhere. His performance across multiple classes also speaks to his experience and pace.

Not far behind is Michael Foss (293) with 80 points, sitting just two points behind Takahashi. Foss opened the season with back-to-back second-place finishes in Rounds 1 and 2, and remains a constant podium threat. With such a narrow margin between the top three, any one of them could emerge as champion at Pikes Peak.

Ben Christensen (127) and William Schneider round out the top five with 59 and 55 points, respectively. Both riders have delivered gutsy performances this season and are well within striking distance of a podium finish in the final standings.

With less than 10 points separating the top three riders, and no one able to establish dominance for long, the Lightweight GP finale is shaping up to be one of the most electrifying races of the entire weekend. Expect elbows out, photo finishes, and championship drama when the lights go out for the final time in 2025.

 

Sun Powersports Middleweight 2x – Rizzo Runs Away, But the Fight Behind Is Fierce

 

Rizzo (9) leads Middleweight 2x Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Rizzo (9) leads Middleweight 2x Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

Few classes in 2025 have seen the level of domination that Sal Rizzo (9) has brought to the Sun Powersports Middleweight 2x championship. With a perfect 120-point score heading into the final round at Pikes Peak, Rizzo has taken every win this season and has already solidified himself as the class benchmark.

What’s been equally exciting, however, is the battle unfolding behind him. Jared Shauers (233) holds second place in the standings with 65 points, holding off a tight group of contenders who’ve traded blows all year. Shauers has shown great adaptability across multiple classes, and Middleweight 2x has been one of his strongest suits.

Hot on his heels is Navid Poran (51) with 62 points, followed closely by Mika Davies (43) with 58 points, and Matthew Duff (554) with 55 points. Just 10 points separate second through fifth, setting up an intense final-round clash for the remaining championship podium positions.

While Rizzo seems untouchable out front, the real fireworks at Pikes Peak may come from this mid-pack championship fight. Each rider has the pace to take second overall, and with only one race left, it will come down to race craft, nerves, and execution under pressure.

 

SB Racing Novice GTO – Evans Sets the Pace with a Flawless Season

 

Evans (154) leads Novice GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Evans (154) leads Novice GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the SB Racing Novice GTO class, John Evans (154) has been untouchable all year long. With a perfect 120-point score and victories in every round so far, Evans has asserted complete control over the championship and now heads into the final round at Pikes Peak undefeated.

While Evans has all but locked down the title, there’s still a spirited battle brewing for the runner-up spots. Michael Foss (293) currently sits second in the standings with 70 points, highlighted by a second-place finish at Round 4. Foss has been steadily climbing the ranks with strong results and will be looking to cement his position in the final round.

A close fight for third is underway between Paul Frysig (764) and Matthew Lamendola (844), both tied at 54 points. Consistency will be key for these two riders, as just one misstep could drop them out of the top five entirely.

Colby Elliot (808) rounds out the top five with 46 points, having shown early promise with a second-place finish in Round 1 and a third in Round 2. Unfortunately, Elliot has missed Rounds 3 and 4, and while his early-season speed was undeniable, his absence has left the door open for others to advance.

With Evans dominating the top step, the real intrigue going into the final round will be who claims the remaining podium spots—and whether anyone can stop Evans from completing a perfect rookie season in Novice GTO.

 

Dawn Industries Novice GTU – Vasquez, Driscol Set for a Final-Round Showdown

 

Vasquez (691) leads Novice GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Vasquez (691) leads Novice GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Dawn Industries Novice GTU class has been a closely contested fight all season long, and it all comes down to the final round at Pikes Peak, where Zachary Vasquez (691) leads the championship with 79 points—but only by a razor-thin 3-point margin over Christopher Driscol (918) with 76 points.

Vasquez has shown solid pace and consistency throughout the season, but Driscol has been right there at every round, keeping the pressure on and staying within striking distance. With only one race left, this has all the makings of a final-round duel that could be decided by just a few bike lengths.

Just behind the front-runners, Jared Shauers (233) holds third in the standings with 60 points, continuing his multi-class championship efforts and showing competitive pace across the grid. He remains a long-shot title contender, but a strong final result could still see him leap into the runner-up spot depending on how things shake out up front.

Trevor Huntsman (694) sits fourth with 57 points, and has consistently put himself in the mix with a string of solid finishes. Meanwhile, a tie for fifth at 51 points between Maxl Freeman (138) and Matthew Lamendola (844) adds even more intrigue to the mid-pack battle—either rider could climb the leaderboard with a strong finish at PPIR.

With the top six riders separated by less than 30 points, the Novice GTU class has been a proving ground for up-and-coming talent all year long. Expect a no-holds-barred scrap in the final race as riders fight for podiums, points, and championship glory.

 

Altitude Audio Video Open 2x – Behmer Claims Dominance

 

Behmer (4) leads Open 2x Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Behmer (4) leads Open 2x Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

As the race season nears its thrilling conclusion, the Altitude Audio Video Open 2x class continues to deliver fierce competition on the water. Justen Behmer (4) currently leads the pack with a strong total of 106 points. Behmer’s season has been marked by impressive consistency and skill, capturing second place in Round 1, outright wins in Rounds 2 and 4, and a solid third place in Round 3.

Challenging Behmer’s dominance is Craig Walker Jr. (50), who holds 81 points heading into the final race. Walker has maintained a steady pace with a third-place finish in Round 1 and back-to-back second-place results in Rounds 3 and 4, keeping the pressure on the leader.

Close behind are Steven Bartholomew (91) with 75 points, Kevin Madden (69) with 62 points, and Ken Yee (433) with 60 points, all poised to make their mark as the season wraps up.

With the championship on the line, the final round promises intense racing and high stakes, as riders battle to close the gap and claim the top spot in this competitive class.

 

Hendry Surges Ahead in Tri City Cycle Open Supersport Title Fight

 

Hendry (1) leads Open Supersport Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Hendry (1) leads Open Supersport Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Tri City Cycle Open Supersport class has delivered one of the most exciting battles of the season, headlined by a fierce rivalry between Brad Hendry (1) and Justen Behmer (4). As the championship heads into the final round, Hendry leads the standings with 115 points, followed by Behmer with 97.

Behmer opened the season with a statement win in Round 1, edging out Hendry and setting the tone for a showdown between two of the sport’s top riders. But Hendry responded with championship grit, bouncing back to claim victories in Rounds 2, 3, and 4. His consistency and pace have kept him at the top, as he now looks to seal the title in the finale.

Behmer, never finishing outside the podium, remains well within striking distance should trouble find the current leader. His podium streak showcases both speed and resilience, and he’ll be aiming to close the gap and end the season on a high note.

Ken Yee (433) currently sits third in the standings with 58 points after solid performances, including third-place finishes in Rounds 1 and 3. Kevin Madden (69) is just behind with 56 points, while Mathew Cunha (95) holds fifth with 51, setting the stage for a tightly contested battle for the final overall podium spot.

With the final round approaching, the Tri City Cycle Open Supersport class remains one of the most unpredictable and hotly contested championships on the card—expect sparks to fly.

 

Behmer Unstoppable in Longmont Tire Open Superbike Heading Into Final Round

 

Behmer (4) leads Open Superbike Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Behmer (4) leads Open Superbike Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the Longmont Tire Open Superbike class, Justen Behmer (4) has been nothing short of dominant all season long. With four consecutive wins, he’s riding a perfect record into the final round, sitting atop the standings with 120 points. Behmer’s unmatched pace and consistency have put him in a league of his own, and he’s the clear favorite to clinch the championship.

Hot on his heels is Justin Bohling (954), who has quietly built a strong season of his own. Bohling opened the year with a second-place finish in Round 1, followed by a third in Round 2, and then back-to-back second-place results in Rounds 3 and 4. With 96 points, he’s secured a solid hold on second overall, but would need a dramatic shake-up in the final round to unseat Behmer from the top.

The fight for the final podium spot is where things really heat up. Kevin Madden (69) holds third with 58 points, while Walt Vogl (117) and Steven Bartholomew (91) follow closely behind with 50 and 46 points, respectively. With only 12 points separating third from fifth, the final round will be a true battle to the finish for a spot on the overall podium.

 

Takahashi Leads Tight Championship in Vickery Motorsports Super Twins GTU

 

Takahashi (807) leads Super Twins GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Takahashi (807) leads Super Twins GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Vickery Motorsports Super Twins & Heavy GTO class has been a showcase of raw power and tight competition all season long, with Philip Takahashi (807) emerging as the man to beat. With 92 points heading into the final round, Takahashi holds a narrow lead over a stacked field of contenders.

Takahashi kicked off the season in dominant fashion, taking the win in Round 1 and following it up with runner-up finishes in Rounds 2 and 4. His consistency at the front has earned him the points lead, but the battle is far from over.

Just seven points back sits Mike Surratt (18) with 85 points, keeping the pressure on the leader as the championship nears its climax. Meanwhile, Kurt Dimick (16) remains a major threat, sitting third overall with 70 points after impressive victories in both Rounds 2 and 3. While he’s trailing the leaders, Dimick’s mid-season surge has made him a serious contender in the final round.

Rounding out the top five are William Schneider (927) with 60 points and Dylan Conner (198) with 46, both looking to finish the season strong and potentially disrupt the podium order.

With just one round remaining, the Vickery Motorsports Super Twins & Heavy GTO championship is still up for grabs. The final showdown promises high stakes, close racing, and no shortage of drama as the top riders chase the title.

 

Krand in Command in Performance Cycle’s Super Twins & Heavy GTO

 

Krand (131) leads Super Twins & Heavy GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Krand (131) leads Super Twins & Heavy GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the fiercely competitive Performance Cycle’s Super Twins & Heavy GTO class, Orkun Krand (131) has established himself as the rider to beat, delivering a dominant performance throughout the season. With 115 points and a string of victories behind him, Krand leads the championship heading into the final round.

After opening the season with a second-place finish in Round 1, Krand found his rhythm— and hasn’t looked back since. He has taken the top step of the podium in every round since, racking up an impressive win streak and a commanding lead in the standings.

Jay Hollman (53) sits second overall with 79 points. He’s shown strong pace and consistency, highlighted by a second-place finish in Round 3 and a third-place result in Round 4. While the points gap is significant, Hollman remains a solid contender for a podium finish in the championship standings.

Mark Weidner (338) holds third with 61 points, followed closely by James Soiland (93) at 57 and Charles Greenwood (97) with 55—setting the stage for a tightly contested fight for the final top-three position.

As the season draws to a close, all eyes are on Krand to see if he can complete his dominant run with another victory. But with talent stacked throughout the top five, the final round of the Performance Cycle’s Super Twins & Heavy GTO promises to deliver highstakes action to cap off a thrilling season.

 

Supermoto Title Battle Too Close to Call Heading Into Final Round

 

Driscol (9180 leads Supermoto Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Driscol (9180 leads Supermoto Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Supermoto class has delivered some of the most intense and closely fought racing of the season, and heading into the final round, the championship is still wide open. Christopher Driscol (918) leads the way with 90 points, but he has little room to breathe, with Ed Smalley (160) just one point behind at 89.

Both riders have been locked in a season-long duel, trading positions and pushing each other to the limit. With only a single point separating them, the final round will be a winnertakes- all scenario—every corner, start, and finish will count.

Not far behind, Matthew Davis (364) sits third with 80 points. While the title may be a long shot, Davis remains well within striking distance should either of the front-runners stumble. He’s been a consistent threat all season and could play spoiler in the final outcome.

With three riders still mathematically in the hunt and just ten points separating them, the Supermoto championship is set for a thrilling finale. Expect fireworks as these riders battle it out for supremacy in one of the tightest title chases of the year.

 

Baker Sets the Pace in Thunderbike Championship Chase

 

Baker (108) leads Amateur GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Baker (108) leads Amateur GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the high-revving Thunderbike class, Jeremiah Baker (108) has emerged as the rider to beat, leading the championship with 92 points heading into the final round. With a strong mix of speed, control, and consistency, Baker has steadily built a comfortable gap over his closest rivals and now looks to finish the season on top.

Jay Hollman (53) sits second overall with 71 points, keeping himself in the mix with consistent finishes throughout the season. Just behind him is James Soiland (93) with 69 points—making for a tight battle for second place heading into the finale.

Dylan Conner (198) also remains in striking distance with 66 points, just five behind Hollman, and could very well play spoiler in the final standings. Rounding out the top five is Kurt Dimick (16) with 46 points, who will be looking to make a final push before the season wraps.

