ELLENTON, Fla. / MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – Sixteen years and three months after a history-making win at the Hangtown Motocross Classic during his professional debut, Eli Tomac has made the decision to retire from professional offroad motorcycle racing.
The most dominant racer in his heyday, the Colorado legend’s retirement marks the end of an era.
Paying tribute to Tomac is less about finding great things to say about the future Hall of Famer and more about editing that greatness to fit the page.
That Tomac was going to be a superstar was never in question. In addition to his pair of moto podiums at Hangtown on debut and securing the overall victory by winning Moto 2 that weekend, he finished second in his first full-time Supercross season the following year. One year later, he backed that up with his first 250cc Divisional Championship in 2012 Supercross and followed that up with the Pro Motocross 250cc title in 2013.
Tomac won his first of six 450cc championships in 2017, adding to his total in each of the next three seasons. Tomac came close to keeping the streak alive in 2021 after finishing second in Pro Motocross. The following year, he swept the 2022 titles, winning both the Supercross and Pro Motocross championships that season.
Eli Tomac raising the Monster Energy Supercross Championship trophy at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver after winning the 2022 championship. Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
Tomac was rewarded for his 2022 success with an ESPN ESPY Award for Best Athlete, Men’s Action Sports. That same year he was selected as the captain of Team USA for the Motocross of Nations, won the MXGP + MX2 race that year at RedBud MX, and contributed to a commanding overall victory for the host nation, putting the American squad on the top of the podium for the first time in 11 years.
Tomac sits second on the all-time 450cc Supercross wins list with 57, behind Jeremy McGrath [72]. Tomac is also fourth all-time on the 450cc Pro Motocross wins list with 32, behind Ricky Carmichael [76], and Ryan Dungey [39].
Tomac excelled in consistently strong results. He leads the SMX League® with 240 career podium finishes, bettering Ricky Carmichael’s second-best of 215.
A title contender until the very end of his career, Tomac was third in the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship standings after Nashville with four rounds remaining, 15 points behind the leader Hunter Lawrence. A heartbreaking crash in qualification the following week in Cleveland sidelined Tomac for multiple rounds with a hip injury.
But wins and podiums are only a small part of the story. What set Tomac apart from the competition was his authenticity on the track.
“For those of us who had the privilege of watching Eli Tomac’s entire career, what stands out most isn’t just the victories, championships, or records. It’s the authenticity,” said Dave Prater, Vice President of Supercross for Feld Motor Sports. “Eli never chased attention, never tried to be something he wasn’t, and let his riding speak louder than words ever could. Fans didn’t just respect him, they loved him because he was real. Through every triumph, setback, comeback, and unforgettable battle, he carried himself with humility, grit, and class. Legends are defined by more than trophies; they’re defined by the impact they leave on a sport and its people. Eli Tomac didn’t just become a champion, he became an icon whose legacy will inspire riders and fans for generations. Thank you, Eli, for an incredible ride.”
That authenticity continued when he took off his helmet as well. Through donations of customized gear and bike graphics, many of which Tomac was personally involved in their design, he was responsible for raising greater than six-figure donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Tomac always gave of his time for promotional sessions benefiting the charity and the Love Moto Stop Cancer initiative.
Eli was personally involved in the design of his gear that he typically wore at the annual Love Moto Stop Cancer races. Race-worn gear is donated to the St. Jude – SMX online auction and is one of the primary fundraising campaigns throughout the season. Tomac pictured here at Nissan Stadium in Nashville in 2024. Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
More than a decade ago, in 2015, Davey Coombs, editor in chief of Racer X Magazine and President of MX Sports Pro Racing coined the phrase “Beast Mode” to describe Tomac after he won the first two races of the 2015 Pro Motocross season at Hangtown and Glen Helen.
Tomac won the first moto of Round 3 at his home race from Thunder Valley soon after. However, in the second moto that weekend, he crashed heavily, injured his left and right shoulders badly enough to require surgery on both, and failed to complete the season.
“Never before in our sport have we had a competitor who was so good, for so long,” Coombs said after Tomac’s Ironman top five. “Eli Tomac won the first professional race he ever entered, the 2010 Hangtown National, and then all these years later he began his final season with a win at the 2026 Anaheim Supercross opener. Throughout all of those seasons, Tomac performed at the absolute highest level of SMX, showing a versatility and staying power that’s rare in any form of professional sport. He also carried himself in a manner that’s earned him the deep respect of his competitors and everyone in the paddock, making him a role model for all.
Eli Tomac celebrating after winning the Anaheim Opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, in January of this year. Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
“Our sport was fortunate to have Eli Tomac’s presence on the starting gate over so many years; his leadership as well as all of his championships will resonate for generations to come,” Coombs continued. “Congratulations to the entire Tomac family—Eli and his wife Jessica, their four children, and of course his parents John and Cathy—on a job well done.”
No track has been more closely identified with Tomac than the hallowed grounds of Daytona International Speedway, where he holds a record that will likely never be beat.
Arguably the best known Supercross event, Tomac has a record eight victories there, winning his first in 2016. He went on to capture six of the next seven Daytona Supercross races. Tomac also finished second to Dungey in 2015, Justin Brayton in 2018, and Jett Lawrence in 2024, for an incredible resume.
Eli Tomac celebrating with the fans at Daytona International Speedway after winning his eighth Daytona Supercross this past March. Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
Tomac failed to compete at Daytona in 2025 because of injury, but then added an eighth victory in 2026. Tomac ended his Pro Motocross career with one final top five at the 2026 finale from Ironman Raceway this past weekend, with moto results of seventh and fifth.
Beloved by fans worldwide. Eli Tomac leaving the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team’s semi in the paddock at this past weekend’s Ironman National Finals in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
Fans have only three more opportunities to watch Tomac race in person during the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship as the postseason playoffs begin September 12 from Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, continue September 19 from Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, and conclude with the SMX World Championship Final on September 26 from Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri.
Eli Tomac’s SMX League Championships
2012: 250cc Divisional Supercross Championship
2013: 250cc Pro Motocross Championship
2017: 450cc Pro Motocross Championship
2018: 450cc Pro Motocross Championship
2019: 450cc Pro Motocross Championship
2020: 450cc Supercross Championship
2022: 450cc Supercross Championship
2022: 450cc Pro Motocross Championship
For information about the Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
The MotoGP Grand Prix at Aragón is in the books, with Marc Márquez taking the victory ahead of Pedro Acosta and Marco Bezzecchi, who completed the podium. Read the teams’ post-race PR below.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Marc Márquez and the Ducati Lenovo Team take a spectacular race win at MotorLand Aragón. A crash for Francesco Bagnaia.
Third consecutive double (Sprint and Race) at Aragón for Marc, always aboard a Ducati.
Marc Márquez and the Ducati Lenovo Team remain undefeated for the second consecutive edition of the Grand Prix of Aragón, thanks to their victory in the 23-lap race at MotorLand Aragón. Francesco Bagnaia’s race came to an early end on lap six.
After taking the lead at the start, Márquez was counter-attacked at turn three and found himself in third position. After moving up to second already on lap two, Marc retook the lead on lap six and started to pull away, building a gap of more than half a second before eventually winning by a comfortable margin. Bagnaia, after a good start, crashed out on lap six while running seventh.
As the thirteenth Grand Prix of the season draws to a close, Marc Márquez is second in the championship standings with 237 points, narrowing the gap to the leader to just 19 points. Francesco Bagnaia is eighth, 94 points adrift of his teammate. The Ducati Lenovo Team is third in the teams’ standings (380 points), while Ducati sits second in the Constructors’ Championship (375 points).
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action on Friday, September 11th, for the opening day of the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera at the Misano World Circuit ‘Marco Simoncelli’.
Marc Márquez (93) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st: “I’m very happy with this double victory. I did say that the goal was to get as close as possible to 37 points and I’d say we did it. The strategy was the same as yesterday, but I was so focused on turn one at the start that I forgot to disengage the rear height device. Given the mistake, the new target was to not crash after turn one, before getting back to doing my race. I tried to manage tyre wear the best I could before starting to push from lap ten onwards and pull away, and it went well.”
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – DNF: “I had a decent start and was trying to follow the group ahead of me, but I wasn’t competitive enough to do so, especially with regards to acceleration. I didn’t have grip and already after five laps I had changed the engine map in order to save the tyres. I was only trying to keep my pace but then I ended up crashing at a spot where I had a warning already on the previous lap. The rear-end stepped out and when I got it back, the front tucked. Unfortunately, when I try to push I end up risking a crash.”
Luigi Dall’Igna – Ducati Corse General Manager: “Marc was really great also today. He had a perfect start and dove well at turn one, but then paid the price of not having disengaged the rear height device. He then did his race, showing the type of champion he is. Despite the second position in the standings, it’ll still be tough: there’ll be favourable tracks and not so favourable ones, and as always the outcome of the championship will be decided at each individual race. Still, we’re working really well and the results show, so I’m happy. A pity for Pecco, who was having a decent race, but we still need to continue working to fix this situation together.”
More, from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM:
2nd place for brilliant Acosta at Aragon MotoGP.
Pedro Acosta scorched to a strong runner-up status at another sun-kissed round of 2026 MotoGP. The Spaniard starred at a third Grand Prix on home turf this season and was vying for victory on the KTM RC16 at MotorLand Aragon.
Highlights and key moments from race day at MotorLand:
Pedro Acosta charges to the front of the Aragon GP with the best overtaking move of the season and pressures world champion Marc Marquez for the win, earning his fourth trophy of the year
Hard and effective charges by Enea Bastianini and Brad Binder to capture top ten results in 8th and 10th respectively
Pol Espargaro’s second substitute appearance of the year ends with 16th
Red Bull KTM Ajo gather decent championship points in Moto3 with Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte in P4 and P5 respectively
Red Bull KTM lined up for the 23-lap MotoGP Grand Prix at Aragon optimistic of podium potential thanks to Pedro Acosta’s bright run to 4th in the Saturday Sprint. #37 started from P6 on the grid with Brad Binder in 14th, Enea Bastianini in 16th and Pol Espargaro, replacing Red Bull KTM Tech3 racer Maverick Viñales for the second meeting in succession, from 20th.
The 5km diverse, anticlockwise layout combined with the high summer temperatures meant a long and draining Grand Prix distance with tire management again an important component of the race. 115,742 spectators filled the stands.
Acosta swung through Turn 1 and survived some bustling to find his way to P3. He produced a majestic overtaking move on Marco Bezzecchi into Turn 16 to swoop into 2nd with 16 laps to go. Pedro then shadowed Marc Marquez and kept to within a second of his countryman, setting fastest laps and stretching the limit. The gap was 1.7 seconds at the finish. Acosta and Red Bull KTM celebrated his joint-highest result of the season and his first rostrum appearance since the Grand Prix of Hungary.
Brad dove into the top 12 on the first lap but ran off track at Turn 12 and then had to race back from 20th. The South African reached 13th and joined the large group going for the top ten with Enea also in the fray. Bastianini hassled the rear wheel of Diogo Moreira for 8th and got the better of the Brazilian in the final few turns while Brad also gave everything to arrive to P10. Pol’s P16 meant he just missed out on the points.
Acosta is 6th in the championship standings and with a 15-point gap to the top five.
The next event on the 2026 calendar will take place at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the San Marino Grand Prix from 11-13 of September.
Marc Márquez (93) leading Pedro Acosta (37) during the MotoGP race at Aragon. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM.
Pedro Acosta, 2nd and 6th in the championship:“We were the surprise today! I think the progression we made from Friday was quite clear. I’m super-happy for that. I thought we had a big possibility in the middle of the race but I think I used the tires a bit too much at that moment to be with Marc. Anyway, we have to be happy because these results make the atmosphere of the team even better.”
Brad Binder, 10th and 13th in the championship: “I made my life difficult today. My rear tire pressure wasn’t up when I braked into Turn 11 so I lost the rear completely and blew the entrance into 12. I then got hung out to dry into the last corner. The next lap around I saw ‘P20’ and I knew I had a big job on my hands! I came back to 10th so I cannot complain too much. A solid enough comeback but…I have some work to do. Learning curves. I feel like we are making progress. If we can make a bit of extra speed then we’ll make a jump closer to the front.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We need to be really happy because the summer has presented some challenges for us and this was a type of ‘comeback’. Pedro had an excellent ride fighting at the top and we had three riders in the top ten so we have to be satisfied. Things always need to go step-by-step and when we’ve had challenging times this was good progress for us, and also a sign that we have to trust our project and our resources. This was our best GP for a while. Friday was not too easy…but it shows that Sunday is the most important day and you must never give up. We are looking forward to the rest of the season.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Podium and top five for Aprilia Racing in the MotorLand Aragón race.
The weekend at MotorLand Aragón comes to a close with the second podium of the weekend for Aprilia Racing.
After starting from pole position, Marco Bezzecchi was a protagonist in the battle for victory throughout the initial stages of the race. The Italian rider then finished third, taking his second podium of the weekend after his sprint race finish.
Jorge Martín managed his race with determination, staying consistently in the top five and finishing fifth. The Spanish rider maintains the lead in the championship standings with 256 points.
Marco Bezzecchi on the MotoGP race podium at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Marco Bezzecchi: “All in all, it was a positive weekend and I’m extremely happy. We arrived in Aragón with few expectations because last year we had started from behind. I had done two decent races, but from there to being competitive was a different story. Instead, this weekend I was fast – first on Friday and pole position on Saturday. I was lacking something in the races but, to be honest, I didn’t even think that I’d be able to make a play for the win, so I’m rather happy. My whole team was astronomically great.”
Jorge Martin (89) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Jorge Martin: “I’m satisfied with the weekend. The sensations in the race were similar to those of the sprint race, but I think that we still made a step forward. It’s true that I felt better in the race, so much that I did my fast lap at the end of the race. It was a weekend where we built confidence on a track that is extremely complicated for me, and we managed to improve in every session, taking steps forward and understanding what could help me on the track.”
Massimo Rivola – CEO Aprilia Racing: “A good team result on a track that is not particularly favourable for us. Jorge struggled to find the right feeling throughout the weekend but, despite this, he still maximised the result. Marco took two highly valuable podiums in spite of his physical difficulties. His pole position was also a work of magic that I believe will stand for some time to come. We are well aware that the upcoming circuits are not our favourites on paper, but we can’t wait to go to Misano and feel the warmth of our Italian fans.”
More, from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Racing:
Plenty of point for Alex Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer at Aragon.
RACEDAY
ALEX MARQUEZ 4º
FERMIN ALDEGUER 6º
WORLD STANDING
ALEX MARQUEZ 9º (128 points)
FERMIN ALDEGUER 10º (90 points)
Alex Marquez on the grid at Aragon. Photo courtesy Gresini.
Alex Marquez: “Unfortunately, our start limited us today. I made a mistake and I lost quite a lot of ground. At a circuit like this, the start was crucial, and that’s where we lost touch with the leading group. Regardless, we would have struggled with tyre management anyway: an approach that rewarded us at Silverstone but didn’t work here. We leave with plenty of important points ahead of our home GP at Misano, the most important event of the year for the team.”
Fermin Aldeguer (54) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Gresini.
Fermin Aldeguer: “We have to be very happy with this weekend. Two sixth-place finishes and being in good physical condition are the best things to take away from this weekend. We need to improve our qualifying performance, but it’s something we have been working on for a while and will continue to focus on in the coming weeks. We have one week to make a little more progress physically, but we’re ready for the Misano-Austria double-header. We have to try to get back on the podium.”
More, from a press release issued by VR46 Team:
In Sunday’s race at MotorLand Aragon, the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team is seventh with Fabio Di Giannantonio, who is back in fourth place in the World Standing. Franco Morbidelli crashed.
The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team had a challenging Aragon GP: Fabio Di Giannantonio ended his Sunday’s race in seventh place, but he earned important points which allowed him to be back in fourth place in the Championship. It was a complicated Sunday for Franco Morbidelli, who crashed on lap six, luckily with no physical consequences.
Starting from the third row, Di Giannantonio was able to maintain his position, getting closer to the large group battling for the podium positions. Fabio showed a good pace, which allowed him to defend his seventh place with determination. The rider from Rome confirmed his consistency as he crossed the finish line of the Aragon GP in seventh place. With today’s result, Di Giannantonio is back in fourth place in the World Standing with 208 points, with 48 points gap from the leader and 24 from the Top3.
Morbidelli had a good start from the fourth row, and he could stay in the fight for the Top10 right from the first stages. Franco showed a good pace which allowed him to stay in the group of the first ten riders. But bad luck stopped his progression: the Italian-Brazilian rider crashed at Turn 17 on lap six while he was tenth. Morbidelli is sixteenth in the World Standing with 53 points.
The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team is back on track in two weeks for one of the most awaited rounds of the season: we are back home for the San Marino and Riviera di Rimini GP, which will take place at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” from 11th to 13thSeptember.
Fabio Di Giannantonio on the grid at Aragon. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.
Fabio Di Giannantonio: “It was a tough weekend, but we were expecting to struggle a bit. Yesterday’s crash didn’t help us, but we didn’t give up and we continued working. Today it was important to finish the race and earn important points: we did it, we ended in seventh place, and this position allowed us to be back in fourth place in the Championship. For sure, this is the most positive side of this weekend. Now we head to Misano, where we bring all the positives to face the home race weekend with a free mind.”
Franco Morbidelli (2!) at Aragon. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.
Franco Morbidelli: “In today’s race I had a good start, and I could stay in the group fighting for the Top10. Unfortunately, I made a mistake at Turn 17 and I crashed. But I was feeling much better today than in the Sprint and I was in the group where I could have been able to be seventh, and this is positive. Overall, it was a positive weekend: the Team worked at his maximum again to put all things together and make steps forward, as we proved in Qualifying with the fast laps. Now, we go to Misano, where we try to make a great work.”
Pablo Nieto: “It was a more complicated weekend than usual, but we go home with some positives. Unfortunately, Fabio crashed in the Sprint, but in today’s race he secured a seventh place and collected some important points, being back on fourth place in the World Standing. Franco keeps making steps forward and he had been fighting with determination during all the weekend, securing another direct Q2 in Qualifying. It’s a pity for today’s crash, but it’s racing and it can happen. We must keep looking ahead. Now we head to the Team’s home race: we must do our maximum and it will be important to understand what happened during this weekend to be back stronger in Misano.”
More, from a press release issued by KTM Tech3:
Relentless Bastianini fights through to excellent eighth.
Enea Bastianini produced a late flourish at the Aragón Grand Prix on Sunday as he made a number of spectacular overtakes to finish eighth, while Pol Espargaró gained further experience on this year’s package, closing the gap to his team-mates and crossing the line in 16th.
The 5.08km Motorland Aragón circuit was at its hottest of the entire weekend when the 23-lap MotoGP™ race kicked off. Temperatures hit 31 degrees at 14:00 (UTC+2) with 51,181 fans in attendance.
Following severe tyre wear at the end of Saturday’s Sprint, Bastianini tried a different setting in Warm-Up to aid him over full race distance. In the main event, ‘La Bestia’ gained a place off the start, before a combination of overtakes and crashes for other riders put him eleventh by lap six.
The Italian wasn’t done there. Gaining confidence with his modified setting lap-by-lap, passes on Joan Mir and Jack Miller pushed Bastianini up to ninth. Two personal best lap times then slashed the 0.9s gap to Diogo Moreira ahead, before a neat pass on the Brazilian on the last lap sealed an excellent eighth place.
Sunday was another chance for Espargaró to get up to speed on the 2026 KTM RC16. The Spaniard had gained three places by lap six of the race as he circulated in 17th, with the 35-year-old gaining a further place before the chequered flag.
The Tech3 team now has a free weekend to catch its breath before reconvening for the Grand Prix of San Marino at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli from September 11-13.
Enea Bastianini (23) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Tech3.
Enea Bastianini: “That was better than I expected! After what happened yesterday, I wasn’t so confident about today. I destroyed the tyre in the Sprint but today that didn’t happen. We tried a different set-up this morning. I didn’t understand it a lot because we didn’t have so much time to get a feeling in Warm-Up, but we kept the setting in for the race and lap-by-lap I was gaining feeling. I wasn’t fast like the top guys, but I could overtake many people. The fight with Diogo at the end was nice, and he’s difficult to overtake as he brakes very late. Our target was to get into the top ten and I saved it with eighth place. So, it wasn’t a bad day in the end!”
Pol Espargaró (44) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Tech3.
