Jones powers to Superbike double at Queensland Raceway
Yamaha pilot Mike Jones has returned to his searing best with a double victory in the Alpinestars Superbike class at round three of the 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK).
Once the 30-year-old gets into the groove, he’s extremely hard to contain, and so it was again today at Queensland Raceway as he waltzed to victories in both 16-lap Superbike races on his Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1.
His perfect scorecard – which also included a bonus point for pole position – saw him move up two spots in the seven-round championship race. He’s now third on 112.5pts, behind Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati, 144.5) and his teammate Cru Halliday (115).
“It was a perfect weekend for me, and I can’t thank the Yamaha Racing Team enough,” said Jones.
“We had a really good test leading up to this round, but with such stiff competition nothing is ever a given.
“I hope we provided great entertainment for the fans, and I’m now looking forward to continuing my strong form in the next round at Morgan Park.”
Second overall in round three was Max Stauffer (Penrite Racing Yamaha), ahead of reigning Alpinestars Superbike champion Troy Herfoss (DesmoSport Ducati).
Stauffer was a revelation, nailing the holeshot in both races on his way to 2-3 results, while Herfoss finished with a 4-2 scorecard just a week after returning from racing commitments in America.
Alpinestars Superbike race one
Stauffer scored the holeshot from the front row and held the lead until lap eight before Jones took over the running after setting a new lap record of 1:07.434 during his reign-in mission – a whopping 0.4 seconds under Bryan Staring’s 2022 benchmark. And just to reinforce that he was in a hot zone, Jones then uncorked a near identical 1:07.437 on the very next lap…
After making short work of Stauffer and with clear air in front of him, it was then a matter of how far for Jones as he greeted the flag by nearly 2.5 seconds for his first win since the Morgan Park round of the 2023 championship.
“I was a little bit nervous at the start when I saw Stauffer take off, but I was able to find some extra speed to close the gap,” said Jones.
“It was still a really tough race, but it’s great to get back on the winner’s list as it’s been a while since we’ve had some success.”
With Stauffer ensconced in second, the battle for third was tight for most of the 16-lap journey between ASBK legends Herfoss, Waters and Glenn Allerton (GT Racing BMW) – a total of nine Superbike titles between them.
Allerton eventually fell into the clutches of Haliday with a few laps remaining, while the arm wrestle between Herfoss and Waters boiled down to the very last turn.
Herfoss then slowed after his bike began running out of fuel, and that was enough for Waters to slip past his long-time rival to extend his 2024 podium stretch to six races.
Halliday, Allerton, Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati), Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha), Arthur Sissis (Stop & Seal Yamaha) and Staring (MotoGo Yamaha) completed the top 10
Alpinestars Superbike race two
This time Jones hit the front with more haste, passing Stauffer on lap three. Even though Stauffer and then Herfoss kept Jones’ Yamaha in sight for most of the journey, the end result was always inevitable with the #46 Yamaha holding all the aces.
Jones defeated Herfoss – who had swept past Stauffer on lap nine – by nearly three seconds, with Stauffer third from Waters, the very impressive Sissis, Halliday, Allerton and Staring.
Pearson and 16-year-old rookie Cameron Dunker (Penrite Racing Yamaha) saw out the top 10, with the race ending badly for local star West after he crashed at turn four on the final lap.
Ahead of the next round at Morgan Park Raceway from July 12-14, the top three in the championship – Waters, Jones and Halliday – are followed in the standings by Stauffer (98pts), Pearson (97.5) and Herfoss (84).
Jones was also seriously fast at Morgan Park in 2023, so could the Yamaha rider make it another double there? It could certainly be a season-defining round for a number of riders in what has already been a fascinating championship.
Jett Lawrence Nabs Philadelphia Supercross Win and Extends Points Lead
Max Anstie Grabs Victory at Pennsylvania’s First-Ever 250SX Class Race
Philadelphia, Pa. Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence grabbed the Holeshot and was never challenged for the lead to win Round 15 of the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. The victory, his seventh of the year, extends the rookie’s championship points lead to 12 with two rounds remaining.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton put down impressive laps late in the race to claw his way up to second place inside Lincoln Financial Field. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson used a risky charge on an outside line going into the final corner to grab the final spot on the podium. In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class, Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie won a thrilling, must-see Main Event that delivered intense thrills.
Jett Lawrence (18). Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports.
“There’s only really one option with the start is: get a good start and be up there. And on this track, that’s a little difficult to pass [on], it definitely helped [to get the Holeshot]. Nailed my start finally and I know we’re still focusing on each race. I mean, [the] job’s not done yet so we’re going to stay focused and make sure we execute these last two rounds.” – Jett Lawrence
“I might have found some of my speed back in that Main Event. I had some good laps, came from pretty far back and, especially on a track like this that’s really hard to pass on, I feel like I made the best of it. Yeah, we made some big [adjustments] this week on the bike, and it seemed to pay off somewhat. So we’ll go back to work, keep improving, and [we] gotta get another win before the season’s out. I think I’m starting to get back to my normal form, and we’re looking forward to these last two rounds and heading into outdoors.” – Chase Sexton
“I wish I knew. I’ve just been, you know, working hard with the team, just trying to get better, get the bike better, me be better. I had that little mid-season [period] where I wasn’t riding that good and it’s nice to be back up here. I couldn’t do it without the whole Monster Energy Kawasaki team; man, we’ve been working our butts off… I’m excited to keep going and let’s keep charging!” – Jason Anderson, when asked what made the difference recently with his improved speed.
The Eastern Regional 250SX Class held its final non-Showdown event of the season and it was one of the most exciting races the class has yet to deliver. Max Anstie fought forward for the win after exiting the first turn in fifth place. It was Anstie’s first win of the season. The series points-leader, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, got off to a bad start and had to push forward from outside the top ten. He eventually reached second place to extend his points lead to 15 with one round left in the season, the East/West Showdown at the finale in Salt Lake City. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan stalked Vialle as they both moved through the pack throughout the race. Deegan secured a third-place finish at the checkered flag and sits second in points in the championship.
Max Anstie (37). Photo courtesy Feld motor Sports.
“Man, I know you Philly crowd were cheering for Seth [Hammaker, who lead early in his hometown race]… It was so loud. It was crazy. I heard the crowd going wild and then I looked back and he wasn’t there, and I don’t know what happened. But man, obviously it was an exciting race. We needed this, my whole crew: Firepower, Yarrive my boss is over [from Australia], Marty [Davalos]; we’ve had a great couple of years, and we needed this this week. They’ve had a bit of rough week so [I’m] proud to give it to ‘em. I’m happy to get this done and looking forward to the final round in Salt Lake in a couple of weeks.” – Max Anstie
“I had a bad start and I was like, ‘Alright, this is going to be tough.’ And I actually saw Haiden was just in front of me, so I was like, ‘Okay, we are together in that.’ And we actually had a really good race. We came back from almost dead last to right behind Max. And no, I kept Haiden [for] the whole race behind me [after passing him on the opening lap]; that was my goal. And we did it. It was hard, but we pushed ‘till the end and I’m really proud of my ride tonight, and I really want to thank the team for the hard work, and everyone here. Philadelphia the city is awesome, actually, and thanks to everyone here.” – Tom Vialle
“If this race right here didn’t make you a fan of Supercross I don’t know what will. That was literally heart from every rider out there ‘till the end. That was gnarly. A lot of the good guys had a bad start, man, and we came through. Dudes were taking each other out over there [gestures to sand section]. I hope Pierce [Brown] is alright; that was exactly what I did at Daytona, just a gnarly cross rut [mistake] and it throws you off… I did go out there to win and it sucks obviously [not winning], but it was a good race, coming from the back. [We showed] good speed out of me and Tom; we had fun out there. I gave him a wheel every here and there but he’s a tough opponent and I respect [him], and I respect Max, too… To go out here and win in this supercross field is a gnarly deal. But going to the last round we’re going to try our best. It’s not over ‘till it’s over. But I’m still young, I have a big career ahead of me, but you know we’re going to fight ‘til the end. I got to give glory to God, man he’s by my side all the time watching over me and pushing me every day, and also my whole team… thank you guys.” – Haiden Deegan
With only two rounds now remaining, the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross season sprints toward its climax with two rounds over the next two consecutive weekends. Round 16 hits Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on May 4th. The event returns to the standard evening schedule and opening ceremonies commence at 4:30PM local (Mountain) time.
Every Supercross race in the 17-round season also pays points toward the SuperMotocross World Championship, which brings the heightened excitement of a post-season to the sport. The SuperMotocross League, in only its second year, totals up the Monster Energy AMA Supercross points and the AMA Pro Motocross season points. The post-season racing seeds the top 20 riders in each class, enters riders in positions 21-30 into a Last Chance Qualifier race at each post-season round, then re-sets the points to the equivalent of one Supercross event payout. Riders outside the top 30 who win a Supercross Main Event (or Triple Crown overall) or a Pro Motocross moto will also be seeded into the LCQ group of riders. Point payouts escalate over three rounds in September with the Final determining one SuperMotocross World Champion in each class.