With multiple riders still vying for overall podium positions and Baker seeking to seal the deal on his championship campaign, the final round of the Thunderbike class promises to deliver a thrilling end to an already exciting season.

 

What’s at Stake

With championships, pride, and sponsorship implications on the line, Pikes Peak is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal events in MRA 2025 season. The combination of technical corners, high-speed sweepers, and banked corners makes PPIR a true test of rider skill and machine setup.

Fans can expect 21 classes of bar-to-bar action, with several titles still undecided. Whether it’s veterans defending their thrones or rookies eyeing breakout glory, every grid will be loaded with narrative.

 

Get to the Track

With full paddocks, fan access, and some of the fastest racing talent in the region, Round 5 at Pikes Peak isn’t just a race—it’s an event. Come witness the drama, the speed, and the celebration as the 2025 MRA season crosses the finish line.

For more information visit: mra-racing.org

Pirelli Completes First MotoGP™ Tire Test At Misano

Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Moto Racing Director: “We are pleased with the good working relationship and the results achieved. Grip, warm-up speed and confidence are the most appreciated features of our new tyres.”
 
For the test, the current bikes were used with deactivated ride height devices and, in some cases, detuned and modified in aerodynamics to simulate the configuration of the 850cc machines set to debut in 2027.
 
Pirelli will bring its own development philosophy to MotoGP™: tyres for the exclusive use of the premier class, as required by regulations, yet created with technologies and processes from series production in the German factory of Breuberg.

 

Pirelli has concluded its initial tests with their first prototype MotoGP™ tyres. The company, which will be the exclusive supplier of the premier class from 2027, had the tyres evaluated by Test Riders from the Test Teams of the five manufacturers participating in the World Championship: Augusto Fernandez for Yamaha, Daniel Pedrosa for KTM, Takaaki Nakagami for Honda, Lorenzo Savadori for Aprilia and Michele Pirro for Ducati.

 
The aim of this first test, which took place today at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in mainly sunny and dry track conditions with asphalt temperatures between 25 °C and 43 °C, was to obtain feedback to continue the development and process of defining the characteristics of the front and rear tyres to be used in MotoGP™.

 
Pirelli has organised and defined the parameters and the run plan of the test in agreement with the manufacturers and has made 7 sets of tyres available to each team, in two different versions for the front and three for the rear, in the current sizes used in MotoGP™, i.e. 17 inches in diameter for rims with a width of 4” at the front and 6.25″ at the rear. The new Pirelli tyres, as required by regulations, have been tested with the bikes that are competing in the current season, with ride height devices deactivated and, in some cases, detuned, and with appropriate aerodynamic changes to make them as similar as possible in terms of characteristics and performance to the configuration of the new 850cc bikes, to be used in the new era of the World Championship starting in 2027.

 
Pirelli tyres for MotoGP™ will be made in the company’s factory in Breuberg, Germany, the same one that produces all motorcycle radial racing tyres and also some of the most successful models for road use. The choice is motivated by the fact that Pirelli intends to apply to MotoGP™ the basic philosophy that has guided the entire development of the racing motorcycle tyres produced by the company in recent decades. This is to utilise existing technologies and production processes in favour of the sustainability of the MotoGP™ project, product quality and the ease of transfer of technology and experience gained in the top motorcycle competition in products intended for use on the road.

 
Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli’s Motorcycle Racing Director, said: “The Misano test was the first step in our return to the World Championship, and we are very satisfied with both the excellent working relationship that has been struck up between our engineers and all the teams and riders of the Test Teams and the tyre performance. The test took place according to the run plan, which also included a Sprint race simulation, and the first feedback received is very encouraging – this test has generated a lot of data to be analysed in order to continue our development work of Pirelli MotoGP™ tyres. The most appreciated features are definitely grip, warm-up speed and confidence. We have decided to approach MotoGP™ with the same philosophy that has always distinguished us in motorcycle racing: the tyres will have to be dedicated exclusively to the premier class, because this is what the regulations require. We also want to exploit the technologies and processes consolidated over years of production with the triple objective of making our participation in this championship a virtuous example of sustainability in motorsport, offering a quality and homogeneous construction of the product and, last but not least, transferring more directly the technologies and know-how that we will develop in MotoGP™ to tyres intended for road use for the benefit of motorcyclists all around the world”.

 
The five-year agreement reached with Dorna provides, in addition to the MotoGP™ supply, the extension to 2031 of the contract already in place for the FIM Moto2™ and Moto3™ World Championships, considered the most important forge of talent in two-wheeled motorsport globally, and for the talent cups that are part of the Road to MotoGP™, the global initiative that identifies the competitions and programmes for young riders that MotoGP™ supports around the world. The aim; increasing accessibility and equal opportunities. Pirelli, for the same five-year period, will remain the official and sole tyre supplier for all classes of the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship, Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, Northern Talent Cup, Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and FIM MiniGP World Series.
 

With the supply of Moto2™ and Moto3™ from 2024 and now also of the world’s top competition for motorcycling prototypes on the track, Pirelli becomes the first tyre manufacturer to supply all classes of the World Championship and the most prestigious world motorcycle competitions.
This single-supply contract crowns Pirelli’s commitment to motorcycle racing and, more generally, to motor sports, in which the Italian group has been involved since 1907, the year in which it won the Paris-Beijing raid. Motorsport is in fact part of Pirelli’s DNA and has always played a key role in the company’s strategy. Today, Pirelli supplies tyres to over 350 championships, both two- and four-wheeled, and boasts over twenty years’ experience as the sole supplier for all classes of the FIM Superbike World Championship. Pirelli has also participated in the FIM Motocross World Championship for decades with a palmarès of 82 world titles and is Global Tyre Partner of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship™ since 2011, as well as supplier to the FIA Formula 2, FIA Formula 3, Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, GT World Challenge and numerous other national series.

Sidecar: Payne and Rousseau defend 2025 Championship Lead at Assen

Visiting the TT Circuit Assen for the second round in a row, the sixth and penultimate round of the 2025 FIM Sidecar World Championship this coming weekend (20-21 September) at the fabled ‘Cathedral of Speed’ could prove to be pivotal with reigning champions Harrison Payne (ARS Yamaha) and Kevin Rousseau holding an extremely slender eleven-point lead ahead of British brothers Sam and Thomas Christie (LCR Yamaha).

 

  • FIM Sidecar World Championship returns to the ‘Cathedral of Speed’ for round six
  • Reigning champions Harrison Payne and Kevin Rousseau defend slim lead at Assen
  • Just twenty-one points separate top three crews with two rounds remaining

 

With the Swiss/German pairing of Markus Schlosser (LCR Yamaha) and Luca Schmidt only another ten points off the pace – and a potential fifty points on the line for any crew that can double up to win both Saturday’s ten-lap Sprint race and Sunday’s sixteen-lap Main race – the top three positions in the championship could be turned upside down over the course of the weekend.

Although five-time FIM Sidecar Rider World Champion Pekka Päivärinta (ARS Yamaha) and Adam Christie – the third of the Christie brothers in action this weekend – have scored podium finishes this season, the Finnish/British pairing is a distant fourth and realistically out of title contention, ensuring the focus will be firmly on the three leading crews.

It has been a season of highs and lows for the British/French pairing of Payne and Rousseau who have suffered two mechanical DNFs this year, the first coming at the opening round at Le Mans which gifted an early lead to Schlosser and Schmidt. The reigning champions struck back at Estoril and the Pannónia-Ring with three wins and a second, although after they appeared to restore control with victory in the Sprint race at Most, an engine problem resulted in a second DNF.

When the championship made its first visit of the year to Assen in the middle of August, it was Schlosser and Schmidt who shared the lead with the super-consistent Christie brothers – who have yet to finish a race off the podium this season – but Payne and Rousseau once again fought back.

A dominant double win – only their second of the season – saw them reclaim the championship lead, however with just this weekend’s action and the final round at Oschersleben in Germany on the first weekend of October left on the calendar, there is certainly no room for complacency.

With an impressive entry of twenty crews in action at Assen, the world-famous circuit – that has featured on the FIM Sidecar World Championship every year the series has been staged since 2013 – may feel slightly narrower than normal and solid qualification times will be essential to elevate the title contenders out of the pack and towards the front of the grid for both races.

The points-scoring action from Assen is due to get under way on Saturday (20 September) with the ten-lap Sprint race at 17:25 (local time) with the sixteen-lap Main race scheduled for Sunday (21 September) at 16:20 (local time).

WorldWCR: Provisional 2026 Calendar Unveiled

WorldWCR Race 1 at Balaton Park in Hungary. Photo courtesy Dorna.
WorldWCR Race 1 at Balaton Park in Hungary. Photo courtesy Dorna.

The provisional calendar for the 2026 FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship is here, with six rounds set to deliver another action-packed season. True to its goal of showcasing women’s racing on the world stage, the Championship continues to rotate venues to reach new fans.

For 2026, two iconic circuits rejoin the schedule, returning to host WorldWCR after featuring in the inaugural season – adding fresh challenges for the riders and new stories for fans to follow.

The season gets underway at the rollercoaster Autodromo Internacional do Algarve on the 27th-29th March, one of two returning venues on the calendar. After Portimao, the Championship heads to the historic TT Circuit Assen on the 17th-19th April. The visit to Hungary has an earlier date this season, across the 1st-3rd May, at the Balaton Park Circuit.

Then it’s time for a trip to Italy as the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” hosts WorldWCR again, which returns to the calendar for 2026, before Donington Park in the UK from the 10th-12th July. The season concludes at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto from the 16th-18th October.

An Official Test will take place at Portimao on the 23rd March, with two mandatory media days on the 21st and 22nd March at the same venue.

 

 

About WorldWCR: 
 
The FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship (WorldWCR) is a groundbreaking single-make series exclusively for aspiring female riders, featuring the Yamaha R7. Building on the success of its inaugural season in 2024, which saw Ana Carrasco crowned, the series aims to continue advancing women’s motorsport by fostering new talent and showcasing competitive racing on a global stage.
 
WorldWCR offers emerging talent an equal platform to showcase their skills alongside the world’s best riders. By addressing disparities and breaking down barriers, the series empowers women to reach new heights in professional racing. As a dedicated space for female riders, WorldWCR celebrates skill, passion, and diversity. It inspires the next generation of female racers while shaping a more inclusive motorsport landscape.

American Daniel Jr. Will Race for Third Season in Red Bull Rookies Cup

Kristian Daniel Jr. during the 2025 Red Bull Rookies Cup in Austria. Photo courtesy Kristian Daniel Sr.
Kristian Daniel Jr. during the 2025 Red Bull Rookies Cup in Austria. Photo courtesy Kristian Daniel Sr.

Barcelona, Spain – September 18, 2025 – Kristian Daniel Jr. has officially been invited to return for his third season in the prestigious Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup in 2026. The American teenager has continued to impress on the international stage, building momentum throughout the 2025 season with two podium finishes, one front row start, and multiple laps led against the world’s best young riders.

After two seasons of steady growth and standout performances, Daniel Jr. is setting his sights higher than ever. The upcoming year marks a pivotal opportunity for the young talent to convert his speed and experience into victories.

 

Kristian Daniel Jr. during the 2025 Red Bull Rookies Cup in Austria. Photo courtesy Kristian Daniel Sr.
Kristian Daniel Jr. during the 2025 Red Bull Rookies Cup in Austria. Photo courtesy Kristian Daniel Sr.

 

“I’ve learned so much over the past two years racing in the Rookies Cup,” said Daniel Jr.

“Getting on the podium and fighting at the front gave me the confidence that I belong with the best. For 2026, my goal is clear—I want to win races and fight for the championship.”

The Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup is widely recognized as the premier stepping stone for riders aiming to progress into the Moto3 World Championship and ultimately MotoGP. Competing on identical KTM machinery, the series puts a spotlight on pure talent, making Daniel Jr.’s results a strong testament to his potential.

With another year of experience under his belt and a proven ability to challenge at the front, Kristian Daniel Jr. enters the 2026 season ready to take on the next chapter of his racing career.

American Chris Clark Rides At The 2025 Yamaha Mastercamp

Chris Clark riding at Yamaha Mastercamp at the Aspar Circuit in Spain. Photo courtesy Chris Clark Racing.
Chris Clark riding at Yamaha Mastercamp at the Aspar Circuit in Spain. Photo courtesy Chris Clark Racing.