Pol Espargaró: “I enjoyed the race. I reduced the gap a bit to two of my team-mates, but not to Pedro (Acosta). I miss a lot of speed but it’s just my second race back. Still when the tyres get used, I suffer a lot. My feeling is that I don’t know how to adapt to these big changes when the tyre performance goes down. I was fourth this morning and was pumped up for the race, but when you have this turbulence riding with other bikes, a full fuel tank and used tyres, you need to know what the bike is going to do – and I’m discovering it like a rookie for the first time! It’s tricky but it’s nice to see the bike is there for Pedro. Hopefully we’ll see Maverick back on the bike in Misano. If not, I’m used to testing and am fast there so let’s see.”
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: “We’ve completed this GP with a brilliant eighth position from Enea. He started with some difficulties and had a bad qualifying position, but he didn’t give up and I must congratulate him for this attitude. We know Enea’s strengths come through in the second half of the race, and passing five riders is a great performance. I’d also like to thank Pol Espargaró. Maybe he suffered from some inconsistency, but he managed some fast laps and can be proud of his weekend. His target was to get in the points, and he only missed out by a few seconds. The bike was quite fast today and Pedro Acosta showed us its potential. We should all open the data and work because what Acosta achieved was excellent. Now it’s time to pack up everything and head to the next race.”
More, from a press release issued by Pro Honda LCR:
Pro Honda LCR rider Diogo Moreira finishes 9th on Sunday at Aragon.
Starting from 10th on the grid, Moreira made a solid start and placed himself in the battle for the top 6.
The rider defended his position and fought hard against his rivals, demonstrating strength and determination.
In the end, he crossed the line in 9th, finishing as the top Honda rider in today’s race.
Diogo Moreira (11) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Diogo Moreira 9th:“At the beginning, it was difficult because we knew that the situation would be harder for us with the medium tyre. Then I was able to fight, and it was nice. I made a mistake on the last lap, in the last sector, and in the end, I crossed the line in 9th. We are doing a good job, and it was a consistent weekend. Let’s keep working like that!”
More, from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Jack Miller finishes 11th after strong recovery in Aragón, while Toprak Razgatlıoğlu‘s race ends in a crash after a determined comeback.
Jack Miller completes a strong Aragón weekend with an 11th-place finish after recovering from 13th on the grid and fighting inside the Top 10 for most of the race. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu‘s comeback from 21st ended with a late crash while he was fighting for points.
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP completed the Aragón Grand Prix with Jack Miller finishing 11th after another strong and consistent performance throughout an overall positive weekend. Starting from 13th on the grid, the Australian quickly moved forward and reached eighth position, remaining inside the Top 10 for most of the race before tyre wear in the closing laps forced him to surrender a few positions.
Miller’s result confirms the positive progress shown by the YZR-M1 throughout the weekend, with the Australian able to maintain a competitive pace over the long race distance. Despite the late drop in performance, he brought the bike home just outside the Top 10 after another solid display.
For Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, the race ended three laps from the chequered flag after a crash while he was fighting his way into the points. Starting from 21st, the Turkish rider produced a determined comeback and had successfully moved into the points-paying positions before losing the front under braking. The incident came late in the race, when tyre wear made his aggressive braking style particularly difficult to manage with the MotoGP machine, providing another valuable lesson in his adaptation to the YZR-M1.
Jack Miller (43) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Jack Miller:“Overall, it was an OK weekend and I gave everything I had in that race. Unfortunately, we had to concede a few places to the KTM guys towards the end. I tried to make it as difficult as possible for them, but once you lose the edge, it gets tough.
The bike is working pretty good, honestly. I can’t fault it in the corners. We’re just losing too much on the straights, but we know that and there’s not much we can do about it, so there’s no point complaining. We just have to get on with what we’re doing. I was really happy with my pace, didn’t make any mistakes and, apart from a little touch on the first lap with Joan, it was a pretty clean race all the way to the end.
I knew after yesterday’s Sprint that we had to manage the front tyre more, and I did that today. But when you do that, you lose some of the roll speed and it makes things more difficult. The front stayed good all the way to the end, the rear was good too, and I basically ran out of tyre on the last lap, which is how it should be. Until then, I was pretty happy with the performance.
Compared to the beginning of the season the bike now feels like we’ve turned it around pretty quickly. The bike is good and it has a couple of key weaknesses that, if we can fix them, would make it competitive. Obviously, when you add 20 horsepower to a motorcycle, it’s going to change its character, but considering it’s a brand-new bike this year, I think we’ve done a pretty good job of turning it around in a short amount of time.”
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (07) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: “For me, it was a positive weekend, especially because in Sunday’s race, even though we didn’t have a fantastic start, we were able to catch the guys ahead. At the beginning I didn’t have a good feeling, but after a few laps I found my rhythm and I was feeling really good on the bike.
Unfortunately, towards the end the front tyre started to drop and it became difficult to keep the same pace. I was running wide in almost every corner because the bike was locking the front and I couldn’t stop it properly. I tried to keep pushing at the same pace, but it was impossible and eventually I crashed. Without losing the front, I think I could have finished around 12th or 11th, maybe even 10th.
But we learned something again this weekend. We were finally able to fight with riders from different manufacturers, whereas before we were mostly riding alone. This is a really positive step for me. Of course I’m disappointed with how the last race ended because normally I don’t make this kind of mistakes, but we take the positives and look forward to the next race.”
Gino Borsoi – Team Director: “Obviously, it was a great weekend for Jack. He did everything in the best possible way, not only today in the race but throughout the whole weekend, including the Sprint yesterday. He made the most of what we had, brought home an important result for the team and Yamaha, made no mistakes and fought until the end. He is clearly in one of his best moments, and that makes saying goodbye to someone like Jack even harder. But it’s also great to see how much he still believes in what he is doing and how he never gives up. You have to take your hat off to the Jack we are seeing now.
For Toprak, yesterday’s Sprint was a positive step and today he was also riding well until the final stages. With four laps to go, he had a very strong pace and was gaining positions, at one point even lapping faster than the Top 10. This shows that we are finding our way back to the performance we had a few races ago. Unfortunately, he reached the limit of the front tyre and, being a little more aggressive in his riding and carrying a little more weight than some of the other riders, this becomes more difficult to manage at the end of the race.
The crash came as a consequence of that tyre wear, but overall I think Toprak did a good job this weekend. We take the positives from Aragón and I’m convinced we can get back to the positions we were fighting for before and continue building from there.”
More, from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Top ten battle until the line for Mir and Marini in Aragon.
A dramatic 23-lap Grand Prix of Aragon saw Joan Mir and Luca Marini keep their calm, run with consistent speed and capitalise on the mistakes of others on their way to 12th and 14th respectively.
Launching well when the lights went out, Joan Mir was able to lap consistently in the mid to low 1’48s in the first half of the race. As a result, the #36 was able to progress from 15th on the grid to run inside the top ten as he hunted top Honda honours. His steady pace and calm approach to the Grand Prix saw Mir benefit from the mistakes of others before turning his attentions to battling the likes of Enea Bastianini and Brad Binder. Pushing to catch the KTM duo right until the end, Mir takes his first Grand Prix finish since the Czech GP – an important and confidence building result at the end of what has been a weekend with more complications than excepted.
Able to ride without major limitations following Saturday’s heavy fall in the Sprint, Luca Marini lined up for the Aragon Grand Prix with his usual determination and focus after a positive Warm Up. Working to follow his teammate through in the opening handful of laps, the Italian was able to fight his way into 12th with the top-ten battle in sight. Like Mir, the #10 spent the latter stages of the race defending his position and earned 14th for his efforts. Able to continue his run of point-scoring finishes, Marini is already thinking of the next round and how he can best exploit his speed on the Honda RC213V.
Now the MotoGP World Championship ventures into the most intense stage of 2026, three sets of back-to-back races and a triple header in the next 13 weeks to round out the season. The Grand Prix of San Marino kicking off this marathon finish from September 11 to 13 at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli – Luca Marini’s home round.
Joan Mir (36) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda HRC.
Joan Mir: “Good to get a finish under our belts after the weekend that we have had, but I was left wanting more from today. It was important to finish and build the confidence a bit even if we weren’t exactly where we want to be. The team and I worked a lot to make improvements from Friday, and we were able to find a few things to help us. Our focus is on improving our feeling in the next races to enjoy the end of the season together because I was hoping for more from Aragon after last year.”
Luca Marini (10) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda HRC.
Luca Marini: “The positive from this weekend is that we were able to make a step with the setup for Qualifying, unfortunately in Q1 I made a mistake, and we started further down the grid than we deserved. Our race pace is quite close to the guys in the top six or so as is usual and I am hopeful with this setup step we can capitalise on our potential more. Fortunately, my physical condition was more or less ok and we only had a few very small limitations in the race. Now we look forward to Misano and having a more standard GP weekend in front of the home fans.”
More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Álex Rins Rallies to 13th Place in Aragon Race.
Today, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Álex Rins pushed from P19 on the Michelin Grand Prix of Aragon grid to P13 at the end of the 23-lap contest. Fabio Quartararo ended a challenging outing in P18.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Álex Rins again showed his fighting spirit at the MotorLand Aragón in front of his home fans today. He made up a total of six positions in the 23-lap contest to secure P13. The Michelin Grand Prix of Aragon was a difficult outing for Fabio Quartararo. He ended today’s Race in P18.
Rins started from P19 and made up two positions on the first two laps. Various hardships for rivals had the home hero move to P13 by lap 6. On lap 13, the Yamaha rider overtook Luca Marini. He was then chasing down Joan Mir, taking Brad Binder with him and Binder made a move on lap 17. Two laps later, Rins was riding behind Mir. The number 42 piled on the pressure but came just short of overtaking. He finished in P13, 28.276s from first.
Quartararo started from P17, but he found himself in last place at the end of the first lap. Not one to give up easily, the Frenchman soldiered on and was back up in 16th place by lap 7. However, on lap 15 another mishap made him drop to nineteenth place with an almost 10s gap to the rider ahead. With Toprak Razgatlıoğlu crashing out on lap 21, Quartararo was riding in P18 as he came within 0.7s of Lorenzo Savadori on the final laps, but he couldn’t capitalise on it. He finished in P18, 51.657s from the winner.
After today’s Race, Quartararo still sits in 15th place in the championship standings with 55 points, while Rins remains 20th with 24 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP are in 10th position in the team classification with 79 points, and Yamaha is 5th in the constructor rankings with 78 points.
The team will now enjoy a one-week break before returning to action at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, taking place from 11-13 September.
Alex Rins (42) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Alex Rins:“It was quite warm out there. In terms of the targets we set for ourselves today, I finished in a better position than I expected considering we started from P19. The pace was not bad, and I felt like I had a better pace than the rider in front of me, Joan [Mir], but I couldn’t overtake him. As soon as [Brad] Binder overtook me, I tried again, but in the end I was too far and couldn’t overtake. But I still extracted the maximum out of our package here today.”
Fabio Quartararo (20) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Fabio Quartararo:“My start was not good, but not so bad either. I overtook [Luca] Marini, who overtook me back on the first lap. I think it was [Brad] Binder or [Enea] Bastianini – one of them overtook me, and I was in the slipstream on the back straight. He braked earlier than I expected, and my rear locked and I went very wide. Then behind Toprak, I locked the front in Turn 7, lost a few more seconds, and then I went into the gravel. I think my lap was 15 seconds slower than normal. I will try to understand what happened.”
Massimo Meregalli – Team Director:“Today was another challenging race, but there are some positives to take away. Álex did a good race, scoring some points. He was fighting with the other riders until the end, and this P13 was the best possible result today after qualifying in P19. For Fabio it was a difficult weekend. After yesterday’s technical issue denied us valuable Sprint data, today’s race was complicated by a couple of setbacks that prevented him from making progress. The result is not what we were aiming for, but we will now analyse the data from this weekend to devise a plan for Misano.”
More, from a press release issued by Castrol Honda LCR:
Castrol Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco finishes 15th on Sunday at Aragon.
Starting from 9th on the grid and having to serve a double Long Lap Penalty, Johann Zarco made a strong start and placed himself in the battle for the top 10 positions.
The rider set a strong pace and served the penalty, making his way into the points.
Zarco crossed the line in 15th, grabbing a point and delivering a smart and impressive performance on his first weekend back after more than three months on the sidelines due to injury.
Johann Zarco (5) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Johann Zarco 15th: “I came here to do the double Long Lap Penalty and get the feeling on the bike. That was the goal. I took a point yesterday and today, and that’s awesome! I really enjoyed my weekend with the team; I had missed them! One of the most important things is that I got some interesting feelings on the bike and was able to provide consistent and solid feedback to the crew. Sometimes, when you miss some races, you need to catch up in this sense, and it’s not always easy. This time, everything felt quite good, and I was able to get it from the beginning of the weekend. I’m really happy to be back and to have had such a nice weekend!”
More, from a press release issued by CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team:
Not even a broken collarbone could halt Quiles’ seventh win!
The CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team rider won the race at MotorLand Aragón on his return to competition following the injury he sustained just two weeks ago. Marco Morelli joined him on the podium after crossing the finish line in third place
Máximo Quiles now has seven victories to his name following his win this Sunday at the Aragon Grand Prix. The CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team rider has come through a difficult weekend after undergoing surgery just two weeks ago for a collarbone injury. His team-mate Marco Morelli joined him on the podium after crossing the finish line in third place. The Argentine gave it his all right to the end, but was unable to catch David Almansa, who finished second.
The CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team made the most of their advantage of starting from the front row of the grid. Quiles and Morelli stayed with the leading group, which quickly dwindled to just four riders, including both of them. After the opening laps, the riders set a fast pace, whilst keeping an eye on tyre wear. Quiles held onto second place and closely monitored every move made by the leader – at that point, David Almansa – until he found the right moment to take the lead. With five laps to go, he achieved his objective and defended his position, even managing to extend his lead by a few tenths of a second. This victory, his seventh of the season, confirms the rider’s excellent physical condition following the injury that forced him to miss the Silverstone race; furthermore, it has once again increased his lead in the overall standings to 97 points.
Marco Morelli also put in one of his best races. The Argentine dropped to fourth place after the opening laps, but never fell far behind the top three. In the final stages of the race, the CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team rider was involved in a thrilling battle for third place and produced his best riding to defend the final step on the podium. This is Morelli’s fourth podium finish of the season and has allowed him to pick up some vital points in the standings, where he currently sits in fifth place.
Máximo Quiles on the podium at Aragon after claiming victory. Photo courtesy Aspar Team.
Win Máximo Quiles:“It’s the most special victory of my career; it feels like glory. Who would have thought it two weeks ago, when I’d just had an operation? I’ve spent the last twenty days trying to speed up my recovery and I’m very happy. The whole team has done a great job – the physios, my coach… This win is for all of them.”
Marco Morelli (97) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aspar Team.
3rd Marco Morelli (+0.715):“It was a very tough race, but I’m happy with this third place because I was coming off a very difficult weekend at Silverstone. It seemed as though we’d taken a step backwards, but here we’ve taken three steps forwards. That’s the positive thing – both the team and I have managed to bounce back. The race was very fast; I knew it was going to be like that. I made mistakes and lost time, which forced me to push the tyres harder than I should have to get back into the leading group. I wanted to fight for the win, but in the end I was at the limit and couldn’t manage it. I finished close to Quiles and Almansa, and that’s going to be the aim from now on: to iron out the details and close the gap on them.”
More, from a press release issued by CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team:
Alonso treats himself to a thrilling battle for the podium.
The CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider was at the centre of a thrilling battle during the final laps and finished third at one of the few circuits where he had not yet made it onto the podium
David Alonso has regained his best form at MotorLand Aragón. The CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider fought his way up the field to challenge for second place right up until the final metres. The Colombian finished third and returned to the podium after two difficult races in which he had failed to score points. Alonso López dominated at the Alcañiz circuit and took the win by almost a second ahead of Izan Guevara, who defended second place against the CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider. Dani Holgado did not achieve the result he had hoped for after a great weekend and finished in seventh place.
The Moto2 race took place in extremely high temperatures, and the riders had to manage each lap very carefully to secure a good result this Sunday. David Alonso went from strength to strength throughout the weekend and today took another step forward, showing his best form over the 19 laps of the race. The Colombian fought his way up from fifth on the starting grid and maintained a steady pace that allowed him to attack at crucial moments. In the final laps, the CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider kept pushing to try and catch the rider in second place, and the pair produced a final lap to remember. Despite giving it his all right to the end, Alonso missed out on second place by 81 thousandths, but this third-place finish has restored his confidence following a few difficult weekends. His team-mate Dani Holgado, by contrast, took a step back compared to the previous day. The Spaniard had been one of the strongest riders throughout the Grand Prix and started the race from the front row. However, his feel for the bike wasn’t quite the same and he was unable to challenge for a top-three finish at Aragón. Holgado tried to lose as few places as possible and finished in seventh position, a result that did not reflect the great work the rider and team have put in since last Friday. With these results, Holgado and Alonso remain in fifth and sixth place respectively, separated by five points.
David Alonso in parc fermé at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aspar Team.
3rd David Alonso (+0.881):“I had a lot of fun today. I enjoyed the race from the first lap right through to the last; on every lap I was able to set my own pace and pull off several overtakes. What I liked most was that I was still the same rider who’d lost his way at Silverstone, but this time I took a deep breath and told myself, ‘keep on the line’. In the last race I was all over the place, but I didn’t lose faith, and we’ve finally made it back onto the podium. These weekends have taught me that I need to believe in myself more and that we can turn the situation around. The race was like a video game – I kept overtaking and it got tighter and tighter. It was a very close finish with Izan Guevara, but it was a tough and fair battle. It’s great to be side-by-side with another rider corner by corner without either of us making a single unsportsmanlike move. I want to thank the team for helping me keep smiling, and also all the fans in Aragón who’ve been supporting me. There were loads of ‘80s in the stands!”
Dani Holgado (96) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aspar Team.
7th Dani Holgado (+5.912):“It was quite a tricky race. I didn’t have the pace to fight for the podium or the win. I was expecting more because I’d felt really good all weekend, but today I just didn’t quite feel the same. I gave it my all and managed to finish seventh, but I’m not very happy with the result. After how hard we’ve all worked since day one, it feels like a let-down. We have to keep believing and give it our all; I’m calm because I know I’m in a good team and we’ll come through in the next few races.”
More, from a press release issued by BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha:
Izan Guevara Takes Second Place in Aragon GP.
BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2’s Izan Guevara did exactly what he had set out to do in the Grand Prix of Aragon: battling at the front. He put up a fight on the last two laps to keep hold of second place. His podium result helped narrow the gap to the championship leader to 32.5 points. Alberto Ferrández spent the 19-lap contest battling with various rivals and made up six positions. He ended the race in P21.
BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2’s Izan Guevara rode a faultless race at the Grand Prix of Aragon to take second place and his sixth podium of the season. Alberto Ferrández ended a good learning experience at the MotorLand Aragón by riding from P27 to P21.
Guevara commenced from P2 and held this position in the opening stages. His race soon became a matter of managing tyres while chasing the race leader. However, with three laps to go, David Alonso caught up with him. It resulted in an epic battle for second place on the last lap. Every time Alonso overtook him, Guevara didn’t hesitate to immediately retaliate. He managed to keep hold of second place, finishing 0.081s ahead of Alonso and 0.800s from the winner.
Ferrández had a busy race as well. Starting from P27, the rookie made up five positions on the opening lap. He briefly climbed as high as 20th place but then found himself battling with various other riders and settled into P23. The number 54 was briefly overtaken by Mario Aji on lap 9 but reclaimed the position on lap 10. Marcos Ramirez found a way through on lap 15. However, with two rivals retiring from the race between lap 14 and lap 16, Ferrández still had the opportunity to fight for P21 on the last lap and managed to snatch it away from Sergio Garcia, taking the chequered flag 28.726s from first.
Guevara remains second in the championship on 175 points, reducing the gap to the leader from 42.5 points to 32.5. Ferrández sits in 21st overall with 15.5 points, while the BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 Team holds third place in the team standings with 190.5 points.
The team will now enjoy a one-week break before returning to action at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, taking place from 11-13 September.
Izan Guevara (28) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Izan Guevara:“It was an incredible race. I really enjoyed it, but I also suffered a lot, and I’m very proud of how I managed it. I think it was one of my best races on a Moto2 bike. In the final part, [David] Alonso had a really strong pace, and I was trying to learn from what he was doing without getting too close, because I knew I could overheat the tyres. Then everything came down to the last lap, and the battle was spectacular. I had a lot of fun fighting for it, and I’m really proud to finish second.
“These are very important points for the championship, especially because we managed to close the gap to the leader. That’s what makes me happiest today. The leader is there for a reason, and it’s never easy to take points away from him, so to finish second and reduce the gap is really positive for us.