Every race of the 28-round SuperMotocross World Championship, plus two round playoff and World Championship Final will be streamed live and available on-demand on Peacock. CNBC will air next-day encore presentations of each round, and select races will also be broadcast or streamed on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. Live audio coverage for each Supercross race can be found on SiriusXM Channel 85, NBC Sports Audio. International coverage is available through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) live and on-demand, in both English and Spanish.
Nothing compares to experiencing the racing in-person, and Supercross tickets are on sale now for both remaining Monster Energy Supercross events. For ticket information and event details, as well as video highlights, race results, feature stories, and more, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
Monday, April 29 at 9am ET the annual Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross auction kicks off, benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Race-worn jerseys, pants, helmets, goggles, and bike plastics from the sports top racers are donated to the online auction in an effort to raise money for the fight against childhood cancer. Fans can find the link to bid at supercrosslive.com/st-jude.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 28th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 13 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2024 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2023 season, finished 3rd in MotoAmerica Supersport Race One at New Jersey Motorsports Park becoming the first female to finish on the podium in a MotoAmerica Supersport race, placed 7th in MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship (competed in 8 of 14 races, 2 podium finishes), won 3 Yamaha bLU cRU R7 Cup races in Europe; 2022 season, became first female to win a MotoAmerica race, placed 3rd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (4 wins, 11 total podiums), finished 4th and 2nd in two Yamaha bLU cRU R3 SuperFinale races at Algarve International Circuit in Portugal; 2021 season, finished 8th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (started the season at round 4, 1 podium, 5 top-6 finishes in 12 races); 2020 season, finished 3rd in MotoAmerica Mini Cup 190 Championship (2 podium finishes in 3 races), won Lightweight Twins Superbike Expert AMA Grand Championship, won 3 WERA Sportsman National Championships, won 7 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships (won 31 WERA races); 2019 season, won Lightweight Twins Superbike Expert AMA Grand Championship, won 3 WERA Sportsman Series Regional Championships (won 38 WERA races); 2018 season, named AMA Novice Road Racer of the Year, won 2 AMA Road Race Grand National Championships, won 5 WERA Sportsman National Championships, won 4 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships, won ASRA Moto3 (Combined) National race, 41 WERA race wins; 2017 season, named AMA Youth Road Racer of the Year, won 3 WERA Sportsman National Championships, won 5 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships, 37 WERA race wins.
2024 racing goals: Keep improving through the season, keep learning, do some races in Europe, if possible.
Some of the riders who have graduated from Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include:
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar (R.I.P.);
2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Corey Alexander;
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P.);
2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and multi-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner J.D. Beach;
five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and Moto2 World Championship point scorer Cameron Beaubier;
MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Jackson Blackmon;
former Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas;
three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie;
former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day;
2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up and current MotoAmerica team owner Dustin Dominguez;
2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2019 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, and 2021 Canadian Superbike Champion Alex Dumas;
four-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race winner and former motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne (R.I.P.);
Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie;
two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick;
2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Bobby Fong;
2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne;
two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and World Superbike podium finisher Garrett Gerloff;
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion, 2023 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim;
2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.);
2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden;
eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden;
2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and three-time Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin;
MotoAmerica Supersport front-runner Teagg Hobbs;
AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden;
2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins;
2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up, 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, Moto2 World Championship point scorer, and MotoAmerica Superbike racer Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
two-time MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2020 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up Rocco Landers;
two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee;
2021 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup Champion Jake Lewis;
MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Sam Lochoff;
MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden;
AMA Pro SuperSport race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Stefano Mesa;
Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races;
AMA Pro XR1200 race winner, multi-time Loudon Classic winner, and three-time BRL Champion Shane Narbonne;
2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson;
2016 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion, 2019 British Motostar (Moto3) Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch;
2012 Daytona 200 winner and 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion Joey Pascarella;
AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner and multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Peris;
two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion, British Supersport podium finisher, 2020 AFT Production Twins Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship runner-up James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
2022 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up and 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship runner-up Gus Rodio;
former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and former FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.;
three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion, MotoGP race winner, and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies;
multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich;
MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher and former World Superbike competitor Jayson Uribe;
2017 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Championship runner-up, 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory Ventura;
Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh;
former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and MotoAmerica Super Hooligan race winner Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
Brandon Robinson (44) beat Jared Mees (1) to the checkered flag at the Texas Half-Mile. Photo courtesy AFT.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 27, 2024) – Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) successfully defended his team’s home turf in a spectacular Mission SuperTwins Main Event to headline Saturday night’s Mission Texas Half-Mile presented by Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda and Roof Systems of Dallas, Round 4 of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
A victory at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, was always the dream result for the locally-based Mission Roof Systems outfit, but Robinson would have to go through both nine-time Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) and premier-class phenom Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to do so.
Estenson ace Daniels blasted into the lead off the launch and Mees dove up the inside as the two threatened another 1-2 breakaway at the front. Robinson was having none of it, however, tracking the duo down to transform the lead pack into a three-piece before they could shake free.
For the next few minutes, the trio traded positions in a flurry of moves before Robinson grasped command as the contest approached half distance. His thoughts of making an escape were upended by brake issues and Mees – the greatest Half-Miler in the history of the series and the winner of the previous three Texas Half-Miles – stormed back alongside Robinson with two to go.
Mees attempted an around-the-outside bid to steal away the win on the race’s final corner, but Robinson held firm, edging the factory Indian pilot to the checkered flag by a narrow 0.120-second margin. Daniels came home in third another 0.676 seconds back.
“When we unloaded, I was definitely uncomfortable to start the day,” Robinson admitted. “Huge shout out to Ben Evans and Kayl Kolkman – they got me dialed-in. That race was epic. I’ve never really had a firm grasp on this place in the past, but tonight was awesome. I was able to use the high line in the beginning to make some moves and get around the guys. From there, I felt really good, but with about four minutes to go, I lost brakes, which was not fun. But we weathered that storm. It’s awesome to start the season the way we have. Big thanks to Mission Foods and Jerry Stinchfield at Roof Systems – they make our program happen.”
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) came out on top of a two-rider fight for fourth that also included two-time Mission SuperTwins champ Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke).
Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) crossed the line clear in sixth, while Max Whale (No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R), Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), and Declan Bender (No. 70 GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750) completed the top ten in that order.
After failing to win a race in 2023, Robinson became the first rider to claim a second Mission SuperTwins victory in 2024. He also took control of the championship lead in the process, as Robinson now leads Daniels by four points (86-82). Mees remains well within striking distance at 75 points in his quest to secure an unprecedented tenth GNC.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
It turns out 13 was the lucky number for Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) in his protracted, often excruciating, pursuit of a maiden Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER win.
After having previously notched up 12 podiums – half of those runners-up – Saathoff at last secured that elusive win, even if it didn’t play out quite the way he had envisioned.
In fact, the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event felt as if it was actively attempting to derail Saathoff’s luck as opposed to indulging it.
After showcasing race-winning speed throughout the day, Saathoff’s bid was pushed until the end of the day when inclement weather forced a reshuffling of the schedule. And when it did finally take place, the Main was red-flagged no less than three times – each one with Saathoff in the lead – due to a combination of precipitation and crashes.
The race was ultimately called complete with just over one minute remaining on the clock. As a result, Saathoff was awarded the win despite being robbed of the satisfaction of crossing the finish line in first.
Saathoff said, “It was crazy for sure. Every time there was a red flag, I’d just try to go over and control my thoughts. I pulled through with like four holeshots and can’t be more stoked with this, I would say, ‘win.’ I got the holeshot and led all of the race, but I would have liked to have taken the checkered flag. But I’ll take it. I’m not ashamed of it. I’d like to thank everybody so much for all their support.”
Title fighters Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) were credited in second and third after charging their way forward – Kopp in particular after running as low as eighth in the early going.
Kopp still holds a commanding lead with 92 points, while Saathoff’s breakthrough win elevated him into second (75) followed by Drane in third (69).
For those who can’t catch the action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at http://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Mission Texas Half-Mile, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, May 5, at 11:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. PT).
Morelli heads Argentine Rookies 1-2 in Jerez thriller
Marco Morelli scored a superb win over fellow Argentinian Valentin Perrone with Spaniards Màximo Quiles and Alvaro Carpe chasing them across the stripe.
The opening race of the 2024 Red Bull Rookies Cup season had everything from a hoard of different leaders, torrid race-long action and a last corner mêlée.