American teenager Chris Clark, currently second overall in the 2025 Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup has successfully completed the Yamaha Mastercamp at the Aspar Circuit in Spain. 

 

Chris, who won the opening round of the series – which runs alongside the FIM Superbike World Championship – took part in the invitation only event last month. Taking part in the week-long training camp, Chris tried his hand at flat track, rode several Yamaha road race machines, raced go-karts, went jet skiing, and took part in a variety of physical activities both on and off the track alongside some of the world’s top motorcycle road racers including former MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo and six-time FIM Superbike World Champion Jonathan Rea. 

 

Chris Clark at the Aspar Circuit in Spain. Photo courtesy Chris Clark Racing.
Chris Clark at the Aspar Circuit in Spain. Photo courtesy Chris Clark Racing.

 
Chris Clark: “The mastercamp was pure awesomeness for five straight days. I am thankful to Yamaha and to everyone who made it possible, it was amazing. The first day was technical training and focused on technique and I learned so much even at slow speed that I can take into my racing going forward. I then tried flat track, which was new for me. I got to ride with Jonathan Rea and Remy Gardner, and they taught me so much stuff. When I am back home in the off season, I will start training flat track. We then did a kart race, and I went jet skiing which was so cool and so much fun. I rode a Yamaha R7 which was another new challenge as the bike is heavier and faster than I am used to, but I took to it quickly and felt comfortable which I am happy about. We then did more intense technical training and Fabio Quartararo showed up and I got to share the track with him. Everyone that took part was amazing and I loved the whole experience. Thank you again to Yamaha and BLU CRU for inviting me. I am fully focused on putting everything into practice in Aragon in a couple of weeks and ending the season strong.”

 
The penultimate round of the Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup takes place at Motorland Aragon in just under two weeks, with the series finale taking place at Estoril in Portugal in the middle of October. 

 

For more information visit Chris’s website

FIM Long Track: Heads To Roden in the Netherlands

Lukas Fienhage at 2025 FIM Long Track World Championship, Scheessel. Photo credit Jesper Veldhuizen
Lukas Fienhage at 2025 FIM Long Track World Championship, Scheessel. Photo credit Jesper Veldhuizen

The 2025 FIM Long Track World Championship powered by Anlas, Kineo and HKC Koopmann comes to a thrilling climax this coming Sunday (21 September) in Roden in the Netherlands and with just four points between the top three contenders – and only eight points separating first and fourth – fireworks are guaranteed.

 

  • Just four points separate top three with one round to go
  • Lukas Fienhage leads from Zach Wajtknecht and Chris Harris
  • Defending champion Martin Smolinski ruled out due to injury

 

This season has been one of the most exciting and unpredictable in recent years with reigning champion Martin Smolinski, who will unfortunately not race this weekend due to injury and hence will not be able to defend his title, who took the lead after round one in Mühldorf. Then Zach Wajtknecht who held the advantage following round two in Marmande, followed by former champion Lukas Fienhage who seized control last time out in Scheessel.

 
Chosen to host the final round of the championship for the second successive season, the six-hundred-metre track at the Speed Centre Roden in the north of the country is renowned for close, competitive racing and should put the perfect seal on a dramatic and incredibly hard-fought championship.

 
Germany’s Fienhage, the champion in 2020 and runner-up last year, holds a slender two-point advantage over Wajtknecht heading into the fourth and deciding round, but the twenty-seven-year-old British rider is just two points ahead of his compatriot Chris Harris – who won in Scheessel, the scene is set for a sensational showdown.

 
It was the now sidelined German veteran Smolinski, who was bidding to win his third title in a row and his fourth in total, who struck first on home ground in Mühldorf at the start of July ahead of Wajtknecht and Fienhage, however the British rider fought back one week later in France.

 
With a below-par performance from Smolinski, who failed to make the Grand Final in Marmande, Wajtknecht’s first victory in almost three years gave him the series lead ahead of Fienhage as the championship headed to Scheessel in the second half of August.

 

2025 FIM Long Track World Championship, Marmande. Photo credit Jesper Veldhuizen
2025 FIM Long Track World Championship, Marmande. Photo credit Jesper Veldhuizen

 

Following a slow start at the opening round, forty-two-year-old Harris had been steadily building and after finishing third in Marmande he raced to victory in Scheessel to assert his claim to the title he came within a few points of winning in 2023.

Both Wajtknecht and Smolinski saw their title aspirations suffer heavy blows in Scheessel following a collision in the Grand Final that resulted in the British rider being disqualified – and, therefore, limited to thirteen points for fifth – while an injured Smolinski trailed home fourth in the re-run as Fienhage followed Harris across the line to take the championship lead from Wajtknecht and set up this coming Sunday’s thrilling finale.

 
Of course, while the focus will predominantly be on the leading championship contenders, they are by no means the only riders who will be aiming to make their presence felt at the front. Dutchman Dave Meijerink – who currently lies fifth in the points – knows he needs to remain in the top six to earn an automatic starting position for next year and British veteran Andrew Appleton, who is holding that all-important sixth position, will want to build on his podium finish in Scheessel to guarantee his place in next season’s elite.

 
Both riders’ main threat to their top-six status should come from Mathias Trésarrieu who sits seventh, although after winning the FIM Long Track Challenge earlier this month the young Frenchman has already booked his place behind the tapes for 2026 and as a result may not be quite as determined to pull back the six-point deficit to Appleton. The inclusion of newcomers such as Patrick Kruse, Fabian Wachs, Jake Mulford, William Kruit plus Nynke Sijbesma as a female reserve rider is sure to add an extra ingredient to the season finale.

 
The action in the Speed Centre Roden is scheduled to get under way at 14:00 (local time) with the first of fifteen Heats.

 

FIND THE STARTING LIST HERE

MotoAmerica Reveals 2026 Racing Calendar

2025 Daytona 200 with Richie Escalante (54), Josh Herrin (2) and Tyler Scott (70). Photo credit Brian J Nelson.
2025 Daytona 200 with Richie Escalante (54), Josh Herrin (2) and Tyler Scott (70). Photo credit Brian J Nelson.

From Road Atlanta In April To New Jersey Motorsports Park In September, The Best Of The Best Will Race Across The Country In 2026.

IRVINE, CA (September 18, 2025) – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. is excited to announce its nine-round, 20-race MotoAmerica Superbike Championship in 2026 that will kick off in mid-April at Road Atlanta and conclude in late September at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

 

 

The 2026 championship will also mark the 50th anniversary of the first official AMA Superbike race held at Daytona International Speedway in March of 1976. Reg Pridmore captured that Superbike Championship on a BMW R90S.

All nine rounds next year will feature the premier Superbike and Motovation Supersport classes, with the Superbikes again set to have two tripleheaders – at VIRginia International Raceway and New Jersey Motorsports Park.

In addition to the Superbike and the newly revised Superbike Cup and Supersport classes, the championship will feature five additional classes at select rounds – Mission King Of The Baggers, Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul, Twins Cup, Mission Super Hooligan National Championship, and Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race.

The 2026 Motovation Supersport series will consist of 19 races as the 84thrunning of the Daytona 200 will be the opening round of the championship, March 5-7, in Daytona Beach, Florida, bringing even greater importance to the already prestigious Daytona 200. In the four years since MotoAmerica took over the running of the “Great American Motorcycle Race,” the 200 has been a standalone race and not a round of the Supersport Championship.

Paying championship points for the Daytona 200 is nothing new as for the majority of its years it was the opening points race of the AMA Championship.

The sophomore season of the Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul will see the ultra-competitive class racing 16 times, with the series’ youngest riders set to battle at all the Superbike rounds except for Road America and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The Talent Cup racers will again get the chance to showcase their skills to the world as their series will begin at Circuit of The Americas during the MotoGP weekend in Texas, March 27-29.

Mission King Of The Baggers will race 14 times next year, with doubleheaders at Daytona International Speedway, Road Atlanta, Road America, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Circuit of The Americas, and New Jersey Motorsports Park.

The Mission Super Hooligan National Championship will join the Baggers at six of the rounds – Daytona, Barber, Ridge Motorsports Park, Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio and Circuit of The Americas.

The ever-popular SC-Project Twins Cup will battle 14 times and will start its season at Daytona with six more rounds at Road Atlanta, Barber, Road America, Mid-Ohio, VIR, and NJMP.

The women of the Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. series will again chase an eight-race championship with their schedule set to be released shortly.

This has been our best season to date,said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “The racing has been outstanding, and the Superbike Championship looks set to go right down to the last lap at New Jersey. We’ve had some incredible crowds this year and we can’t wait to see even more fans join us in 2026. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of AMA Superbike racing will make it a season to remember.”

 

 

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, Talent Cup, Super Hooligan National Championship, 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 MotoAmerica’s social platforms on FacebookInstagramTikTokTwitter, and YouTube. To watch all things MotoAmerica, subscribe to MotoAmerica’s live streaming and video on-demand service, MotoAmerica Live+ 

FIM Motocross of Nations: Jeff Ward Named Grand Marshal

USA Motocross Team Icon Jeff Ward Named Grand Marshal for 2025 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations at Ironman Raceway. Photo Courtesy Racer X Archives & Moto Verte
USA Motocross Team Icon Jeff Ward Named Grand Marshal for 2025 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations at Ironman Raceway. Photo Courtesy Racer X Archives & Moto Verte

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame & Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Inductee to Lead Opening Ceremonies at World’s Most Prestigious Motocross Event. 

MX Sports, host organizer of the 2025 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN), is pleased to announce that AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer and USA Motocross Team icon Jeff Ward, the most prolific racer of the 1980s, will serve as Grand Marshal of the world’s most prestigious motocross event, which will return to American soil from October 3-5 from Crawfordsville, Indiana’s Ironman Raceway. Ward will join this year’s USA rider lineup of Haiden Deegan, Chase Sexton, and Eli Tomac during the kickoff Nucor Grand Parade of Nations on Friday, October 3, and will also lead opening ceremonies on race day, Sunday, October 5.

 

Simply put, Ward is “Captain America” at the MXoN. Not only is he the most successful racer in USA Motocross Team history with the most appearances for his home country, but he is also the single-most-successful competitor in the 78-year history of the storied event. Ward represented the stars and stripes on seven different occasions between 1983 and 1990 and went a perfect 7-for-7 in those appearances. An unprecedented level of success that still stands to this day, 35 years since Ward’s final MXoN.

 

“Jeff Ward represents everything the Motocross of Nations stands for — national pride, world-class talent, and a relentless drive to win,” said Tim Cotter, Event Director for the 2025 MXoN. “It is only fitting that the winningest American in MXoN history leads Team USA and our fans into this year’s event as Grand Marshal.”

 

Ward (left) was selected to represent the USA seven times during his Hall of Fame career and successfully led his country to victory every time to become an MXoN icon.Photo Courtesy Racer X Archives & Moto Verte
Ward (left) was selected to represent the USA seven times during his Hall of Fame career and successfully led his country to victory every time to become an MXoN icon. Photo Courtesy Racer X Archives & Moto Verte

 

Adding to Ward’s heralded legacy at the MXoN were winning performances in each displacement division, with five wins riding a 500cc Kawasaki KX500 and one win apiece riding a 250cc Kawasaki KX250 and a 125cc KawasakiKX125. He helped lead the USA to victories in six different host nations, including the MXoN debut on American soil from New York’s Unadilla MX in 1987, and became a cornerstone figure in the country’s ascension to dominance at the MXoN, where the USA has the most Chamberlain Trophy triumphs with 23 victories.

 

While Ward’s accolades at the MXoN alone is the stuff of legend, his career résumé in American motocross as a whole is equally incredible. Ward captured seven SuperMotocross championships during an illustrious 15-year career, with two titles in Supercross and five titles in Pro Motocross. He will also forever carry the distinction of being the only rider in AMA history to win a championship in each displacement, in both disciplines. 

 

Upon his retirement from motocross, Ward made a successful transition to four wheels, notably in IndyCar where he competed in 61 races over a seven-year period, with one victory at Texas Motor Speedway in 2002 and both a second and third-place finish at the legendary Indianapolis 500. Ward then made a triumphant return to two wheels at over 40 years of age, where he dominated the AMA Supermoto Championship with both a pair of titles (2004 & 2006) and a pair of X Games Gold Medals (2006 & 2008). He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and was later inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2006.