“I also want to thank the Spanish fans because they were incredible, as always. It doesn’t matter which circuit we race at, the support is amazing, and I hope we gave them a good show with that final lap. I have very good memories from Aragon, and I’ve won here many times in the past, so this is a very special track for me. To finish the weekend with a second place makes it even more special.”
Alberto Ferrández (54) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Alberto Ferrández: “It was a really difficult race today. We started from 27th, so it was always going to be very difficult to come back from there. I made a good start and gained some positions, and I tried to fight, but I didn’t feel good with the bike, like throughout the whole weekend. We still have some small things to improve, so we have to keep working.
“I want to keep working as always and be 100% ready for Misano. We have to keep pushing together as a team and see what we can do there.”
Vickers strikes twice to be Honda Racing UK’s home round hero
Ryan Vickers delivered a Bank Holiday Monday to remember for the Honda Racing UK team, celebrating his second double race win of the season in as many rounds in the British Superbike Championship at the team’s home round of Cadwell Park.
Vickers had a disastrous opening race of the weekend when he crashed out contention as Rory Skinner celebrated his first victory of 2026, but the Honda Racing UK rider redeemed himself with a Bank Holiday haul of wins.
In race two, Vickers launched off the line into the lead on the opening lap, with Skinner, Bradley Ray and Kyle Ryde locked in behind him. However, Skinner was unable to repeat his race one victory when he crashed out of contention on lap five at Charlies.
Ryan Vickers at Cadwell Park. Photo courtesy BSB.
Vickers meanwhile was holding strong at the front, despite the constant pressure from Ray behind him in second place. He held the edge to the chequered flag by 0.282s to hold off the McAMS Yamaha contender with Ryde back on the podium in third place for Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing.
Leon Haslam had been constantly holding off the chasing pack for fourth place for the Moto Rapido Racing team with Joe Talbot claiming his first top five finish in his rookie season for the AJN Steelstock bimota team.
Vickers then continued his winning momentum into the final race of the Main Season as the stage is now set for the Showdown at the TT Circuit Assen next month.
Vickers once again got a lightning start to hit the front of the pack on the opening lap ahead of Ray and Ryde, but the reigning champion was instantly on the attack and made a move for second into Park for the first time.
Skinner was into third by lap four, but the Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha rider slid out of the race at the Chicane.
Ray was back into second when he attacked at Mansfield and then was on the hunt for Vickers, but despite piling on the pressure, he couldn’t get ahead of his Honda Racing UK rival.
Ryde meanwhile had Talbot for company for most of the race as the rookie delivered his best performance of the season to take fourth for the AJN Steelstock bimota team. The reigning champion held on to claim third and with it the Pirelli King of the Mountain trophy.
British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Race 2 result:
“Here we are, we’ve finished at Cadwell Park. Done the double, I am absolutely over the moon, it’s a dream weekend and I am so happy to have done it today after crashing yesterday.
“I have always wanted to win here at Cadwell, always felt like I deserved the win but I have always gone too hard. It isn’t easy here but we did it and it paid off and we are in the fight now.
“I am super happy, Honda did a great job building the bike back from yesterday and I think we have redeemed ourselves and come back with a double win, so it’s fantastic.”
Reigning Champ Eli Daccache had a goal for the fourth event of the five round 2026 RACEMoto Regional Series at Shannonville Motorsport Park:clinch the Lou-Anne Printing Pro Superbike Championship, so that he wouldn’t be distracted at the final event of the season.That upcoming race, September 25-27, is the Nelson International Raceway 50th Anniversary Celebration, where Milwaukee Yamaha YZF-R1 rider Daccache anticipates increased competition.
S.M.P. was called Nelson International, for founder, racer, and Dealership Owner John, from 1976 through 1979.A member of the 2006 Canadian Motorcycle hall of Fame, Nelson passed away that year.The upcoming 50th celebration honors Nelson and the first ever race at the just-built facility, a key location in the growth of motorcycle sport in Canada.
In dry conditions on Saturday, August 26, Daccache turned some of his best laps of the season, including a top tour at 1:05.4, over two seconds faster that any opposition.At the opening Bridgestone CBK National of this season at Shannonville, newly crowned National Champ Ben Young (Honda) turned the best lap (in the second race) at 1:04.87.
Typical Daccache rival Michael Leon (BMW) is not yet back from injures suffered at the second round, and next best Ernest Bernhard crashed his Farnham Breweries Yamaha in the first race of the program, suffering minor injures that precluded continued competition.
Overnight rain and cool, drizzly conditions interrupted activity Sunday, and in his first rain of the day, Daccache pulled in after the Sprint Cup warm-up lap, deciding to ride alone in the early going with Pirelli slick tires on a damp track.“The track is drying slowly, but we should be ready for the Feature.
“I’m safe in the pits,” smiled Daccache when asked about his Sprint Cup strategy. “In the big race there is a paycheck, and that is important.I’m not sure about the points (for the overall Championship), I’ll have to get out my engineering calculator after Superbike to see where I stand.”
The Sprint Cup ended up producing a great fight for first, with a surprise winner:Amateur Suzuki upstart Carter Matson, who dueled with the OPP Racing Supersport National Pro Suzukis of Matt Simpson and team-mate Marco Sousa.Daccache made it up to fourth.
RACEMoto Regional round four Championship Series podium at Shannonville Motorsport Park with (left to right) newly crowned overall Pro Champ Eli Daccache, Amateur race and Sprint Cup victor Carter Matson and Heavyweight winner Matt Simpson. Photo by Colin Fraser for RACEMoto.
A small field went out for the Superbike Feature, and Daccache took off from the start, eventually edging the slow starting BMW of Chris Fehr. Matt Annable took third on a Suzuki, after holding second for much of the shortened eight lap contest. Daccache slowed at the end and still won by thirty seconds.
“I had no issues, the track was in good shape, given the conditions and what I expected,” started Daccache on his way to the Podium, reflecting on his amazing tenth consecutive number one plate. “It’s nice to put a stamp on the weekend.My pace was better than I expected, and I just concentrated on bringing it home.I want to thank my girlfriend Andrea, Tire Distributor ASAP Motorsports, Kevin Graham at Pirelli, Milwaukee, and everyone who comes out in the paddock.”
In Sunday’s combined Pro 600 Supersport and EVAL Heavyweight class race, Sousa won from Simpson in the Heavyweight division in difficult conditions, Martin Perreault earning the Supersport win from veteran Hans Van Sleuwen.
Later Van Sleuwen, a Suzuki SV650 aficionado, would win an entertaining Middleweight race, hunting down early leader Jean-Pascal Schroeder on a Kawasaki 400-4. Aeden McLean would out battle fellow Kawasaki racer Stefan Tanasic for third.Tanasic had earlier won the Hidle Lightweight race from Alan Burns (Kawasaki) and Gervais Antoine.
Track conditions were tricky for Joe Rocket Amateur Supersport, long time competitor Eric Quintin (Honda), who built an early useful lead over the fight for second between Parker Sabine-Craig (Yam) and Gervais Antoie (Kaw).
The GP Bikes AM Superbike allowed Carter Matson to demonstrate his drying track prowess on his Suzuki, pulling well clear of a good fight for the other podium spots between J.S. Lefebvre (Duc), Glenn Brown (Kaw), and Sabine-Craig. The top Novice was Tom Ritchie, who edges Jason Jones by just over three seconds.Aeden McLean was a distant third on a drying track.
No MiniSBK events were held at round five at S.M.P., given the penultimate round of the MotoMINI Nationals takes place at Lombardy, near Smith Falls, ON., September 4.The final 2026 RACEMoto Regional is at the end of September 25-27.
With the racing surface considerably better than last year and more favourable weather conditions, existing records fell and new records were set at the 2026 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials – part of the FIM Land Speed World Records (LSWR) discipline – that ran from 23-27 August at the world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA.
Favourable conditions see BMST competitors pick up the pace
FIM Land Speed World Records set in eight categories
Angus Wing and Lisa Cipolla double up on Bonneville Salt Flats
A total of eight new benchmark figures, subject to ratification, will be added to the record books which represents an increase of five on the 2025 edition, although both riders looking to record the event’s highest speeds – Chris Rivas in the BUB Seven Streamliner and Eva Håkansson in her electric Green Envy Streamliner – came up short in their attempts.
LSWR is a discipline that demands a solid surface and good weather conditions and BMST Owner/Director Delvene Reber was all smiles at the end of the event.
“The salt has been a lot better than last year, that’s for sure,” she said. “We were running on a great track so we had a good couple of miles of salt so we’ve been really happy with the conditions, although there were some weather concerns with wind at the start of the week.”
An obvious paradox with LSWR is that while competitors are focussed on going as fast as possible, patience is a pre-requisite – the faster they want to go, the longer they need to prepare – and while Rivas did not make a run approaching the absolute Land Speed World Record of 376.363mph (605.697km/h), a pass at 180.64mph (290.71km/h) still represented positive progress.
The same was true for Håkansson who had her sights set on six-time world road racing champion Max Biaggi’s 2021 electric motorcycle record of 283.182mph (455.737km/h), but encountered an unexpected high-speed problem.
“My windshield was buckling under the aero-loading at a little over 250mph,” said the New Zealand resident, “but I could still kinda see around the side. That’s typical and stuff like that does go wrong.”
Eva Hakansson (Green Envy ) at the 2026 BMST. Photo by Scooter Grubb
Riders are measured over both a timed mile and a timed kilometre and after their initial down run they have two hours to complete a return run with the times combined and an average calculated to determine the official speed. Forced to shut-off early when her vision was obscured, Håkansson’s best time averaged out at 246mph (395.899km/h), but she was quick to accentuate the positives.
“It’s been nine years since we were last here and it’s the best salt and the best track we have ever seen in the sixteen years we’ve been doing Land Speed at Bonneville. If we had a few days we could add reinforcement [to the windshield], but all important things work and the drive chain was faultless. There’s easily three-hundred mph in this vehicle, but one step at a time. It’s kinda like training for the Olympics.”
Having set a new record last year, Canadian Liane Langlois returned with her three-cylinder 2012 JKR Powersports 2295cc Triumph Rocket 111 Roadster with weighted sidecar. This time around her outfit was partially-faired which moved her into a different category and she was delighted to set another record at 146.349mph (235.526km/h) over the timed kilometre.
“On Tuesday, I ran a 146.9mph on my down run,” she said. “We got out for the return run and when I was shifting through my gears, something wasn’t feeling good, but I managed to get through the timed mile at 145.7mph. The very first time I ran it in 2024, my very first pass was only 95mph! We’ve come a long way in these three years so I’m very excited for what we have done – and I get to bring another world record home to Canada!”
Other records were set by Land Speed legend Jay Allen who, riding a twin-cylinder 2017 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, recorded a speed over the timed kilometre of 181.844mph (292.650km/h), while Lisa Cipolla aboard her four-cylinder 2012 Zlock Racing LCC 600cc Kawasaki ZX-6R increased the records she set last year over the timed kilometre to 151.567mph (243.924km/h) in partially-faired trim and 141.788mph (228.186km/h) unfaired.
2026 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials. Photo courtesy FIM
The first new FIM record was set on the opening day by Tyrell Marlow who pushed his twin-cylinder 2002 Suzuki TL1000R to 164.457mph (264.668km/h) over the timed kilometre and Angus Wing celebrated two records with speeds on his multi-cylindered 2009 Kawasaki ZX-14 sidecar outfit of 116.112mph (186.865km/h) in partially-faired trim and 109.919mph (228.186km/h) unfaired over the timed kilometre.
With all record categories gender-neutral and determined by the method by which the motorcycle is propelled, body kit, power source, capacity and number of cylinders, America’s Ronald Knight – competing on a rare 1972 100cc LS2 Yamaha twin – set a new record over the timed kilometre on the second day of 57.751mph (92.941km/h), upped it on the third day and then extended it again on the last day to 61.445mph (98.886km/h).
Jay Allen (Harley Davidson-Dyna) at the 2026 BMST. Photo by Scooter Grubb
Why We Dug Up 30 Years of Dirt to Rebuild Thunderhill.
When you’re on the track at Thunderhill East, you’re not just driving on asphalt. You’re driving on a foundation that took 18 months to engineer and—in some spots—an entire foot of excavation to get right.
Most people don’t think about what’s underneath a racetrack. Dirt is dirt, right? Not even close.
THE WATERBED PROBLEM
CEO Matt Busby discovered something unsettling during geotechnical testing: certain areas of the track had basically become waterbeds. He could walk out onto turn 14, feel the ground moving beneath his feet, and know immediately that $10 million worth of new asphalt was about to get built on a foundation that couldn’t support it.
“We haven’t touched the sub-base since 1989, 1990,” Busby explains. “Over 30 years, NorCal experienced a five-year drought that dried everything out, then swung back to a year with heavy groundwater. Different soils retain moisture at different rates. You end up with parts of the track that are wet all the time and parts that are dry. One sinks, the other moves. That’s not sustainable.”
The solution? Till up a foot of soil and inject cement-lime treatment to stiffen the entire sub-base. It pushed the project past budget, but skipping it would have meant watching a fresh racetrack develop cracks and movement within months.
BUILDING LIKE AN AIRPORT, BUT BETTER.
Paving a racetrack isn’t like paving a road. Thunderhill’s specifications are tighter than the FAA’s.
The track is built in three lifts: a two-inch base layer designed to absorb ground movement, a 1.5-inch leveling layer, and a 1.5-inch wearing surface engineered for shear load. Each lift uses a different asphalt mix tuned for its specific job. The binder alone—the sticky stuff that holds the rock together—costs $1,000 per ton.
And there’s an eighth-inch tolerance requirement across 250 feet. Think about that: if you’re off by the thickness of a sheet of paper over a quarter of a football field, it shows up everywhere. Every bump gets transferred to every layer above it.
THE DRAINAGE YOU’LL NEVER SEE
Between pit lane and the front straight, there used to be a strip of grass that turned to dirt, then rock—and ended up in people’s tires. It’s gone now, paved over. Problem solved, but nobody will credit the repave for it.
The same applies to drainage at turns 4 and 6. Hours of engineering, thousands of dollars, all of it buried. The only thing people will notice is that water doesn’t pool anymore. That’s the point.
Curb erosion is another invisible battle. When Miatas consistently miss the exit and dig wheels into the dirt, ruts form. Eventually you’re catching control arms and chunking tires. Thunderhill spent serious energy engineering slopes and soil conditions so those ruts don’t happen as fast. You won’t notice it until you realize the track doesn’t need maintenance every other day.
A 25-YEAR BET
Thunderhill is targeting 20 to 25 years of service life from this surface before another repave is needed. But this isn’t just about asphalt. It’s about what the track says about itself.
“If we’re going to compete with golf courses, FanDuel, all the different opportunities people have to spend their disposable time and income, then people are only going to take us as seriously as we take ourselves,” Busby says.
The $10 million investment—not a $3 million mill-and-overlay—tells customers and racers that Thunderhill takes this seriously. That this is a product worth caring about. That the foundation matters, even when nobody’s looking.
Especially when nobody’s looking.
Inside the Thunderhill Repave: The Engineering Behind the New Surface
If you’ve been following the Thunderhill repave, you’ve seen the old surface come up, and the new one begin to take shape. But some of the most important work happening on the East Course will never be visible once the project is complete. A racetrack isn’t just a road with curbing. From the asphalt mix and soil underneath it to drainage, temperature, compaction, and even the shape of individual curbs, there’s a tremendous amount of engineering behind building a surface designed specifically for racing. Here’s a deeper look at what’s going into the new Thunderhill East Course.
THREE LAYERS, THREE DIFFERENT JOBS
The new surface is being constructed in three separate asphalt lifts totaling five inches:
2-inch base lift — Designed to absorb some of the movement coming from the ground underneath the track.
1.5-inch leveling lift — Provides a precise and consistent foundation for the final surface.
1.5-inch wearing lift — The final racing surface, using a much stiffer mix designed to withstand the forces generated by cars and motorcycles at speed.
That last part is important. Traditional roads and even airport surfaces are largely engineered around gross vehicle weight. Thunderhill has a different problem to solve: shear. Hard braking, acceleration, and cornering are constantly trying to push and pull the racing surface laterally. Because each layer has a different job, the aggregate, polymers, and binders used in the asphalt are different between lifts.
THE TRACK IS ONLY AS GOOD AS WHAT’S UNDERNEATH IT
Thunderhill’s subbase hadn’t been substantially addressed since the original track construction more than 30 years ago. Over that time, Northern California has gone through everything from prolonged drought to years with considerably more groundwater. That’s particularly important at Thunderhill because different types of clay underneath the facility retain moisture and move differently. Before construction began, we performed extensive geotechnical testing to identify those problem areas. Some were worse than expected. Around Turn 14, the ground had become soft enough that you could physically feel it moving underfoot. Putting five inches of new asphalt over that would only hide the problem temporarily. Crews instead went approximately 12 inches into the existing soil and incorporated cement-lime treatment to stiffen and stabilize the foundation. Once the asphalt goes down, you’ll never see that work. But it’s fundamental to keeping the new track smooth for years to come.
AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH MATTERS
Thunderhill spent roughly 18 months working with Apex Circuit Design to model the repave in CAD, including the racing surface and new curbing. The tolerances are extremely tight. In critical areas, the specification calls for approximately 1/8 inch of allowable variance across 250 feet. At the same time, the objective was never to redesign the East Course. The existing width, grade, and camber are being preserved. The goal is to retain Thunderhill’s character while improving the surface and strategically changing elements such as the curbing.
770 PIECES OF CURBING
The curbing itself became an engineering project. Motorcycle safety played a major role in the new strategy, especially since riders can travel 160–170 mph with contact patches only a few inches wide. The new exit curbs are based on an FIM design used in motorcycle racing. Their complex three-dimensional shape made it impractical to form every curb on-site within the project’s construction window. Instead, the team precast 770 individual concrete curb sections.
Each section must interact correctly with the next curb, sit flush with the asphalt, and maintain the proper grade so water moves away from the racing surface rather than toward it.
STRATEGIC CHANGES AROUND TURNS 3–4, 6–7, AND 10–11 ALSO CREATE MORE USABLE WIDTH.
That should allow drivers to open corner entry and potentially carry more apex speed. More importantly, creating additional usable track width in slower corners could open the door to new passing opportunities rather than simply creating a single faster line.
THE STUFF YOU’LL NEVER NOTICE
Drainage has received significant attention, particularly around Turns 4 and 6. Asphalt and concrete expand and contract at different rates. Over time, separation can develop where the two meet, allowing rainwater underneath the racing surface. That water then looks for a path back out—and the asphalt-to-curb transition is often exactly where it finds one. Unfortunately, that’s also right where cars and motorcycles are loaded up in a corner. Much of the new drainage infrastructure will eventually be buried. If it works correctly, you’ll probably never think about it. That’s the point. The same thinking went into erosion around exit curbs. When cars repeatedly drop wheels beyond a curb, they dig away the surrounding soil. Eventually the resulting rut can become deep enough to damage tires, splitters, suspension components, and other parts of a vehicle. Grades around the new curbing were engineered to reduce erosion and make the track easier to maintain.
WHY REPAVE IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER?
It wasn’t an accident. The highly modified binder used in the new asphalt is extremely temperature sensitive. The asphalt plant is roughly 90 minutes from Thunderhill, which means crews must manage temperature from the moment the material leaves the plant until it’s placed and compacted. A difference of just 5–10 degrees outside the required temperature window can make a load unusable. The summer heat gives crews more time to transport the asphalt, place it, compact it, and make adjustments before it cools beyond its workable range.
THE TRACK WILL KEEP CHANGING AFTER IT OPENS
When cars return to the East Course, the asphalt won’t be finished evolving. The binder itself takes roughly one year to fully cure. Thunderhill expects it could then take another six to 12 months before the surface really begins holding significant amounts of rubber. That means grip should progressively develop over approximately the first two years of the track’s life. Computer modeling also suggests the new surface and curbing could produce lap times roughly 2.5 to 4 seconds faster than before. But models only tell you so much. We’ll find out when the first cars hit the track.
BUILT FOR THE NEXT 20–25 YEARS
Thunderhill got approximately 18 years out of the previous surface. The goal for this one is 20–25 years. Getting there required going far beyond simply removing old asphalt and replacing it with new material. It’s soil stabilization you’ll never see. Drainage you’ll hopefully never notice. Hundreds of individually placed curbs. Different asphalt mixes doing different jobs. Tight temperature windows. Extremely small construction tolerances. And roughly 18 months of planning before the first major construction work even began. As Thunderhill President and CEO Matt Busby put it, the repave is: “A very high-stakes investment into the next 50 years of Thunderhill.” And when the East Course reopens, all of that work comes down to one thing: Building a better place to race.