A blow-by-blow account is pointless, it was almost impossible to keep up with the overtaking from Uriarte’s superb start through pole man Quiles fighting back and the other leaders that included Ruche Moodley, Rico Salmela, Hakim Danish and finally Morelli.
Marco Morelli takes last corner win
“I am very happy, amazing, my first victory in Rookies Cup,” enthused the 16-year-old Argentine. “The race was a little bit crazy, in the opening laps I tried to push, if someone passed me I passed back it was crazy.”
“In the last laps, I tried to overtake, it was a little bit impossible so coming into the final corner I said to myself, OK, I will brake later….”
“I braked, later, later but….the other guys braked so so late. As I arrived I thought, for sure they go wide and I went inside, through the corner I saw them all wide and as soon as I saw the exit I went full gas, the rear was sliding, I was balancing it. Full gas and the victory.”
“I am happy with the win and it was a big thrill for me to see the flag of Argentina above the podium. This is amazing.”
“Corner 6 there was some water, if you ran wide you were in trouble, the same on Corner 2. Also, it was windy. Tomorrow it will be cold but I think the race will be quicker. The bike felt great from the test and this weekend, so I don’t need to change anything for tomorrow.”
Valentin Perrone takes debut podium
“I didn’t expect to manage that in my first Rookies Cup race,” exclaimed the Argentinian 16-year-old. “I struggled a bit in the opening laps, it was difficult to overtake. But finally, I settled, I kept calm, managed to push later in the race and be in a position to go for it on the last lap.”
“I don’t know what happened in the last corner, just that I got through it well and took second.”
Màximo Quiles grabs close 3rd
“I wanted to win that one, I had a chance at the last corner but just missed,” explained the happy 16-year-old Spaniard.
“Early in the race I got to the front and opened a bit the gap but as I was pushing I could feel the bike moving around quite a lot so I said to myself to relax, save some tyres for the end.”
“Then in the last laps, I pushed but I then went wide on the wet and they overtook me and I had to catch up again. Going down to the last corner I was 4th, I braked so hard, I overtook everybody, then I saw Brian crash and I lost a bit my concentration. Also, I touched the wet a bit and slid but saved it and gave it gas to the finish.”
Alvaro Carpe makes good start to season with 4th
“It was a good race, I take the good things from the race, it adds to my experience and I can use that tomorrow,” explained the 16-year-old Spaniard, not thrilled with Race 1. “I am happy with my KTM and the feeling and the only problem was the wet patches on the track which made it a very difficult race.”
“So I am quite happy with the result, 4th is good for the points, important for the championship. It’s not my best result but it is positive and I hope to do better tomorrow, the bike is good I will not change anything.”
Rico Salmela was in front but finished 5th
“It was a bit difficult, you couldn’t always see the wet patches,” explained the 16-year-old Finn. “You had to work out lap by lap where the slippery patches were and try to ride as best you can in these conditions.”
“Finally the race was OK, I got to the front, on the last lap I led, at the last corner I led but…. I was waiting for the victory…. But still, I got points, Luckily I didn’t crash.”
“The bike is good I don’t plan to change it, just the result.”
Brian Uriarte took 6th after last corner fall
“I had to try, that’s how it is,” stated the Spanish 15-year-old. “Until the chequered flag anything can happen. I pushed a lot, I ran at the front and I am happy with the result.”
“I think I had a good pace, I felt comfortable overtaking, not struggling a lot.”
“In the last laps, the tyres started to slide but I still had a good feel for it. I still would like to improve the bike if we can as I have the rear wheel hopping on the brakes but through the corner and out of it the bike is great. We will see what we can do.”
Ruche Moodley out front but out of luck
“Early in the race I took it a bit easier, just to check the track and save it for the end,” stated the South African 17-year-old. “With 6 laps to go, I started pushing and I could be in the front quite easily and overtake quite comfortably.”
“Then with 2 laps to go Danish took me out completely and that was it, a shame, I had the pace to fight for the win. We need to fix the bike for tomorrow, it’s completely destroyed.”
Hakim Danish falls up front
“The race was good, in the beginning, I was a little bit back in the group but I just stayed calm,” explained the Malaysian 16-year-old. “Then in the middle of the race I tried to push a bit more and got to the front. Then in the last two laps at the last corner, I tried to overtake but made a mistake and crashed and hit another rider.”
“But It was a good race, I had the speed, I could fight at the front and I feel strong on this bike, I want to fight at the front again tomorrow and this time finish on the podium.”
Veda Pratama ran fast but fell twice
“Not a good race, bad luck for me I think,” explained the Indonesian 15-year-old. “Some corners were slippery and when I ran wide I crashed, bad luck for me.”
“I hope the track is completely dry tomorrow and I will improve my pace and my luck.”
Jorge Martin won the FIM MotoGP World Championship Sprint Race Saturday afternoon at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24, the Spaniard won the 12-lap race by 2.970 seconds, extending his lead in the point standings.
Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta was the runner-up on his Red Bull Tech3 GASGAS, and Fabio Quartararo took an impressive third place on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1, just ahead of Red Bull KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa. Martin’s teammate Franco Morbidelli rounded out the top five finishers.
UPDATE: But that was before several riders were penalized eight seconds each for violating minimum tire pressure rules. Pedrosa was promoted to P3 in the Tissot Sprint as Quartararo, Fernandez, Di Giannantonio, Miller, and Rins were handed the penalties. Riders must comply with the minimum pressures for 30% of laps during the Sprint or 60% of laps in any race distance over 15 laps.
Quartararo had qualified 23rd on the grid but battled Pedrosa and crossed the line in P3. However, Quartararo was demoted to P5 after the eight-second penalty was applied, placing him behind Pedrosa and Franco Morbidelli.
Other riders receiving eight-second penalties included Raul Fernandez, who dropped from P6 to P12; Fabio Di Giannantonio, who received a penalty but remained in P13; and Jack Miller and Alex Rins, who remained in P14 and P15 after the penalty was applied.
Martin strikes Sprint gold ahead of high drama in Jerez: Acosta second, Pedrosa third
Marc Marquez one of 15 crashers as chaos reigns in Spain, before another dose post-race as penalties shake up the podium
Jorge Martin (89) leading the MotoGP Sprint Race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 27 April 2024
For Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), it was a smooth Tissot Sprint at the office at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0. But behind the #89, who extended his Championship lead, chaos reigned in Spain. 15 riders crashed, all ok. Most or many remounted. Rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) took second and made his first visit to the Sprint rostrum in front of a rapturous crowd. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) initially celebrated there too, gaining an unreal amount of positions, before a tyre pressure penalty demoted him to fifth. And that promoted MotoGP™ Legend and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing wildcard Dani Pedrosa to third.
Polesitter Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) crashed out the lead but remounted and then went on a charge, taking no prisoners. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) slid out in three separate incidents but in perfect sync. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), meanwhile, got the short end of a sandwich between Binder and Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), deemed a racing incident but with the other two continuing. COTA winner Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) also went down, and the list didn’t end there as a largely dry track, but not perfectly just yet, caught out some big big names. But let’s rewind to the start of a dramatic and chaotic Sprint.
As the lights went out, Marc Marquez bolted left to cover Bezzecchi and Martin, but Binder nailed it from P4 and nabbed the holeshot instead. The KTM put the hammer down immediately too, gaining some breathing space ahead of Martin, Marc Marquez and a storming start from Gresini teammate Alex Marquez. By Lap 2 Martin was back on the tail of Binder, however, attacking for the lead immediately.
Marc Marquez was next to strike, seeing the Prima Pramac machine starting to pull the pin and elbowing Binder out the way to give chase. But it wasn’t job done quite yet, with Binder replying at the final corner, pushing the #93 wide and then having his own moment on the exit, allowing both Gresini machines back through.
The drama then started really heating up. Three into one doesn’t go, and as Bezzecchi divebombed Bagnaia at Turn 1, in fairness getting it stopped pretty well, the reigning Champion was pushed a little wide. So Binder went for the gap, but Bezzecchi had gathered it up, leaving Bagnaia sandwiched as the #1 got punted out of action, rider ok but left on the sidelines. It seemed like the big drama of the day at the time, but it was only the half of it.
The next was Binder, Alex Marquez and Bastianini as they all slid out, leaving Acosta in third after he’d caught the group following his own misadventures in the early stages. Up ahead though, there was some distance to #MM93 and even more to Martin, with those two looking set to duel it out.
The gap from #89 to #93 had been coming down, and fast. Marc Marquez was on a charge and one small error from Martin had seen him lose the momentum with six laps to go, giving the Gresini a chance to strike. And it didn’t go begging, with the eight-time World Champion taking over in front. Martin would try to respond, but not long after that, he needed to no longer as the number 93 in the lead suddenly slid off, leaving Martin in free air in the lead on home turf. Acosta was at a distance, and now the race was on for the #89 to hold on. For Marc Marquez, the race was on to recover as many positions as possible.