 

Ward's unprecedented seven wins saw him compete aboard each displacement of Kawasaki motorcycles – 500cc, 250cc, and 125cc.Photo Courtesy Racer X Archives & Moto Verte
Ward’s unprecedented seven wins saw him compete aboard each displacement of Kawasaki motorcycles – 500cc, 250cc, and 125cc. Photo Courtesy Racer X Archives & Moto Verte

 

As Grand Marshal, Ward will serve as the ceremonial leader of the event, participating in opening ceremonies, leading the Nucor Grand Parade of Nations, and welcoming the world’s top motocross athletes and fans to Ironman Raceway for what promises to be one of the most historic motocross events ever held on American soil.

 

More information about the 2025 Monster Energy Motocross of Nations can be found by visiting www.MXoNUSA.com. Also follow MXoN USA on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on everything surrounding this year’s event.
 
For admission information, please email [email protected] with any questions.
 

For more information on Ironman Raceway please call (304) 284-0084 or visit the official website a www.IronmanRaceway.com. Also follow Ironman Raceway on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram for exclusive content and to catch the latest news.

Refunds may be available for the face value of the purchased ticket only, minus a 10% processing fee, until September 2, 2025, at 11:59 PM ET. All tickets purchased after September 2, 2025, are not refundable. Email [email protected] for all refund requests.

MotoAmerica: Even More From Teams At COTA

Members of the OrangeCat Racing team gathered in victory circle at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday after the final race of the 2025 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 season. Photo by Brian J. Nelson
Members of the OrangeCat Racing team gathered in victory circle at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday after the final race of the 2025 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 season. Photo by Brian J. Nelson

More from a press release issued by OrangeCat Racing: 

OrangeCat Racing’s Lee clinches 2025 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 title Sunday at Circuit of the Americas. Lee’s teammate Uribe caps off 2025 season with two runner-up finishes at Sept. 12-14 event. 
 

AUSTIN, Texas – The inaugural season of MotoAmerica’s Stock 1000 Class in 2018 saw Andrew Lee crowned the new class’ first champion. On Sunday, Lee bookended the eight-year run of the class as its final champion. The OrangeCat Racing rider clinched the 2025 Stock 1000 title Sunday after scoring fourth place finishes on Saturday and Sunday at the class’ season finale at Circuit of the Americas to finish two points ahead of his closest championship rival. It was Lee’s third time collecting an AMA/MotoAmerica Stock 1000 National No. 1 plate in the class, as he also repeated as class champion in 2019. 

Lee’s 2025 championship win also marks the first for an OrangeCat Racing rider, which has had one of its riders finish second in the Stock 1000 championship chase in 2023 and 2024. 

Lee’s teammate and the 2024 Stock 1000 runner-up, Jayson Uribe, capped off his 2025 season with a pair of hard-fought second place finishes to wrap up third in the 2025 Stock 1000 points standings. 

Both OrangeCat Racing riders were at or near the top of the time sheets for the round’s first on-track session. Uribe was the fastest rider in Friday morning practice by almost a second, and Lee was fourth fastest. Later Friday, Uribe and Lee provisionally qualified third and fourth in the first of two qualifying sessions. Qualifying wrapped up Saturday morning with Uribe and Lee having each moved up one position to secure second and third place on the starting grid for the weekend’s two Stock 1000 races. 

In Saturday afternoon’s Race 1, Uribe and Lee both got off the line well. Lee was a little off the frontrunning pace and had to settle for a lonely fourth-place finish. Uribe had a race-long battle with another championship-contending rider and finished a mere 0.590 seconds behind him in second place. 

The title-deciding Race 2 on Sunday saw Lee take no chances and finish where he needed to wrap up the title. Lee latched onto the tail end of the four-rider group at the front of the field and ran a conservative pace to secure a lonely-but-championship-clinching fourth-place finish. Uribe put in an even more stout performance in his race-long battle for the lead with another rider. A false neutral as Uribe was braking for Turn 12 on the last lap caused him to run wide and lose time to the eventual race winner. Uribe ultimately finished in second place for his eighth podium appearance of the season. 

The team thanks its many sponsors and fans for their support this season.

OrangeCat Racing also recently announced its plans to enter the MotoAmerica RSD Super Hooligans Class with a Lightfighter V3-RH electric motorcycle for 2026. 

 
OrangeCat Racing riders Andrew Lee (left) and Jayson Uribe pose in victory circle at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday after clinching first place and third place, respectively, in the 2025 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Championship. Photo credit: Brian J. Nelson
OrangeCat Racing riders Andrew Lee (left) and Jayson Uribe pose in victory circle at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sunday after clinching first place and third place, respectively, in the 2025 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Championship. Photo credit: Brian J. Nelson

 

 
 

Andrew Lee / No. 14 

“I’m so excited to be able to wrap up the championship this year! The whole OrangeCat Racing team really put in so much effort this year, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to ride with them this year. The race weekend itself was a very conservative, low risk weekend. The two fourth-place results were what we needed. I had much better pace in the second race but didn’t want to push over the edge and lose the championship by a silly mistake. So, I just settled in and brought it home.” 

 

Jayson Uribe / No. 36 

“Overall, it’s been a very successful weekend at Circuit of the Americas for the OrangeCat Racing crew. Wrapping up the Stock 1000 Championship was always the goal for 2025, and we achieved that. Unfortunately, my mistake at Road America took me out of the running for this year’s title, but I’m happy I could at least help contribute to bringing the No. 1 plate to the team. Our pace this weekend was strong, and we took the fight to our competition in both races. Race 2 was a bit heartbreaking, as I had made the pass for the lead into Turn 12, but a false neutral in the hardest braking zone of the track took me off track and out of fight. Overall, a huge shoutout to everyone at OrangeCat Racing. The mechanics, techs, management, and everyone behind the scenes really put in the work and gave us an incredible package this year.” 

 

OrangeCat Racing’s promotional and technical partners for the 2025 MotoAmerica season include Motoworks Chicago, Ohlins USA, and alpha Racing. 

Jayson Uribe’s personal sponsors for the 2025 MotoAmerica season include Dainese, Arai Helmets, CT Racing, Code 3 Consultations, San Jose BMW, and BSP Racing.

Andrew Lee’s personal sponsors for the 2025 MotoAmerica season include CT Racing, KYT, Luxvoni, Aliv World Wide, KD.51CD, Coolbreeze Heating and Air, JP43 Training and Barrett Racing.   

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 Real Steel Honda: 
 

JD Beach sweeps COTA with victories in both Stock 1000 races and Superbike Cup races on his Honda CBR 1000 RR-R SP Fireblade.

Real Steel Honda Racing Austin, TX September 16, 2025: MotoAmerica Superbikes at Texas event held September 12 – 14, 2025, at Circuit of the Americas.

JD Beach had another unbeaten weekend for 2025 this time at COTA with MotoAmerica topping both Stock 1000 races and finishing first in both Superbike Cup races. Hayden Gillim matched his best Superbike finish with another 4th place in Superbike race 1 and despite a last lap tip-over in Race 2 managed a 7th place finish after remounting. Ian Fraley improved his lap times from the spring Talent Cup races at COTA and netted an 11th and 12th place finish.

In Stock 1000 Race 1 on Saturday JD battled the entire race, taking a hard-fought win with a last lap pass in the final corner to take the checkered flag. In Superbike Race 1 Hayden had a great race finishing 4th while JD was able to move forward and finish in 6th place. JD’s Superbike cup win on Saturday capped off the 2025 Superbike cup championship with 4 races remaining. In the Talent cup race Ian finished in 11th place.

On Sunday JD again won the Stock 1000 class in a race long battle but passed for the lead on the final lap a few corners earlier than the previous day. JD finished 2 points shy of the championship title in the final Stock 1000 championship standings. Despite a last lap crash, Hayden was able to finish in 7th place while JD finished in 6th place in Superbike Race 2 and as first in the Superbike cup. In the Superbike championship standings. JD is in 6th place with Hayden 2 spots behind in 8th place. In Talent cup race 2 Ian finished in 12 place and is in 13th place in the championship standings with 46 points.

Real Steel Honda Racing is proudly supported by American Honda, HRC, Progressive Insurance, Pro Honda Oils. Southern Honda Powersports, Steel Commander Corp, Idemitsu, Comstock Energy LLC, Vesrah, K-Tech suspension, Orient Express, Dunlop, Akrapovic Exhaust Systems, CRC Body Work, Vortex, Evol Technology and REB Graphics.

 

Hayden Gillim (69) at COTA. Photo courtesy JD Beach on the podium at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.
Hayden Gillim (69) at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.

 

Hayden Gillim – Rider #69: To be honest, I wasn’t really that excited about getting to COTA. I’ve never really meshed with the track that well, so I didn’t have very high of expectations.

Friday morning went good being pretty close in 6th and then we had some issues that afternoon in qualifying which kept me from getting any laps. We regrouped and the guys put together a good bike for me on Saturday. Ended up qualifying 7th only like 1.5 off I think, which for me at that track felt pretty good.

Race 1 I got my best start of the year and was able to put in some good laps early to keep the leaders within sight. I got lucky with a couple guys having some misfortune but was able to come home with a 4th place.

Race 2 I felt like I was having to dig pretty deep to keep tabs on the podium fight and just couldn’t get myself to within a second of them. I ended up losing the front in turn 10 on the last lap but got back up quickly and only ended up losing one spot to JD to come home 7th.

Overall, the weekend was better than I was expecting going in. That gives me some confidence going to New Jersey for the final races of the year where I feel like the Honda Fireblade will work really well for us.”

 

JD Beach on the podium at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.
JD Beach on the podium at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.

JD Beach – Rider #95: “COTA was another great weekend on the Honda CBR1000-RR SP Fireblade in both the Stock 1000 class and SuperBike.

It was our last round of Stock 1000, and we just had one job to do, and that was to go out and win both races. When it was all said and done the Real Steel Honda team gave me a weapon to battle at the front with in both races. We were able to come out on top in Race 1 and 2 after race long battles with Jayson Uribe. Bringing home both wins brought us just two points shy of the title.

In the SuperBike class both days we had some really good races going but making a small mistake cost us both days. We were close to the tail end of the podium battles but hitting neutral both days going into the many 1st gear turns didn’t help. I only hit neutral once in both races, but it dropped me back just enough I couldn’t bridge that.

We were able to wrap up the SuperBike Cup title which is awesome. So, all in all it was a great weekend. Now off to NJMP.”

 

Ian Fraley (10) at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.
Ian Fraley (10) at COTA. Photo courtesy Real Steel Honda.

 

Ian Fraley – Rider #10: “It was a good learning weekend for sure. The team has the bike feeling good and we kept improving. We had our ups and downs, but I was able to find 5 seconds from the first round at COTA, at the end of the weekend we were a better rider, and we learned what we need to work on for the next round. Really excited to be going to jersey but really bummed this season is coming to an end.”

 

Jerry Nickell – Team Principal: “Great weekend at COTA, we made some significant improvements in Superbike with Hayden, and we feel really strong as we head to New Jersey for the final round. JD did an amazing job and finished strong on the Stock 1000 Honda CBR 1000 RR-R SP Fireblade, just a little tough for JD and the crew to win five races, multiple podiums and miss the championship by 2 points. Overall, it’s been a great year in development of our Superbike program and continuing the proven dominance of the Honda Fireblade in our Stock 1000 program.”

—– 
 
More from a press release issued by Flo4Law Racing: 

 

Ben Smith and Bobby Davies show pace at Circuit of the Americas – Next stop NJMP. 

Flo4Law racing were back in action in the penultimate round of the 2025 MotoAmerica championship at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) this past weekend. 
 

Ben Smith (Superbike) and Bobby Davies (Stock1000) both performed well throughout the event, the pair once again showing speed and competitiveness at one of the longest and most challenging circuits on the calendar. 
 

For Ben, the weekend also saw him aboard a new bike after the team joined forces with ADR and whilst the machine was still a Yamaha it was completely different. He adapted well, improving throughout, qualifying ninth and finishing seventh and eighth respectively in the two races. The #78 lies eleventh in the overall standings with three races remaining.
 

Bobby also showed pace in the final two Stock1000 races of the year. Qualifying thirteenth he finished twelfth in Saturday’s opening race before unfortunately crashing out of the Sundays eight lap encounter. He was unhurt in the spill and remounted to finish twenty seventh.
 

The team now head to New Jersey for the season finale in a fortnight confident of ending the year on a high. 

 

Ben Smith (78) at COTA. Photo courtesy Flo4Law Racing.
Ben Smith (78) at COTA. Photo courtesy Flo4Law Racing.