Sometimes, small mistakes make for big excitement. Case in point: Marc Marquez, neglecting to disengage the rear holeshot device, sparks flying as the battle for first becomes an open question. See, there’s something interesting about this track and the current set-up of MotoGP and it’s got a lot to do with the tires.
You might not see it on camera* but this track eats rubber for breakfast. Want to win? Then get in first, close it up and don’t try to get away too far because you’ll still have miles to go. Want to get from the back to the front? Well, you’ll get exactly as far as your tires are willing to go…and then that’s where you stay.
So when Marc makes that come-back and starts leading the race, know that behind the easy-going facade there’s some serious struggle going on. From rubber to bones, it ain’t easy being number 1. But can he keep it up?
And then there’s Acosta, riding the KTM straight across the razor’s edge with not an inch to budge. That’s some real solid performance, right there. And if you want to know exactly how those overtakes work here, we should probably look at aero and the unexpected effects that riders have to calculate on the fly. Just goes to show you that no matter what changes, MotoGP is still a sport where the rider can make all the difference in the world.
Well, Mat and Peter wouldn’t want it any other way. So grab something nice to drink, turn up the volume and let’s get into Aragon 2026!
Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman’s Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music! And additional thanks to flowerhead, who’s music you can find here.
Oh, and a quick word in regards to sponsors:
If you’re interested in connecting with a really unique MotoGP audience — we’re working with Smash Brand Group out of Sydney to manage partnerships. Curious? Just head to smashbrandgroup.com.au and get in touch!
Darryn Binder tightens his grip on the 2026 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship with another win Saturday at Virginia International Raceway. It’s his first MotoAmerica season. Says a lot about Darryn’s skill & talent, and a lot about his team’s ability to achieve a complimentary bike setup. Two rounds remain.
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (August 29, 2026) – The Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, came to a historic conclusion at Ironman Raceway where, for the first time, a trio of champions were crowned at the season finale. Perfect weather conditions and the largest crowd ever in the event’s 13-year existence were on hand for the U.S. Army Ironman National Finals Presented by Tucker Freight Lines, the 28th and final round of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship regular season. One of the sport’s most compelling storylines in more than five decades headlined the day as the Australian siblings from Honda HRC Progressive, Hunter Lawrence [#96] and Jett Lawrence [#1], came in separated by a single point. After an uncharacteristically unpredictable afternoon of 450SMX Class racing, it was Hunter who endured through adversity to prevail with his first premier class title and the prestigious Edison Dye Cup.
In the 250SMX Class, a season-long battle between Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies [#37] and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen [#47] was ultimately decided in the first moto when heartbreak befell Kitchen and allowed Davies to clinch before the final gate drop. On his 19th birthday, the New Zealander became the first Kiwi to capture the Gary Jones Cup in 55 years.
In the battle for victory in each respective division, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing enjoyed a banner afternoon by prevailing in the 450SMX Class with Spaniard Jorge Prado [#26], who broke through for his first win on U.S. soil, as well as the 250SMX Class with a second career victory for Julien Beaumer [#13].
Hunter Lawrence Endures Dramatic, Tensioned Filled Pro Motocross Championship Finale at Ironman for First Premier Class Title.
450 SMX Class
Qualifying
The final qualifying sessions of the summer started the breakthrough afternoon for Prado, who paced each respective session for the first time. The Spaniard’s time of 2:07.134 in the first session ended up being fastest overall, placing him just a tenth ahead of Hunter Lawrence’s time of 2:07.253, with Jett Lawrence a half-second back in third at 2:07.915.
Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]
The tension-filled first moto kicked off with Hunter Lawrence and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan [#38] out front. While Lawrence had the holeshot, Deegan surged into the lead but went down right in front of the Honda rider. With nowhere to go, Lawrence ran into Deegan and their motorcycles locked together. As they looked to get back into action, Deegan and Lawrence resumed at the tail end of the field.
As all this unfolded, Jett Lawrence was mired outside the top 20 following a bad start. He passed his brother while Hunter was on the ground and looked to work his way through the field.
With drama at its peak with the championship contenders, Prado positioned himself at the front of the field after passes around Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire [#24] and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb [#2].
Deeper in the field, Hunter Lawrence worked his way through the running order and valiantly fought his way into 20th with 20 minutes left in the moto. Jett Lawrence, meanwhile, sat a handful of positions ahead in 15th. A few laps later, the siblings ran alongside one another in 14th and 15th, respectively nearing the halfway point.
As the Lawrences engaged in battle, Prado’s lead extended to double digits over Hampshire, while 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing’s Mikkel Haarup [#31] moved into third. Further back, Hunter made the pass on Jett.
As the moto entered its final five minutes Prado’s lead sat at 14.3 seconds. Deeper in the top 10, Hunter Lawrence broke into the fight and continued to move forward. Meanwhile, Jett Lawrence’s progression slowed as he was unable to keep pace with his brother.
Prado was never challenged and broke through with the first moto win of his U.S. career by a margin of 11.5 seconds over Hampshire. Webb was able to take advantage of a miscue by Haarup in the final turn to claim third over the Dane, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger [#7] rounded out the top five. Hunter Lawrence made a charge from 39th to eighth, while Jett Lawrence finished in 11th.
Hunter Lawrence [#96] opened Moto 1 out front, but was passed by Haiden Deegan [#38] before the pair suffered a crash that led to a dramatic race won by Jorge Prado [#26]. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]
Four points separated the Lawrence brothers entering the season’s final moto as the field stormed out the gate one last time with Prado leading the Lawrences to the holeshot, with Hunter in second and Jett in third. Soon, Deegan pressured Jett for third and made the pass.
After a tense opening lap, the top three settled in, with Prado opening a 2.1 second advantage over Hunter Lawrence, who looked to fend off pressure from Deegan. Jett Lawrence gave pursuit from fourth and kept the lead trio in sight.
While running second, Hunter Lawrence lost traction and turned sideways but didn’t go down. As Deegan slipped past into second Hunter resumed in third, just ahead of his younger brother.
As the moto reached its halfway point, Prado’s lead extended to more than eight seconds over Deegan. Behind them, Jett and Hunter Lawrence exchanged positions, as Hunter went down and lost the spot, but remounted quickly.
With less than eight minutes to go Hunter applied pressure on Jett for third. Jett countered and fended off the threat, but it wasn’t over. Hunter mounted another attack, but once again, Jett kept him at bay. In terms of the championship, it wasn’t a pass Hunter needed to make, so he tactfully managed his position on the track.
Back up front, Prado was in a class of his own and managed a lead of more than 15 seconds over Deegan. The Spaniard slowed his pace on the final lap and wrapped up a dominant afternoon by a margin of 6.6 seconds over Deegan, with Jett Lawrence in third and Hunter Lawrence in fourth.
The final moto of the season saw Hunter Lawrence [#96] pursue Jett Lawrence [#1] through to the finish, knowing he had the championship in hand. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Overall
Prado’s dominant afternoon served as the culmination of a season of progression, with an emphatic 1-1 performance for his maiden U.S. victory in his 22nd start.
Hampshire’s quiet but consistent day landed him on the overall podium for the second time in his career (2-6), equaling the runner-up effort he earned at Ironman last season.
Webb made a long-awaited return to the overall podium in third (3-8), landing inside the top three for the first time since the 2023 season in what was his final full-time start in Pro Motocross.
Hunter Lawrence finished just off the podium in fourth (8-4), which secured the title over Jett Lawrence, who finished sixth (11-3), by a slim margin of two points. After winning every moto and overall leading into Ironman, it was the first time neither Lawrence finished on the podium.
The Lawrences became the first siblings in history to win premier class championships, as Hunter became the 29th different series titleholder. He’ll also enter the SMX World Championship postseason at the top seed.
Jorge Prado (26) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
1st Place – Jorge Prado | #26 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (1-1): “It was a perfect day. Fastest in Qualifying and P1 in both motos. We made so much progress the past few weeks and we’re in such a good place with the bike. I’m so happy with all the hard work from the team. This is why I came here to the United States, to win.”
RJ Hampshire (24) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
2nd Place – RJ Hampshire | #24 Rockstar Energy Factory Racing (2-6): “This is awesome [to be on the podium]. Just a solid day. I didn’t do anything special. I got decent starts and made it happen. Huge thanks to the team at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna, what a way to go out.”
Cooper Webb (2) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
3rd Place – Cooper Webb | #2 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (3-8): “This is a dream ending to a racing career at my last ever National. I got called up to Team USA earlier this week and ended a Cinderella weekend on the podium. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. This feels like a win. What a dream come true to be up here one last time.”
Hunter Lawrence finished the season just two points ahead of his brother, Jett. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
450SMX Champion – Hunter Lawrence | #96 Honda HRC Progressive (8-4): “I can’t even [put it into words]. I just knew I had to finish behind Jett [in Moto 2]. Most of my work was done in the first moto. It was a tough day for the Lawrences, as you can see, a pretty uncharacteristic day. Thank you to the team, my brother, my family, everyone that supports us. We’re living the American dream and couldn’t do this anywhere else.”
Cole Davies Claims First National Championship in 250SMX Class on 19th Birthday.
250 SMX Class
Qualifying
The morning qualifying sessions began Davies’ journey to the title, as he set the tone for the afternoon by setting the fastest time of the first session at 2:10.092, followed by Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas [#29] with a 2:10.505. Each of those times held through the second session, which was paced by Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Drew Adams [#35] and his time of 2:10.559, which ultimately ended up third on the combined sheet. The top six riders in qualifying sat within one second of one another.
Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]
The first moto of the afternoon started with Beaumer out front with the holeshot, followed by Hymas and Davies. Hymas went on the attack and made the move for the top spot. Kitchen, meanwhile, started outside the top 10 but quickly moved his way forward. Just before the completion of the opening lap Kitchen went down and dropped to the tail end of the field.
Five minutes into the moto the top three settled into their respective positions, with Hymas managing about a one-second lead over Beaumer as Davies pursued from third.
Hymas went down and gave up the lead with a more than 23 minutes left on the race clock, which allowed both Beaumer and Davies to move into first and second, respectively, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Landen Gordon [#180] slotting into third as Hymas remounted in fourth.
As the moto surpassed its opening 10 minutes, Kitchen was seen on the side of the track’s steepest hill, with his Kawasaki in the middle of the track. While he eventually got back on the bike, he endured through an extended period to get back into the race and eventually pulled out of the moto with a 40th-place finish.
Back out front, Beaumer built a lead of more than six seconds over Davies at the halfway point as Hymas regained control of third.
Hymas’s comeback effort continued as he eventually closed in on Davies, who didn’t put up much of a fight, to take control of second. As the moto entered its closing stages Hymas dropped the hammer and was able to erase a deficit of more than seven seconds to Beaumer.
The Honda rider closed in quickly on his KTM counterpart and after a brief battle Hymas completed his recovery from the early crash to reclaim the lead as time ran out on the race clock.
Hymas pulled away over the final two laps and stormed to his third moto win of the season by 26.2 seconds over Beaumer, who went down on the final lap but didn’t lose a position. Davies followed nearly 30 seconds back in third, with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Daxton Bennick fourth and Gibson fifth.
Davies’ third-place finish, combined with Kitchen’s DNF, clinched the championship for the Yamaha rider.
Julien Beaumer [#13], Chance Hymas [#29], and Cole Davies [#37] each battled for the Moto 1 win as Levi Kitchen [#47] saw his title hopes end with a DNF. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]
Prior to the field returning to the track, Kawasaki announced that Kitchen would sit out the final moto following his incident in Moto 1 and was slated to undergo further evaluation next week.
With the championship decided, the final gate drop of the season was an all-out battle for victory that started with Gordon leading the field to the holeshot ahead of teammates Kayden Minear [#99] and Davies. Further back, Beaumer started in ninth, while Hymas went down and started outside the top 20.
Davies put in a charge on the opening lap to pass both of his teammates and seize control of the race lead, with Gordon in second and Minear in third.
Five minutes into the moto. Davies extended his lead to just over two seconds over Gordon, while Minear came under fire from Beaumer. Soon, the KTM rider made the pass to break into podium position.
The leaders settled in as the moto reached its halfway point, while Hymas battled his way back into the top 10. Moments later, Beaumer made the pass on Gordon for second and put in a charge to track down Davies. Further back, Hymas was posting the fastest laps on the track and closing in quickly on the top five.
Beaumer caught Davies and made the move for the lead with just over 12 minutes to go. Behind them, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco [#34] moved into third. He continued his forward progression and closed in on Davies, easily taking over second. Moments later, Hymas’ hard charge carried him around Davies for third.
With less than five minutes remaining in the moto Beaumer sat more than 12 seconds clear of the field, but DiFrancesco and Hymas engaged in a tight battle for second. DiFrancesco fended him off briefly, but Hymas made the move.
Beaumer put an exclamation point on the season with his second career moto win. He took the checkered flag 7.2 seconds ahead of Hymas, with DiFrancesco in third. With the title in hand, Davies dramatically dropped his pace over the second half of the moto and finished a distant 13th place.
Cole Davies [#37] charged to the Moto 2 lead early but eventually dropped back as Julien Beaumer [#13] stormed to the moto win and overall victory. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Overall
Beaumer’s emphatic performance in the final moto put him atop the overall standings with 2-1 finishes and the second win of the season and his career. The win also moved him into second in the championship standings.
Hymas’ equaled Beaumer’s results with a 1-2 effort but lost out on the second moto tiebreaker. It capped off a torrid second half for the Honda rider, with five straight podium finishes to end the season.
DiFrancesco completed the best season of his career with his third podium finish (7-3).
Davies ended up seventh overall (3-13) in his championship winning performance, finishing 38 points ahead of Beaumer in the final standings, while Kitchen dropped into a tie with Hymas for third.
In addition to his distinction as the first AMA National Champion from New Zealand, Davies became the third-youngest rider to win a 250SMX Class title in Supercross and Pro Motocross in the same season. He’s the 35th different champion in 250SMX Class history and also secured the top seed in the SMX World Championship postseason.
Julien Beaumer (13) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
1st Place – Julien Beaumer | #13 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (2-1): “It’s been a bit of a rough stretch the last few rounds, but that [second moto] was me. I felt amazing and the bike was perfect. I couldn’t be happier. Buckle up, it’s SMX [Playoffs] time. I’m fired up, let’s go.”
Chance Hymas (29) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
2nd Place – Chance Hymas | #29 Honda HRC Progressive (1-2): “Earlier in the season I’d be super stoked to be in this position [in second], but today I’m bummed. I rode my butt off in the second moto. If it wasn’t for that mistake. I’ve got to ride that roller coaster [of emotion] and in the grand scheme of things, I’m doing alright.”
Ryder DiFrancesco (34) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
3rd Place – Ryder DiFrancesco | #34 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (3-7): “I’ve got a real shot at the Playoffs. I need to lock in these next few weeks and try to fight for it. Given all the experience I have now I think I can keep the momentum going and carry it into that. I’m looking forward to it.”
Cole Davies became the first New Zealand born champion in Pro Motocross history. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
250SMX Class Champion – Cole Davies | #37 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (3-13): “I expected nothing less than holding this [#1] plate at the end of the year. Man, what a journey it’s been. I worked my whole life to be where I am now. It was an up and down season, but it was all worth it, and to do it on my birthday is unreal.”
The Ironman National also hosted the final round of the Women’s Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony [WMX] and the SMX Next – Motocross Scouting Moto Combine.
The sixth and final WMX round saw a championship-deciding showdown between season-long rivals Lachlan Turner, the reigning back-to-back champion with Altus Motorsports bLUcRU Yamaha, and Quad Lock Honda’s Charli Cannon. A Moto 1 win by Cannon, combined with a sixth-place finish for Turner, set the stage for a dramatic second moto where Cannon completed the 1-1 sweep as Turner once again overcame misfortune but did enough to secure her third-straight WMX title.
The Moto Combine contested two motos on Friday, from which Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Carson Wood and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson claimed each individual win. However, Wood’s 1-2 effort landed him atop the overall standings and netted him a sweep of this summer’s Combine events.
With the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship regular season complete, the series will enter the postseason Playoffs and Final, where a combined $1.5 million championship bonus will be up for grabs across the 450SMX and 250SMX Classes. The two Playoff rounds will also feature the SMX Next World All-Stars, while the Final will host the showcase WMX SMX Invitational.
Playoff 2 – Dignity Health Sports Park / Los Angeles, CA – September 18-19
Final – Thunder Ridge Nature Arena / Ridgedale, MO – September 25-26
For information about the Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
Skinner celebrates first victory for Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha as Ray crashes out.
Rory Skinner celebrated an impressive victory in the opening British Superbike Championship race at Cadwell Park, his first of the season for the Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha team, breaking Kyle Ryde and Leon Haslam at the front as Bradley Ray and Storm Stacey crashed out of the leading pack.
At the start of the race, Skinner got a perfect launch off the line into Coppice for the first time with Ray in close contention on the McAMS Yamaha and Stacey holding third place as Ryde dropped outside the top five.
It was a hectic start to the race, with Ryan Vickers pushing to make his way through the order. However, a mistake at Park on lap two saw him run wide and take to the grass and when he re-joined he was in 11th place as the team debuted their special anniversary livery.
Skinner and Ray were locked together at the front of the pack, with Ray attempting to make a move for the lead at Park on lap four but he couldn’t make it stick, whilst Haslam fought his way into third place ahead of Stacey.
A lap later and there was disaster for Ray when he attempted another move on the brakes at Park, the McAMS Yamaha became unsettled and he couldn’t save it for a second time and he crashed out of second place. Stacey meanwhile also went down on the same lap just after Ray in a separate crash.
Vickers had been making up lost ground after his earlier moment and he had soon closed down on the pack chasing Skinner for the podium, led by Haslam, Ryde, Joe Talbot and Jason O’Halloran. Vickers was soon pushing Talbot for fourth place, but he crashed out at Park and took Talbot down with him.
Skinner then had a margin over the chasing pack, as Haslam continued to hold off Ryde until lap ten when he moved ahead, before fighting hard to hold off his Moto Rapido Racing rival until the chequered flag.
Meanwhile, Scott Redding had put in a determined ride and had moved ahead of O’Halloran and Lee Jackson to claim fourth place for the Hager PBM Racing Team.
Max Cook was seventh on his return to action ahead of Danny Kent, whilst Josh Brookes and Ilya Mikhalchik completed the top ten.
British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Race 1 result:
“I didn’t actually expect to get off the line as well as I did! So to get a good jump and holeshot it, I was very happy. I’m always quite happy in the race, like I said at Thruxton, I’m happy to sit up front and set a good pace and I did a lot of my laps over the weekend on my own. So I got my head down!
“Brad had a look past me, but I got back past him again and then the second time he had a look at me he went down so I came back around and saw a gap on my pit board and thought ‘okay, I just need to keep this going’.
“I watched the gap grow and with like seven laps to go I saw the gap go down by point eight and I thought ‘right I need to get myself going again and make sure I keep this gap.’
“Kyle looked good and put up a good fight, but I managed to hold it and I’m really happy. The boys did an excellent job. It’s the third different manufacturer in three years I’ve won on, and me and Stuart my crew-chief have worked really hard to make the best of what we’ve had and I think it’s fair to say I’ve just done that.”
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing athlete Eli Tomac (3). Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
ELLENTON, Fla. / MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – Sixteen years and three months after a history-making win at the Hangtown Motocross Classic during his professional debut, Eli Tomac has made the decision to retire from professional offroad motorcycle racing.
The most dominant racer in his heyday, the Colorado legend’s retirement marks the end of an era.
Paying tribute to Tomac is less about finding great things to say about the future Hall of Famer and more about editing that greatness to fit the page.
That Tomac was going to be a superstar was never in question. In addition to his pair of moto podiums at Hangtown on debut and securing the overall victory by winning Moto 2 that weekend, he finished second in his first full-time Supercross season the following year. One year later, he backed that up with his first 250cc Divisional Championship in 2012 Supercross and followed that up with the Pro Motocross 250cc title in 2013.
Tomac won his first of six 450cc championships in 2017, adding to his total in each of the next three seasons. Tomac came close to keeping the streak alive in 2021 after finishing second in Pro Motocross. The following year, he swept the 2022 titles, winning both the Supercross and Pro Motocross championships that season.
Eli Tomac raising the Monster Energy Supercross Championship trophy at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver after winning the 2022 championship. Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
Tomac was rewarded for his 2022 success with an ESPN ESPY Award for Best Athlete, Men’s Action Sports. That same year he was selected as the captain of Team USA for the Motocross of Nations, won the MXGP + MX2 race that year at RedBud MX, and contributed to a commanding overall victory for the host nation, putting the American squad on the top of the podium for the first time in 11 years.