Viñales then slid off, adding another key contender to the list, before the spotlight went back to Marquez as his charge started elbowing riders behind out the way, including a nudge of former Repsol Honda teammate Joan Mir, for which the #93 was then given a drop position penalty, quickly served. Meanwhile Quartararo was on his own march, gaining 14 positions in the first two laps and now in podium contention as he’d kept the hammer down, but he had close company from Pedrosa.
As Martin crossed the line up ahead, Acosta followed him home at around three seconds back in a Spanish 1-2 on home turf, and it’s a first for both – Jerez win for Martin, and Sprint podium for Acosta. But behind, the battle for third went to the wire as Pedrosa homed in on Quartararo, after Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) proved another faller, forced to forfeit that battle. The #26 shadowed the Yamaha ahead round the final lap but couldn’t find a gap, forced to settle for fourth before that post-race penalty for Quartararo. Then, it was that historic P3 as the Frenchman’s 8s penalty demoted him to fifth.
Amongst the chaos, Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) kept it together to take his equal best Sprint result in P4, ahead of Quartararo’s ultimate position. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) crossed the line in P6 but also got the automatic +8s tyre pressure penalty, dropping him out the points. Marc Marquez took that sixth by the flag after his charge, ahead of Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing); also sent wide by Marquez on his comeback, and Mir, who recovered from that incident to take the final Sprint point in P9. Bezzecchi and Diggia ultimately crashed out, riders ok. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) didn’t make it round Lap 1, and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed early on too. Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) both also crashed out.
In the aftermath of such high drama, Martin remains supreme at the top… but Acosta is now second in the standings and 29 points down. Start the Jaws music for Sunday? Maybe. But when the lights go out for the Grand Prix race, all that pace that went begging in the Sprint will be reset and reloaded for a serious cast of challengers… so don’t miss showtime at 14:00 (UTC +2)!
Aldeguer attacks for pole on home turf
Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) stormed to pole position at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, putting in a statement performance on Saturday as he continues the search for that first win of the year. Joining the #54 on the front row will be Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) who sneaked onto the front row after a great final lap – ending the session 0.438s adrift. CFMOTO Aspar Team’s Jake Dixon secured third, claiming a first front-row start of the season.
Heading the second row of the grid will be Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™), who will start from fourth after a great qualifying – ending the session ahead of Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team). The #10 will start inside the top five after setting a blisteringly quick 1:41.657 in tricky conditions. Americas GP and Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) starts from sixth, rounding out the second row. Find the full results below and then tune in for the intermediate class showdown at Jerez at 12:15 (UTC +2)!
Alonso pulls the pin for second pole in succession
David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) has been the fastest rider in Moto3™️ since Sunday at the Portuguese GP, and in Jerez even more so. The Colombian has been untouchably quick in most sessions so far and was so in qualifying for the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, over a second clear of the field until a late attack from David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) to cut the gap to just over two tenths. After duelling Alonso on the timesheets earlier still in the session, Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) completes the front row.
Row 2 is Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports), Rysuei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Q1’s fastest rider, rookie Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing), meanwhile Championship leader Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) crashed in the session and will have to put in a comeback from P18. Can he protect that two-point lead over Alonso? Tune in at 11:00 (UTC+2) to find out!
Fermin Aldeguer captured pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. The 18-year-old Spaniard used his Beta Tools SpeedUp Boscoscuro to turn a 1:40.673 lap time around the 2.7-mile (4.4 km) course, topping the field of 31 riders.
Albert Arenas was second-best with a lap time of 1:41.111 on his QJMOTOR Gresini Kalex, and Jake Dixon claimed the third and final sot on the front row with a 1:41.466 on his CFMOTO Aspar Team Kalex.
American Joe Roberts qualified 11th with a time of 1:41.759 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
David Alonso took pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO, the 18-year-old Colombian did a 1:44.954 around the 2.7-mile (4.4 km) course to top the field of 26 riders.
David Munoz was the best of the rest with a 1:45.174 on his BOE Motorsports KTM, and Collin Veijer captured the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:46.013 on his Liqui Moly Intact GP Husqvarna.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 28th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 13 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2024 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2023 season, finished 14th in the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship (best race finish was 7th), won 5 CVMA races; 2022 season, placed 10th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (best race finish was 4th, 9 top-10 finishes), won 2 CVMA 2021-2022 Winter Series Championship (500 Supersport, Ultra-Lightweight Shootout, and Formula Ultra-Lightweight), was highest overall point scorer in CVMA 2021-2022 Winter Series; 2021 season, finished 14th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (3 top-10 finishes, best race finish was 8th); 2020 season, won CVMA 2020-2021 Winter Series 500 Supersport and Ultra-Lightweight Shootout Expert Championships, won WERA West D Superbike Expert Championship, finished 2nd in WERA West Clubman Expert Championship (won 8 WERA races), won CVMA 2019-2020 Winter Series 500 SS Amateur Championship; 2019 season, won 3 WERA West Novice-class Championships (Clubman, D Superbike, Mini 50), won 20 WERA races.
2024 racing goal: Improve on 2023 performance.
Racing career goals: Compete as a Pro in MotoAmerica and move to World Superbike.
Racing heroes: Valentino Rossi, Greg Hancock.
Favorite tracks: Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Brainerd.
Favorite hobbies: Working out, photography/videography.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Playing video games or talking with friends.
…
Some of the riders who have graduated from Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include:
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar (R.I.P.);
2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Corey Alexander;
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P.);
2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and multi-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner J.D. Beach;
five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and Moto2 World Championship point scorer Cameron Beaubier;
MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Jackson Blackmon;
former Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas;
three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie;
former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day;
2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up and current MotoAmerica team owner Dustin Dominguez;
2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2019 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, and 2021 Canadian Superbike Champion Alex Dumas;
four-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race winner and former motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne (R.I.P.);
Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie;
two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick;
2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Bobby Fong;
2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne;
two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and World Superbike podium finisher Garrett Gerloff;
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion, 2023 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim;
2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.);
2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden;
eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden;
2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and three-time Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin;
MotoAmerica Supersport front-runner Teagg Hobbs;
AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden;
2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins;
2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up, 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, Moto2 World Championship point scorer, and MotoAmerica Superbike racer Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
two-time MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2020 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up Rocco Landers;
two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee;
2021 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup Champion Jake Lewis;
MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Sam Lochoff;
MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden;
AMA Pro SuperSport race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Stefano Mesa;
Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races;
AMA Pro XR1200 race winner, multi-time Loudon Classic winner, and three-time BRL Champion Shane Narbonne;
2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson;
2016 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion, 2019 British Motostar (Moto3) Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch;
2012 Daytona 200 winner and 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion Joey Pascarella;
AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner and multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Peris;
two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion, British Supersport podium finisher, 2020 AFT Production Twins Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship runner-up James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
2022 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up and 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship runner-up Gus Rodio;
former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and former FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.;
three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion, MotoGP race winner, and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies;
multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich;
MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher and former World Superbike competitor Jayson Uribe;
2017 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Championship runner-up, 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory Ventura;
Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh;
former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and MotoAmerica Super Hooligan race winner Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
Marc Marquez mastered tricky conditions to claim pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his year-old Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici on the wet 2.7-mile (4.4 km) track, Marquez turned a 1:46.773. Not only was that good enough to top the 25-rider field and give Marquez his first pole position on a Ducati, it was the 93rd pole position of Marquez’s career.
Marco Bezzecchi was the best of the rest with a 1:47.044 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati, and Jorge Martin claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:47.381 on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.
Jones powers to Superbike double at Queensland Raceway
Yamaha pilot Mike Jones has returned to his searing best with a double victory in the Alpinestars Superbike class at round three of the 2024 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK).
Once the 30-year-old gets into the groove, he’s extremely hard to contain, and so it was again today at Queensland Raceway as he waltzed to victories in both 16-lap Superbike races on his Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1.
His perfect scorecard – which also included a bonus point for pole position – saw him move up two spots in the seven-round championship race. He’s now third on 112.5pts, behind Josh Waters (McMartin Racing Ducati, 144.5) and his teammate Cru Halliday (115).
“It was a perfect weekend for me, and I can’t thank the Yamaha Racing Team enough,” said Jones.
“We had a really good test leading up to this round, but with such stiff competition nothing is ever a given.
“I hope we provided great entertainment for the fans, and I’m now looking forward to continuing my strong form in the next round at Morgan Park.”
Second overall in round three was Max Stauffer (Penrite Racing Yamaha), ahead of reigning Alpinestars Superbike champion Troy Herfoss (DesmoSport Ducati).
Stauffer was a revelation, nailing the holeshot in both races on his way to 2-3 results, while Herfoss finished with a 4-2 scorecard just a week after returning from racing commitments in America.