 

Ben Smith: “It’s been a crazy couple of weeks. We had a lot of changes in the team and with the solid foundation that we already had in place Flo4Law was able to put me on a proven package and overall, I am happy with how the weekend went. I came into it with realistic expectations with it being the first weekend on this particular motorcycle and whilst it’s still a Yamaha R1 every bike is different. It was a positive weekend, and I was able to really focus on my riding. We made consistent progress and did our fastest lap of the weekend during race two. For us to walk away with a seventh and eighth place finish feels like a win for us at this point. I know our potential, and I am proud of the team and what we did. We proved to anyone looking that we are a team with a lot of heart and we never give in. I had a lot of fun at COTA and that’s what it comes down to in this sport. If you are having fun, you are most likely riding well. My plan is to come into New Jersey as focused and prepared as ever and I want to thank the entire Flo4Law team as none of this would be possible without them.”
 

Bobby Davis (77) at COTA. Photo courtesy Flo4Law Racing.
Bobby Davis (77) at COTA. Photo courtesy Flo4Law Racing.

 

Bobby Davies: “COTA was a good weekend. I loved the track – it’s an amazing facility. I closed the gap to the front and as a rider and team we are constantly improving. I was able to find a solid base in practice and after we made a few changes for Q1 I threw down about nine laps on one tyre to be sure that I could go the full race distance on it. I was just outside of the top ten. Q2, I ran some decent times from the off but on my hot lap with a new tyre I got held up and ended thirteenth overall. We made some changes for race one but unfortunately went the wrong way and I finished twelfth. We ran our fastest time of the weekend to date in the warm up which was really encouraging. I was running quite well in race two and was closing the guys in front of me when I tucked the front and went down. I picked the bike up and tried my best to finish the race which I did. I had an entry in the second superbike race – competing in the Superbike Cup – but had to retire after burning out my clutch, which is a shame as we started strong. I am happy that we have been able to show our continued progression and that we are moving forward. I am looking forward to racing Superbike Cup in New Jersey and having a strong finish to the year. Thanks to the whole Flo4Law team and to the fans for coming out.”
 

 

Flo Moreno – Team Owner: “I am extremely proud of Flo4Law Racing at COTA. In just two and a half weeks, we practically built a new team from the ground up, with ADR Motorsports providing a proven R1 and Flex Racing supplying quality products to keep us competitive on and off the track. Our crew worked non-stop to deliver for our fans, and they came through. Ben finally got to show his skill, nailing every session with strong results, while Bobby kept climbing the Stock 1000 grid. Big thanks to our sponsors and fans – you are the backbone of this team. We are ready to hit New Jersey hard.”

 

—– 

More from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports: 

Round 8 of the 2025 MotoAmerica Championship brought the Altus Motorsports team to the world-class Circuit of the Americas (COTA). Despite a weekend marked by mechanical issues and race incidents, the team showed grit, resilience, and top-10 potential as they pushed through adversity to bring home championship points.

  • Stock 1000

 

Jaret Nassaney (59) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Jaret Nassaney (59) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.

 

Jaret Nassaney did double duty at COTA, riding in both the Supersport and the Stock 1000 classes. He qualified 18th of 45 in Stock 1000 – not bad for his first time racing the 1000. Unfortunately, he had to retire from Race 1 with clutch issues and withdrew from Race 2 to focus on the Supersport races.

 

  • Supersport

 

Jake Lewis (85) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Jake Lewis (85) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.

 

Jake Lewis returned to action on the Yamaha YZF-R9 after a few rounds off, showing strong pace early with a P8 qualifying position. Unfortunately, a crash in Race 1 on lap 4 pushed him to the back of the field. A mechanical issue sidelined Lewis in Race 2, leading to a DNF.

 

Torin Collins (71) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Torin Collins (71) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.

 

Torin Collins continued to impress on the Suzuki GSX-R750. After qualifying 10th, Collins delivered his strongest weekend yet, finishing 6th in Race 1 and 7th in Race 2, even battling in the group fighting for the podium.

Torin Collins: It felt good to be at the front. We’ve found something with the bike and I was able to run in the lead group in Race 2, even battling for 3rd at one point. We’re in the top 10 every session now. One more round in Jersey—let’s keep it going.”

 

Jaret Nassaney (59) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Jaret Nassaney (59) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.

 

Jaret Nassaney, also aboard a Yamaha YZF-R9, had a mixed weekend. After a crash on the opening lap of Race 1, Nassaney rebounded with an aggressive and smart ride in Race 2, climbing his way to a solid 14th-place finish.

Jaret Nassaney: “The results don’t show it, but it was actually a really good weekend. We had issues with the Stock 1000 bike, so I focused on Supersport. Got a great start in Race 1, but got collected by another rider’s crash. In Race 2, I hit a false neutral late in the race but still finished 14th. Honestly, it was a good weekend overall—and I got to bring my wife and son, so that made it extra special.”

After the final MotoAmerica round in New Jersey, Collins will be staying at NJMP to test on the Yamaha R9. 

 

Owen Williams (13) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.
Owen Williams (13) at COTA. Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports.

Owen Williams, also on a GSX-R750, qualified 24th. He was forced to retire from Race 1 after 7 laps but bounced back in Race 2 to finish 20th, continuing his steady development in the ultra-competitive Supersport class.  Owen will also test the R9 at NJMP following the race weekend.  

 

Team Owner Janette Nassaney, “It was a challenging weekend with the heat and the couple crashes we had, but I’m really proud of how our team pulled together to get everyone on the track with the best bikes we could supply.  One of our main sponsor Buy A Jet from Steve Main spent time with the team and we had a blast. I’m excited to see how they take this positive movement into the last round.  Im incredibly proud of the hard work that Torin has been putting in.  He has been training hard and it’s starting to pay off!  He rode really well this weekend. We also had our newest team member Axel with us this weekend, Jaret’s three month old son and that added to our fun and excitement.”  

 

Looking Ahead: Final Round at New Jersey Motorsports Park

The 2025 MotoAmerica season wraps up at New Jersey Motorsports Park in a few short weeks. With Collins building momentum, Nassaney regaining form, and Lewis aiming for redemption, Altus Motorsports heads into the finale hungry for results.

 

 

More from a press release issued by Evike.com: 

 

4-time MotoAmerica Mini Cup champion Kensei Matsudaira made his debut in the main MotoAmerica paddock this past weekend, competing as a wildcard in the Parts Unlimited MotoAmerica Talent Cup by Motul category with the Roadracing World Young Guns team on board a Krämer APX-350 MA race bike.

Kensei came into the weekend without having ever ridden the Krämer APX-350 MA, but immediately showed his pace in the first and only free practice session of the weekend sitting P2 from his first lap and ending the session in P4.

With the race bike being delivered to the team on Thursday of the race weekend, there was no shortage of work to do for the team comprised of MotoAmerica veteran crew chief Stoney Landers, father of Rocco Landers, and Kensei’s father Kuni Matsudaira. With help from Krämer Motorcycles USA, Öhlins USA, and Team Hammer, the team quickly set about preparing the bike to be as competitive as possible, and by Saturday afternoon Kensei had qualified 3rd on the grid for the 2 races.

Race 1 on Saturday unfortunately ended with a DNF after a mechanical problem with the bike forced Kensei into the pits on the first lap.

By Sunday morning the team had addressed the mechanical issues with the bike and Kensei finished the warm-up session in P2 with a lap time of 2:27.2, just 0.5 seconds off the new lap record set during that session.

 

Kensei Matsudaira (right) was scored as third in Race 2. Photo credit: Karen E. Ott Photography
Kensei Matsudaira (right) was scored as third in Race 2. Photo credit: Karen E. Ott Photography

In race 2, Kensei got a great launch from the front row of the grid and slotted himself into 2nd by the first corner. Mid-way through the first lap, Kensei made a pass for the lead and held onto the position until the middle of the second lap when he had a big moment, losing the front. Despite still struggling with the bike due to lack of track time during the weekend, Kensei still managed to clock the second fastest lap-time of the weekend with a 2:26.8, just 0.2-second off the new lap record set during the race. During the rest of the 7-lap race, Kensei and another rider made a large gap to the group behind and would swap positions until the final lap, where Kensei beat the other rider to the line by 0.2-second. However, due to a track limits penalty of 2 seconds, Kensei was demoted to 3rd place in the final classification.

 

Kensei Matsudaira Makes MotoAmerica Debut at Circuit of the Americas with a Podium. Photo credit: Karen E. Ott Photography
Kensei Matsudaira Makes MotoAmerica Debut at Circuit of the Americas with a Podium. Photo credit: Karen E. Ott Photography

Kensei Matsudaira:

“I finally made my MotoAmerica debut this past weekend! I’ve never ridden a Kramer before and we had a lot of work to do with the bike, but I felt pretty good from the first session and qualified 3rd for the races. I knew I had a shot for the win and at least a podium, so I was very disappointed when I had to retire on the first lap of race 1 with a mechanical. In race 2 I was able to take the lead on the first lap and finished the race in P2 but due to a track limits penalty I ended up P3. Honestly I wanted a little more but in the end I’m happy to leave the weekend with a podium finish in my first race weekend with MotoAmerica, I had a great time and it was awesome being in the paddock with so many friends I grew up racing with.”

“A huge thank you to Roadracing World and MotoAmerica for putting this wildcard opportunity together for me, and to Chris Ulrich for all the support and help in the paddock. I can’t thank Stoney Landers enough, without him the weekend would have gone completely differently. He was working on the bike until midnight every day and working with everyone to get a bike under me that I could fight with. Thank you to Joe and Felix with Krämer USA, Barry with Öhlins USA, everyone at Dunlop for all their help this weekend. It was great to have Robert from HJC Helmets and the whole Bison Track family for trackside support, and special thanks to Cameron Jones, Kevin Martin from Monkey Moto, and California Superbike School for their help as well.”

“I’m back on the road again for the rest of the year but I would love to come back and race with MotoAmerica again if the opportunity arises!”

Stoney Landers, Crew Chief:

“Hats off to all of the people that contributed to this last minute project of Kensei racing in the Talent Cup class at COTA, especially Wayne Rainey and Chuck Aksland! My job was to work with Kuni and get the bike ready for Kensei to race. We all saw the bike for the first time on Thursday. I couldn’t have done my part without help from Joe and Felix with Kramer, Michael and Barry with Ohlins, the entire Dunlop crew and of course John and Chris Ulrich and guys from their team who helped us out. Kensei was a dream to work with, so focused, calm, and able to communicate with great detail both what he was getting from the bike and in turn what he needed from the bike. I was so impressed with him. At times it felt as if I was working with a kid in his twenties, but Kensei is only 14. When the shifter broke in race 1 he was understandably annoyed, but stayed calm. All we could do is fix the shifter and anything else we could imagine would be an issue with the bike. We replaced several parts and were confident we had a solid bike for Sunday. Kensei repaid our work with a podium finish. I was pretty bummed the weekend was over as I knew that with one more session, we could have the setup even better and he could be fighting for the win. The best of luck to Kensei and his hard working Dad, Kuni, in their remaining 2025 races in Japan, Korea and Spain.”

Kensei now travels to Japan to race as a wildcard in the Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup alongside MotoGP at Motegi, Japan which will be held September 26-28.

Kensei Matsudaira is supported by: Evike.com, Iconic Motorbikes, HJC Helmets, Dave Designs, Bullit Electric Cycles, Bison Track, TJ Corse, Alpinestars, Almassera El Teular, Ohvale USA, Apex Motorsports Park, Project SLUSH, Moto Tecnica, California Superbike School, Slacker by Motool, Bickle Racing, MadLabs Minimoto, 73 Moto Parts, D.I.D Chain, Yoshimura R&D, American Racing, NLAB Studio & Wraps, Karen E. Ott Photography, VNM Sport, Vortex Racing, Renthal, Hans King, Live 100 Moto, KiwiMoto72

MRA Heads to Pikes Peak for 2025 Season Finale

Hendry (1) leads Race of Rockies Championship ahead of Cunha (95) and Behmer (4). Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Hendry (1) leads Race of Rockies Championship ahead of Cunha (95) and Behmer (4). Photo By: Kelly Vernell

As the 2025 Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA), sponsored by Aces Motorcycles, barrels toward its thrilling conclusion at Pikes Peak International Raceway on September 21st, all eyes are on the points tables across 21 fiercely contested classes. After four intense rounds—two each at High Plains Raceway and Pueblo Motorsports Park—the stage is set for a high-stakes showdown under the shadow of the Rockies.