Tomac sits second on the all-time 450cc Supercross wins list with 57, behind Jeremy McGrath [72]. Tomac is also fourth all-time on the 450cc Pro Motocross wins list with 32, behind Ricky Carmichael [76], and Ryan Dungey [39].
Tomac excelled in consistently strong results. He leads the SMX League® with 240 career podium finishes, bettering Ricky Carmichael’s second-best of 215.
A title contender until the very end of his career, Tomac was third in the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship standings after Nashville with four rounds remaining, 15 points behind the leader Hunter Lawrence. A heartbreaking crash in qualification the following week in Cleveland sidelined Tomac for multiple rounds with a hip injury.
But wins and podiums are only a small part of the story. What set Tomac apart from the competition was his authenticity on the track.
“For those of us who had the privilege of watching Eli Tomac’s entire career, what stands out most isn’t just the victories, championships, or records. It’s the authenticity,” said Dave Prater, Vice President of Supercross for Feld Motor Sports. “Eli never chased attention, never tried to be something he wasn’t, and let his riding speak louder than words ever could. Fans didn’t just respect him, they loved him because he was real. Through every triumph, setback, comeback, and unforgettable battle, he carried himself with humility, grit, and class. Legends are defined by more than trophies; they’re defined by the impact they leave on a sport and its people. Eli Tomac didn’t just become a champion, he became an icon whose legacy will inspire riders and fans for generations. Thank you, Eli, for an incredible ride.”
That authenticity continued when he took off his helmet as well. Through donations of customized gear and bike graphics, many of which Tomac was personally involved in their design, he was responsible for raising greater than six-figure donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Tomac always gave of his time for promotional sessions benefiting the charity and the Love Moto Stop Cancer initiative.
Eli was personally involved in the design of his gear that he typically wore at the annual Love Moto Stop Cancer races. Race-worn gear is donated to the St. Jude – SMX online auction and is one of the primary fundraising campaigns throughout the season. Tomac pictured here at Nissan Stadium in Nashville in 2024. Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
More than a decade ago, in 2015, Davey Coombs, editor in chief of Racer X Magazine and President of MX Sports Pro Racing coined the phrase “Beast Mode” to describe Tomac after he won the first two races of the 2015 Pro Motocross season at Hangtown and Glen Helen.
Tomac won the first moto of Round 3 at his home race from Thunder Valley soon after. However, in the second moto that weekend, he crashed heavily, injured his left and right shoulders badly enough to require surgery on both, and failed to complete the season.
“Never before in our sport have we had a competitor who was so good, for so long,” Coombs said after Tomac’s Ironman top five. “Eli Tomac won the first professional race he ever entered, the 2010 Hangtown National, and then all these years later he began his final season with a win at the 2026 Anaheim Supercross opener. Throughout all of those seasons, Tomac performed at the absolute highest level of SMX, showing a versatility and staying power that’s rare in any form of professional sport. He also carried himself in a manner that’s earned him the deep respect of his competitors and everyone in the paddock, making him a role model for all.
Eli Tomac celebrating after winning the Anaheim Opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, in January of this year. Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
“Our sport was fortunate to have Eli Tomac’s presence on the starting gate over so many years; his leadership as well as all of his championships will resonate for generations to come,” Coombs continued. “Congratulations to the entire Tomac family—Eli and his wife Jessica, their four children, and of course his parents John and Cathy—on a job well done.”
No track has been more closely identified with Tomac than the hallowed grounds of Daytona International Speedway, where he holds a record that will likely never be beat.
Arguably the best known Supercross event, Tomac has a record eight victories there, winning his first in 2016. He went on to capture six of the next seven Daytona Supercross races. Tomac also finished second to Dungey in 2015, Justin Brayton in 2018, and Jett Lawrence in 2024, for an incredible resume.
Eli Tomac celebrating with the fans at Daytona International Speedway after winning his eighth Daytona Supercross this past March. Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
Tomac failed to compete at Daytona in 2025 because of injury, but then added an eighth victory in 2026. Tomac ended his Pro Motocross career with one final top five at the 2026 finale from Ironman Raceway this past weekend, with moto results of seventh and fifth.
Beloved by fans worldwide. Eli Tomac leaving the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team’s semi in the paddock at this past weekend’s Ironman National Finals in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Photo courtesy SMX League Image.
Fans have only three more opportunities to watch Tomac race in person during the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship as the postseason playoffs begin September 12 from Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, continue September 19 from Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, and conclude with the SMX World Championship Final on September 26 from Thunder Ridge Nature Arena in Ridgedale, Missouri.
Eli Tomac’s SMX League Championships
2012: 250cc Divisional Supercross Championship
2013: 250cc Pro Motocross Championship
2017: 450cc Pro Motocross Championship
2018: 450cc Pro Motocross Championship
2019: 450cc Pro Motocross Championship
2020: 450cc Supercross Championship
2022: 450cc Supercross Championship
2022: 450cc Pro Motocross Championship
For information about the Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
Marco Bezzecchi (72) leading Marc Marquez (93) and Pedro Acosta (37) at Aragon. Photo courtesy MotoGP.
The MotoGP Grand Prix at Aragón is in the books, with Marc Márquez taking the victory ahead of Pedro Acosta and Marco Bezzecchi, who completed the podium. Read the teams’ post-race PR below.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Lenovo Team:
Marc Márquez and the Ducati Lenovo Team take a spectacular race win at MotorLand Aragón. A crash for Francesco Bagnaia.
Third consecutive double (Sprint and Race) at Aragón for Marc, always aboard a Ducati.
Marc Márquez and the Ducati Lenovo Team remain undefeated for the second consecutive edition of the Grand Prix of Aragón, thanks to their victory in the 23-lap race at MotorLand Aragón. Francesco Bagnaia’s race came to an early end on lap six.
After taking the lead at the start, Márquez was counter-attacked at turn three and found himself in third position. After moving up to second already on lap two, Marc retook the lead on lap six and started to pull away, building a gap of more than half a second before eventually winning by a comfortable margin. Bagnaia, after a good start, crashed out on lap six while running seventh.
As the thirteenth Grand Prix of the season draws to a close, Marc Márquez is second in the championship standings with 237 points, narrowing the gap to the leader to just 19 points. Francesco Bagnaia is eighth, 94 points adrift of his teammate. The Ducati Lenovo Team is third in the teams’ standings (380 points), while Ducati sits second in the Constructors’ Championship (375 points).
The Ducati Lenovo Team will be back in action on Friday, September 11th, for the opening day of the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera at the Misano World Circuit ‘Marco Simoncelli’.
Marc Márquez (93) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Marc Márquez (#93 Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st: “I’m very happy with this double victory. I did say that the goal was to get as close as possible to 37 points and I’d say we did it. The strategy was the same as yesterday, but I was so focused on turn one at the start that I forgot to disengage the rear height device. Given the mistake, the new target was to not crash after turn one, before getting back to doing my race. I tried to manage tyre wear the best I could before starting to push from lap ten onwards and pull away, and it went well.”
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Ducati.
Francesco Bagnaia (#63 Ducati Lenovo Team) – DNF: “I had a decent start and was trying to follow the group ahead of me, but I wasn’t competitive enough to do so, especially with regards to acceleration. I didn’t have grip and already after five laps I had changed the engine map in order to save the tyres. I was only trying to keep my pace but then I ended up crashing at a spot where I had a warning already on the previous lap. The rear-end stepped out and when I got it back, the front tucked. Unfortunately, when I try to push I end up risking a crash.”
Luigi Dall’Igna – Ducati Corse General Manager: “Marc was really great also today. He had a perfect start and dove well at turn one, but then paid the price of not having disengaged the rear height device. He then did his race, showing the type of champion he is. Despite the second position in the standings, it’ll still be tough: there’ll be favourable tracks and not so favourable ones, and as always the outcome of the championship will be decided at each individual race. Still, we’re working really well and the results show, so I’m happy. A pity for Pecco, who was having a decent race, but we still need to continue working to fix this situation together.”
More, from a press release issued by Red Bull KTM:
2nd place for brilliant Acosta at Aragon MotoGP.
Pedro Acosta scorched to a strong runner-up status at another sun-kissed round of 2026 MotoGP. The Spaniard starred at a third Grand Prix on home turf this season and was vying for victory on the KTM RC16 at MotorLand Aragon.
Highlights and key moments from race day at MotorLand:
Pedro Acosta charges to the front of the Aragon GP with the best overtaking move of the season and pressures world champion Marc Marquez for the win, earning his fourth trophy of the year
Hard and effective charges by Enea Bastianini and Brad Binder to capture top ten results in 8th and 10th respectively
Pol Espargaro’s second substitute appearance of the year ends with 16th
Red Bull KTM Ajo gather decent championship points in Moto3 with Alvaro Carpe and Brian Uriarte in P4 and P5 respectively
Red Bull KTM lined up for the 23-lap MotoGP Grand Prix at Aragon optimistic of podium potential thanks to Pedro Acosta’s bright run to 4th in the Saturday Sprint. #37 started from P6 on the grid with Brad Binder in 14th, Enea Bastianini in 16th and Pol Espargaro, replacing Red Bull KTM Tech3 racer Maverick Viñales for the second meeting in succession, from 20th.
The 5km diverse, anticlockwise layout combined with the high summer temperatures meant a long and draining Grand Prix distance with tire management again an important component of the race. 115,742 spectators filled the stands.
Acosta swung through Turn 1 and survived some bustling to find his way to P3. He produced a majestic overtaking move on Marco Bezzecchi into Turn 16 to swoop into 2nd with 16 laps to go. Pedro then shadowed Marc Marquez and kept to within a second of his countryman, setting fastest laps and stretching the limit. The gap was 1.7 seconds at the finish. Acosta and Red Bull KTM celebrated his joint-highest result of the season and his first rostrum appearance since the Grand Prix of Hungary.
Brad dove into the top 12 on the first lap but ran off track at Turn 12 and then had to race back from 20th. The South African reached 13th and joined the large group going for the top ten with Enea also in the fray. Bastianini hassled the rear wheel of Diogo Moreira for 8th and got the better of the Brazilian in the final few turns while Brad also gave everything to arrive to P10. Pol’s P16 meant he just missed out on the points.
Acosta is 6th in the championship standings and with a 15-point gap to the top five.
The next event on the 2026 calendar will take place at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the San Marino Grand Prix from 11-13 of September.
Marc Márquez (93) leading Pedro Acosta (37) during the MotoGP race at Aragon. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM.
Pedro Acosta, 2nd and 6th in the championship:“We were the surprise today! I think the progression we made from Friday was quite clear. I’m super-happy for that. I thought we had a big possibility in the middle of the race but I think I used the tires a bit too much at that moment to be with Marc. Anyway, we have to be happy because these results make the atmosphere of the team even better.”
Brad Binder, 10th and 13th in the championship: “I made my life difficult today. My rear tire pressure wasn’t up when I braked into Turn 11 so I lost the rear completely and blew the entrance into 12. I then got hung out to dry into the last corner. The next lap around I saw ‘P20’ and I knew I had a big job on my hands! I came back to 10th so I cannot complain too much. A solid enough comeback but…I have some work to do. Learning curves. I feel like we are making progress. If we can make a bit of extra speed then we’ll make a jump closer to the front.”
Aki Ajo, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We need to be really happy because the summer has presented some challenges for us and this was a type of ‘comeback’. Pedro had an excellent ride fighting at the top and we had three riders in the top ten so we have to be satisfied. Things always need to go step-by-step and when we’ve had challenging times this was good progress for us, and also a sign that we have to trust our project and our resources. This was our best GP for a while. Friday was not too easy…but it shows that Sunday is the most important day and you must never give up. We are looking forward to the rest of the season.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Podium and top five for Aprilia Racing in the MotorLand Aragón race.
The weekend at MotorLand Aragón comes to a close with the second podium of the weekend for Aprilia Racing.
After starting from pole position, Marco Bezzecchi was a protagonist in the battle for victory throughout the initial stages of the race. The Italian rider then finished third, taking his second podium of the weekend after his sprint race finish.
Jorge Martín managed his race with determination, staying consistently in the top five and finishing fifth. The Spanish rider maintains the lead in the championship standings with 256 points.
Marco Bezzecchi on the MotoGP race podium at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Marco Bezzecchi: “All in all, it was a positive weekend and I’m extremely happy. We arrived in Aragón with few expectations because last year we had started from behind. I had done two decent races, but from there to being competitive was a different story. Instead, this weekend I was fast – first on Friday and pole position on Saturday. I was lacking something in the races but, to be honest, I didn’t even think that I’d be able to make a play for the win, so I’m rather happy. My whole team was astronomically great.”
Jorge Martin (89) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Jorge Martin: “I’m satisfied with the weekend. The sensations in the race were similar to those of the sprint race, but I think that we still made a step forward. It’s true that I felt better in the race, so much that I did my fast lap at the end of the race. It was a weekend where we built confidence on a track that is extremely complicated for me, and we managed to improve in every session, taking steps forward and understanding what could help me on the track.”
Massimo Rivola – CEO Aprilia Racing: “A good team result on a track that is not particularly favourable for us. Jorge struggled to find the right feeling throughout the weekend but, despite this, he still maximised the result. Marco took two highly valuable podiums in spite of his physical difficulties. His pole position was also a work of magic that I believe will stand for some time to come. We are well aware that the upcoming circuits are not our favourites on paper, but we can’t wait to go to Misano and feel the warmth of our Italian fans.”
More, from a press release issued by BK8 Gresini Racing:
Plenty of point for Alex Marquez and Fermin Aldeguer at Aragon.
RACEDAY
ALEX MARQUEZ 4º
FERMIN ALDEGUER 6º
WORLD STANDING
ALEX MARQUEZ 9º (128 points)
FERMIN ALDEGUER 10º (90 points)
Alex Marquez on the grid at Aragon. Photo courtesy Gresini.
Alex Marquez: “Unfortunately, our start limited us today. I made a mistake and I lost quite a lot of ground. At a circuit like this, the start was crucial, and that’s where we lost touch with the leading group. Regardless, we would have struggled with tyre management anyway: an approach that rewarded us at Silverstone but didn’t work here. We leave with plenty of important points ahead of our home GP at Misano, the most important event of the year for the team.”
Fermin Aldeguer (54) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Gresini.
Fermin Aldeguer: “We have to be very happy with this weekend. Two sixth-place finishes and being in good physical condition are the best things to take away from this weekend. We need to improve our qualifying performance, but it’s something we have been working on for a while and will continue to focus on in the coming weeks. We have one week to make a little more progress physically, but we’re ready for the Misano-Austria double-header. We have to try to get back on the podium.”
More, from a press release issued by VR46 Team:
In Sunday’s race at MotorLand Aragon, the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team is seventh with Fabio Di Giannantonio, who is back in fourth place in the World Standing. Franco Morbidelli crashed.
The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team had a challenging Aragon GP: Fabio Di Giannantonio ended his Sunday’s race in seventh place, but he earned important points which allowed him to be back in fourth place in the Championship. It was a complicated Sunday for Franco Morbidelli, who crashed on lap six, luckily with no physical consequences.
Starting from the third row, Di Giannantonio was able to maintain his position, getting closer to the large group battling for the podium positions. Fabio showed a good pace, which allowed him to defend his seventh place with determination. The rider from Rome confirmed his consistency as he crossed the finish line of the Aragon GP in seventh place. With today’s result, Di Giannantonio is back in fourth place in the World Standing with 208 points, with 48 points gap from the leader and 24 from the Top3.
Morbidelli had a good start from the fourth row, and he could stay in the fight for the Top10 right from the first stages. Franco showed a good pace which allowed him to stay in the group of the first ten riders. But bad luck stopped his progression: the Italian-Brazilian rider crashed at Turn 17 on lap six while he was tenth. Morbidelli is sixteenth in the World Standing with 53 points.
The Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team is back on track in two weeks for one of the most awaited rounds of the season: we are back home for the San Marino and Riviera di Rimini GP, which will take place at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” from 11th to 13thSeptember.
Fabio Di Giannantonio on the grid at Aragon. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.
Fabio Di Giannantonio: “It was a tough weekend, but we were expecting to struggle a bit. Yesterday’s crash didn’t help us, but we didn’t give up and we continued working. Today it was important to finish the race and earn important points: we did it, we ended in seventh place, and this position allowed us to be back in fourth place in the Championship. For sure, this is the most positive side of this weekend. Now we head to Misano, where we bring all the positives to face the home race weekend with a free mind.”
Franco Morbidelli (2!) at Aragon. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.
Franco Morbidelli: “In today’s race I had a good start, and I could stay in the group fighting for the Top10. Unfortunately, I made a mistake at Turn 17 and I crashed. But I was feeling much better today than in the Sprint and I was in the group where I could have been able to be seventh, and this is positive. Overall, it was a positive weekend: the Team worked at his maximum again to put all things together and make steps forward, as we proved in Qualifying with the fast laps. Now, we go to Misano, where we try to make a great work.”
Pablo Nieto: “It was a more complicated weekend than usual, but we go home with some positives. Unfortunately, Fabio crashed in the Sprint, but in today’s race he secured a seventh place and collected some important points, being back on fourth place in the World Standing. Franco keeps making steps forward and he had been fighting with determination during all the weekend, securing another direct Q2 in Qualifying. It’s a pity for today’s crash, but it’s racing and it can happen. We must keep looking ahead. Now we head to the Team’s home race: we must do our maximum and it will be important to understand what happened during this weekend to be back stronger in Misano.”
More, from a press release issued by KTM Tech3:
Relentless Bastianini fights through to excellent eighth.
Enea Bastianini produced a late flourish at the Aragón Grand Prix on Sunday as he made a number of spectacular overtakes to finish eighth, while Pol Espargaró gained further experience on this year’s package, closing the gap to his team-mates and crossing the line in 16th.
The 5.08km Motorland Aragón circuit was at its hottest of the entire weekend when the 23-lap MotoGP™ race kicked off. Temperatures hit 31 degrees at 14:00 (UTC+2) with 51,181 fans in attendance.
Following severe tyre wear at the end of Saturday’s Sprint, Bastianini tried a different setting in Warm-Up to aid him over full race distance. In the main event, ‘La Bestia’ gained a place off the start, before a combination of overtakes and crashes for other riders put him eleventh by lap six.
The Italian wasn’t done there. Gaining confidence with his modified setting lap-by-lap, passes on Joan Mir and Jack Miller pushed Bastianini up to ninth. Two personal best lap times then slashed the 0.9s gap to Diogo Moreira ahead, before a neat pass on the Brazilian on the last lap sealed an excellent eighth place.
Sunday was another chance for Espargaró to get up to speed on the 2026 KTM RC16. The Spaniard had gained three places by lap six of the race as he circulated in 17th, with the 35-year-old gaining a further place before the chequered flag.
The Tech3 team now has a free weekend to catch its breath before reconvening for the Grand Prix of San Marino at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli from September 11-13.
Enea Bastianini (23) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Tech3.
Enea Bastianini: “That was better than I expected! After what happened yesterday, I wasn’t so confident about today. I destroyed the tyre in the Sprint but today that didn’t happen. We tried a different set-up this morning. I didn’t understand it a lot because we didn’t have so much time to get a feeling in Warm-Up, but we kept the setting in for the race and lap-by-lap I was gaining feeling. I wasn’t fast like the top guys, but I could overtake many people. The fight with Diogo at the end was nice, and he’s difficult to overtake as he brakes very late. Our target was to get into the top ten and I saved it with eighth place. So, it wasn’t a bad day in the end!”
Pol Espargaró (44) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Tech3.
Pol Espargaró: “I enjoyed the race. I reduced the gap a bit to two of my team-mates, but not to Pedro (Acosta). I miss a lot of speed but it’s just my second race back. Still when the tyres get used, I suffer a lot. My feeling is that I don’t know how to adapt to these big changes when the tyre performance goes down. I was fourth this morning and was pumped up for the race, but when you have this turbulence riding with other bikes, a full fuel tank and used tyres, you need to know what the bike is going to do – and I’m discovering it like a rookie for the first time! It’s tricky but it’s nice to see the bike is there for Pedro. Hopefully we’ll see Maverick back on the bike in Misano. If not, I’m used to testing and am fast there so let’s see.”
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager: “We’ve completed this GP with a brilliant eighth position from Enea. He started with some difficulties and had a bad qualifying position, but he didn’t give up and I must congratulate him for this attitude. We know Enea’s strengths come through in the second half of the race, and passing five riders is a great performance. I’d also like to thank Pol Espargaró. Maybe he suffered from some inconsistency, but he managed some fast laps and can be proud of his weekend. His target was to get in the points, and he only missed out by a few seconds. The bike was quite fast today and Pedro Acosta showed us its potential. We should all open the data and work because what Acosta achieved was excellent. Now it’s time to pack up everything and head to the next race.”