Alpinestars Superbike race one
Stauffer scored the holeshot from the front row and held the lead until lap eight before Jones took over the running after setting a new lap record of 1:07.434 during his reign-in mission – a whopping 0.4 seconds under Bryan Staring’s 2022 benchmark. And just to reinforce that he was in a hot zone, Jones then uncorked a near identical 1:07.437 on the very next lap…
After making short work of Stauffer and with clear air in front of him, it was then a matter of how far for Jones as he greeted the flag by nearly 2.5 seconds for his first win since the Morgan Park round of the 2023 championship.
“I was a little bit nervous at the start when I saw Stauffer take off, but I was able to find some extra speed to close the gap,” said Jones.
“It was still a really tough race, but it’s great to get back on the winner’s list as it’s been a while since we’ve had some success.”
With Stauffer ensconced in second, the battle for third was tight for most of the 16-lap journey between ASBK legends Herfoss, Waters and Glenn Allerton (GT Racing BMW) – a total of nine Superbike titles between them.
Allerton eventually fell into the clutches of Haliday with a few laps remaining, while the arm wrestle between Herfoss and Waters boiled down to the very last turn.
Herfoss then slowed after his bike began running out of fuel, and that was enough for Waters to slip past his long-time rival to extend his 2024 podium stretch to six races.
Halliday, Allerton, Broc Pearson (DesmoSport Ducati), Anthony West (Addicted to Track Yamaha), Arthur Sissis (Stop & Seal Yamaha) and Staring (MotoGo Yamaha) completed the top 10
Alpinestars Superbike race two
This time Jones hit the front with more haste, passing Stauffer on lap three. Even though Stauffer and then Herfoss kept Jones’ Yamaha in sight for most of the journey, the end result was always inevitable with the #46 Yamaha holding all the aces.
Jones defeated Herfoss – who had swept past Stauffer on lap nine – by nearly three seconds, with Stauffer third from Waters, the very impressive Sissis, Halliday, Allerton and Staring.
Pearson and 16-year-old rookie Cameron Dunker (Penrite Racing Yamaha) saw out the top 10, with the race ending badly for local star West after he crashed at turn four on the final lap.
Ahead of the next round at Morgan Park Raceway from July 12-14, the top three in the championship – Waters, Jones and Halliday – are followed in the standings by Stauffer (98pts), Pearson (97.5) and Herfoss (84).
Jones was also seriously fast at Morgan Park in 2023, so could the Yamaha rider make it another double there? It could certainly be a season-defining round for a number of riders in what has already been a fascinating championship.
Lincoln Financial Field hosted its first Supercross event, marking the return of the sport to Philadelphia for the first time since 1980. The 43-year gap between 450SX Class events in a city is the longest gap in the sport’s history. The 2024 event marks the first time the 250SX Class has dropped a starting gate in Pennsylvania. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports.
Jett Lawrence Nabs Philadelphia Supercross Win and Extends Points Lead
Max Anstie Grabs Victory at Pennsylvania’s First-Ever 250SX Class Race
Philadelphia, Pa. Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence grabbed the Holeshot and was never challenged for the lead to win Round 15 of the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. The victory, his seventh of the year, extends the rookie’s championship points lead to 12 with two rounds remaining.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Chase Sexton put down impressive laps late in the race to claw his way up to second place inside Lincoln Financial Field. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson used a risky charge on an outside line going into the final corner to grab the final spot on the podium. In the Eastern Regional 250SX Class, Fire Power Honda’s Max Anstie won a thrilling, must-see Main Event that delivered intense thrills.
Jett Lawrence (18). Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports.
“There’s only really one option with the start is: get a good start and be up there. And on this track, that’s a little difficult to pass [on], it definitely helped [to get the Holeshot]. Nailed my start finally and I know we’re still focusing on each race. I mean, [the] job’s not done yet so we’re going to stay focused and make sure we execute these last two rounds.” – Jett Lawrence
“I might have found some of my speed back in that Main Event. I had some good laps, came from pretty far back and, especially on a track like this that’s really hard to pass on, I feel like I made the best of it. Yeah, we made some big [adjustments] this week on the bike, and it seemed to pay off somewhat. So we’ll go back to work, keep improving, and [we] gotta get another win before the season’s out. I think I’m starting to get back to my normal form, and we’re looking forward to these last two rounds and heading into outdoors.” – Chase Sexton
“I wish I knew. I’ve just been, you know, working hard with the team, just trying to get better, get the bike better, me be better. I had that little mid-season [period] where I wasn’t riding that good and it’s nice to be back up here. I couldn’t do it without the whole Monster Energy Kawasaki team; man, we’ve been working our butts off… I’m excited to keep going and let’s keep charging!” – Jason Anderson, when asked what made the difference recently with his improved speed.
The Eastern Regional 250SX Class held its final non-Showdown event of the season and it was one of the most exciting races the class has yet to deliver. Max Anstie fought forward for the win after exiting the first turn in fifth place. It was Anstie’s first win of the season. The series points-leader, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle, got off to a bad start and had to push forward from outside the top ten. He eventually reached second place to extend his points lead to 15 with one round left in the season, the East/West Showdown at the finale in Salt Lake City. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan stalked Vialle as they both moved through the pack throughout the race. Deegan secured a third-place finish at the checkered flag and sits second in points in the championship.
Max Anstie (37). Photo courtesy Feld motor Sports.
“Man, I know you Philly crowd were cheering for Seth [Hammaker, who lead early in his hometown race]… It was so loud. It was crazy. I heard the crowd going wild and then I looked back and he wasn’t there, and I don’t know what happened. But man, obviously it was an exciting race. We needed this, my whole crew: Firepower, Yarrive my boss is over [from Australia], Marty [Davalos]; we’ve had a great couple of years, and we needed this this week. They’ve had a bit of rough week so [I’m] proud to give it to ‘em. I’m happy to get this done and looking forward to the final round in Salt Lake in a couple of weeks.” – Max Anstie
“I had a bad start and I was like, ‘Alright, this is going to be tough.’ And I actually saw Haiden was just in front of me, so I was like, ‘Okay, we are together in that.’ And we actually had a really good race. We came back from almost dead last to right behind Max. And no, I kept Haiden [for] the whole race behind me [after passing him on the opening lap]; that was my goal. And we did it. It was hard, but we pushed ‘till the end and I’m really proud of my ride tonight, and I really want to thank the team for the hard work, and everyone here. Philadelphia the city is awesome, actually, and thanks to everyone here.” – Tom Vialle
“If this race right here didn’t make you a fan of Supercross I don’t know what will. That was literally heart from every rider out there ‘till the end. That was gnarly. A lot of the good guys had a bad start, man, and we came through. Dudes were taking each other out over there [gestures to sand section]. I hope Pierce [Brown] is alright; that was exactly what I did at Daytona, just a gnarly cross rut [mistake] and it throws you off… I did go out there to win and it sucks obviously [not winning], but it was a good race, coming from the back. [We showed] good speed out of me and Tom; we had fun out there. I gave him a wheel every here and there but he’s a tough opponent and I respect [him], and I respect Max, too… To go out here and win in this supercross field is a gnarly deal. But going to the last round we’re going to try our best. It’s not over ‘till it’s over. But I’m still young, I have a big career ahead of me, but you know we’re going to fight ‘til the end. I got to give glory to God, man he’s by my side all the time watching over me and pushing me every day, and also my whole team… thank you guys.” – Haiden Deegan
With only two rounds now remaining, the 2024 Monster Energy Supercross season sprints toward its climax with two rounds over the next two consecutive weekends. Round 16 hits Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on May 4th. The event returns to the standard evening schedule and opening ceremonies commence at 4:30PM local (Mountain) time.
Every Supercross race in the 17-round season also pays points toward the SuperMotocross World Championship, which brings the heightened excitement of a post-season to the sport. The SuperMotocross League, in only its second year, totals up the Monster Energy AMA Supercross points and the AMA Pro Motocross season points. The post-season racing seeds the top 20 riders in each class, enters riders in positions 21-30 into a Last Chance Qualifier race at each post-season round, then re-sets the points to the equivalent of one Supercross event payout. Riders outside the top 30 who win a Supercross Main Event (or Triple Crown overall) or a Pro Motocross moto will also be seeded into the LCQ group of riders. Point payouts escalate over three rounds in September with the Final determining one SuperMotocross World Champion in each class.
Every race of the 28-round SuperMotocross World Championship, plus two round playoff and World Championship Final will be streamed live and available on-demand on Peacock. CNBC will air next-day encore presentations of each round, and select races will also be broadcast or streamed on NBC, USA Network, CNBC, NBCSports.com, and the NBC Sports app. Live audio coverage for each Supercross race can be found on SiriusXM Channel 85, NBC Sports Audio. International coverage is available through the SuperMotocross Video Pass (supermotocross.tv) live and on-demand, in both English and Spanish.