Here’s a breakdown of the premier class and a teaser of the tight title battles ready to be settled in Round 5.

 

Cunha (95) chases Race of Rockies GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Cunha (95) chases Race of Rockies GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

Matthew Cunha (95) has been relentless in pursuit—after a third-place finish at Round 1, Cunha has nailed down three consecutive second-place finishes, refusing to let Hendry run away with the title. The margin heading into the finale? A razor-thin 25 points—one bad start or mechanical issue could swing the title.

 

Behmer (4) leads ahead of Cunha (95). Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Behmer (4) leads ahead of Cunha (95). Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

Justen Behmer (4) holds third in the standings despite a season marred by technical setbacks. His podium finishes in Rounds 2 and 3 show he’s a contender when the bike holds true to form. Meanwhile, Kevin Madden (69) and Ken Yee (433) round out the top five, both mathematically alive in the points and looking to end the season strong.

 

Apex Auto Glass Race of the Rockies GTU – Middleweight Mayhem

 

Rizzo (9) leads Krand (131) and Racz (37) in Race of Rockies GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Rizzo (9) leads Krand (131) and Racz (37) in Race of Rockies GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

If the GTO class has been a heavyweight brawl, the GTU category has been a chess match at 150 mph. Leading the charge is Sal Rizzo (9), whose commanding form this season has put him 23 points clear at the top of the standings heading into the finale at Pikes Peak.

Rizzo looked unstoppable early on, taking victory at Rounds 1, 2, and 4. But in a dramatic twist during Round 3, he crashed out in Turn 6 on the final lap, throwing a wrench into his otherwise perfect season and tightening the championship picture.

Orkun Krand (131) has kept the pressure on with consistent podiums—second place in Round 2, and back-to-back third-place finishes in Rounds 3 and 4—securing his current hold on second in the standings. However, hot on his heels is Jeremiah Walker (562), just 10 points behind Krand and very much in the hunt. Walker’s pace has been impressive with second-place finishes in Rounds 1, 3, and 4. If either front-runner falters, Walker could capitalize.

Not to be overlooked, Tyrel Diekmann (724) sits fourth overall and showed race-winning speed with a clutch win at Round 3 and a third-place finish at Round 1. Steven Racz (37) completes the top five, highlighted by a solid second-place finish in Round 2.

With multiple riders still mathematically in contention, the GTU class promises a finalround war that could come down to the last lap. Mistakes will be costly, and precision will be everything.

 

Rocky View Family Dental Amateur GTO – A Battle of Consistency and Comebacks

 

Evans (154) leads Amateur GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Evans (154) leads Amateur GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Rocky View Family Dental Amateur GTO class has delivered one of the most compelling storylines of the 2025 MRA season. With a mix of breakout performances, veteran steadiness, and unfortunate setbacks, the stage is set for a dramatic finale at Pikes Peak.

John Evans (154) leads the championship heading into Round 5, riding a near-perfect season. With victories in Rounds 1, 2, and 4, Evans has been the class of the field—though a jump start penalty at Round 3 cost him the win and tightened the title fight. He carries a 16-point lead into the finale over his closest challenger, Robert Brown (41).

Brown has been the picture of consistency, finishing on the podium in every round: third at Round 1, second at Rounds 2 and 4, and another third at Round 3. His steady results have kept him in striking distance, and with one more race to go, a championship upset isn’t out of the question—especially if Evans slips again.

Philip Takahashi (807) holds third in the standings, bolstered by a third-place finish at Round 2 and solid top-five results throughout the year. With a strong final showing, Takahashi could close the gap and challenge for second overall.

Vinh Nguyen (118) sits fourth, showing consistent pace throughout the season but still searching for another podium breakthrough. Meanwhile, Ryan Reasoner (88) rounds out the top five despite a heartbreaking end to his season following an injury sustained in a crash at Round 3. Reasoner’s early performances were strong enough to keep him in the top tier of the standings, and his return will be highly anticipated in 2026.

With one race left, the Amateur GTO title hangs in the balance, and with rising pressure and unpredictable variables at play, this championship is far from sealed.

 

Racing for Jay Troup Amateur GTU – Five Riders, One Title Fight

 

Stiefvater (63) leads Amateur GTU ampionship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Stiefvater (63) leads Amateur GTU ampionship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Racing for Jay Troup Amateur GTU class has become a true pressure cooker, with the top five riders separated by just 14 points heading into the final round at Pikes Peak. A championship that’s been anything but predictable is now set for an epic five-way shootout.

Leading the charge is Dave Stiefvater (63) with 73 points, thanks to a consistent string of finishes and a strategic approach to the season. Just behind him, by only three points, is Jared Shauers (233), who’s built strong momentum with a second-place finish at Round 1 and a dominant win at Round 3.

Tied in third are Ryan Reasoner (88) and Mika Davies (43) with 61 points apiece. Reasoner started the season strong with back-to-back victories in Rounds 1 and 2, before a crash in Turn 8 during Round 3 with Josh Radcliffe took him out of contention and, unfortunately, contributed to the injury that ended his season early. Despite missing the last round(s), his early success still keeps him in the title mix.

Davies has been a consistent podium threat, grabbing second at Round 1 and a third-place finish at Round 4, staying in the hunt through consistency and resilience. Meanwhile, Radcliffe (342) rounds out the top five with 59 points. He opened his season with a third-place finish at Round 1 and has shown impressive pace throughout the year—especially notable given his comeback after rebuilding his bike post-crash in Round 3.

With five riders in reach of the title and only one round remaining, the Amateur GTU class is on a knife’s edge. Expect fireworks at Pikes Peak as these competitors lay everything on the line for the final trophy—and the ultimate bragging rights.

 

350 Superbike – Vlasov and Dolan Set the Pace, but the Title Isn’t Done Yet

 

Vlasov (202) leads 350 Superbike Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell.
Vlasov (202) leads 350 Superbike Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell.

 

The 350 Superbike class has been defined by consistency at the front and fierce mid-pack battles as the field has grown deeper each round. With one race to go, Aleksandr Vlasov (202) sits atop the standings with 85 points, building a solid cushion thanks to a string of strong finishes.

Vlasov opened the season with a second-place finish at Round 1, then found his rhythm with back-to-back victories in Rounds 2 and 3, establishing himself as the man to beat in this ultra-competitive lightweight class.

But Andrew Dolan (278) remains in striking distance with 71 points, thanks to a podium sweep of his own—third at Round 1, followed by second-place finishes at Rounds 2 and 3. Dolan has been knocking on the door of a win all season, and a breakout ride at Pikes Peak could turn the tide if Vlasov encounters any trouble.

Behind the leading duo, a three-way tie for third in points highlights the depth of talent in the class. Juliana Fernandez (191), Jared Shauers (233), and Mike Surratt (18) all sit with 30 points apiece. Shauers made an early statement with a victory in Round 1, while Fernandez and Surratt have delivered steady rides throughout the season to keep themselves in the mix.

While Vlasov holds a commanding lead, the championship isn’t over yet. A DNF, mechanical issue, or on-track incident could open the door for Dolan—or even allow one of the tied third-place riders to leap up the final standings. The only guarantee heading into Round 5 is that nothing is guaranteed.

 

350 Supersport – Cruz and Vlasov Locked in a One-Point War

 

Cruz (21) leads 350 Supersport Championship by a single point. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Cruz (21) leads 350 Supersport Championship by a single point. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

Of all 21 race classes in the MRA championship, none is closer heading into Round 5 than the 350 Supersport division, where just one point separates the top two riders.

Geovanni Cruz (21) leads the standings with 106 points, narrowly ahead of Aleksandr Vlasov (202) at 105 points. The two have traded finishes and bar-to-bar battles all season, with each gaining momentum at different rounds.

Cruz started the season steady with a third-place finish at Round 1, followed by a second at Round 2, before hitting his stride with back-to-back wins in Rounds 3 and 4. His lateseason charge has made him the championship favorite—but barely.

Vlasov, meanwhile, has been the definition of consistency: second in Round 1, victory in Round 2, and runner-up finishes again in Rounds 3 and 4. While he hasn’t been able to stop Cruz’s winning streak, his podium sweep has kept him right in contention.

A bit further back in the standings, Andrew Dolan (278) holds third with 60 points, thanks to third-place finishes in Rounds 2 and 3. While out of championship contention, he remains a podium threat who could influence the final outcome if he splits Cruz and Vlasov in the finale.

Dan Ormsbee (690) and Jared Shauers (233) round out the top five, with 36 and 30 points respectively. Both have shown speed throughout the year and could play spoiler roles on race day.

As the title comes down to a winner-takes-all scenario between Cruz and Vlasov, Pikes Peak will serve as the ultimate stage. One mistake could be the difference between #1 and #2—and neither rider is planning to blink.

 

Metier Law 500 Supersport – Takahashi’s Title to Lose, But the Fight Isn’t Over

 

Takahashi (807) leads 500 Supersport Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Takahashi (807) leads 500 Supersport Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the Metier Law 500 Supersport class, it’s been a season of dominance for Philip Takahashi (807). With 115 points and victories in Rounds 1, 2, and 3, Takahashi has all but stamped his authority on the championship. His only blemish came at Round 4, where he finished second—still extending his points lead and showcasing consistency under pressure.

But behind him, there’s been a tight and entertaining battle for the remaining podium spots in the championship standings. Aaron West-Roberts (120) sits second overall with 85 points, thanks to a steady campaign that includes a third-place finish at Round 2, a second at Round 3, and another third at Round 4. While the points gap to Takahashi is significant, Aaron’s improvement over the season could set him up as a spoiler at Pikes Peak.

Sami Parker (316) holds third in the championship with 57 points, highlighted by a thirdplace finish at Round 1. Parker has shown pace but will need a strong final round to fend off the competition just behind.

The real battle may come between Madelyn Bowman (106) and Betsy Baker (109), who are currently tied at 50 points. Bowman showed great early-season form with back-toback second-place finishes in Rounds 1 and 2, while Baker has consistently collected points and remains well within reach of the final podium in the standings.

While Takahashi has one hand on the championship trophy, the fight for second through fifth is still wide open—and a surprise result at Pikes Peak could shuffle the order completely. With pride and podium positions on the line, expect every rider to be pushing to the absolute limit.

 

64 Degree Clubman Championship – The Ultimate All-Class Crown

 

Rizzo (9) leads Clubman Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Rizzo (9) leads Clubman Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Clubman Championship isn’t about just one class or one race — it’s the MRA’s ultimate test of versatility, endurance, and consistency. Riders accumulate points from all classes they compete in throughout the season, making this title a mark of complete dominance across disciplines.

Leading the charge into Round 5 is Sal Rizzo (9) with a massive 439 points, showcasing his pace, consistency, and ability to perform in multiple categories. Rizzo has been a threat all season long, particularly in GTU, and his points total reflects just how strong and busy his 2025 campaign has been.

Not far behind is Philip Takahashi (807) with 416 points. Takahashi has been a multiclass standout this season—especially in 500 Supersport and Amateur GTO—and his commitment to maximizing every race weekend has kept him firmly in the championship hunt.

Tied for third at 392 points are Justen Behmer (4) and Orkun Krand (131). Behmer, known for his high-level runs in Race of the Rockies GTO, has had to battle through mechanical adversity this season but has still collected solid points across the board. Krand, meanwhile, has been quietly consistent in the GTU ranks, steadily climbing the championship ladder.

Rounding out the top five is none other than Brad Hendry (1) with 357 points—the current Race of the Rockies GTO leader. Despite focusing on fewer classes, Hendry’s dominance in the premiere division has helped keep him well within the top tier of the Clubman standings.

As riders gear up for the final weekend at Pikes Peak, the Clubman Championship remains very much alive. With a full race card ahead, any of the top contenders could still shift the balance—and claim the title of MRA’s most complete racer.

 

Woody’s Wheel Works Formula 40 GTO – Hendry Perfect So Far, But Cunha Still Lurks

 

Hendry (1) leads Formula 40 GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Hendry (1) leads Formula 40 GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the Woody’s Wheel Works Formula 40 GTO class—where seasoned veterans go headto- head—Brad Hendry (1) has once again proven why he’s the reigning king of consistency and speed. With 120 points and four wins in four rounds, Hendry enters the final race at Pikes Peak with a perfect season on the line.