More, from a press release issued by Pro Honda LCR:
Pro Honda LCR rider Diogo Moreira finishes 9th on Sunday at Aragon.
Starting from 10th on the grid, Moreira made a solid start and placed himself in the battle for the top 6.
The rider defended his position and fought hard against his rivals, demonstrating strength and determination.
In the end, he crossed the line in 9th, finishing as the top Honda rider in today’s race.
Diogo Moreira (11) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Diogo Moreira 9th:“At the beginning, it was difficult because we knew that the situation would be harder for us with the medium tyre. Then I was able to fight, and it was nice. I made a mistake on the last lap, in the last sector, and in the end, I crossed the line in 9th. We are doing a good job, and it was a consistent weekend. Let’s keep working like that!”
More, from a press release issued by Prima Pramac Yamaha:
Jack Miller finishes 11th after strong recovery in Aragón, while Toprak Razgatlıoğlu‘s race ends in a crash after a determined comeback.
Jack Miller completes a strong Aragón weekend with an 11th-place finish after recovering from 13th on the grid and fighting inside the Top 10 for most of the race. Toprak Razgatlıoğlu‘s comeback from 21st ended with a late crash while he was fighting for points.
Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP completed the Aragón Grand Prix with Jack Miller finishing 11th after another strong and consistent performance throughout an overall positive weekend. Starting from 13th on the grid, the Australian quickly moved forward and reached eighth position, remaining inside the Top 10 for most of the race before tyre wear in the closing laps forced him to surrender a few positions.
Miller’s result confirms the positive progress shown by the YZR-M1 throughout the weekend, with the Australian able to maintain a competitive pace over the long race distance. Despite the late drop in performance, he brought the bike home just outside the Top 10 after another solid display.
For Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, the race ended three laps from the chequered flag after a crash while he was fighting his way into the points. Starting from 21st, the Turkish rider produced a determined comeback and had successfully moved into the points-paying positions before losing the front under braking. The incident came late in the race, when tyre wear made his aggressive braking style particularly difficult to manage with the MotoGP machine, providing another valuable lesson in his adaptation to the YZR-M1.
Jack Miller (43) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Jack Miller:“Overall, it was an OK weekend and I gave everything I had in that race. Unfortunately, we had to concede a few places to the KTM guys towards the end. I tried to make it as difficult as possible for them, but once you lose the edge, it gets tough.
The bike is working pretty good, honestly. I can’t fault it in the corners. We’re just losing too much on the straights, but we know that and there’s not much we can do about it, so there’s no point complaining. We just have to get on with what we’re doing. I was really happy with my pace, didn’t make any mistakes and, apart from a little touch on the first lap with Joan, it was a pretty clean race all the way to the end.
I knew after yesterday’s Sprint that we had to manage the front tyre more, and I did that today. But when you do that, you lose some of the roll speed and it makes things more difficult. The front stayed good all the way to the end, the rear was good too, and I basically ran out of tyre on the last lap, which is how it should be. Until then, I was pretty happy with the performance.
Compared to the beginning of the season the bike now feels like we’ve turned it around pretty quickly. The bike is good and it has a couple of key weaknesses that, if we can fix them, would make it competitive. Obviously, when you add 20 horsepower to a motorcycle, it’s going to change its character, but considering it’s a brand-new bike this year, I think we’ve done a pretty good job of turning it around in a short amount of time.”
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (07) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: “For me, it was a positive weekend, especially because in Sunday’s race, even though we didn’t have a fantastic start, we were able to catch the guys ahead. At the beginning I didn’t have a good feeling, but after a few laps I found my rhythm and I was feeling really good on the bike.
Unfortunately, towards the end the front tyre started to drop and it became difficult to keep the same pace. I was running wide in almost every corner because the bike was locking the front and I couldn’t stop it properly. I tried to keep pushing at the same pace, but it was impossible and eventually I crashed. Without losing the front, I think I could have finished around 12th or 11th, maybe even 10th.
But we learned something again this weekend. We were finally able to fight with riders from different manufacturers, whereas before we were mostly riding alone. This is a really positive step for me. Of course I’m disappointed with how the last race ended because normally I don’t make this kind of mistakes, but we take the positives and look forward to the next race.”
Gino Borsoi – Team Director: “Obviously, it was a great weekend for Jack. He did everything in the best possible way, not only today in the race but throughout the whole weekend, including the Sprint yesterday. He made the most of what we had, brought home an important result for the team and Yamaha, made no mistakes and fought until the end. He is clearly in one of his best moments, and that makes saying goodbye to someone like Jack even harder. But it’s also great to see how much he still believes in what he is doing and how he never gives up. You have to take your hat off to the Jack we are seeing now.
For Toprak, yesterday’s Sprint was a positive step and today he was also riding well until the final stages. With four laps to go, he had a very strong pace and was gaining positions, at one point even lapping faster than the Top 10. This shows that we are finding our way back to the performance we had a few races ago. Unfortunately, he reached the limit of the front tyre and, being a little more aggressive in his riding and carrying a little more weight than some of the other riders, this becomes more difficult to manage at the end of the race.
The crash came as a consequence of that tyre wear, but overall I think Toprak did a good job this weekend. We take the positives from Aragón and I’m convinced we can get back to the positions we were fighting for before and continue building from there.”
More, from a press release issued by Honda HRC:
Top ten battle until the line for Mir and Marini in Aragon.
A dramatic 23-lap Grand Prix of Aragon saw Joan Mir and Luca Marini keep their calm, run with consistent speed and capitalise on the mistakes of others on their way to 12th and 14th respectively.
Launching well when the lights went out, Joan Mir was able to lap consistently in the mid to low 1’48s in the first half of the race. As a result, the #36 was able to progress from 15th on the grid to run inside the top ten as he hunted top Honda honours. His steady pace and calm approach to the Grand Prix saw Mir benefit from the mistakes of others before turning his attentions to battling the likes of Enea Bastianini and Brad Binder. Pushing to catch the KTM duo right until the end, Mir takes his first Grand Prix finish since the Czech GP – an important and confidence building result at the end of what has been a weekend with more complications than excepted.
Able to ride without major limitations following Saturday’s heavy fall in the Sprint, Luca Marini lined up for the Aragon Grand Prix with his usual determination and focus after a positive Warm Up. Working to follow his teammate through in the opening handful of laps, the Italian was able to fight his way into 12th with the top-ten battle in sight. Like Mir, the #10 spent the latter stages of the race defending his position and earned 14th for his efforts. Able to continue his run of point-scoring finishes, Marini is already thinking of the next round and how he can best exploit his speed on the Honda RC213V.
Now the MotoGP World Championship ventures into the most intense stage of 2026, three sets of back-to-back races and a triple header in the next 13 weeks to round out the season. The Grand Prix of San Marino kicking off this marathon finish from September 11 to 13 at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli – Luca Marini’s home round.
Joan Mir (36) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda HRC.
Joan Mir: “Good to get a finish under our belts after the weekend that we have had, but I was left wanting more from today. It was important to finish and build the confidence a bit even if we weren’t exactly where we want to be. The team and I worked a lot to make improvements from Friday, and we were able to find a few things to help us. Our focus is on improving our feeling in the next races to enjoy the end of the season together because I was hoping for more from Aragon after last year.”
Luca Marini (10) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda HRC.
Luca Marini: “The positive from this weekend is that we were able to make a step with the setup for Qualifying, unfortunately in Q1 I made a mistake, and we started further down the grid than we deserved. Our race pace is quite close to the guys in the top six or so as is usual and I am hopeful with this setup step we can capitalise on our potential more. Fortunately, my physical condition was more or less ok and we only had a few very small limitations in the race. Now we look forward to Misano and having a more standard GP weekend in front of the home fans.”
More, from a press release issued by Monster Energy Yamaha:
Álex Rins Rallies to 13th Place in Aragon Race.
Today, Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Álex Rins pushed from P19 on the Michelin Grand Prix of Aragon grid to P13 at the end of the 23-lap contest. Fabio Quartararo ended a challenging outing in P18.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Álex Rins again showed his fighting spirit at the MotorLand Aragón in front of his home fans today. He made up a total of six positions in the 23-lap contest to secure P13. The Michelin Grand Prix of Aragon was a difficult outing for Fabio Quartararo. He ended today’s Race in P18.
Rins started from P19 and made up two positions on the first two laps. Various hardships for rivals had the home hero move to P13 by lap 6. On lap 13, the Yamaha rider overtook Luca Marini. He was then chasing down Joan Mir, taking Brad Binder with him and Binder made a move on lap 17. Two laps later, Rins was riding behind Mir. The number 42 piled on the pressure but came just short of overtaking. He finished in P13, 28.276s from first.
Quartararo started from P17, but he found himself in last place at the end of the first lap. Not one to give up easily, the Frenchman soldiered on and was back up in 16th place by lap 7. However, on lap 15 another mishap made him drop to nineteenth place with an almost 10s gap to the rider ahead. With Toprak Razgatlıoğlu crashing out on lap 21, Quartararo was riding in P18 as he came within 0.7s of Lorenzo Savadori on the final laps, but he couldn’t capitalise on it. He finished in P18, 51.657s from the winner.
After today’s Race, Quartararo still sits in 15th place in the championship standings with 55 points, while Rins remains 20th with 24 points. Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP are in 10th position in the team classification with 79 points, and Yamaha is 5th in the constructor rankings with 78 points.
The team will now enjoy a one-week break before returning to action at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, taking place from 11-13 September.
Alex Rins (42) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Alex Rins:“It was quite warm out there. In terms of the targets we set for ourselves today, I finished in a better position than I expected considering we started from P19. The pace was not bad, and I felt like I had a better pace than the rider in front of me, Joan [Mir], but I couldn’t overtake him. As soon as [Brad] Binder overtook me, I tried again, but in the end I was too far and couldn’t overtake. But I still extracted the maximum out of our package here today.”
Fabio Quartararo (20) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Fabio Quartararo:“My start was not good, but not so bad either. I overtook [Luca] Marini, who overtook me back on the first lap. I think it was [Brad] Binder or [Enea] Bastianini – one of them overtook me, and I was in the slipstream on the back straight. He braked earlier than I expected, and my rear locked and I went very wide. Then behind Toprak, I locked the front in Turn 7, lost a few more seconds, and then I went into the gravel. I think my lap was 15 seconds slower than normal. I will try to understand what happened.”
Massimo Meregalli – Team Director:“Today was another challenging race, but there are some positives to take away. Álex did a good race, scoring some points. He was fighting with the other riders until the end, and this P13 was the best possible result today after qualifying in P19. For Fabio it was a difficult weekend. After yesterday’s technical issue denied us valuable Sprint data, today’s race was complicated by a couple of setbacks that prevented him from making progress. The result is not what we were aiming for, but we will now analyse the data from this weekend to devise a plan for Misano.”
More, from a press release issued by Castrol Honda LCR:
Castrol Honda LCR rider Johann Zarco finishes 15th on Sunday at Aragon.
Starting from 9th on the grid and having to serve a double Long Lap Penalty, Johann Zarco made a strong start and placed himself in the battle for the top 10 positions.
The rider set a strong pace and served the penalty, making his way into the points.
Zarco crossed the line in 15th, grabbing a point and delivering a smart and impressive performance on his first weekend back after more than three months on the sidelines due to injury.
Johann Zarco (5) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Johann Zarco 15th: “I came here to do the double Long Lap Penalty and get the feeling on the bike. That was the goal. I took a point yesterday and today, and that’s awesome! I really enjoyed my weekend with the team; I had missed them! One of the most important things is that I got some interesting feelings on the bike and was able to provide consistent and solid feedback to the crew. Sometimes, when you miss some races, you need to catch up in this sense, and it’s not always easy. This time, everything felt quite good, and I was able to get it from the beginning of the weekend. I’m really happy to be back and to have had such a nice weekend!”
More, from a press release issued by CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team:
Not even a broken collarbone could halt Quiles’ seventh win!
The CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team rider won the race at MotorLand Aragón on his return to competition following the injury he sustained just two weeks ago. Marco Morelli joined him on the podium after crossing the finish line in third place
Máximo Quiles now has seven victories to his name following his win this Sunday at the Aragon Grand Prix. The CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team rider has come through a difficult weekend after undergoing surgery just two weeks ago for a collarbone injury. His team-mate Marco Morelli joined him on the podium after crossing the finish line in third place. The Argentine gave it his all right to the end, but was unable to catch David Almansa, who finished second.
The CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team made the most of their advantage of starting from the front row of the grid. Quiles and Morelli stayed with the leading group, which quickly dwindled to just four riders, including both of them. After the opening laps, the riders set a fast pace, whilst keeping an eye on tyre wear. Quiles held onto second place and closely monitored every move made by the leader – at that point, David Almansa – until he found the right moment to take the lead. With five laps to go, he achieved his objective and defended his position, even managing to extend his lead by a few tenths of a second. This victory, his seventh of the season, confirms the rider’s excellent physical condition following the injury that forced him to miss the Silverstone race; furthermore, it has once again increased his lead in the overall standings to 97 points.
Marco Morelli also put in one of his best races. The Argentine dropped to fourth place after the opening laps, but never fell far behind the top three. In the final stages of the race, the CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team rider was involved in a thrilling battle for third place and produced his best riding to defend the final step on the podium. This is Morelli’s fourth podium finish of the season and has allowed him to pick up some vital points in the standings, where he currently sits in fifth place.
Máximo Quiles on the podium at Aragon after claiming victory. Photo courtesy Aspar Team.
Win Máximo Quiles:“It’s the most special victory of my career; it feels like glory. Who would have thought it two weeks ago, when I’d just had an operation? I’ve spent the last twenty days trying to speed up my recovery and I’m very happy. The whole team has done a great job – the physios, my coach… This win is for all of them.”
Marco Morelli (97) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aspar Team.
3rd Marco Morelli (+0.715):“It was a very tough race, but I’m happy with this third place because I was coming off a very difficult weekend at Silverstone. It seemed as though we’d taken a step backwards, but here we’ve taken three steps forwards. That’s the positive thing – both the team and I have managed to bounce back. The race was very fast; I knew it was going to be like that. I made mistakes and lost time, which forced me to push the tyres harder than I should have to get back into the leading group. I wanted to fight for the win, but in the end I was at the limit and couldn’t manage it. I finished close to Quiles and Almansa, and that’s going to be the aim from now on: to iron out the details and close the gap on them.”
More, from a press release issued by CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team:
Alonso treats himself to a thrilling battle for the podium.
The CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider was at the centre of a thrilling battle during the final laps and finished third at one of the few circuits where he had not yet made it onto the podium
David Alonso has regained his best form at MotorLand Aragón. The CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider fought his way up the field to challenge for second place right up until the final metres. The Colombian finished third and returned to the podium after two difficult races in which he had failed to score points. Alonso López dominated at the Alcañiz circuit and took the win by almost a second ahead of Izan Guevara, who defended second place against the CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider. Dani Holgado did not achieve the result he had hoped for after a great weekend and finished in seventh place.
The Moto2 race took place in extremely high temperatures, and the riders had to manage each lap very carefully to secure a good result this Sunday. David Alonso went from strength to strength throughout the weekend and today took another step forward, showing his best form over the 19 laps of the race. The Colombian fought his way up from fifth on the starting grid and maintained a steady pace that allowed him to attack at crucial moments. In the final laps, the CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team rider kept pushing to try and catch the rider in second place, and the pair produced a final lap to remember. Despite giving it his all right to the end, Alonso missed out on second place by 81 thousandths, but this third-place finish has restored his confidence following a few difficult weekends. His team-mate Dani Holgado, by contrast, took a step back compared to the previous day. The Spaniard had been one of the strongest riders throughout the Grand Prix and started the race from the front row. However, his feel for the bike wasn’t quite the same and he was unable to challenge for a top-three finish at Aragón. Holgado tried to lose as few places as possible and finished in seventh position, a result that did not reflect the great work the rider and team have put in since last Friday. With these results, Holgado and Alonso remain in fifth and sixth place respectively, separated by five points.
David Alonso in parc fermé at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aspar Team.
3rd David Alonso (+0.881):“I had a lot of fun today. I enjoyed the race from the first lap right through to the last; on every lap I was able to set my own pace and pull off several overtakes. What I liked most was that I was still the same rider who’d lost his way at Silverstone, but this time I took a deep breath and told myself, ‘keep on the line’. In the last race I was all over the place, but I didn’t lose faith, and we’ve finally made it back onto the podium. These weekends have taught me that I need to believe in myself more and that we can turn the situation around. The race was like a video game – I kept overtaking and it got tighter and tighter. It was a very close finish with Izan Guevara, but it was a tough and fair battle. It’s great to be side-by-side with another rider corner by corner without either of us making a single unsportsmanlike move. I want to thank the team for helping me keep smiling, and also all the fans in Aragón who’ve been supporting me. There were loads of ‘80s in the stands!”
Dani Holgado (96) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Aspar Team.
7th Dani Holgado (+5.912):“It was quite a tricky race. I didn’t have the pace to fight for the podium or the win. I was expecting more because I’d felt really good all weekend, but today I just didn’t quite feel the same. I gave it my all and managed to finish seventh, but I’m not very happy with the result. After how hard we’ve all worked since day one, it feels like a let-down. We have to keep believing and give it our all; I’m calm because I know I’m in a good team and we’ll come through in the next few races.”
More, from a press release issued by BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha:
Izan Guevara Takes Second Place in Aragon GP.
BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2’s Izan Guevara did exactly what he had set out to do in the Grand Prix of Aragon: battling at the front. He put up a fight on the last two laps to keep hold of second place. His podium result helped narrow the gap to the championship leader to 32.5 points. Alberto Ferrández spent the 19-lap contest battling with various rivals and made up six positions. He ended the race in P21.
BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2’s Izan Guevara rode a faultless race at the Grand Prix of Aragon to take second place and his sixth podium of the season. Alberto Ferrández ended a good learning experience at the MotorLand Aragón by riding from P27 to P21.
Guevara commenced from P2 and held this position in the opening stages. His race soon became a matter of managing tyres while chasing the race leader. However, with three laps to go, David Alonso caught up with him. It resulted in an epic battle for second place on the last lap. Every time Alonso overtook him, Guevara didn’t hesitate to immediately retaliate. He managed to keep hold of second place, finishing 0.081s ahead of Alonso and 0.800s from the winner.
Ferrández had a busy race as well. Starting from P27, the rookie made up five positions on the opening lap. He briefly climbed as high as 20th place but then found himself battling with various other riders and settled into P23. The number 54 was briefly overtaken by Mario Aji on lap 9 but reclaimed the position on lap 10. Marcos Ramirez found a way through on lap 15. However, with two rivals retiring from the race between lap 14 and lap 16, Ferrández still had the opportunity to fight for P21 on the last lap and managed to snatch it away from Sergio Garcia, taking the chequered flag 28.726s from first.
Guevara remains second in the championship on 175 points, reducing the gap to the leader from 42.5 points to 32.5. Ferrández sits in 21st overall with 15.5 points, while the BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2 Team holds third place in the team standings with 190.5 points.
The team will now enjoy a one-week break before returning to action at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera, taking place from 11-13 September.
Izan Guevara (28) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Izan Guevara:“It was an incredible race. I really enjoyed it, but I also suffered a lot, and I’m very proud of how I managed it. I think it was one of my best races on a Moto2 bike. In the final part, [David] Alonso had a really strong pace, and I was trying to learn from what he was doing without getting too close, because I knew I could overheat the tyres. Then everything came down to the last lap, and the battle was spectacular. I had a lot of fun fighting for it, and I’m really proud to finish second.
“These are very important points for the championship, especially because we managed to close the gap to the leader. That’s what makes me happiest today. The leader is there for a reason, and it’s never easy to take points away from him, so to finish second and reduce the gap is really positive for us.
“I also want to thank the Spanish fans because they were incredible, as always. It doesn’t matter which circuit we race at, the support is amazing, and I hope we gave them a good show with that final lap. I have very good memories from Aragon, and I’ve won here many times in the past, so this is a very special track for me. To finish the weekend with a second place makes it even more special.”
Alberto Ferrández (54) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Pramac Yamaha.
Alberto Ferrández: “It was a really difficult race today. We started from 27th, so it was always going to be very difficult to come back from there. I made a good start and gained some positions, and I tried to fight, but I didn’t feel good with the bike, like throughout the whole weekend. We still have some small things to improve, so we have to keep working.