Nothing compares to experiencing the racing in-person, and Supercross tickets are on sale now for both remaining Monster Energy Supercross events. For ticket information and event details, as well as video highlights, race results, feature stories, and more, please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
Monday, April 29 at 9am ET the annual Love Moto Stop Cancer Supercross auction kicks off, benefitting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Race-worn jerseys, pants, helmets, goggles, and bike plastics from the sports top racers are donated to the online auction in an effort to raise money for the fight against childhood cancer. Fans can find the link to bid at supercrosslive.com/st-jude.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 28th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 13 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2024 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2023 season, finished 3rd in MotoAmerica Supersport Race One at New Jersey Motorsports Park becoming the first female to finish on the podium in a MotoAmerica Supersport race, placed 7th in MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship (competed in 8 of 14 races, 2 podium finishes), won 3 Yamaha bLU cRU R7 Cup races in Europe; 2022 season, became first female to win a MotoAmerica race, placed 3rd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (4 wins, 11 total podiums), finished 4th and 2nd in two Yamaha bLU cRU R3 SuperFinale races at Algarve International Circuit in Portugal; 2021 season, finished 8th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (started the season at round 4, 1 podium, 5 top-6 finishes in 12 races); 2020 season, finished 3rd in MotoAmerica Mini Cup 190 Championship (2 podium finishes in 3 races), won Lightweight Twins Superbike Expert AMA Grand Championship, won 3 WERA Sportsman National Championships, won 7 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships (won 31 WERA races); 2019 season, won Lightweight Twins Superbike Expert AMA Grand Championship, won 3 WERA Sportsman Series Regional Championships (won 38 WERA races); 2018 season, named AMA Novice Road Racer of the Year, won 2 AMA Road Race Grand National Championships, won 5 WERA Sportsman National Championships, won 4 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships, won ASRA Moto3 (Combined) National race, 41 WERA race wins; 2017 season, named AMA Youth Road Racer of the Year, won 3 WERA Sportsman National Championships, won 5 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships, 37 WERA race wins.
2024 racing goals: Keep improving through the season, keep learning, do some races in Europe, if possible.
Some of the riders who have graduated from Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include:
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar (R.I.P.);
2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Corey Alexander;
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P.);
2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and multi-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner J.D. Beach;
five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and Moto2 World Championship point scorer Cameron Beaubier;
MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Jackson Blackmon;
former Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas;
three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie;
former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day;
2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up and current MotoAmerica team owner Dustin Dominguez;
2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2019 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, and 2021 Canadian Superbike Champion Alex Dumas;
four-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race winner and former motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne (R.I.P.);
Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie;
two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick;
2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Bobby Fong;
2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne;
two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and World Superbike podium finisher Garrett Gerloff;
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion, 2023 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim;
2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.);
2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden;
eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden;
2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and three-time Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin;
MotoAmerica Supersport front-runner Teagg Hobbs;
AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden;
2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins;
2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up, 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, Moto2 World Championship point scorer, and MotoAmerica Superbike racer Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
two-time MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2020 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up Rocco Landers;
two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee;
2021 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup Champion Jake Lewis;
MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Sam Lochoff;
MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden;
AMA Pro SuperSport race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Stefano Mesa;
Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races;
AMA Pro XR1200 race winner, multi-time Loudon Classic winner, and three-time BRL Champion Shane Narbonne;
2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson;
2016 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion, 2019 British Motostar (Moto3) Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch;
2012 Daytona 200 winner and 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion Joey Pascarella;
AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner and multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Peris;
two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion, British Supersport podium finisher, 2020 AFT Production Twins Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship runner-up James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
2022 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up and 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship runner-up Gus Rodio;
former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and former FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.;
three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion, MotoGP race winner, and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies;
multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich;
MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher and former World Superbike competitor Jayson Uribe;
2017 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Championship runner-up, 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory Ventura;
Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh;
former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and MotoAmerica Super Hooligan race winner Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
Brandon Robinson (44) beat Jared Mees (1) to the checkered flag at the Texas Half-Mile. Photo courtesy AFT.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 27, 2024) – Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) successfully defended his team’s home turf in a spectacular Mission SuperTwins Main Event to headline Saturday night’s Mission Texas Half-Mile presented by Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda and Roof Systems of Dallas, Round 4 of the 2024 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
A victory at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, was always the dream result for the locally-based Mission Roof Systems outfit, but Robinson would have to go through both nine-time Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Rogers Racing/SDI Racing/Indian Motorcycle FTR750) and premier-class phenom Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to do so.
Estenson ace Daniels blasted into the lead off the launch and Mees dove up the inside as the two threatened another 1-2 breakaway at the front. Robinson was having none of it, however, tracking the duo down to transform the lead pack into a three-piece before they could shake free.
For the next few minutes, the trio traded positions in a flurry of moves before Robinson grasped command as the contest approached half distance. His thoughts of making an escape were upended by brake issues and Mees – the greatest Half-Miler in the history of the series and the winner of the previous three Texas Half-Miles – stormed back alongside Robinson with two to go.
Mees attempted an around-the-outside bid to steal away the win on the race’s final corner, but Robinson held firm, edging the factory Indian pilot to the checkered flag by a narrow 0.120-second margin. Daniels came home in third another 0.676 seconds back.
“When we unloaded, I was definitely uncomfortable to start the day,” Robinson admitted. “Huge shout out to Ben Evans and Kayl Kolkman – they got me dialed-in. That race was epic. I’ve never really had a firm grasp on this place in the past, but tonight was awesome. I was able to use the high line in the beginning to make some moves and get around the guys. From there, I felt really good, but with about four minutes to go, I lost brakes, which was not fun. But we weathered that storm. It’s awesome to start the season the way we have. Big thanks to Mission Foods and Jerry Stinchfield at Roof Systems – they make our program happen.”
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) came out on top of a two-rider fight for fourth that also included two-time Mission SuperTwins champ Briar Bauman (No. 3 Rick Ware Racing/KTM/Parts Plus KTM 790 Duke).
Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Ohio Indian FTR750) crossed the line clear in sixth, while Max Whale (No. 18 Latus Motors Racing/Liqui Moly Harley-Davidson XG750R), Brandon Price (No. 92 Memphis Shades/Corbin/OTBR Yamaha MT-07), Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), and Declan Bender (No. 70 GOMR/BriggsAuto.com/Martin Trucking Indian FTR750) completed the top ten in that order.
After failing to win a race in 2023, Robinson became the first rider to claim a second Mission SuperTwins victory in 2024. He also took control of the championship lead in the process, as Robinson now leads Daniels by four points (86-82). Mees remains well within striking distance at 75 points in his quest to secure an unprecedented tenth GNC.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
It turns out 13 was the lucky number for Chase Saathoff (No. 88 JPG Motorsports Honda CRF450R) in his protracted, often excruciating, pursuit of a maiden Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER win.
After having previously notched up 12 podiums – half of those runners-up – Saathoff at last secured that elusive win, even if it didn’t play out quite the way he had envisioned.
In fact, the Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event felt as if it was actively attempting to derail Saathoff’s luck as opposed to indulging it.
After showcasing race-winning speed throughout the day, Saathoff’s bid was pushed until the end of the day when inclement weather forced a reshuffling of the schedule. And when it did finally take place, the Main was red-flagged no less than three times – each one with Saathoff in the lead – due to a combination of precipitation and crashes.
The race was ultimately called complete with just over one minute remaining on the clock. As a result, Saathoff was awarded the win despite being robbed of the satisfaction of crossing the finish line in first.
Saathoff said, “It was crazy for sure. Every time there was a red flag, I’d just try to go over and control my thoughts. I pulled through with like four holeshots and can’t be more stoked with this, I would say, ‘win.’ I got the holeshot and led all of the race, but I would have liked to have taken the checkered flag. But I’ll take it. I’m not ashamed of it. I’d like to thank everybody so much for all their support.”
Title fighters Kody Kopp (No. 1 Rick Ware Racing/Parts Plus KTM 450 SX-F) and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) were credited in second and third after charging their way forward – Kopp in particular after running as low as eighth in the early going.
Kopp still holds a commanding lead with 92 points, while Saathoff’s breakthrough win elevated him into second (75) followed by Drane in third (69).
For those who can’t catch the action from the circuit, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at http://flosports.link/aft.
FOX Sports coverage of the Mission Texas Half-Mile, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, May 5, at 11:00 a.m. ET (8:00 a.m. PT).
Morelli heads Argentine Rookies 1-2 in Jerez thriller
Marco Morelli scored a superb win over fellow Argentinian Valentin Perrone with Spaniards Màximo Quiles and Alvaro Carpe chasing them across the stripe.
The opening race of the 2024 Red Bull Rookies Cup season had everything from a hoard of different leaders, torrid race-long action and a last corner mêlée.
A blow-by-blow account is pointless, it was almost impossible to keep up with the overtaking from Uriarte’s superb start through pole man Quiles fighting back and the other leaders that included Ruche Moodley, Rico Salmela, Hakim Danish and finally Morelli.
Marco Morelli takes last corner win
“I am very happy, amazing, my first victory in Rookies Cup,” enthused the 16-year-old Argentine. “The race was a little bit crazy, in the opening laps I tried to push, if someone passed me I passed back it was crazy.”
“In the last laps, I tried to overtake, it was a little bit impossible so coming into the final corner I said to myself, OK, I will brake later….”
“I braked, later, later but….the other guys braked so so late. As I arrived I thought, for sure they go wide and I went inside, through the corner I saw them all wide and as soon as I saw the exit I went full gas, the rear was sliding, I was balancing it. Full gas and the victory.”
“I am happy with the win and it was a big thrill for me to see the flag of Argentina above the podium. This is amazing.”
“Corner 6 there was some water, if you ran wide you were in trouble, the same on Corner 2. Also, it was windy. Tomorrow it will be cold but I think the race will be quicker. The bike felt great from the test and this weekend, so I don’t need to change anything for tomorrow.”
Valentin Perrone takes debut podium
“I didn’t expect to manage that in my first Rookies Cup race,” exclaimed the Argentinian 16-year-old. “I struggled a bit in the opening laps, it was difficult to overtake. But finally, I settled, I kept calm, managed to push later in the race and be in a position to go for it on the last lap.”
“I don’t know what happened in the last corner, just that I got through it well and took second.”
Màximo Quiles grabs close 3rd
“I wanted to win that one, I had a chance at the last corner but just missed,” explained the happy 16-year-old Spaniard.
“Early in the race I got to the front and opened a bit the gap but as I was pushing I could feel the bike moving around quite a lot so I said to myself to relax, save some tyres for the end.”
“Then in the last laps, I pushed but I then went wide on the wet and they overtook me and I had to catch up again. Going down to the last corner I was 4th, I braked so hard, I overtook everybody, then I saw Brian crash and I lost a bit my concentration. Also, I touched the wet a bit and slid but saved it and gave it gas to the finish.”
Alvaro Carpe makes good start to season with 4th
“It was a good race, I take the good things from the race, it adds to my experience and I can use that tomorrow,” explained the 16-year-old Spaniard, not thrilled with Race 1. “I am happy with my KTM and the feeling and the only problem was the wet patches on the track which made it a very difficult race.”
“So I am quite happy with the result, 4th is good for the points, important for the championship. It’s not my best result but it is positive and I hope to do better tomorrow, the bike is good I will not change anything.”
Rico Salmela was in front but finished 5th
“It was a bit difficult, you couldn’t always see the wet patches,” explained the 16-year-old Finn. “You had to work out lap by lap where the slippery patches were and try to ride as best you can in these conditions.”
“Finally the race was OK, I got to the front, on the last lap I led, at the last corner I led but…. I was waiting for the victory…. But still, I got points, Luckily I didn’t crash.”
“The bike is good I don’t plan to change it, just the result.”
Brian Uriarte took 6th after last corner fall
“I had to try, that’s how it is,” stated the Spanish 15-year-old. “Until the chequered flag anything can happen. I pushed a lot, I ran at the front and I am happy with the result.”
“I think I had a good pace, I felt comfortable overtaking, not struggling a lot.”
“In the last laps, the tyres started to slide but I still had a good feel for it. I still would like to improve the bike if we can as I have the rear wheel hopping on the brakes but through the corner and out of it the bike is great. We will see what we can do.”
Ruche Moodley out front but out of luck
“Early in the race I took it a bit easier, just to check the track and save it for the end,” stated the South African 17-year-old. “With 6 laps to go, I started pushing and I could be in the front quite easily and overtake quite comfortably.”
“Then with 2 laps to go Danish took me out completely and that was it, a shame, I had the pace to fight for the win. We need to fix the bike for tomorrow, it’s completely destroyed.”
Hakim Danish falls up front
“The race was good, in the beginning, I was a little bit back in the group but I just stayed calm,” explained the Malaysian 16-year-old. “Then in the middle of the race I tried to push a bit more and got to the front. Then in the last two laps at the last corner, I tried to overtake but made a mistake and crashed and hit another rider.”
“But It was a good race, I had the speed, I could fight at the front and I feel strong on this bike, I want to fight at the front again tomorrow and this time finish on the podium.”
Veda Pratama ran fast but fell twice
“Not a good race, bad luck for me I think,” explained the Indonesian 15-year-old. “Some corners were slippery and when I ran wide I crashed, bad luck for me.”
“I hope the track is completely dry tomorrow and I will improve my pace and my luck.”
Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto, in Spain. Photo by Polarity Photo, courtesy KTM.
Jorge Martin won the FIM MotoGP World Championship Sprint Race Saturday afternoon at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP24, the Spaniard won the 12-lap race by 2.970 seconds, extending his lead in the point standings.
Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta was the runner-up on his Red Bull Tech3 GASGAS, and Fabio Quartararo took an impressive third place on his Monster Energy Yamaha YZR-M1, just ahead of Red Bull KTM test rider Dani Pedrosa. Martin’s teammate Franco Morbidelli rounded out the top five finishers.
UPDATE: But that was before several riders were penalized eight seconds each for violating minimum tire pressure rules. Pedrosa was promoted to P3 in the Tissot Sprint as Quartararo, Fernandez, Di Giannantonio, Miller, and Rins were handed the penalties. Riders must comply with the minimum pressures for 30% of laps during the Sprint or 60% of laps in any race distance over 15 laps.
Quartararo had qualified 23rd on the grid but battled Pedrosa and crossed the line in P3. However, Quartararo was demoted to P5 after the eight-second penalty was applied, placing him behind Pedrosa and Franco Morbidelli.
Other riders receiving eight-second penalties included Raul Fernandez, who dropped from P6 to P12; Fabio Di Giannantonio, who received a penalty but remained in P13; and Jack Miller and Alex Rins, who remained in P14 and P15 after the penalty was applied.
Martin strikes Sprint gold ahead of high drama in Jerez: Acosta second, Pedrosa third
Marc Marquez one of 15 crashers as chaos reigns in Spain, before another dose post-race as penalties shake up the podium
Jorge Martin (89) leading the MotoGP Sprint Race at Jerez. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Saturday, 27 April 2024
For Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), it was a smooth Tissot Sprint at the office at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0. But behind the #89, who extended his Championship lead, chaos reigned in Spain. 15 riders crashed, all ok. Most or many remounted. Rookie Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) took second and made his first visit to the Sprint rostrum in front of a rapturous crowd. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) initially celebrated there too, gaining an unreal amount of positions, before a tyre pressure penalty demoted him to fifth. And that promoted MotoGP™ Legend and Red Bull KTM Factory Racing wildcard Dani Pedrosa to third.
Polesitter Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) crashed out the lead but remounted and then went on a charge, taking no prisoners. Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) slid out in three separate incidents but in perfect sync. Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), meanwhile, got the short end of a sandwich between Binder and Marco Bezzecchi (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), deemed a racing incident but with the other two continuing. COTA winner Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing) also went down, and the list didn’t end there as a largely dry track, but not perfectly just yet, caught out some big big names. But let’s rewind to the start of a dramatic and chaotic Sprint.
As the lights went out, Marc Marquez bolted left to cover Bezzecchi and Martin, but Binder nailed it from P4 and nabbed the holeshot instead. The KTM put the hammer down immediately too, gaining some breathing space ahead of Martin, Marc Marquez and a storming start from Gresini teammate Alex Marquez. By Lap 2 Martin was back on the tail of Binder, however, attacking for the lead immediately.
Marc Marquez was next to strike, seeing the Prima Pramac machine starting to pull the pin and elbowing Binder out the way to give chase. But it wasn’t job done quite yet, with Binder replying at the final corner, pushing the #93 wide and then having his own moment on the exit, allowing both Gresini machines back through.
The drama then started really heating up. Three into one doesn’t go, and as Bezzecchi divebombed Bagnaia at Turn 1, in fairness getting it stopped pretty well, the reigning Champion was pushed a little wide. So Binder went for the gap, but Bezzecchi had gathered it up, leaving Bagnaia sandwiched as the #1 got punted out of action, rider ok but left on the sidelines. It seemed like the big drama of the day at the time, but it was only the half of it.
The next was Binder, Alex Marquez and Bastianini as they all slid out, leaving Acosta in third after he’d caught the group following his own misadventures in the early stages. Up ahead though, there was some distance to #MM93 and even more to Martin, with those two looking set to duel it out.
The gap from #89 to #93 had been coming down, and fast. Marc Marquez was on a charge and one small error from Martin had seen him lose the momentum with six laps to go, giving the Gresini a chance to strike. And it didn’t go begging, with the eight-time World Champion taking over in front. Martin would try to respond, but not long after that, he needed to no longer as the number 93 in the lead suddenly slid off, leaving Martin in free air in the lead on home turf. Acosta was at a distance, and now the race was on for the #89 to hold on. For Marc Marquez, the race was on to recover as many positions as possible.
Viñales then slid off, adding another key contender to the list, before the spotlight went back to Marquez as his charge started elbowing riders behind out the way, including a nudge of former Repsol Honda teammate Joan Mir, for which the #93 was then given a drop position penalty, quickly served. Meanwhile Quartararo was on his own march, gaining 14 positions in the first two laps and now in podium contention as he’d kept the hammer down, but he had close company from Pedrosa.
As Martin crossed the line up ahead, Acosta followed him home at around three seconds back in a Spanish 1-2 on home turf, and it’s a first for both – Jerez win for Martin, and Sprint podium for Acosta. But behind, the battle for third went to the wire as Pedrosa homed in on Quartararo, after Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) proved another faller, forced to forfeit that battle. The #26 shadowed the Yamaha ahead round the final lap but couldn’t find a gap, forced to settle for fourth before that post-race penalty for Quartararo. Then, it was that historic P3 as the Frenchman’s 8s penalty demoted him to fifth.
Amongst the chaos, Franco Morbidelli (Prima Pramac Racing) kept it together to take his equal best Sprint result in P4, ahead of Quartararo’s ultimate position. Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse Racing) crossed the line in P6 but also got the automatic +8s tyre pressure penalty, dropping him out the points. Marc Marquez took that sixth by the flag after his charge, ahead of Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3), Miguel Oliveira (Trackhouse Racing); also sent wide by Marquez on his comeback, and Mir, who recovered from that incident to take the final Sprint point in P9. Bezzecchi and Diggia ultimately crashed out, riders ok. Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) didn’t make it round Lap 1, and Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) crashed early on too. Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) and Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) both also crashed out.
In the aftermath of such high drama, Martin remains supreme at the top… but Acosta is now second in the standings and 29 points down. Start the Jaws music for Sunday? Maybe. But when the lights go out for the Grand Prix race, all that pace that went begging in the Sprint will be reset and reloaded for a serious cast of challengers… so don’t miss showtime at 14:00 (UTC +2)!
Aldeguer attacks for pole on home turf
Fermin Aldeguer (Beta Tools SpeedUp) stormed to pole position at the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, putting in a statement performance on Saturday as he continues the search for that first win of the year. Joining the #54 on the front row will be Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™) who sneaked onto the front row after a great final lap – ending the session 0.438s adrift. CFMOTO Aspar Team’s Jake Dixon secured third, claiming a first front-row start of the season.
Heading the second row of the grid will be Manuel Gonzalez (QJMOTOR Gresini Moto2™), who will start from fourth after a great qualifying – ending the session ahead of Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team). The #10 will start inside the top five after setting a blisteringly quick 1:41.657 in tricky conditions. Americas GP and Championship leader Sergio Garcia (MT Helmets – MSI) starts from sixth, rounding out the second row. Find the full results below and then tune in for the intermediate class showdown at Jerez at 12:15 (UTC +2)!
Alonso pulls the pin for second pole in succession
David Alonso (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) has been the fastest rider in Moto3™️ since Sunday at the Portuguese GP, and in Jerez even more so. The Colombian has been untouchably quick in most sessions so far and was so in qualifying for the Gran Premio Estrella Galicia 0,0 de España, over a second clear of the field until a late attack from David Muñoz (BOE Motorsports) to cut the gap to just over two tenths. After duelling Alonso on the timesheets earlier still in the session, Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) completes the front row.
Row 2 is Joel Kelso (BOE Motorsports), Rysuei Yamanaka (MT Helmets – MSI) and Q1’s fastest rider, rookie Angel Piqueras (Leopard Racing), meanwhile Championship leader Dani Holgado (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) crashed in the session and will have to put in a comeback from P18. Can he protect that two-point lead over Alonso? Tune in at 11:00 (UTC+2) to find out!
Fermin Aldeguer captured pole position during Moto2 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. The 18-year-old Spaniard used his Beta Tools SpeedUp Boscoscuro to turn a 1:40.673 lap time around the 2.7-mile (4.4 km) course, topping the field of 31 riders.
Albert Arenas was second-best with a lap time of 1:41.111 on his QJMOTOR Gresini Kalex, and Jake Dixon claimed the third and final sot on the front row with a 1:41.466 on his CFMOTO Aspar Team Kalex.
American Joe Roberts qualified 11th with a time of 1:41.759 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
David Alonso took pole position during Moto3 World Championship qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his Gaviota Aspar Team CFMOTO, the 18-year-old Colombian did a 1:44.954 around the 2.7-mile (4.4 km) course to top the field of 26 riders.
David Munoz was the best of the rest with a 1:45.174 on his BOE Motorsports KTM, and Collin Veijer captured the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:46.013 on his Liqui Moly Intact GP Husqvarna.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 28th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 13 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2024 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2023 season, finished 14th in the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship (best race finish was 7th), won 5 CVMA races; 2022 season, placed 10th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (best race finish was 4th, 9 top-10 finishes), won 2 CVMA 2021-2022 Winter Series Championship (500 Supersport, Ultra-Lightweight Shootout, and Formula Ultra-Lightweight), was highest overall point scorer in CVMA 2021-2022 Winter Series; 2021 season, finished 14th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (3 top-10 finishes, best race finish was 8th); 2020 season, won CVMA 2020-2021 Winter Series 500 Supersport and Ultra-Lightweight Shootout Expert Championships, won WERA West D Superbike Expert Championship, finished 2nd in WERA West Clubman Expert Championship (won 8 WERA races), won CVMA 2019-2020 Winter Series 500 SS Amateur Championship; 2019 season, won 3 WERA West Novice-class Championships (Clubman, D Superbike, Mini 50), won 20 WERA races.
2024 racing goal: Improve on 2023 performance.
Racing career goals: Compete as a Pro in MotoAmerica and move to World Superbike.
Racing heroes: Valentino Rossi, Greg Hancock.
Favorite tracks: Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Brainerd.
Favorite hobbies: Working out, photography/videography.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Playing video games or talking with friends.
…
Some of the riders who have graduated from Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include:
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar (R.I.P.);
2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Corey Alexander;
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P.);
2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and multi-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner J.D. Beach;
five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and Moto2 World Championship point scorer Cameron Beaubier;
MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Jackson Blackmon;
former Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas;
three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie;
former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day;
2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up and current MotoAmerica team owner Dustin Dominguez;
2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2019 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, and 2021 Canadian Superbike Champion Alex Dumas;
four-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race winner and former motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne (R.I.P.);
Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie;
two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick;
2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Bobby Fong;
2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne;
two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and World Superbike podium finisher Garrett Gerloff;
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion, 2023 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim;
2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.);
2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden;
eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden;
2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and three-time Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin;
MotoAmerica Supersport front-runner Teagg Hobbs;
AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden;
2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins;
2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up, 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, Moto2 World Championship point scorer, and MotoAmerica Superbike racer Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
two-time MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2020 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up Rocco Landers;
two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee;
2021 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup Champion Jake Lewis;
MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Sam Lochoff;
MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden;
AMA Pro SuperSport race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Stefano Mesa;
Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races;
AMA Pro XR1200 race winner, multi-time Loudon Classic winner, and three-time BRL Champion Shane Narbonne;
2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson;
2016 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion, 2019 British Motostar (Moto3) Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch;
2012 Daytona 200 winner and 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion Joey Pascarella;
AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner and multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Peris;
two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion, British Supersport podium finisher, 2020 AFT Production Twins Champion, and 2023 MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Championship runner-up James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
2022 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up and 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship runner-up Gus Rodio;
former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and former FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.;
three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion, MotoGP race winner, and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies;
multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich;
MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher and former World Superbike competitor Jayson Uribe;
2017 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Championship runner-up, 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory Ventura;
Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh;
former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and MotoAmerica Super Hooligan race winner Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
Marc Marquez mastered tricky conditions to claim pole position during MotoGP qualifying Saturday at Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto, in Spain. Riding his year-old Gresini Racing Ducati Desmosedici on the wet 2.7-mile (4.4 km) track, Marquez turned a 1:46.773. Not only was that good enough to top the 25-rider field and give Marquez his first pole position on a Ducati, it was the 93rd pole position of Marquez’s career.
Marco Bezzecchi was the best of the rest with a 1:47.044 on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Ducati, and Jorge Martin claimed the third and final spot on the front row with a 1:47.381 on his Prima Pramac Racing Ducati.
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