But the battle hasn’t been without pressure. Matthew Cunha (95) has finished second in every single round, collecting 100 points and keeping Hendry honest from the first green flag to the last checkered. While the points gap is 20, Cunha remains a threat—especially if Hendry falters or takes a conservative approach in the final round while managing multiple class leads.

The fight for third is much tighter. David Lambert (28) and Ken Yee (433) are tied with 60 points, both having scored consistently throughout the year. Yee, also a top-5 contender in the GTO class, continues to show versatility and stamina across categories.

Just behind them, Kevin Madden (69) sits fifth with 59 points, a single point off the thirdplace tie. Madden has quietly put together a strong season and could easily shake up the final standings with a podium finish at PPIR.

While Hendry seems destined for another Formula 40 GTO title, the battle for second through fifth is still very much in play. Expect the veterans of this class to bring all their experience, strategy, and fire to the final grid of the season.

 

The Radon Guy Formula 40 GTU – Stiefvater Leads, But the Pack is Closing In

 

Stiefvater (63) leads Clubman Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Stiefvater (63) leads Clubman Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the Radon Guy Formula 40 GTU class, the fight for the championship has turned into a tactical contest between consistency, late-season momentum, and strategic execution.

Dave Stiefvater (63) enters the final round with 87 points and the championship lead, having built his campaign on a solid foundation of results—including a third-place finish in Round 1 and a crucial victory in Round 2.

However, Stiefvater’s lead is far from comfortable. Hot on his heels is Mika Davies (43) with 75 points, thanks to a string of three consecutive second-place finishes in Rounds 1, 2, and 3. While Davies hasn’t stood on the top step yet, their relentless consistency has kept them in strong contention—and poised to capitalize on any slip from Stiefvater.

Not to be overlooked is Geovanni Cruz (21), sitting in third with 73 points. Cruz surged back into the title picture with a second-place finish in Round 3 and a commanding victory in Round 4, showcasing the kind of late-season form that could carry him all the way to the top at Pikes Peak.

Rounding out the top five are Navid Poran (51) with 60 points, and Matthew Duff (554) with 54 points—both of whom have delivered consistent points finishes throughout the season and could still shake up the final championship standings with a strong Round 5 performance.

With just 14 points separating the top three riders, the Formula 40 GTU class is shaping up for a dramatic finish. Stiefvater may lead, but Cruz has momentum, and Davies has the consistency. At Pikes Peak, it’ll all come down to execution—and perhaps a little bit of luck.

 

Spencer Russell Youth Racing Lightweight Grand Prix – A Class Too Close to Call

 

Dimick (16) leads Lightweight GP Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Dimick (16) leads Lightweight GP Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

If you’re looking for edge-of-your-seat racing, the Spencer Russell Youth Racing Lightweight Grand Prix has delivered the goods all season long. With ultra-tight finishes and a rotating cast of front-runners, this class has been one of the most competitive and thrilling to watch in 2025.

Kurt Dimick (16) currently leads the standings with 85 points, thanks to an impressive mid-season surge. Dimick claimed victories in Rounds 2 and 3, and backed them up with second-place finishes in Rounds 3 and 4. His ability to stay at the sharp end of the field every weekend has made him a serious contender for the title.

Philip Takahshi (807) holds close in 2nd with 82 points. Takahashi started the season strong with a win in Round 1, followed by a third-place finish in Round 2, and has collected solid finishes elsewhere. His performance across multiple classes also speaks to his experience and pace.

Not far behind is Michael Foss (293) with 80 points, sitting just two points behind Takahashi. Foss opened the season with back-to-back second-place finishes in Rounds 1 and 2, and remains a constant podium threat. With such a narrow margin between the top three, any one of them could emerge as champion at Pikes Peak.

Ben Christensen (127) and William Schneider round out the top five with 59 and 55 points, respectively. Both riders have delivered gutsy performances this season and are well within striking distance of a podium finish in the final standings.

With less than 10 points separating the top three riders, and no one able to establish dominance for long, the Lightweight GP finale is shaping up to be one of the most electrifying races of the entire weekend. Expect elbows out, photo finishes, and championship drama when the lights go out for the final time in 2025.

 

Sun Powersports Middleweight 2x – Rizzo Runs Away, But the Fight Behind Is Fierce

 

Rizzo (9) leads Middleweight 2x Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Rizzo (9) leads Middleweight 2x Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

Few classes in 2025 have seen the level of domination that Sal Rizzo (9) has brought to the Sun Powersports Middleweight 2x championship. With a perfect 120-point score heading into the final round at Pikes Peak, Rizzo has taken every win this season and has already solidified himself as the class benchmark.

What’s been equally exciting, however, is the battle unfolding behind him. Jared Shauers (233) holds second place in the standings with 65 points, holding off a tight group of contenders who’ve traded blows all year. Shauers has shown great adaptability across multiple classes, and Middleweight 2x has been one of his strongest suits.

Hot on his heels is Navid Poran (51) with 62 points, followed closely by Mika Davies (43) with 58 points, and Matthew Duff (554) with 55 points. Just 10 points separate second through fifth, setting up an intense final-round clash for the remaining championship podium positions.

While Rizzo seems untouchable out front, the real fireworks at Pikes Peak may come from this mid-pack championship fight. Each rider has the pace to take second overall, and with only one race left, it will come down to race craft, nerves, and execution under pressure.

 

SB Racing Novice GTO – Evans Sets the Pace with a Flawless Season

 

Evans (154) leads Novice GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Evans (154) leads Novice GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the SB Racing Novice GTO class, John Evans (154) has been untouchable all year long. With a perfect 120-point score and victories in every round so far, Evans has asserted complete control over the championship and now heads into the final round at Pikes Peak undefeated.

While Evans has all but locked down the title, there’s still a spirited battle brewing for the runner-up spots. Michael Foss (293) currently sits second in the standings with 70 points, highlighted by a second-place finish at Round 4. Foss has been steadily climbing the ranks with strong results and will be looking to cement his position in the final round.

A close fight for third is underway between Paul Frysig (764) and Matthew Lamendola (844), both tied at 54 points. Consistency will be key for these two riders, as just one misstep could drop them out of the top five entirely.

Colby Elliot (808) rounds out the top five with 46 points, having shown early promise with a second-place finish in Round 1 and a third in Round 2. Unfortunately, Elliot has missed Rounds 3 and 4, and while his early-season speed was undeniable, his absence has left the door open for others to advance.

With Evans dominating the top step, the real intrigue going into the final round will be who claims the remaining podium spots—and whether anyone can stop Evans from completing a perfect rookie season in Novice GTO.

 

Dawn Industries Novice GTU – Vasquez, Driscol Set for a Final-Round Showdown

 

Vasquez (691) leads Novice GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Vasquez (691) leads Novice GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Dawn Industries Novice GTU class has been a closely contested fight all season long, and it all comes down to the final round at Pikes Peak, where Zachary Vasquez (691) leads the championship with 79 points—but only by a razor-thin 3-point margin over Christopher Driscol (918) with 76 points.

Vasquez has shown solid pace and consistency throughout the season, but Driscol has been right there at every round, keeping the pressure on and staying within striking distance. With only one race left, this has all the makings of a final-round duel that could be decided by just a few bike lengths.

Just behind the front-runners, Jared Shauers (233) holds third in the standings with 60 points, continuing his multi-class championship efforts and showing competitive pace across the grid. He remains a long-shot title contender, but a strong final result could still see him leap into the runner-up spot depending on how things shake out up front.

Trevor Huntsman (694) sits fourth with 57 points, and has consistently put himself in the mix with a string of solid finishes. Meanwhile, a tie for fifth at 51 points between Maxl Freeman (138) and Matthew Lamendola (844) adds even more intrigue to the mid-pack battle—either rider could climb the leaderboard with a strong finish at PPIR.

With the top six riders separated by less than 30 points, the Novice GTU class has been a proving ground for up-and-coming talent all year long. Expect a no-holds-barred scrap in the final race as riders fight for podiums, points, and championship glory.

 

Altitude Audio Video Open 2x – Behmer Claims Dominance

 

Behmer (4) leads Open 2x Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Behmer (4) leads Open 2x Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

As the race season nears its thrilling conclusion, the Altitude Audio Video Open 2x class continues to deliver fierce competition on the water. Justen Behmer (4) currently leads the pack with a strong total of 106 points. Behmer’s season has been marked by impressive consistency and skill, capturing second place in Round 1, outright wins in Rounds 2 and 4, and a solid third place in Round 3.

Challenging Behmer’s dominance is Craig Walker Jr. (50), who holds 81 points heading into the final race. Walker has maintained a steady pace with a third-place finish in Round 1 and back-to-back second-place results in Rounds 3 and 4, keeping the pressure on the leader.

Close behind are Steven Bartholomew (91) with 75 points, Kevin Madden (69) with 62 points, and Ken Yee (433) with 60 points, all poised to make their mark as the season wraps up.

With the championship on the line, the final round promises intense racing and high stakes, as riders battle to close the gap and claim the top spot in this competitive class.

 

Hendry Surges Ahead in Tri City Cycle Open Supersport Title Fight

 

Hendry (1) leads Open Supersport Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Hendry (1) leads Open Supersport Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Tri City Cycle Open Supersport class has delivered one of the most exciting battles of the season, headlined by a fierce rivalry between Brad Hendry (1) and Justen Behmer (4). As the championship heads into the final round, Hendry leads the standings with 115 points, followed by Behmer with 97.

Behmer opened the season with a statement win in Round 1, edging out Hendry and setting the tone for a showdown between two of the sport’s top riders. But Hendry responded with championship grit, bouncing back to claim victories in Rounds 2, 3, and 4. His consistency and pace have kept him at the top, as he now looks to seal the title in the finale.

Behmer, never finishing outside the podium, remains well within striking distance should trouble find the current leader. His podium streak showcases both speed and resilience, and he’ll be aiming to close the gap and end the season on a high note.

Ken Yee (433) currently sits third in the standings with 58 points after solid performances, including third-place finishes in Rounds 1 and 3. Kevin Madden (69) is just behind with 56 points, while Mathew Cunha (95) holds fifth with 51, setting the stage for a tightly contested battle for the final overall podium spot.

With the final round approaching, the Tri City Cycle Open Supersport class remains one of the most unpredictable and hotly contested championships on the card—expect sparks to fly.

 

Behmer Unstoppable in Longmont Tire Open Superbike Heading Into Final Round

 

Behmer (4) leads Open Superbike Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Behmer (4) leads Open Superbike Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the Longmont Tire Open Superbike class, Justen Behmer (4) has been nothing short of dominant all season long. With four consecutive wins, he’s riding a perfect record into the final round, sitting atop the standings with 120 points. Behmer’s unmatched pace and consistency have put him in a league of his own, and he’s the clear favorite to clinch the championship.

Hot on his heels is Justin Bohling (954), who has quietly built a strong season of his own. Bohling opened the year with a second-place finish in Round 1, followed by a third in Round 2, and then back-to-back second-place results in Rounds 3 and 4. With 96 points, he’s secured a solid hold on second overall, but would need a dramatic shake-up in the final round to unseat Behmer from the top.

The fight for the final podium spot is where things really heat up. Kevin Madden (69) holds third with 58 points, while Walt Vogl (117) and Steven Bartholomew (91) follow closely behind with 50 and 46 points, respectively. With only 12 points separating third from fifth, the final round will be a true battle to the finish for a spot on the overall podium.

 

Takahashi Leads Tight Championship in Vickery Motorsports Super Twins GTU

 

Takahashi (807) leads Super Twins GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Takahashi (807) leads Super Twins GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Vickery Motorsports Super Twins & Heavy GTO class has been a showcase of raw power and tight competition all season long, with Philip Takahashi (807) emerging as the man to beat. With 92 points heading into the final round, Takahashi holds a narrow lead over a stacked field of contenders.

Takahashi kicked off the season in dominant fashion, taking the win in Round 1 and following it up with runner-up finishes in Rounds 2 and 4. His consistency at the front has earned him the points lead, but the battle is far from over.

Just seven points back sits Mike Surratt (18) with 85 points, keeping the pressure on the leader as the championship nears its climax. Meanwhile, Kurt Dimick (16) remains a major threat, sitting third overall with 70 points after impressive victories in both Rounds 2 and 3. While he’s trailing the leaders, Dimick’s mid-season surge has made him a serious contender in the final round.

Rounding out the top five are William Schneider (927) with 60 points and Dylan Conner (198) with 46, both looking to finish the season strong and potentially disrupt the podium order.