“I want to keep working as always and be 100% ready for Misano. We have to keep pushing together as a team and see what we can do there.”
Bradley Ray (on the left) and Ryan Vickers (on the right) at Cadwell Park. Photo courtesy BSB.
Vickers strikes twice to be Honda Racing UK’s home round hero
Ryan Vickers delivered a Bank Holiday Monday to remember for the Honda Racing UK team, celebrating his second double race win of the season in as many rounds in the British Superbike Championship at the team’s home round of Cadwell Park.
Vickers had a disastrous opening race of the weekend when he crashed out contention as Rory Skinner celebrated his first victory of 2026, but the Honda Racing UK rider redeemed himself with a Bank Holiday haul of wins.
In race two, Vickers launched off the line into the lead on the opening lap, with Skinner, Bradley Ray and Kyle Ryde locked in behind him. However, Skinner was unable to repeat his race one victory when he crashed out of contention on lap five at Charlies.
Ryan Vickers at Cadwell Park. Photo courtesy BSB.
Vickers meanwhile was holding strong at the front, despite the constant pressure from Ray behind him in second place. He held the edge to the chequered flag by 0.282s to hold off the McAMS Yamaha contender with Ryde back on the podium in third place for Nitrous Coin Nitrous Competitions Racing.
Leon Haslam had been constantly holding off the chasing pack for fourth place for the Moto Rapido Racing team with Joe Talbot claiming his first top five finish in his rookie season for the AJN Steelstock bimota team.
Vickers then continued his winning momentum into the final race of the Main Season as the stage is now set for the Showdown at the TT Circuit Assen next month.
Vickers once again got a lightning start to hit the front of the pack on the opening lap ahead of Ray and Ryde, but the reigning champion was instantly on the attack and made a move for second into Park for the first time.
Skinner was into third by lap four, but the Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha rider slid out of the race at the Chicane.
Ray was back into second when he attacked at Mansfield and then was on the hunt for Vickers, but despite piling on the pressure, he couldn’t get ahead of his Honda Racing UK rival.
Ryde meanwhile had Talbot for company for most of the race as the rookie delivered his best performance of the season to take fourth for the AJN Steelstock bimota team. The reigning champion held on to claim third and with it the Pirelli King of the Mountain trophy.
British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Race 2 result:
“Here we are, we’ve finished at Cadwell Park. Done the double, I am absolutely over the moon, it’s a dream weekend and I am so happy to have done it today after crashing yesterday.
“I have always wanted to win here at Cadwell, always felt like I deserved the win but I have always gone too hard. It isn’t easy here but we did it and it paid off and we are in the fight now.
“I am super happy, Honda did a great job building the bike back from yesterday and I think we have redeemed ourselves and come back with a double win, so it’s fantastic.”
op ranked National Pro Matt Simpson (No 91 Blackstock Suzuki GSX-R750) leads rising star Amateur Carter Matson (No 88 Suzuki) in afight for first in tricky damp conditions during Shannonville’s Sprint Cup race. Photo by Colin Fraser for RACEMoto.
Daccache cliches his record tenth title.
Carter Matson Stars in Changing Conditions.
Reigning Champ Eli Daccache had a goal for the fourth event of the five round 2026 RACEMoto Regional Series at Shannonville Motorsport Park:clinch the Lou-Anne Printing Pro Superbike Championship, so that he wouldn’t be distracted at the final event of the season.That upcoming race, September 25-27, is the Nelson International Raceway 50th Anniversary Celebration, where Milwaukee Yamaha YZF-R1 rider Daccache anticipates increased competition.
S.M.P. was called Nelson International, for founder, racer, and Dealership Owner John, from 1976 through 1979.A member of the 2006 Canadian Motorcycle hall of Fame, Nelson passed away that year.The upcoming 50th celebration honors Nelson and the first ever race at the just-built facility, a key location in the growth of motorcycle sport in Canada.
In dry conditions on Saturday, August 26, Daccache turned some of his best laps of the season, including a top tour at 1:05.4, over two seconds faster that any opposition.At the opening Bridgestone CBK National of this season at Shannonville, newly crowned National Champ Ben Young (Honda) turned the best lap (in the second race) at 1:04.87.
Typical Daccache rival Michael Leon (BMW) is not yet back from injures suffered at the second round, and next best Ernest Bernhard crashed his Farnham Breweries Yamaha in the first race of the program, suffering minor injures that precluded continued competition.
Overnight rain and cool, drizzly conditions interrupted activity Sunday, and in his first rain of the day, Daccache pulled in after the Sprint Cup warm-up lap, deciding to ride alone in the early going with Pirelli slick tires on a damp track.“The track is drying slowly, but we should be ready for the Feature.
“I’m safe in the pits,” smiled Daccache when asked about his Sprint Cup strategy. “In the big race there is a paycheck, and that is important.I’m not sure about the points (for the overall Championship), I’ll have to get out my engineering calculator after Superbike to see where I stand.”
The Sprint Cup ended up producing a great fight for first, with a surprise winner:Amateur Suzuki upstart Carter Matson, who dueled with the OPP Racing Supersport National Pro Suzukis of Matt Simpson and team-mate Marco Sousa.Daccache made it up to fourth.
RACEMoto Regional round four Championship Series podium at Shannonville Motorsport Park with (left to right) newly crowned overall Pro Champ Eli Daccache, Amateur race and Sprint Cup victor Carter Matson and Heavyweight winner Matt Simpson. Photo by Colin Fraser for RACEMoto.
A small field went out for the Superbike Feature, and Daccache took off from the start, eventually edging the slow starting BMW of Chris Fehr. Matt Annable took third on a Suzuki, after holding second for much of the shortened eight lap contest. Daccache slowed at the end and still won by thirty seconds.
“I had no issues, the track was in good shape, given the conditions and what I expected,” started Daccache on his way to the Podium, reflecting on his amazing tenth consecutive number one plate. “It’s nice to put a stamp on the weekend.My pace was better than I expected, and I just concentrated on bringing it home.I want to thank my girlfriend Andrea, Tire Distributor ASAP Motorsports, Kevin Graham at Pirelli, Milwaukee, and everyone who comes out in the paddock.”
In Sunday’s combined Pro 600 Supersport and EVAL Heavyweight class race, Sousa won from Simpson in the Heavyweight division in difficult conditions, Martin Perreault earning the Supersport win from veteran Hans Van Sleuwen.
Later Van Sleuwen, a Suzuki SV650 aficionado, would win an entertaining Middleweight race, hunting down early leader Jean-Pascal Schroeder on a Kawasaki 400-4. Aeden McLean would out battle fellow Kawasaki racer Stefan Tanasic for third.Tanasic had earlier won the Hidle Lightweight race from Alan Burns (Kawasaki) and Gervais Antoine.
Track conditions were tricky for Joe Rocket Amateur Supersport, long time competitor Eric Quintin (Honda), who built an early useful lead over the fight for second between Parker Sabine-Craig (Yam) and Gervais Antoie (Kaw).
The GP Bikes AM Superbike allowed Carter Matson to demonstrate his drying track prowess on his Suzuki, pulling well clear of a good fight for the other podium spots between J.S. Lefebvre (Duc), Glenn Brown (Kaw), and Sabine-Craig. The top Novice was Tom Ritchie, who edges Jason Jones by just over three seconds.Aeden McLean was a distant third on a drying track.
No MiniSBK events were held at round five at S.M.P., given the penultimate round of the MotoMINI Nationals takes place at Lombardy, near Smith Falls, ON., September 4.The final 2026 RACEMoto Regional is at the end of September 25-27.
Liane Langlois (Triumph-Rocket III Roadster) at the 2026 BMST. Photo by Scooter Grubb
With the racing surface considerably better than last year and more favourable weather conditions, existing records fell and new records were set at the 2026 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials – part of the FIM Land Speed World Records (LSWR) discipline – that ran from 23-27 August at the world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA.
Favourable conditions see BMST competitors pick up the pace
FIM Land Speed World Records set in eight categories
Angus Wing and Lisa Cipolla double up on Bonneville Salt Flats
A total of eight new benchmark figures, subject to ratification, will be added to the record books which represents an increase of five on the 2025 edition, although both riders looking to record the event’s highest speeds – Chris Rivas in the BUB Seven Streamliner and Eva Håkansson in her electric Green Envy Streamliner – came up short in their attempts.
LSWR is a discipline that demands a solid surface and good weather conditions and BMST Owner/Director Delvene Reber was all smiles at the end of the event.
“The salt has been a lot better than last year, that’s for sure,” she said. “We were running on a great track so we had a good couple of miles of salt so we’ve been really happy with the conditions, although there were some weather concerns with wind at the start of the week.”
An obvious paradox with LSWR is that while competitors are focussed on going as fast as possible, patience is a pre-requisite – the faster they want to go, the longer they need to prepare – and while Rivas did not make a run approaching the absolute Land Speed World Record of 376.363mph (605.697km/h), a pass at 180.64mph (290.71km/h) still represented positive progress.
The same was true for Håkansson who had her sights set on six-time world road racing champion Max Biaggi’s 2021 electric motorcycle record of 283.182mph (455.737km/h), but encountered an unexpected high-speed problem.
“My windshield was buckling under the aero-loading at a little over 250mph,” said the New Zealand resident, “but I could still kinda see around the side. That’s typical and stuff like that does go wrong.”
Eva Hakansson (Green Envy ) at the 2026 BMST. Photo by Scooter Grubb
Riders are measured over both a timed mile and a timed kilometre and after their initial down run they have two hours to complete a return run with the times combined and an average calculated to determine the official speed. Forced to shut-off early when her vision was obscured, Håkansson’s best time averaged out at 246mph (395.899km/h), but she was quick to accentuate the positives.
“It’s been nine years since we were last here and it’s the best salt and the best track we have ever seen in the sixteen years we’ve been doing Land Speed at Bonneville. If we had a few days we could add reinforcement [to the windshield], but all important things work and the drive chain was faultless. There’s easily three-hundred mph in this vehicle, but one step at a time. It’s kinda like training for the Olympics.”
Having set a new record last year, Canadian Liane Langlois returned with her three-cylinder 2012 JKR Powersports 2295cc Triumph Rocket 111 Roadster with weighted sidecar. This time around her outfit was partially-faired which moved her into a different category and she was delighted to set another record at 146.349mph (235.526km/h) over the timed kilometre.
“On Tuesday, I ran a 146.9mph on my down run,” she said. “We got out for the return run and when I was shifting through my gears, something wasn’t feeling good, but I managed to get through the timed mile at 145.7mph. The very first time I ran it in 2024, my very first pass was only 95mph! We’ve come a long way in these three years so I’m very excited for what we have done – and I get to bring another world record home to Canada!”
Other records were set by Land Speed legend Jay Allen who, riding a twin-cylinder 2017 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide, recorded a speed over the timed kilometre of 181.844mph (292.650km/h), while Lisa Cipolla aboard her four-cylinder 2012 Zlock Racing LCC 600cc Kawasaki ZX-6R increased the records she set last year over the timed kilometre to 151.567mph (243.924km/h) in partially-faired trim and 141.788mph (228.186km/h) unfaired.
2026 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials. Photo courtesy FIM
The first new FIM record was set on the opening day by Tyrell Marlow who pushed his twin-cylinder 2002 Suzuki TL1000R to 164.457mph (264.668km/h) over the timed kilometre and Angus Wing celebrated two records with speeds on his multi-cylindered 2009 Kawasaki ZX-14 sidecar outfit of 116.112mph (186.865km/h) in partially-faired trim and 109.919mph (228.186km/h) unfaired over the timed kilometre.
With all record categories gender-neutral and determined by the method by which the motorcycle is propelled, body kit, power source, capacity and number of cylinders, America’s Ronald Knight – competing on a rare 1972 100cc LS2 Yamaha twin – set a new record over the timed kilometre on the second day of 57.751mph (92.941km/h), upped it on the third day and then extended it again on the last day to 61.445mph (98.886km/h).
Jay Allen (Harley Davidson-Dyna) at the 2026 BMST. Photo by Scooter Grubb
Thunderhill Raceway’s East Track is undergoing a complete resurfacing, with the original asphalt being removed ahead of the installation of a new racing surface. Photo courtesy Thunderhill Raceway.
Why We Dug Up 30 Years of Dirt to Rebuild Thunderhill.
When you’re on the track at Thunderhill East, you’re not just driving on asphalt. You’re driving on a foundation that took 18 months to engineer and—in some spots—an entire foot of excavation to get right.
Most people don’t think about what’s underneath a racetrack. Dirt is dirt, right? Not even close.
THE WATERBED PROBLEM
CEO Matt Busby discovered something unsettling during geotechnical testing: certain areas of the track had basically become waterbeds. He could walk out onto turn 14, feel the ground moving beneath his feet, and know immediately that $10 million worth of new asphalt was about to get built on a foundation that couldn’t support it.
“We haven’t touched the sub-base since 1989, 1990,” Busby explains. “Over 30 years, NorCal experienced a five-year drought that dried everything out, then swung back to a year with heavy groundwater. Different soils retain moisture at different rates. You end up with parts of the track that are wet all the time and parts that are dry. One sinks, the other moves. That’s not sustainable.”
The solution? Till up a foot of soil and inject cement-lime treatment to stiffen the entire sub-base. It pushed the project past budget, but skipping it would have meant watching a fresh racetrack develop cracks and movement within months.
BUILDING LIKE AN AIRPORT, BUT BETTER.
Paving a racetrack isn’t like paving a road. Thunderhill’s specifications are tighter than the FAA’s.
The track is built in three lifts: a two-inch base layer designed to absorb ground movement, a 1.5-inch leveling layer, and a 1.5-inch wearing surface engineered for shear load. Each lift uses a different asphalt mix tuned for its specific job. The binder alone—the sticky stuff that holds the rock together—costs $1,000 per ton.
And there’s an eighth-inch tolerance requirement across 250 feet. Think about that: if you’re off by the thickness of a sheet of paper over a quarter of a football field, it shows up everywhere. Every bump gets transferred to every layer above it.
THE DRAINAGE YOU’LL NEVER SEE
Between pit lane and the front straight, there used to be a strip of grass that turned to dirt, then rock—and ended up in people’s tires. It’s gone now, paved over. Problem solved, but nobody will credit the repave for it.
The same applies to drainage at turns 4 and 6. Hours of engineering, thousands of dollars, all of it buried. The only thing people will notice is that water doesn’t pool anymore. That’s the point.
Curb erosion is another invisible battle. When Miatas consistently miss the exit and dig wheels into the dirt, ruts form. Eventually you’re catching control arms and chunking tires. Thunderhill spent serious energy engineering slopes and soil conditions so those ruts don’t happen as fast. You won’t notice it until you realize the track doesn’t need maintenance every other day.
A 25-YEAR BET
Thunderhill is targeting 20 to 25 years of service life from this surface before another repave is needed. But this isn’t just about asphalt. It’s about what the track says about itself.
“If we’re going to compete with golf courses, FanDuel, all the different opportunities people have to spend their disposable time and income, then people are only going to take us as seriously as we take ourselves,” Busby says.
The $10 million investment—not a $3 million mill-and-overlay—tells customers and racers that Thunderhill takes this seriously. That this is a product worth caring about. That the foundation matters, even when nobody’s looking.
Especially when nobody’s looking.
Inside the Thunderhill Repave: The Engineering Behind the New Surface
If you’ve been following the Thunderhill repave, you’ve seen the old surface come up, and the new one begin to take shape. But some of the most important work happening on the East Course will never be visible once the project is complete. A racetrack isn’t just a road with curbing. From the asphalt mix and soil underneath it to drainage, temperature, compaction, and even the shape of individual curbs, there’s a tremendous amount of engineering behind building a surface designed specifically for racing. Here’s a deeper look at what’s going into the new Thunderhill East Course.
THREE LAYERS, THREE DIFFERENT JOBS
The new surface is being constructed in three separate asphalt lifts totaling five inches:
2-inch base lift — Designed to absorb some of the movement coming from the ground underneath the track.
1.5-inch leveling lift — Provides a precise and consistent foundation for the final surface.
1.5-inch wearing lift — The final racing surface, using a much stiffer mix designed to withstand the forces generated by cars and motorcycles at speed.
That last part is important. Traditional roads and even airport surfaces are largely engineered around gross vehicle weight. Thunderhill has a different problem to solve: shear. Hard braking, acceleration, and cornering are constantly trying to push and pull the racing surface laterally. Because each layer has a different job, the aggregate, polymers, and binders used in the asphalt are different between lifts.
THE TRACK IS ONLY AS GOOD AS WHAT’S UNDERNEATH IT
Thunderhill’s subbase hadn’t been substantially addressed since the original track construction more than 30 years ago. Over that time, Northern California has gone through everything from prolonged drought to years with considerably more groundwater. That’s particularly important at Thunderhill because different types of clay underneath the facility retain moisture and move differently. Before construction began, we performed extensive geotechnical testing to identify those problem areas. Some were worse than expected. Around Turn 14, the ground had become soft enough that you could physically feel it moving underfoot. Putting five inches of new asphalt over that would only hide the problem temporarily. Crews instead went approximately 12 inches into the existing soil and incorporated cement-lime treatment to stiffen and stabilize the foundation. Once the asphalt goes down, you’ll never see that work. But it’s fundamental to keeping the new track smooth for years to come.
AN EIGHTH OF AN INCH MATTERS
Thunderhill spent roughly 18 months working with Apex Circuit Design to model the repave in CAD, including the racing surface and new curbing. The tolerances are extremely tight. In critical areas, the specification calls for approximately 1/8 inch of allowable variance across 250 feet. At the same time, the objective was never to redesign the East Course. The existing width, grade, and camber are being preserved. The goal is to retain Thunderhill’s character while improving the surface and strategically changing elements such as the curbing.
770 PIECES OF CURBING
The curbing itself became an engineering project. Motorcycle safety played a major role in the new strategy, especially since riders can travel 160–170 mph with contact patches only a few inches wide. The new exit curbs are based on an FIM design used in motorcycle racing. Their complex three-dimensional shape made it impractical to form every curb on-site within the project’s construction window. Instead, the team precast 770 individual concrete curb sections.
Each section must interact correctly with the next curb, sit flush with the asphalt, and maintain the proper grade so water moves away from the racing surface rather than toward it.
STRATEGIC CHANGES AROUND TURNS 3–4, 6–7, AND 10–11 ALSO CREATE MORE USABLE WIDTH.
That should allow drivers to open corner entry and potentially carry more apex speed. More importantly, creating additional usable track width in slower corners could open the door to new passing opportunities rather than simply creating a single faster line.
THE STUFF YOU’LL NEVER NOTICE
Drainage has received significant attention, particularly around Turns 4 and 6. Asphalt and concrete expand and contract at different rates. Over time, separation can develop where the two meet, allowing rainwater underneath the racing surface. That water then looks for a path back out—and the asphalt-to-curb transition is often exactly where it finds one. Unfortunately, that’s also right where cars and motorcycles are loaded up in a corner. Much of the new drainage infrastructure will eventually be buried. If it works correctly, you’ll probably never think about it. That’s the point. The same thinking went into erosion around exit curbs. When cars repeatedly drop wheels beyond a curb, they dig away the surrounding soil. Eventually the resulting rut can become deep enough to damage tires, splitters, suspension components, and other parts of a vehicle. Grades around the new curbing were engineered to reduce erosion and make the track easier to maintain.
WHY REPAVE IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER?
It wasn’t an accident. The highly modified binder used in the new asphalt is extremely temperature sensitive. The asphalt plant is roughly 90 minutes from Thunderhill, which means crews must manage temperature from the moment the material leaves the plant until it’s placed and compacted. A difference of just 5–10 degrees outside the required temperature window can make a load unusable. The summer heat gives crews more time to transport the asphalt, place it, compact it, and make adjustments before it cools beyond its workable range.
THE TRACK WILL KEEP CHANGING AFTER IT OPENS
When cars return to the East Course, the asphalt won’t be finished evolving. The binder itself takes roughly one year to fully cure. Thunderhill expects it could then take another six to 12 months before the surface really begins holding significant amounts of rubber. That means grip should progressively develop over approximately the first two years of the track’s life. Computer modeling also suggests the new surface and curbing could produce lap times roughly 2.5 to 4 seconds faster than before. But models only tell you so much. We’ll find out when the first cars hit the track.
BUILT FOR THE NEXT 20–25 YEARS
Thunderhill got approximately 18 years out of the previous surface. The goal for this one is 20–25 years. Getting there required going far beyond simply removing old asphalt and replacing it with new material. It’s soil stabilization you’ll never see. Drainage you’ll hopefully never notice. Hundreds of individually placed curbs. Different asphalt mixes doing different jobs. Tight temperature windows. Extremely small construction tolerances. And roughly 18 months of planning before the first major construction work even began. As Thunderhill President and CEO Matt Busby put it, the repave is: “A very high-stakes investment into the next 50 years of Thunderhill.” And when the East Course reopens, all of that work comes down to one thing: Building a better place to race.