With just one round remaining, the Vickery Motorsports Super Twins & Heavy GTO championship is still up for grabs. The final showdown promises high stakes, close racing, and no shortage of drama as the top riders chase the title.

 

Krand in Command in Performance Cycle’s Super Twins & Heavy GTO

 

Krand (131) leads Super Twins & Heavy GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Krand (131) leads Super Twins & Heavy GTO Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the fiercely competitive Performance Cycle’s Super Twins & Heavy GTO class, Orkun Krand (131) has established himself as the rider to beat, delivering a dominant performance throughout the season. With 115 points and a string of victories behind him, Krand leads the championship heading into the final round.

After opening the season with a second-place finish in Round 1, Krand found his rhythm— and hasn’t looked back since. He has taken the top step of the podium in every round since, racking up an impressive win streak and a commanding lead in the standings.

Jay Hollman (53) sits second overall with 79 points. He’s shown strong pace and consistency, highlighted by a second-place finish in Round 3 and a third-place result in Round 4. While the points gap is significant, Hollman remains a solid contender for a podium finish in the championship standings.

Mark Weidner (338) holds third with 61 points, followed closely by James Soiland (93) at 57 and Charles Greenwood (97) with 55—setting the stage for a tightly contested fight for the final top-three position.

As the season draws to a close, all eyes are on Krand to see if he can complete his dominant run with another victory. But with talent stacked throughout the top five, the final round of the Performance Cycle’s Super Twins & Heavy GTO promises to deliver highstakes action to cap off a thrilling season.

 

Supermoto Title Battle Too Close to Call Heading Into Final Round

 

Driscol (9180 leads Supermoto Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Driscol (9180 leads Supermoto Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

The Supermoto class has delivered some of the most intense and closely fought racing of the season, and heading into the final round, the championship is still wide open. Christopher Driscol (918) leads the way with 90 points, but he has little room to breathe, with Ed Smalley (160) just one point behind at 89.

Both riders have been locked in a season-long duel, trading positions and pushing each other to the limit. With only a single point separating them, the final round will be a winnertakes- all scenario—every corner, start, and finish will count.

Not far behind, Matthew Davis (364) sits third with 80 points. While the title may be a long shot, Davis remains well within striking distance should either of the front-runners stumble. He’s been a consistent threat all season and could play spoiler in the final outcome.

With three riders still mathematically in the hunt and just ten points separating them, the Supermoto championship is set for a thrilling finale. Expect fireworks as these riders battle it out for supremacy in one of the tightest title chases of the year.

 

Baker Sets the Pace in Thunderbike Championship Chase

 

Baker (108) leads Amateur GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell
Baker (108) leads Amateur GTU Championship. Photo By: Kelly Vernell

 

In the high-revving Thunderbike class, Jeremiah Baker (108) has emerged as the rider to beat, leading the championship with 92 points heading into the final round. With a strong mix of speed, control, and consistency, Baker has steadily built a comfortable gap over his closest rivals and now looks to finish the season on top.

Jay Hollman (53) sits second overall with 71 points, keeping himself in the mix with consistent finishes throughout the season. Just behind him is James Soiland (93) with 69 points—making for a tight battle for second place heading into the finale.

Dylan Conner (198) also remains in striking distance with 66 points, just five behind Hollman, and could very well play spoiler in the final standings. Rounding out the top five is Kurt Dimick (16) with 46 points, who will be looking to make a final push before the season wraps.

With multiple riders still vying for overall podium positions and Baker seeking to seal the deal on his championship campaign, the final round of the Thunderbike class promises to deliver a thrilling end to an already exciting season.

 

What’s at Stake

With championships, pride, and sponsorship implications on the line, Pikes Peak is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal events in MRA 2025 season. The combination of technical corners, high-speed sweepers, and banked corners makes PPIR a true test of rider skill and machine setup.

Fans can expect 21 classes of bar-to-bar action, with several titles still undecided. Whether it’s veterans defending their thrones or rookies eyeing breakout glory, every grid will be loaded with narrative.

 

Get to the Track

With full paddocks, fan access, and some of the fastest racing talent in the region, Round 5 at Pikes Peak isn’t just a race—it’s an event. Come witness the drama, the speed, and the celebration as the 2025 MRA season crosses the finish line.

For more information visit: mra-racing.org

Pirelli Completes First MotoGP™ Tire Test At Misano

Pirelli completes first MotoGP™ tyre test at Misano. Photo courtesy Pirelli Moto.
Pirelli completes first MotoGP™ tyre test at Misano. Photo courtesy Pirelli Moto.

Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Moto Racing Director: “We are pleased with the good working relationship and the results achieved. Grip, warm-up speed and confidence are the most appreciated features of our new tyres.”
 
For the test, the current bikes were used with deactivated ride height devices and, in some cases, detuned and modified in aerodynamics to simulate the configuration of the 850cc machines set to debut in 2027.
 
Pirelli will bring its own development philosophy to MotoGP™: tyres for the exclusive use of the premier class, as required by regulations, yet created with technologies and processes from series production in the German factory of Breuberg.

 

Pirelli has concluded its initial tests with their first prototype MotoGP™ tyres. The company, which will be the exclusive supplier of the premier class from 2027, had the tyres evaluated by Test Riders from the Test Teams of the five manufacturers participating in the World Championship: Augusto Fernandez for Yamaha, Daniel Pedrosa for KTM, Takaaki Nakagami for Honda, Lorenzo Savadori for Aprilia and Michele Pirro for Ducati.

 
The aim of this first test, which took place today at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli in mainly sunny and dry track conditions with asphalt temperatures between 25 °C and 43 °C, was to obtain feedback to continue the development and process of defining the characteristics of the front and rear tyres to be used in MotoGP™.

 
Pirelli has organised and defined the parameters and the run plan of the test in agreement with the manufacturers and has made 7 sets of tyres available to each team, in two different versions for the front and three for the rear, in the current sizes used in MotoGP™, i.e. 17 inches in diameter for rims with a width of 4” at the front and 6.25″ at the rear. The new Pirelli tyres, as required by regulations, have been tested with the bikes that are competing in the current season, with ride height devices deactivated and, in some cases, detuned, and with appropriate aerodynamic changes to make them as similar as possible in terms of characteristics and performance to the configuration of the new 850cc bikes, to be used in the new era of the World Championship starting in 2027.

 
Pirelli tyres for MotoGP™ will be made in the company’s factory in Breuberg, Germany, the same one that produces all motorcycle radial racing tyres and also some of the most successful models for road use. The choice is motivated by the fact that Pirelli intends to apply to MotoGP™ the basic philosophy that has guided the entire development of the racing motorcycle tyres produced by the company in recent decades. This is to utilise existing technologies and production processes in favour of the sustainability of the MotoGP™ project, product quality and the ease of transfer of technology and experience gained in the top motorcycle competition in products intended for use on the road.

 
Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli’s Motorcycle Racing Director, said: “The Misano test was the first step in our return to the World Championship, and we are very satisfied with both the excellent working relationship that has been struck up between our engineers and all the teams and riders of the Test Teams and the tyre performance. The test took place according to the run plan, which also included a Sprint race simulation, and the first feedback received is very encouraging – this test has generated a lot of data to be analysed in order to continue our development work of Pirelli MotoGP™ tyres. The most appreciated features are definitely grip, warm-up speed and confidence. We have decided to approach MotoGP™ with the same philosophy that has always distinguished us in motorcycle racing: the tyres will have to be dedicated exclusively to the premier class, because this is what the regulations require. We also want to exploit the technologies and processes consolidated over years of production with the triple objective of making our participation in this championship a virtuous example of sustainability in motorsport, offering a quality and homogeneous construction of the product and, last but not least, transferring more directly the technologies and know-how that we will develop in MotoGP™ to tyres intended for road use for the benefit of motorcyclists all around the world”.

 
The five-year agreement reached with Dorna provides, in addition to the MotoGP™ supply, the extension to 2031 of the contract already in place for the FIM Moto2™ and Moto3™ World Championships, considered the most important forge of talent in two-wheeled motorsport globally, and for the talent cups that are part of the Road to MotoGP™, the global initiative that identifies the competitions and programmes for young riders that MotoGP™ supports around the world. The aim; increasing accessibility and equal opportunities. Pirelli, for the same five-year period, will remain the official and sole tyre supplier for all classes of the FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship, Idemitsu Asia Talent Cup, Northern Talent Cup, Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and FIM MiniGP World Series.
 

With the supply of Moto2™ and Moto3™ from 2024 and now also of the world’s top competition for motorcycling prototypes on the track, Pirelli becomes the first tyre manufacturer to supply all classes of the World Championship and the most prestigious world motorcycle competitions.
This single-supply contract crowns Pirelli’s commitment to motorcycle racing and, more generally, to motor sports, in which the Italian group has been involved since 1907, the year in which it won the Paris-Beijing raid. Motorsport is in fact part of Pirelli’s DNA and has always played a key role in the company’s strategy. Today, Pirelli supplies tyres to over 350 championships, both two- and four-wheeled, and boasts over twenty years’ experience as the sole supplier for all classes of the FIM Superbike World Championship. Pirelli has also participated in the FIM Motocross World Championship for decades with a palmarès of 82 world titles and is Global Tyre Partner of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship™ since 2011, as well as supplier to the FIA Formula 2, FIA Formula 3, Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, GT World Challenge and numerous other national series.

Sidecar: Payne and Rousseau defend 2025 Championship Lead at Assen

Harrison Payne and Kevin Rousseau (1) at 2025 FIM Sidecar World Championship - Assen (NED). Photo credit Mark Walters / courtesy FIM Sidecar
Harrison Payne and Kevin Rousseau (1) at 2025 FIM Sidecar World Championship - Assen (NED). Photo credit Mark Walters / courtesy FIM Sidecar

Visiting the TT Circuit Assen for the second round in a row, the sixth and penultimate round of the 2025 FIM Sidecar World Championship this coming weekend (20-21 September) at the fabled ‘Cathedral of Speed’ could prove to be pivotal with reigning champions Harrison Payne (ARS Yamaha) and Kevin Rousseau holding an extremely slender eleven-point lead ahead of British brothers Sam and Thomas Christie (LCR Yamaha).

 

  • FIM Sidecar World Championship returns to the ‘Cathedral of Speed’ for round six
  • Reigning champions Harrison Payne and Kevin Rousseau defend slim lead at Assen
  • Just twenty-one points separate top three crews with two rounds remaining

 

With the Swiss/German pairing of Markus Schlosser (LCR Yamaha) and Luca Schmidt only another ten points off the pace – and a potential fifty points on the line for any crew that can double up to win both Saturday’s ten-lap Sprint race and Sunday’s sixteen-lap Main race – the top three positions in the championship could be turned upside down over the course of the weekend.

Although five-time FIM Sidecar Rider World Champion Pekka Päivärinta (ARS Yamaha) and Adam Christie – the third of the Christie brothers in action this weekend – have scored podium finishes this season, the Finnish/British pairing is a distant fourth and realistically out of title contention, ensuring the focus will be firmly on the three leading crews.

It has been a season of highs and lows for the British/French pairing of Payne and Rousseau who have suffered two mechanical DNFs this year, the first coming at the opening round at Le Mans which gifted an early lead to Schlosser and Schmidt. The reigning champions struck back at Estoril and the Pannónia-Ring with three wins and a second, although after they appeared to restore control with victory in the Sprint race at Most, an engine problem resulted in a second DNF.

When the championship made its first visit of the year to Assen in the middle of August, it was Schlosser and Schmidt who shared the lead with the super-consistent Christie brothers – who have yet to finish a race off the podium this season – but Payne and Rousseau once again fought back.

A dominant double win – only their second of the season – saw them reclaim the championship lead, however with just this weekend’s action and the final round at Oschersleben in Germany on the first weekend of October left on the calendar, there is certainly no room for complacency.

With an impressive entry of twenty crews in action at Assen, the world-famous circuit – that has featured on the FIM Sidecar World Championship every year the series has been staged since 2013 – may feel slightly narrower than normal and solid qualification times will be essential to elevate the title contenders out of the pack and towards the front of the grid for both races.

The points-scoring action from Assen is due to get under way on Saturday (20 September) with the ten-lap Sprint race at 17:25 (local time) with the sixteen-lap Main race scheduled for Sunday (21 September) at 16:20 (local time).

0FansLike
0FollowersFollow
0FollowersFollow
1,620SubscribersSubscribe

Latest Posts