Marc Marquez (93) and Pedro Acosta (37) at Aragon. Photo courtesy Mat Oxley.
By Mat Oxley:
Sometimes, small mistakes make for big excitement. Case in point: Marc Marquez, neglecting to disengage the rear holeshot device, sparks flying as the battle for first becomes an open question. See, there’s something interesting about this track and the current set-up of MotoGP and it’s got a lot to do with the tires.
You might not see it on camera* but this track eats rubber for breakfast. Want to win? Then get in first, close it up and don’t try to get away too far because you’ll still have miles to go. Want to get from the back to the front? Well, you’ll get exactly as far as your tires are willing to go…and then that’s where you stay.
So when Marc makes that come-back and starts leading the race, know that behind the easy-going facade there’s some serious struggle going on. From rubber to bones, it ain’t easy being number 1. But can he keep it up?
And then there’s Acosta, riding the KTM straight across the razor’s edge with not an inch to budge. That’s some real solid performance, right there. And if you want to know exactly how those overtakes work here, we should probably look at aero and the unexpected effects that riders have to calculate on the fly. Just goes to show you that no matter what changes, MotoGP is still a sport where the rider can make all the difference in the world.
Well, Mat and Peter wouldn’t want it any other way. So grab something nice to drink, turn up the volume and let’s get into Aragon 2026!
Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman’s Dub Club for writing our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music! And additional thanks to flowerhead, who’s music you can find here.
Oh, and a quick word in regards to sponsors:
If you’re interested in connecting with a really unique MotoGP audience — we’re working with Smash Brand Group out of Sydney to manage partnerships. Curious? Just head to smashbrandgroup.com.au and get in touch!
Darryn Binder (53) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
By David Williams:
Darryn Binder tightens his grip on the 2026 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship with another win Saturday at Virginia International Raceway. It’s his first MotoAmerica season. Says a lot about Darryn’s skill & talent, and a lot about his team’s ability to achieve a complimentary bike setup. Two rounds remain.
Jorge Prado [#26] put himself out front early in Moto 2 and carried on to the win as the Lawrences [#1 & #96] battled for the championship. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (August 29, 2026) – The Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, came to a historic conclusion at Ironman Raceway where, for the first time, a trio of champions were crowned at the season finale. Perfect weather conditions and the largest crowd ever in the event’s 13-year existence were on hand for the U.S. Army Ironman National Finals Presented by Tucker Freight Lines, the 28th and final round of the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship regular season. One of the sport’s most compelling storylines in more than five decades headlined the day as the Australian siblings from Honda HRC Progressive, Hunter Lawrence [#96] and Jett Lawrence [#1], came in separated by a single point. After an uncharacteristically unpredictable afternoon of 450SMX Class racing, it was Hunter who endured through adversity to prevail with his first premier class title and the prestigious Edison Dye Cup.
In the 250SMX Class, a season-long battle between Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cole Davies [#37] and Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Levi Kitchen [#47] was ultimately decided in the first moto when heartbreak befell Kitchen and allowed Davies to clinch before the final gate drop. On his 19th birthday, the New Zealander became the first Kiwi to capture the Gary Jones Cup in 55 years.
In the battle for victory in each respective division, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing enjoyed a banner afternoon by prevailing in the 450SMX Class with Spaniard Jorge Prado [#26], who broke through for his first win on U.S. soil, as well as the 250SMX Class with a second career victory for Julien Beaumer [#13].
Hunter Lawrence Endures Dramatic, Tensioned Filled Pro Motocross Championship Finale at Ironman for First Premier Class Title.
450 SMX Class
Qualifying
The final qualifying sessions of the summer started the breakthrough afternoon for Prado, who paced each respective session for the first time. The Spaniard’s time of 2:07.134 in the first session ended up being fastest overall, placing him just a tenth ahead of Hunter Lawrence’s time of 2:07.253, with Jett Lawrence a half-second back in third at 2:07.915.
Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]
The tension-filled first moto kicked off with Hunter Lawrence and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan [#38] out front. While Lawrence had the holeshot, Deegan surged into the lead but went down right in front of the Honda rider. With nowhere to go, Lawrence ran into Deegan and their motorcycles locked together. As they looked to get back into action, Deegan and Lawrence resumed at the tail end of the field.
As all this unfolded, Jett Lawrence was mired outside the top 20 following a bad start. He passed his brother while Hunter was on the ground and looked to work his way through the field.
With drama at its peak with the championship contenders, Prado positioned himself at the front of the field after passes around Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire [#24] and Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Cooper Webb [#2].
Deeper in the field, Hunter Lawrence worked his way through the running order and valiantly fought his way into 20th with 20 minutes left in the moto. Jett Lawrence, meanwhile, sat a handful of positions ahead in 15th. A few laps later, the siblings ran alongside one another in 14th and 15th, respectively nearing the halfway point.
As the Lawrences engaged in battle, Prado’s lead extended to double digits over Hampshire, while 5.11 Triumph Factory Racing’s Mikkel Haarup [#31] moved into third. Further back, Hunter made the pass on Jett.
As the moto entered its final five minutes Prado’s lead sat at 14.3 seconds. Deeper in the top 10, Hunter Lawrence broke into the fight and continued to move forward. Meanwhile, Jett Lawrence’s progression slowed as he was unable to keep pace with his brother.
Prado was never challenged and broke through with the first moto win of his U.S. career by a margin of 11.5 seconds over Hampshire. Webb was able to take advantage of a miscue by Haarup in the final turn to claim third over the Dane, while Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Aaron Plessinger [#7] rounded out the top five. Hunter Lawrence made a charge from 39th to eighth, while Jett Lawrence finished in 11th.
Hunter Lawrence [#96] opened Moto 1 out front, but was passed by Haiden Deegan [#38] before the pair suffered a crash that led to a dramatic race won by Jorge Prado [#26]. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]
Four points separated the Lawrence brothers entering the season’s final moto as the field stormed out the gate one last time with Prado leading the Lawrences to the holeshot, with Hunter in second and Jett in third. Soon, Deegan pressured Jett for third and made the pass.
After a tense opening lap, the top three settled in, with Prado opening a 2.1 second advantage over Hunter Lawrence, who looked to fend off pressure from Deegan. Jett Lawrence gave pursuit from fourth and kept the lead trio in sight.
While running second, Hunter Lawrence lost traction and turned sideways but didn’t go down. As Deegan slipped past into second Hunter resumed in third, just ahead of his younger brother.
As the moto reached its halfway point, Prado’s lead extended to more than eight seconds over Deegan. Behind them, Jett and Hunter Lawrence exchanged positions, as Hunter went down and lost the spot, but remounted quickly.
With less than eight minutes to go Hunter applied pressure on Jett for third. Jett countered and fended off the threat, but it wasn’t over. Hunter mounted another attack, but once again, Jett kept him at bay. In terms of the championship, it wasn’t a pass Hunter needed to make, so he tactfully managed his position on the track.
Back up front, Prado was in a class of his own and managed a lead of more than 15 seconds over Deegan. The Spaniard slowed his pace on the final lap and wrapped up a dominant afternoon by a margin of 6.6 seconds over Deegan, with Jett Lawrence in third and Hunter Lawrence in fourth.
The final moto of the season saw Hunter Lawrence [#96] pursue Jett Lawrence [#1] through to the finish, knowing he had the championship in hand. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Overall
Prado’s dominant afternoon served as the culmination of a season of progression, with an emphatic 1-1 performance for his maiden U.S. victory in his 22nd start.
Hampshire’s quiet but consistent day landed him on the overall podium for the second time in his career (2-6), equaling the runner-up effort he earned at Ironman last season.
Webb made a long-awaited return to the overall podium in third (3-8), landing inside the top three for the first time since the 2023 season in what was his final full-time start in Pro Motocross.
Hunter Lawrence finished just off the podium in fourth (8-4), which secured the title over Jett Lawrence, who finished sixth (11-3), by a slim margin of two points. After winning every moto and overall leading into Ironman, it was the first time neither Lawrence finished on the podium.
The Lawrences became the first siblings in history to win premier class championships, as Hunter became the 29th different series titleholder. He’ll also enter the SMX World Championship postseason at the top seed.
Jorge Prado (26) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
1st Place – Jorge Prado | #26 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (1-1): “It was a perfect day. Fastest in Qualifying and P1 in both motos. We made so much progress the past few weeks and we’re in such a good place with the bike. I’m so happy with all the hard work from the team. This is why I came here to the United States, to win.”
RJ Hampshire (24) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
2nd Place – RJ Hampshire | #24 Rockstar Energy Factory Racing (2-6): “This is awesome [to be on the podium]. Just a solid day. I didn’t do anything special. I got decent starts and made it happen. Huge thanks to the team at Rockstar Energy Husqvarna, what a way to go out.”
Cooper Webb (2) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
3rd Place – Cooper Webb | #2 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (3-8): “This is a dream ending to a racing career at my last ever National. I got called up to Team USA earlier this week and ended a Cinderella weekend on the podium. I couldn’t have asked for anything better. This feels like a win. What a dream come true to be up here one last time.”
Hunter Lawrence finished the season just two points ahead of his brother, Jett. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
450SMX Champion – Hunter Lawrence | #96 Honda HRC Progressive (8-4): “I can’t even [put it into words]. I just knew I had to finish behind Jett [in Moto 2]. Most of my work was done in the first moto. It was a tough day for the Lawrences, as you can see, a pretty uncharacteristic day. Thank you to the team, my brother, my family, everyone that supports us. We’re living the American dream and couldn’t do this anywhere else.”
Cole Davies Claims First National Championship in 250SMX Class on 19th Birthday.
250 SMX Class
Qualifying
The morning qualifying sessions began Davies’ journey to the title, as he set the tone for the afternoon by setting the fastest time of the first session at 2:10.092, followed by Honda HRC Progressive’s Chance Hymas [#29] with a 2:10.505. Each of those times held through the second session, which was paced by Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Drew Adams [#35] and his time of 2:10.559, which ultimately ended up third on the combined sheet. The top six riders in qualifying sat within one second of one another.
Moto 1 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]
The first moto of the afternoon started with Beaumer out front with the holeshot, followed by Hymas and Davies. Hymas went on the attack and made the move for the top spot. Kitchen, meanwhile, started outside the top 10 but quickly moved his way forward. Just before the completion of the opening lap Kitchen went down and dropped to the tail end of the field.
Five minutes into the moto the top three settled into their respective positions, with Hymas managing about a one-second lead over Beaumer as Davies pursued from third.
Hymas went down and gave up the lead with a more than 23 minutes left on the race clock, which allowed both Beaumer and Davies to move into first and second, respectively, with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Landen Gordon [#180] slotting into third as Hymas remounted in fourth.
As the moto surpassed its opening 10 minutes, Kitchen was seen on the side of the track’s steepest hill, with his Kawasaki in the middle of the track. While he eventually got back on the bike, he endured through an extended period to get back into the race and eventually pulled out of the moto with a 40th-place finish.
Back out front, Beaumer built a lead of more than six seconds over Davies at the halfway point as Hymas regained control of third.
Hymas’s comeback effort continued as he eventually closed in on Davies, who didn’t put up much of a fight, to take control of second. As the moto entered its closing stages Hymas dropped the hammer and was able to erase a deficit of more than seven seconds to Beaumer.
The Honda rider closed in quickly on his KTM counterpart and after a brief battle Hymas completed his recovery from the early crash to reclaim the lead as time ran out on the race clock.
Hymas pulled away over the final two laps and stormed to his third moto win of the season by 26.2 seconds over Beaumer, who went down on the final lap but didn’t lose a position. Davies followed nearly 30 seconds back in third, with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Daxton Bennick fourth and Gibson fifth.
Davies’ third-place finish, combined with Kitchen’s DNF, clinched the championship for the Yamaha rider.
Julien Beaumer [#13], Chance Hymas [#29], and Cole Davies [#37] each battled for the Moto 1 win as Levi Kitchen [#47] saw his title hopes end with a DNF. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Moto 2 [30 Minutes + 2 Laps]
Prior to the field returning to the track, Kawasaki announced that Kitchen would sit out the final moto following his incident in Moto 1 and was slated to undergo further evaluation next week.
With the championship decided, the final gate drop of the season was an all-out battle for victory that started with Gordon leading the field to the holeshot ahead of teammates Kayden Minear [#99] and Davies. Further back, Beaumer started in ninth, while Hymas went down and started outside the top 20.
Davies put in a charge on the opening lap to pass both of his teammates and seize control of the race lead, with Gordon in second and Minear in third.
Five minutes into the moto. Davies extended his lead to just over two seconds over Gordon, while Minear came under fire from Beaumer. Soon, the KTM rider made the pass to break into podium position.
The leaders settled in as the moto reached its halfway point, while Hymas battled his way back into the top 10. Moments later, Beaumer made the pass on Gordon for second and put in a charge to track down Davies. Further back, Hymas was posting the fastest laps on the track and closing in quickly on the top five.
Beaumer caught Davies and made the move for the lead with just over 12 minutes to go. Behind them, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder DiFrancesco [#34] moved into third. He continued his forward progression and closed in on Davies, easily taking over second. Moments later, Hymas’ hard charge carried him around Davies for third.
With less than five minutes remaining in the moto Beaumer sat more than 12 seconds clear of the field, but DiFrancesco and Hymas engaged in a tight battle for second. DiFrancesco fended him off briefly, but Hymas made the move.
Beaumer put an exclamation point on the season with his second career moto win. He took the checkered flag 7.2 seconds ahead of Hymas, with DiFrancesco in third. With the title in hand, Davies dramatically dropped his pace over the second half of the moto and finished a distant 13th place.
Cole Davies [#37] charged to the Moto 2 lead early but eventually dropped back as Julien Beaumer [#13] stormed to the moto win and overall victory. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
Overall
Beaumer’s emphatic performance in the final moto put him atop the overall standings with 2-1 finishes and the second win of the season and his career. The win also moved him into second in the championship standings.
Hymas’ equaled Beaumer’s results with a 1-2 effort but lost out on the second moto tiebreaker. It capped off a torrid second half for the Honda rider, with five straight podium finishes to end the season.
DiFrancesco completed the best season of his career with his third podium finish (7-3).
Davies ended up seventh overall (3-13) in his championship winning performance, finishing 38 points ahead of Beaumer in the final standings, while Kitchen dropped into a tie with Hymas for third.
In addition to his distinction as the first AMA National Champion from New Zealand, Davies became the third-youngest rider to win a 250SMX Class title in Supercross and Pro Motocross in the same season. He’s the 35th different champion in 250SMX Class history and also secured the top seed in the SMX World Championship postseason.
Julien Beaumer (13) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
1st Place – Julien Beaumer | #13 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing (2-1): “It’s been a bit of a rough stretch the last few rounds, but that [second moto] was me. I felt amazing and the bike was perfect. I couldn’t be happier. Buckle up, it’s SMX [Playoffs] time. I’m fired up, let’s go.”
Chance Hymas (29) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
2nd Place – Chance Hymas | #29 Honda HRC Progressive (1-2): “Earlier in the season I’d be super stoked to be in this position [in second], but today I’m bummed. I rode my butt off in the second moto. If it wasn’t for that mistake. I’ve got to ride that roller coaster [of emotion] and in the grand scheme of things, I’m doing alright.”
Ryder DiFrancesco (34) at Ironman Raceway. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
3rd Place – Ryder DiFrancesco | #34 Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing (3-7): “I’ve got a real shot at the Playoffs. I need to lock in these next few weeks and try to fight for it. Given all the experience I have now I think I can keep the momentum going and carry it into that. I’m looking forward to it.”
Cole Davies became the first New Zealand born champion in Pro Motocross history. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc.
250SMX Class Champion – Cole Davies | #37 Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing (3-13): “I expected nothing less than holding this [#1] plate at the end of the year. Man, what a journey it’s been. I worked my whole life to be where I am now. It was an up and down season, but it was all worth it, and to do it on my birthday is unreal.”
The Ironman National also hosted the final round of the Women’s Motocross Championship Powered by Synchrony [WMX] and the SMX Next – Motocross Scouting Moto Combine.
The sixth and final WMX round saw a championship-deciding showdown between season-long rivals Lachlan Turner, the reigning back-to-back champion with Altus Motorsports bLUcRU Yamaha, and Quad Lock Honda’s Charli Cannon. A Moto 1 win by Cannon, combined with a sixth-place finish for Turner, set the stage for a dramatic second moto where Cannon completed the 1-1 sweep as Turner once again overcame misfortune but did enough to secure her third-straight WMX title.
The Moto Combine contested two motos on Friday, from which Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Carson Wood and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Landon Gibson claimed each individual win. However, Wood’s 1-2 effort landed him atop the overall standings and netted him a sweep of this summer’s Combine events.
With the 2026 Monster Energy SMX World Championship regular season complete, the series will enter the postseason Playoffs and Final, where a combined $1.5 million championship bonus will be up for grabs across the 450SMX and 250SMX Classes. The two Playoff rounds will also feature the SMX Next World All-Stars, while the Final will host the showcase WMX SMX Invitational.
Playoff 2 – Dignity Health Sports Park / Los Angeles, CA – September 18-19
Final – Thunder Ridge Nature Arena / Ridgedale, MO – September 25-26
For information about the Pro Motocross Championship, please visit ProMotocross.com and be sure to follow all of the Pro Motocross social media channels for exclusive content and additional information on the latest news:
Rory Skinner (11) and Bradley Ray (28) at Cadwell Park. Photo courtesy BSB.
Skinner celebrates first victory for Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha as Ray crashes out.
Rory Skinner celebrated an impressive victory in the opening British Superbike Championship race at Cadwell Park, his first of the season for the Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha team, breaking Kyle Ryde and Leon Haslam at the front as Bradley Ray and Storm Stacey crashed out of the leading pack.
At the start of the race, Skinner got a perfect launch off the line into Coppice for the first time with Ray in close contention on the McAMS Yamaha and Stacey holding third place as Ryde dropped outside the top five.
It was a hectic start to the race, with Ryan Vickers pushing to make his way through the order. However, a mistake at Park on lap two saw him run wide and take to the grass and when he re-joined he was in 11th place as the team debuted their special anniversary livery.
Skinner and Ray were locked together at the front of the pack, with Ray attempting to make a move for the lead at Park on lap four but he couldn’t make it stick, whilst Haslam fought his way into third place ahead of Stacey.
A lap later and there was disaster for Ray when he attempted another move on the brakes at Park, the McAMS Yamaha became unsettled and he couldn’t save it for a second time and he crashed out of second place. Stacey meanwhile also went down on the same lap just after Ray in a separate crash.
Vickers had been making up lost ground after his earlier moment and he had soon closed down on the pack chasing Skinner for the podium, led by Haslam, Ryde, Joe Talbot and Jason O’Halloran. Vickers was soon pushing Talbot for fourth place, but he crashed out at Park and took Talbot down with him.
Skinner then had a margin over the chasing pack, as Haslam continued to hold off Ryde until lap ten when he moved ahead, before fighting hard to hold off his Moto Rapido Racing rival until the chequered flag.
Meanwhile, Scott Redding had put in a determined ride and had moved ahead of O’Halloran and Lee Jackson to claim fourth place for the Hager PBM Racing Team.
Max Cook was seventh on his return to action ahead of Danny Kent, whilst Josh Brookes and Ilya Mikhalchik completed the top ten.
British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Race 1 result:
“I didn’t actually expect to get off the line as well as I did! So to get a good jump and holeshot it, I was very happy. I’m always quite happy in the race, like I said at Thruxton, I’m happy to sit up front and set a good pace and I did a lot of my laps over the weekend on my own. So I got my head down!
“Brad had a look past me, but I got back past him again and then the second time he had a look at me he went down so I came back around and saw a gap on my pit board and thought ‘okay, I just need to keep this going’.
“I watched the gap grow and with like seven laps to go I saw the gap go down by point eight and I thought ‘right I need to get myself going again and make sure I keep this gap.’
“Kyle looked good and put up a good fight, but I managed to hold it and I’m really happy. The boys did an excellent job. It’s the third different manufacturer in three years I’ve won on, and me and Stuart my crew-chief have worked really hard to make the best of what we’ve had and I think it’s fair to say I’ve just done that.”
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
November 10, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
Ryan Vickers – Honda Racing UK: 
Rory Skinner – Cheshire Mouldings Yamaha:
