MotoAmerica: Five Classes, 137 Entries Slated For Road Atlanta (Updated)

David Swarts

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April 18, 2024

MotoAmerica: Five Classes, 137 Entries Slated For Road Atlanta (Updated)

Ready, Set, Go: The 10th Anniversary Season Of MotoAmerica Begins In Earnest At Road Atlanta

Superbike, Supersport And Junior Cup Get Their Championships Started This Weekend At Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

IRVINE, CA (April 18, 2024) – While Mission King Of The Baggers and BellissiMoto Twins Cup already have races under their belts in 2024, Steel Commander Superbike, Supersport and Junior Cup will start their championships this coming weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta as the 10th anniversary of the MotoAmerica series begins in earnest in Braselton, Georgia, April 19-21.

Excitement is high as a full contingent of five classes and 10 races are slated for the iconic Road Atlanta with 137 entries spread over the five classes.

Here’s a closer look at the Support classes after yesterday’s preview of the Steel Commander Superbike opener.

Supersport – 44 Entries! Say What?

Forty-four entries will attempt to qualify for the two Supersport races at Road Atlanta. That’s right. Forty-four.

Where do we begin? Since defending class champion Xavi Forés, who won both races at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta last year, isn’t defending his title, we can’t start there. And since Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin is racing Superbikes for the rest of the season, we can’t start there.

So, let’s begin with how they finished behind Forés last year and go from there.

That puts us right smack dab on the rider who really has to be the pre-season favorite – Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott. Scott ended up second in the title chase in 2023, winning four of the last seven races and standing on the podium a total of 11 times. The youngster from Pennsylvania returns with the same team and the same aspirations. Last year, Scott was second and fourth in the two races at Road Atlanta.

Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa, fourth in the standings last year with one win and five other podiums, is the second-highest finisher in Supersport who is returning to the class (Josh Hayes, who was third in last year’s title chase, isn’t entered at Road Atlanta).

Scott’s teammate from last year, Teagg Hobbs, is also returning to the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki fold after finishing fifth in last year’s championship with three podium finishes.

Jake Lewis, seventh last year, is another returnee and he will do so with the Altus Racing team on a Suzuki GSX-R750. Ditto for racer/team owner David Anthony who was eighth in 2023 on his own Wrench Motorcycles-backed team.

Super Carl Racing’s Carl Soltisz rounds out the list of those finishing in the top 10 who are returning to the Supersport wars again.

So, who is new? That list is long, and it starts with the new three-rider Rahal Ducati Moto w/XPEL team of PJ Jacobsen, Kayla Yaakov, and Cory Alexander (who will race with Roller Die + Forming sponsorship) on Ducati Panigale V2s.

The biggest new name in Supersport is Mathew Scholtz, the South African winner of five MotoAmerica Superbike races in his career. With the demise of Westby Racing, Scholtz drops down to the Supersport category with Strack Racing (nee Squid Hunter Racing) on a Yamaha YZF-R6. The team has Yamaha support and Scholtz should be up front from the get-go.

Two-time MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion Blake Davis makes the move to Supersport full time for the N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto team and its Yamaha YZF-R6.

Melissa Paris’s MP13 Racing has changed brands and will field a two-rider team of Italian Roberto Tamburini and Hunter Dunham on MV Agusta F3 800.

There are a few moving up from other classes, namely Max Van who will race a Suzuki GSX-R750 for SportbikeTrackGear.com. after several years of Junior Cup wins and podiums.

Mission King Of The Baggers – The Battle Has Begun

With four races under its belt, the Mission King Of The Baggers class is in full swing while the majority of the other classes have yet to dip a toe into the 2024 MotoAmerica pool.

While it’s obviously still early in the season, it’s not too early to see how this is going to play out. Simply put, it’s going to be a war.

Leading the battle thus far is Harley-Davidson Factory Racing’s Kyle Wyman, with the New Yorker winning three of the four races from the two rounds held at Daytona International Speedway and Circuit of The Americas. In the race he didn’t win, Wyman finished second.

But before we start handing out number-one plates, there’s plenty left to fight for and plenty of those willing to fight. At the top of that heap is class rookie Troy Herfoss and his S&S/Indian Motorcycle Challenger. Herfoss won his first career Mission King Of The Baggers race in the first of two races at COTA, and he’s been a close second to Wyman in the three races the Road Glide-mounted Wyman has won.

Wyman leads the Australian by 10 points as the series heads to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

The top two have been consistently fast at both racetracks and that has put them 34 (Wyman) and 24 (Herfoss) points ahead of Wyman’s Harley teammate James Rispoli, who has three third-place finishes and a fourth so far in 2024. Herfoss’s teammate Tyler O’Hara started his season with a few bumps in the road at Daytona, but he rebounded nicely with his first podium of the year at COTA.

Then comes the RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s duo of defending Mission King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim and rookie Rocco Landers. Gillim has been in the mix in all four of the races held so far and Landers is learning the ropes with a best of fifth place so far in his debut at Daytona.

Even though he is currently eighth in the title chase behind RydFast Racing’s Kyle Ohnsorg, a wise man would never bet against SDI/Roland Sands Racing/Indian Motorcycle’s Bobby Fong winning races. After a wretched Daytona, Fong was fourth in the battle and finished fourth in race two at COTA.

BellissiMoto Twins Cup – Gus. Rodio.

The takeaway from the opening round of the BellissiMoto Twins Cup season is that Gus Rodio isn’t messing around. Rodio and his Aprilia RS 660 dominated both races at Daytona International Speedway, winning by big margins in each and breaking the lap record for the class on several occasions.

But Daytona is Daytona. At least that’s what you’re saying if you were on the losing end of the runaway train that was Rodio in Florida.

Although he lost 19 points to Rodio at Daytona, you won’t see much in the way of panic from RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Rocco Landers. After all, no one has won more Twins Cup races (15 wins) than 2020 class champion Landers. Considering he was on a new bike (the Suzuki GSX-8R) and with a new team, fifth and second wasn’t a bad beginning at Daytona.

Landers heads to Road Atlanta trailing Rodio by 19 points.

Third in the title chase after the opening round is Rodio’s Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering teammate Alessandro Di Mario. Di Mario was fourth and third in the two races.

Rossi Moor made his BellissiMoto Twins Cup debut at Daytona and was seventh and fourth on the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-8R, which puts him fourth heading into Road Atlanta.

Dominic Doyle won a Twins Cup race last year at Pittsburgh International Race Complex and was also up front at Daytona, finishing second in race one. Doyle’s Giaccomoto Yamaha Racing’s teammate Sonya Lloyd will also be in action after a pair of 12ths in her Twins Cup debut at Daytona.

Last year’s Junior Cup Champion Avery Dreher will be pulling double duty and adding BellissiMoto Twins Cup to his weekends after finishing third in race one at Daytona before DNFing race two.

Former Junior Cup racer Sean Ungvarsky returned to MotoAmerica action at Daytona with a pair of top-10 finishes and he will be in action at Road Atlanta on a Koch Racing Yamaha YZF-R7.

Junior Cup – Who Will Battle Dreher

It would be extremely hard to pick someone other than defending champion Avery Dreher to win the 2024 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship. After all, Dreher and his Bad Boys Racing team won six of the 12 races last year against the Rossi Moors, Levi Badies and Eli Blocks of the world. And other than Block, those race winners from 2023 have moved on.

But as certain as we are that Dreher starts the season as the favorite, we’re equally confident that there will be someone who steps up to challenge the Floridian. We’re just not sure who that will be, and that’s half the fun of MotoAmerica’s Junior Cup class. New year, new faces.

The highest-ranking Junior Cup racers from last year staying in the class are Fernandez Racing’s Jayden Fernandez (sixth in 2023 with two podiums) and Yandel Medina, the New York Safety Track Racing rider from New York who was seventh in last year’s title chase with two podiums. Then there’s the aforementioned Block, who will ride a BARTCON Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400 alongside Maryland’s Matthew Chapin.

Also keep an eye on last year’s Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award winner Trenton Keesee.

Two foreign riders will line up at the Road Atlanta opener – El Salvador’s JT Rivera and Brit Kobe Garbett. Garbett will also be on the only non-Kawasaki Ninja 400 in the class as he will grid up on a Yamaha YZF-R3.

Pre-Road Atlanta Notes…

Kyle Wyman won both of the Mission King Of The Baggers races at Road Atlanta last year, besting Tyler O’Hara in the pair of races. Third in race one went to Hayden Gillim with Bobby Fong finishing third in race two.

Wyman earned pole position for the two Bagger races with his 1:30.427 to lead O’Hara and his 1:31.092 and Gillim’s 1:31.366.

Last year’s two Supersport races were won by Xavi Forés in his first time to Road Atlanta. Forés beat Tyler Scott in race one and Stefano Mesa in race two. Josh Hayes was third in both races.

Forés earned pole position for the Supersport races with his 1:28.977, just over a second off Garrett Gerloff’s lap record of 1:27.860 from race two in 2017.

In Twins Cup action from a year ago, Blake Davis and Rocco Landers split wins with Gus Rodio finishing second in both races. Both Davis and Landers had issues in the races they didn’t win with Davis 11th in race two and Landers DNFing in race one.

Landers was on pole position for the two Twins Cup races with his 1:31.907 at new Road Atlanta lap record for the Twins.

Avery Dreher was perfect at Road Atlanta last year with two victories in the Junior Cup class. Dreher topped Max Van in both races with Hayden Bicknese third in both.

Eighteen of the 44 Supersport entries will be mounted on Suzuki GSX-R750s, the highest of the six manufacturers in the class. Kawasaki is next with 10 ZX-6Rs entered. Yamaha will be represented by seven YZF-R6s with five Ducati Panigale V2s, two Triumphs and two MV Agustas filling the entry list.

Nine countries will also be represented among those 44 Supersport entries: South Africa, Colombia, Italy, Mexico, El Salvador, Australia, Uruguay, Canada and the USA

About MotoAmerica

MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. To watch all things MotoAmerica, subscribe to MotoAmerica’s live streaming and video on demand service, MotoAmerica Live+

More, from a press release issued by Rahal Ducati Moto:

RACE PREVIEW: ROAD ATLANTA

The Rahal Ducati Moto team prepares for the first two rounds of Supersport points competition at Road Atlanta.

ZIONSVILLE, Ind (04.17.2024) – After a six-week break, the trio of Rahal Ducati Moto riders and their teams are preparing to begin their MotoAmerica Supersport championship journey.

Since the Daytona 200, the team has made several changes to prepare the Ducati Panigale V2s for regular-season competition. Additionally, the team has welcomed former Supersport champion and industry veteran Richard Alexander Jr. to the team as team manager.

The team heads to the 2.550-mile track just outside of Atlanta after a successful test at Barber Motorsports Park on Monday.

The trio of riders will take the track for Practice and Qualifying 1 on Friday, followed by Qualifying 2 and Race 1 on Saturday, and a warm-up and Race 2 on Sunday.

QUOTE BOARD:

COREY ALEXANDER (No. 23 Roller Die + Forming Ducati Panigale V2): “I’m super excited for Road Atlanta. The anticipation since Daytona has been building up and I know the team has made a lot of really big changes to the bikes and the overall structure to make sure we have the best possible weapon to race with. I’m eager to see how the weekend plays out. Thanks to Graham and everyone at RDM for the huge effort the last several weeks to keep us competitive.”

PJ JACOBSEN (No. 15 XPEL Ducati Panigale V2): “Between myself and the team, we’re really looking forward to Road Atlanta. We are starting with a clean slate compared to Daytona – we learned a lot from that weekend. The team is preparing very well for this weekend – having been at Barber [Motorsports Park] for the track day and then straight to Atlanta for a few days has given us a chance to get to know each other and work closely with one another and the bikes. It’s going very well and I feel very confident with the team going into the start of the points season. I think it is going to be a great season, and we’ll see how the weekend goes with all the changes we have made. I like the Road Atlanta circuit and think we will have a strong package going into the race.”

KAYLA YAAKOV (No. 19 XPEL Ducati Panigale V2): “Road Atlanta has always been one of those tracks that I really enjoy going to – from the fan atmosphere to the racing, it’s a great track. Although I haven’t raced [at Road Atlanta] in over two years, the last MotoAmerica race that I raced there, is one where I was able to cross the line in first place. While the position inevitably was changed due to some post-race penalties, I know I have the pace at the track to win! After completing our final “pre-season” test, where we made major changes and improvements to the bikes, I am extremely excited and confident going into the first round of the Supersport championship!”

BEN SPIES (Team Principal): “We are looking forward to Road Atlanta this weekend. We’ve had a lot of changes with the team and the bikes over the last several weeks, so we feel like we’re headed in an upward trajectory and are able give our riders a good mechanical package, hopefully giving them more confidence as the season goes on and providing them with the best tools to take home hardware each event. Everybody likes Road Atlanta because it’s a good track, so it is a nice place to start the championship battle. Hopefully, we can have some great results and some good weather.”

More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, Inc.:

SUZUKI PREVIEWS MOTOAMERICA SUPERBIKE

Suzuki Teams Look to Build Momentum at Road Atlanta

BREA, CA – April 18, 2024 – Suzuki Motor USA (Suzuki) and its two primary road race teams- Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki, and RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki both look to build on their current momentum this weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.

Team Hammer’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki will focus on the 2024 MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike series fielding two established riders, Richie Escalante (54) and Brandon Paasch (96) each racing the Suzuki GSX-R1000R Superbike.

Richie Escalante (54) looks to continue the podium momentum from the past weekend going into New Jersey. — Veteran Richie Escalante (54) aims to build on 2023’s solid results in this year’s championship on the Suzuki GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Road race veteran and 2020 Supersport champion Escalante (54), from Tizayuca, Mexico, is the first Mexican athlete to card a MotoAmerica championship. With consistent results in his second Superbike season, Escalante placed fourth overall in the 2023 Superbike championship, earning 11 top-five finishes.

Starting 2024 racing in the Daytona 200, Escalante raced a next generation GSX-R750 and spent most of the 200 pressuring the race leader. Escalante further displayed the speed that earned him the track record during qualifying. It wasn’t to be however, as he ran short on fuel on the final lap to earn fourth overall in the 82nd running of the iconic race.

Two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch (96) looks to bring consistent results in his first full Superbike season. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. — Brandon Paasch (96) will be in the mix in his first full MotoAmerica Superbike season. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Brandon Paasch also looks to advance with Team Hammer since joining last year. 2024 marks Paasch’s first full season with Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki. Coming on board midway through 2023, the veteran road racer is a two-time winner of the Daytona 200.

Fully healthy from a back injury that shortened his 2023 season, Paasch is working to return to the consistent performance displayed in 2022, racing in Stock 1000. Paasch captured four podiums, finishing runner-up in the MotoAmerica Superbike Cup on a GSX-R1000R. Paasch also showed promise in the recent Daytona 200, with good speed and a seventh-place result.

Tyler Scott (70) is on the gas for the Supersport title on the Suzuki GSX-R750. Photo by Brian J. Nelson. — Tyler Scott (70) is on the gas for the Supersport title on the Suzuki GSX-R750. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Tyler Scott (70) is on the gas for the Supersport title on the Suzuki GSX-R750.
With Road Atlanta also kicking off 2024’s Supersport season, Team Hammer’s riders include Ty Scott (70), and Teagg Hobbs (79), both riders showing flashes of excellence in 2023. Scott earned a hard-fought second place in the 2023 championship with four race wins and several podium finishes.

Hobbs looks to enhance his 2023 success, earning multiple podiums last year. With the Suzuki GSX-R750 continuing as the bike to race in the Supersport class, both Scott and Hobbs feel 2024 offers an excellent opportunity to take their racing careers to the next level.

Teagg Hobbs (79) continues his promising Supersport career with Team Hammer. Photo by Brian J. Nelson. — Teagg Hobbs (79) continues his promising Supersport career with Team Hammer. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Debuting as a Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki rider at Road Atlanta is Joel Ohman (92). Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, Ohman joins Team Hammer to race a GSX-R750 in Supersport. Ohman began his MotoAmerica racing career in 2022 with Open-Source Racing.

For MotoAmerica Twins Cup, the new Suzuki GSX-8R is raced by RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Rocco Landers (97), who battled at Daytona’s Twins Cup Race 2 to earn the new GSX-8R’s first-ever podium in its debut race weekend. A former Twins Cup series champion, Landers anticipates much racing success on the new GSX-8R as the bike continues its swift development as a first-class series contender.

RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Rocco Landers (97) plans to extend his Daytona success on the GSX-8R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson. — RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Suzuki’s Rocco Landers (97) plans to extend his Daytona success on the GSX-8R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki newcomer Rossi Moor (92) also plans to continue his strong Twins Cup start with the Suzuki GSX-8R. At Daytona, Moor contended for a podium, ultimately finishing fourth after battling throughout the race with Landers.

Rossi Moor (92) on his new Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-8R racebike. Photo by Brian J. Nelson. — Team Hammer’s Rossi Moor (92) seeks consistent Twins Cup results in 2024. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.

With experienced pro teams noted for their racing success and their first-class race bike and rider development programs, Suzuki is enthusiastic about competing in the 2024 MotoAmerica season, seeing it as a prime opportunity to showcase the GSX-R’s racing legacy and begin a new heritage of success with the GSX-8R.

The 2024 MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike series, along with the full schedule of MotoAmerica racing classes begins April 20th at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
For Suzuki road racing news, results, and team updates, visit suzukicycles.com/racing/road-racing. For more information and updates on Team Hammer, visit teamhammer.com.

ABOUT TEAM HAMMER

The 2024 season marks Team Hammer’s 44th consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 133 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 362 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport). The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.

ABOUT VISION WHEEL

Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.

Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast: Austin 2024 – Go With The Flow

David Swarts

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April 18, 2024

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Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast: Austin 2024 – Go With The Flow

Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom have started “The Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast,” which will be focused on the FIM MotoGP World Championship.

This podcast is “Austin 2024 – Go With The Flow.”

The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.

From the Oxley Bom Podcast:

There’s literally no track in MotoGP with more twists and turns than the Circuit of The Americas in Austin. It’s got twenty of them, so you’re in the wrong place if you’re betting on just raw engine power. And with Ducati still chattering like it’s nobody’s business, all bets are off…

Enter Maverick Viñales on the Aprilia, absolutely nailing his bike’s potential in the many, many corners of this Texan gauntlet. But not all riders were so lucky – and that might tell us some very interesting things about the season ahead. This week, we invite you to go left and right, left and right, again and again while we take you through all the literal and figurative twists and turns of the second race in this year’s tournament. Enjoy!

Want more? Visit our website or support us on Patreon. With big thanks as always to Brad Baloo from The Next Men and Gentleman’s Dub Club, who wrote our theme song. Check out The Nextmen for more great music!

California Superbike School Beginning East Coast Tour

David Swarts

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April 18, 2024

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California Superbike School Beginning East Coast Tour

Our East Coast tour is starting in Virginia at the end of this month. After that is New Jersey, which was just freshly re-paved! Next is the National Corvette track in Kentucky (outstanding grip there), then six days straight at Barber Motorsports Park, the most beautiful track in America. Seriously, it’s the most beautiful track in America—ask anyone who has been there.

With the season getting rolling, weather shifting to motorcycle-friendly type, and the US MotoGP just happening in Texas, riding is on people’s minds and with that comes a desire to make each ride better with increased confidence from improved skills. We have recently been witnessing students’ huge breakthroughs in the art of cornering. Things like knee down for the first time without trying, just applying good technique and it coming naturally. More importantly we are seeing riders who can recognize their own strengths and weaknesses and have the knowledge to fix their own weak areas.

We will be returning to the West Coast in June and July with Willow Springs, Laguna Seca, the also freshly-repaved Sonoma Raceway, and six days straight at The Ridge just south of Seattle.

From there we go back East again with Barber, Virginia, Pittsburgh, and New Jersey. From September on we will be on the West Coast.

Take a look at our schedule and sign up for the ones that fit. We’ll see you at the track!

In other news we will be carrying the new Alpinestars Tech Air 7x air vest. It’s $999 and can be deployed twice before being serviced, and YOU can replace the canisters yourself without sending it in. For those wishing to spend less, we can get you the Tech Air 5. We shamelessly push safety equipment for the obvious reasons but also the little extra peace of mind it provides.

Fun fact: did you know the California Superbike School is the largest motorcycle track school in the world and has been since 1980? Because of the name, newcomers get the idea we are only in California. We have been international since the 1990’s. So far this year we have done schools in India, England, Australia, and the Philippines. Coming are events in Norway, Poland, and Cyprus. Over our 44 year history we have been to 138 tracks around the world across 39 countries. We often get return students who had no idea we are in other countries or have been in operation for so long. So if you didn’t know, now you know!

More on the internal side, we have created some elements to increase coaching efficiency and our ability to zero in on the student’s actual primary area of technical weakness versus the apparent one. Sometimes breakthroughs come from uncovering the hidden deficiency that may not be so evident to the rider or a casual observer. Our mission to improve your student experience will never end.

See you at the track!

Roadracing World Young Guns 2024: Rossi Moor

David Swarts

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April 18, 2024

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Roadracing World Young Guns 2024: Rossi Moor

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.

The entire Roadracing World Young Guns, Class of 2024 is featured in the April 2024 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine.

Age: 16.

Current home: Budapest, Hungary (originally from Portland, Oregon).

Current height/weight: 5’10”/155 pounds.

Current school grade level: 10^th grade.

Began riding at age: 2.5 years.

First road race: 2014, McMinnville, Oregon, Oregon Superbikers, 125cc four-stroke, 1st place.

Current racebike: Suzuki GSX-8R.

Current tuners/mechanics: Brian Robertson, Jesse Davis.

Primary race series: MotoAmerica Twins Cup.

Sponsors: Vision Wheel, M4 Performance Exhausts, ECSTAR, Suzuki, Mission Foods, Arai, RST, R&G, Shorai, Hotbodies Racing, Vortex, EK Chains, TechSpec, Cordona, SportbikeTrackGear.com, HEL, 1-833-CJ-KNOWS Accident and Injury Law, Roadracingworld.com, Team Hammer, Alpinestars, Polyglass, 2Fast Track Days.

Recent racing accomplishments: 2023 season, finished 2^nd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (2 wins, 5 total podiums), crashed out of the lead on last lap of CIV Aprilia RS 660 Cup race at Imola, won 12 CVMA race wins; 2022 season, won Northern Talent Cup Championship (5 wins, 10 total podiums in 12 race starts); 2021 season, finished 3^rd in Northern Talent Cup Championship (3 wins and 6 total podiums in 14 races), finished 22^nd while racing as a wild card in the FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship event at Valencia; 2020 season, won MotoAmerica Mini Cup 190 Championship, won FIM Ohvale 190 Mini Road Racing Championship; 2019 season, placed 2^nd in CIV (Italian) Ohvale GP-0 190 National Championship, won MotoAmerica Ohvale Talent Cup at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, won Ohvale GP-0 190 races in Hungarian National Championship, earned pole position and led a race at Ohvale World Championship, finished 25^th in European Talent Cup race at Jerez (was youngest participant).

2024 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship.

Racing career goals: Win MotoGP World Championship.

Racing heroes: Valentino Rossi, Kevin Schwantz, Wayne Rainey.

Favorite tracks: Assen, Sachsenring.

Favorite hobbies: Gaming, cycling, doing wheelies.

If I wasn’t racing I would be…: A fighter.

…

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;

2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and powersports dealership owner Bryce Prince;

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.

Willow Springs Grand Prix: Poor Weather Doesn’t Stop The Racing

David Swarts

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April 17, 2024

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Willow Springs Grand Prix: Poor Weather Doesn’t Stop The Racing

WILLOW SPRINGS GRAND PRIX APRIL 13TH & 14TH – EVENT REPORT

When headed out to the track, no matter the discipline, your end goal is to get to the starting line, start and finish the race, hopefully do well enough for a trophy, and return home safely for Monday morning’s work alarm. But to accomplish that task, there may be a lot of other races mixed in to meet that goal. Racing home from work on Friday to make sure you get to the track before the gate closes. Racing to fix your bike if you break in practice. Your heartbeat racing as you line up for the green flag. And sometimes you get in a race with an entity that you cannot control: Mother Nature. The story of the 2024 Willow Springs Grand Prix (WSGP) became just that: a race against the predicted weather that tried its best to squash the event. Thankfully we have a team of veteran race staff and a group of hardcore participants who were up for the challenge.

The April race weekend at Willow Springs has been going on for 25 years before my team worked with the raceway to keep it alive for the last few years. I have personally experienced 100-degree heat as well as snow and sideways hail with 30 mph steady winds during this historical racing weekend. While April weather in Southern California has always been semi-predictable, this year was an exception. Although seeing 80-degree days during the week leading up to the event, every weekend over the last six weeks has been attacked by startling cold & wet. Confident we would have a super spectator turn out with excellent weather the week before the event, our confidence fell as the week drew out. To our dismay, 90-degree weather with little wind on Friday afternoon turned to 40 degree weather with fantastic wind that evening. It was gusting so strongly throughout the night I thought our trailer would be blown on its side. While still howling at my 5am wake up call, miraculously the wind quit by 9am on Saturday morning with a dry track.

The Classic Track Day team diligently watched the radar throughout the day as the practice day and festival pushed on. And much to our luck, the weather held up! The wind backed off a bit and the temps almost broke 60. The Classic British Spares performance motorcycle show collected nearly twenty entries and the moto swap meet had hundreds of gawkers throughout the day. The Sly Fox performance stunt team was able to get in a few sessions for revelers with their drifter cross program. But minutes after the last rider was off the track at 5pm the wind picked up and dumped rain for a few hours. While the rain unfortunately ruined the Speedkings evening drag races, we were all stoked to get in eight hours of decent track riding and practice.

As we hung out in the garages Saturday evening, working on bikes and enjoying libations, we lamented the weather prediction for Sunday. It was not looking good with even lower temps and the threat of rain as early as noon. We had to come up with a plan to pull off the WSGP races…so we did! My 5am wake up call found ice on the windows and a temp of 30 degrees. Would it be too cold to race even without the rain? I spoke with fellow racers as the morning drew on, and as the temps began to increase, the consensus was: “Let’s Race!”

Caroline Patterson (110) prepares for a race at the Willow Springs Grand Prix. Photo by CaliPhotography.com, courtesy Willow Springs Grand Prix.

To avoid the impending threat of rain we decided to hold an open practice at 9am followed by a quick session for sidecars. The first race, the twenty lap Ironman, began early at 9:45 a.m., and we pushed through with the rest of the program as quickly as we could, knowing that lunch could wait. While a sprinkle of rain drew a few modern superbike riders into the pits for Race 5, we finished the eight-race program just before 12:30 p.m. And as crazy as it sounds, just minutes after the last race it started to sprinkle, followed by a full downpour for hours in the afternoon. During the awards ceremony there were cheers for racers and organizers alike for pulling off the WSGP against all odds of the impending weather!

Now, down to race business. The WSGP held eight races of combined classes for nearly every motorcycle made after 1960, including sidecars.

MAIN CLASSES (Light / Medium / Heavy):

VINTAGE – pre-1973 air-cooled, drum brakes *Presented by JRC Engineering*

CLASSIC 80s – pre-1983 air-cooled, any performance enhancements *Presented by Moto Republic*

SUPER CLASSIC – all bikes up to 2001 *Presented by Classic British Spares*

MODERN STANDARD – no superbikes, all adventure and naked bikes *Presented by San Diego BMW*

MODERN SUPERBIKE – modern full-fairing inline four superbikes *Presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys*

SIDCARS – determined by SRA-West *Presented by Barnett Clutch & Cable*

AMERICAN TWINS – USA made, any year *Presented by Danny’s Electric*

ADD ON CLASSES (Light / Medium / Heavy – All Years):

IRONMAN – 20 laps *Presented by SoCal Motorcycles*

SUPER SINGLES *Presented by Moto Chop Shop*

POWER TWINS *Presented by Biltwell, Inc*

VINTAGE LEMANS PURSUIT – pre 1983, delayed start for 350cc machines, winner takes all *Presented by McMarrow Family Restaurants*

Standout performances included the beat down by John James in the Ironman Heavyweight class over other competitors, with a best time of 1.29.647. Not far behind in Ironman Middleweight was Demond Wilson with a best time of 1.33.216. Kevin Kautzky and Bernard Juchli battled with Wade Boyd & his passenger for a few laps before checking out and sailing in for the win in sidecars. The LeMans pursuit was a treat to watch and the format actually worked with two middleweight competitors catching the lightweight bikes after 4 laps, giving Jason Lindquist and his TZ125 the win over second place Paul Piskor on his Bridgestone, followed by Caroline Patterson in third on her Honda CL350. While Race 5 saw some rain spotting on turn 8 during the races, seven competitors stayed on the track for a wet and wild race, seeing Wayne Gann of Cha Cha Cha Motorsports take the overall win! A great battle between Danny Spina & Gilbert Conde went down in American Twins, with Danny’s monster Harley finally checking out halfway through the race. An unexpected battle happened in the same race with Eric Reyes on his big, modern bagger leading Jason Lindquist on Rob North’s personal 1971 BSA Rocket III. While Eric had the upperhand the entire race, Jason shared with the awards ceremony crowd that while he wasn’t prepared to detonate Rob’s bike, he saw that he was inching closer to catching Eric and put the hammer down to come in third overall on the last lap. Not too often one gets to see and hear those mismatched machines battling on the front straight of Willow!

With a mix of vintage & modern race bikes on the track, it was a treat to see where the competition would lie. More of a treat was that AMA Pro Mookie Wilkerson passed six new racers in his school on Saturday with half of them competing Sunday’s races, including Tom Ferguson, Jay Stock & Craig Beecher. Congrats and welcome to the party guys! As a promoter, the financials are always a big concern. But to be the catalyst of seeing six new competitors get on the racetrack feeds my soul and I am so proud that our organization can help make that happen. Curtis Adams, the WSGP 2024 grand marshal, agrees with this sentiment and he shared words of wisdom & congratulations to staff and racers alike at the awards ceremony.

While numbers were down on both the track day & races because of the weather, support was up on sponsorship of this annual event. Classic British Spares joined as the title sponsor, which allowed us to advertise with Road Racing World and add more to the marketing budget to help spread the word. Kyle & his dad Malcolm were on hand all weekend greeting guests and making the paddock look sharp. Class sponsors included Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys, Moto Chop Shop, Barnett Clutch & Cable, JRC Engineering, SoCal Motorcycles, McMarrow Family Restaurants, Moto Republic, San Diego BMW & Danny’s Electric. Support also came from Oxford Suites of Lancaster, Motion Pro & Biltwell Inc. Lastly, Cha Cha Cha Motorsports tossed $800 towards a racer-only raffle at the end of the awards ceremony with eight lucky folks taking $100 home for gas money. Y’all might hear this statement all of the time, but I am telling the truth that we would not have been able to make this event happen without the support of these moto-centric businesses. Thank you all ten times over!

The fourth annual Willow Springs Grand Prix will return next Spring, hopefully to better weather. In an effort to get more spectators and racers to the event, we will look to move off of MotoGP weekend in Austin. We are always looking for more support with very affordable sponsorship packages for those businesses and individuals who are looking to gain more exposure through our fun-first, one-off motorcycle race & classic motorcycle celebration weekend. Contact Brady to learn more.

Wrapping up this race report, I want to thank my friends (read: volunteer staff) who show up to regularly to make the WSGP and Classic Track Day happen. Financial support is amazing & necessary, but the support I receive from this gang outweighs anything else. Thank you to Scott Fabbro, Dave Ehrhart, Jason Reeves, Cal & Les Lewis, Brian Herzfeldt, Jim Connelly, Pat Wilkening, Don Leanhardt, Jay Larossa, Miki Masuda & Russ Granger for your support and camaraderie. Bad weather or not, I know it will always be a great day at the track with this crew! See y’all next year!

ASRA Adds August 2-4 Event At VIR

David Swarts

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April 17, 2024

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ASRA Adds Premier Motorcycle Race Event at VIR to August Schedule

Motorcycle racing is coming back to the prestigious VIRginia International Raceway. The American Superbike Racing Association (ASRA), Evolve GT track days, and Virginia International Raceway (VIR) have partnered to host a major motorcycle racing event August 2-4.

“We are extremely excited to partner with VIR to bring motorcycle racing back to this internationally recognized and revered facility. I cannot thank VIR enough for sharing the opportunity to race in 2024 and years to come,” said Alex Spellman, President, ASRA.

The three-day, multi-track event will thrill spectators with access to world-class facilities and services at VIR, the paddocks, vendors, and tons of racing action. The racing lineup for the weekend includes a wide range of motorcycle classes and age ranges, featuring 400s, Twins, Middleweight, and Unlimited classes on the VIR North Course circuit and the FIM Mini Cup series racing on VIR’s kart track.

MotoAmerica: Honda Posts Contingency In Mini Cup

David Swarts

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April 17, 2024

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MotoAmerica: Honda Posts Contingency In Mini Cup

Honda to Support MotoAmerica Mini Cup

April 17, 2024 — ALPHARETTA, Georgia

Youth-focused championship open to riders of Groms, some CRF-F models
Red Rider Rewards contingencies available to Honda-mounted Mini Cup racers

Following American Honda’s recent announcement that it is offering the powersports industry’s most generous contingency payouts for MotoAmerica’s Superbike and Stock 1000 classes, the company revealed today that it is supporting MotoAmerica’s Mission Mini Cup, for which it is now an official supporting manufacturer. Touted by MotoAmerica as the first step in a process that could lead talented young racers to eventually reach elite levels of competition, the Mini Cup offers an opportunity for Red Riders to push themselves on challenging kart tracks, riding Honda miniMOTO models including the Grom, CRF110F, CRF50F and more.

While Honda’s small-displacement motorcycle offerings have been a staple in training upcoming on- and off-road racers, their eligibility in the Mini Cup has previously been relatively limited. The Mini Cup includes six classes for 2024, four of which are open to racers campaigning Honda motorcycles (other manufacturers are also eligible):

Stock 50 (ages 5-9): CRF50F, XR50R, XR50
Stock 110 (ages 6-12): CRF110F
Stock 125 (ages 10-17): CRF125F, CRF100F, XR100R, XR100
Street GP (ages 12+): Grom

For 2024, MotoAmerica has adopted a regional qualifying system, in which club-organized events decide finalists who will be eligible to compete in a signature MotoAmerica-promoted, AMA-sanctioned National Final at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, August 9-11.

In addition, Honda is offering Red Rider Rewards contingency funds in MotoAmerica Mini Cup races. Street GP Grom racers who finish in first, second or third place at regional events are eligible to earn $400, $250 and $150, respectively, and the amounts increase to $800, $500 and $300 for the National Final. In the other Mini Cup classes, Red Rider Rewards are $150, $100 and $50 for regional races, and $300, $200 and $100 for the National Final. This adds up to a per-race total of $1,700 in available awards at each regional event, and $2,200 for the National Final.

“We’re excited that MotoAmerica is pushing to grow youth road racing in the U.S., and we’re happy to support those efforts,” said Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing & Advertising at American Honda. “Honda has always been about bringing more people to the world of motorcycles, and no model represents that philosophy more than the Grom—one of the industry’s best-selling models. The Mini Cup provides an opportunity for owners of Groms and other Honda models to use their bikes in alternative ways, and this new, grassroots-focused format makes for an easy, affordable, realistic way to go road racing. We look forward to seeing many new Red Riders on racetracks across the country.”

For more information, visit the Honda Powersports website.

MotoAmerica: How To Watch All The Road Atlanta Action

David Swarts

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April 17, 2024

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MotoAmerica: How To Watch All The Road Atlanta Action

MotoAmerica: How To Watch MotoAmerica Superbikes at Road Atlanta

It’s All Here: How To Not Miss A Bit Of The Action

Everything you need to know to watch the weekend racing in Atlanta

MotoAmerica Previews The 2024 Steel Commander Superbike Championship (Updated)

David Swarts

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April 17, 2024

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MotoAmerica Previews The 2024 Steel Commander Superbike Championship (Updated)

Road Atlanta Preview: 10th Anniversary Season Set To Begin For MotoAmerica Superbike Championship

The 2024 Steel Commander Superbike Series Begins In Georgia, April 19-21

IRVINE, CA (April 17, 2024) – The 2024 MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike Championship is set to begin on April 20 – 209 days after JD Beach won the 2023 series finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park and 244 days since Jake Gagne clinched a third successive MotoAmerica Superbike title in the third of three races at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.

Later this week at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, a full slate of five MotoAmerica will get the 2024 championship started in earnest with three of the classes having their opening day (Steel Commander Superbike, Supersport and Junior Cup) while the other two (Mission King Of The Baggers and BellissiMoto Twins Cup) have already started their championships.

With the Steel Commander Superbike Championship kicking off its 10th season of racing, all eyes will be on MotoAmerica’s premier class at Road Atlanta. And for a fourth straight season, three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne remains the target for those wanting to earn the Superbike crown.

Simply put, if you want to be the 2024 MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike Champion, you’re gonna have to take it from Mr. Gagne.

Gagne will open defense of his title on his Attack Performance Yamaha YZF-R1 following an 11-win, 17-podium season that ended with him 128 points clear of second place after scoring a nice and tidy 400 points on the season.

Gagne was off the podium three times and two of those were when his bike failed him. Once was an engine failure at Road America and the other was when he was stripped of his second place in race two at Circuit of The Americas for using illegal fuel. Gagne’s third off-the-podium finish was when he tip-toed his way to fourth place in horrible conditions at NJMP in the season finale.

It was Josh Herrin who came “closest” to Gagne in 2023 as he rode his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R to second in the championship with two wins and 12 total podiums. He will return to the team for a third season and second on the team’s Panigale V4 R. He will also do so with a new teammate with whom to share data, Loris Baz. Last year, was a one-man Superbike team on the Warhorse squad.

Baz returns to both the MotoAmerica Championship and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team after two years in World Superbike with the Bonovo Action BMW team. Baz finished fourth in the 2021 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, but is still searching for his first win in the U.S. The Frenchman should prosper as he’s raced on eight of the nine tracks the series will visit and he won’t be alone in having to learn Mid-Ohio Sports Car course as MotoAmerica adds the iconic track to its schedule for the first time.

Five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier returned to the MotoAmerica series last year after his two years in Moto2, won five races and looked to be a serious challenger for what could have been a sixth championship. Beaubier had some bad luck in the latter part of the season and a horrific accident at Pittsburgh International Race Complex put him out of action for the rest of the year. With his five wins, including the season opener in his Tytlers Cycle Racing debut on the team’s BMW M1000 RR at Road Atlanta, and eight total podiums, Beaubier still managed sixth in the championship.

Beaubier spent the end of the 2023 season recuperating and has completed a full slate of team testing in preparation for another go at title number six in 2024. Beaubier is also just two wins behind 61-time winner Josh Hayes for second on the all-time AMA Superbike win list with 59 victories.

Beaubier will be joined on the Tytlers team by JD Beach with the Kentuckian earning his way back into a full-time Superbike ride with two podiums and a victory while filling in on the Attack Performance Yamaha team for the injured Cameron Petersen at the end of last year.

Petersen, however, will be back on the Attack Performance Yamaha YZF-R1 as a teammate to Gagne after rehabilitating his broken right wrist. Prior to the injury, Petersen had two podium finishes, including a second-place finish at Barber Motorsports Park.

M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante had an outstanding season in his sophomore year of racing in the Superbike class. Escalante earned his first MotoAmerica Superbike podium in race one at COTA and was consistently in the top five all season long to end up fourth in the final standings.

Escalante will be back to lead the Suzuki GSX-R750-mounted team and he will be joined there again by Brandon Paasch. Paasch started the season late after recovering from back surgery and he was also impressive with a best finish of fourth coming at COTA.

Among those returning in the Superbike class are Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates, Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong, FlowLaw Racing’s Benjamin Smith, Team Brazil’s Danilo Lewis and Thrashed Bike Racing’s Max Flinders.

Hayden Gillim is also entered in the Steel Commander Superbike class on a Real Steel Motorsports Honda CBR1000RR-R SP. Another late entry is Ezra Beaubier with Cameron’s younger brother set to race a BMW M 1000 RR for the Scheibe Racing team.

A lot of interest will fall on the return to MotoAmerica for 2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Sean Dylan Kelly. Kelly left the series for a shot in the Moto2 World Championship, but the Floridian has opted to return and will make his Superbike debut on the team’s BMW M 1000 RR at Road Atlanta. Kelly’s teammate will be team owner Alex Arango.

Among the notables missing from the Steel Commander Superbike class are PJ Jacobsen and Mathew Scholtz. Jacobsen, who finished third in last year’s Superbike title fight, will race in the Supersport class on a Rahal Ducati Moto Panigale V2. Scholtz, who was fifth in the 2023 Superbike Championship, will also move to the Supersport class on a Strack Racing Yamaha YZF-R6 after his Westby Racing pulled the plug on its Superbike program at the end of last season.

Pre-Road Atlanta Superbike Notes…

This year’s MotoAmerica round at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta will again be the opening round for the Steel Commander Superbike, Supersport and Junior Cup Championships while the Mission King Of The Baggers and BellissiMoto Twins Cup have already had their series openers. In fact, Mission King Of The Baggers teams arrive at Road Atlanta with four races under their belt – two at Daytona and two at Circuit of The Americas. The Twins Cup teams, meanwhile, had two races at Daytona in early March.

While the top Supersport racers (and some from Superbike as well) took part in the Daytona 200, that race isn’t a points-paying race in the MotoAmerica Championship, thus Road Atlanta marks the opening round of the Supersport Championship.

Jake Gagne earned pole position for the two Superbike race at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with his lap of 1:23.453 to best Cameron Beaubier’s 1:24.381. Overnight rain meant that the Q1 lap times from Friday afternoon weren’t improved upon.

Gagne’s best lap in Q1 wasn’t fast enough to beat his Road Atlanta track record of 1:23.407.

Race one last year was won by Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier by just .340 of a second over Jake Gagne as the two fought out front for the duration of the 19-lap race. Josh Herrin was third, 1.9 seconds adrift.

Race two on Sunday at Road Atlanta will be remembered most by Josh Herrin losing his brakes going into the turn 10A-10B chicane and nearly taking out Cameron Beaubier, who had pushed Herrin wide in the fast right-hand kink at the end of the backstraight. Somehow the top four all made it through the melee with Jake Gagne beating Beaubier to the line by half a second. Mathew Scholtz was third and Herrin recovered for fourth.

Twenty-three riders have entered the two Steel Commander Superbike races at Road Atlanta on five different brands of motorcycles. BMW will have the most entries in the race with seven of the M 1000 RRs set to compete. Next up is Yamaha with six YZF-R1s. Then comes Suzuki with four GSX-R1000s and Ducati with three Panigale V4 Rs and a lone Honda CBR1000RR-R SP. For those of you doing math, that equals 22 bikes as Kaleb De Keyrel’s entry doesn’t yet have what bike the Scheibe Racing team will be racing.

Riders from four different countries have entered the season opener in the Steel Commander Superbike series: USA, Mexico, France and Brazil.

While Australian Mat Mladin sits atop the all-time AMA Superbike win list with his 82 wins, second place might come under fire during the 2023 Superbike season. Currently, that spot is held by four-time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes with 61 victories, but he’s now just two wins ahead of five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier and his 59 wins. Jake Gagne, meanwhile, has 40 career Superbike wins and he sits fourth all-time.

About MotoAmerica

MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. To watch all things MotoAmerica, subscribe to MotoAmerica’s live streaming and video on demand service, MotoAmerica Live+

More, from a press release issued by Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati:

Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati duo Josh Herrin and Loris Baz fired up for round one of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.

Sunnyvale, Calif., April 18, 2024 — It’s game time as the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati outfit of Josh Herrin and Loris Baz get set to take on America’s best at Road Atlanta for round one of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship over the April 19-21 weekend.

The 2024 season marks 10 years since the creation of the MotoAmerica Superbike era and Ducati will celebrate the milestone by fielding a two-rider Superbike team for the first time in series history.

Josh Herrin comes into his home race of Road Atlanta full of confidence after a dominating performance in the Daytona 200, the Georgian taking his third win in the iconic event and second straight victory for Ducati.

Shifting his attention to the Ducati Panigale V4 R Superbike, Herrin was in contention right to the end of race two at Road Atlanta in 2024 and knows his way around the 12-turn, 2.54-mile road course better than anyone. And after a solid three-day test at Barber Motorsports Park, the number 2 has only the top step in mind come race time.

For Loris Baz, Road Atlanta marks his return to the series after a two-year hiatus in the WorldSBK Championship. Back to full fitness after a tough 2023 season, the popular Frenchman is looking for his first win in the series. Still, he will have the advantage of racing eight of the nine tracks on this year’s calendar, a luxury he didn’t have during his last MotoAmerica season with Ducati in 2021.

Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#2)

“We just finished up three days of testing at Barber Motorsports Park, so it’s nice to have some time on the Superbike right before we head to the first race,” Herrin said. “The test was productive as we got to try some things that we couldn’t use last year, which made me feel comfortable with the 2024 package.

“Getting to ride with Loris Baz has been great. I’m so excited to have him as a teammate. We get along well and can bounce ideas off each other to continually improve the V4 R’s setup.

“Road Atlanta was a great round for us last year. We were fighting for the win, and I really want to see two Ducatis on the podium in both races this year.”

Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati–#76)

“It felt great to be back on the Ducati Panigale V4 R and get the feeling of going fast again after six months of injury recovery ahead of Road Atlanta,” Baz enthused. “I think we’ve found a good set-up direction for the first round but, more than that, it’s just nice to be back working with this team in the Ducati family.

“I love the V4 R, and it suits the Road Atlanta layout, so we’re aiming for nothing less than the podium. The weather might be strange, but we’ll be ready for whatever it does. Josh and I are looking forward to a great season.”

Round one of the 2024 Steel Commander MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will see Superbike action kick off with Free Practice 1 at 10:50 a.m. EDT on Friday, April 19. Race One will occur on Saturday, April 20, at 3:10 p.m., with Race Two scheduled for 3:10 p.m. on Sunday, April 21.

MotoAmerica: Gagne And Petersen Riding Yamaha Superbikes Again In 2024

David Swarts

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April 17, 2024

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MotoAmerica: Gagne And Petersen Riding Yamaha Superbikes Again In 2024

Yamaha Reveals 2024 MotoAmerica Superbike Team

Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing is ready to launch its fifth-consecutive MotoAmerica Superbike title campaign with returning riders Jake Gagne and Cameron Petersen

MARIETTA, Ga. – April 17, 2024 – Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS) is pleased to announce a strengthened partnership with Attack Performance, which will continue to head its efforts in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship for another three seasons. The championship-winning program looks to add a fifth-consecutive premier class title in 2024 aboard the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing R1s with a returning two-rider roster – reigning three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne and Cameron Petersen. This weekend, they will launch their title run at the season opener at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, on April 19-21.

Attack Performance, one of the sport’s leading manufacturers of high-performance components and services for modern sportbikes, has carried on the winning tradition of the Yamaha R1. In just four seasons as the official MotoAmerica Superbike team for YMUS, the program has enjoyed a resounding success with four consecutive titles and 59 victories in the premier class. Progressive Insurance also returns in 2024 to support the championship-winning program.

Returning for his fifth season with the team, Gagne looks to defend his crown and keep his impressive premier-class title streak rolling. The Colorado rider has enjoyed a meteoric rise in MotoAmerica Superbike with the team over the past three seasons. In addition to claiming three successive titles, Gagne has amassed an impressive tally of 40 race victories, advancing him to fourth on the all-time AMA Superbike win list.

Petersen also returns in 2024 and enters his third season with Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing. The 2020 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion enjoyed a strong debut with the team in 2022, scoring a pair of wins and multiple podiums. Unfortunately, he was sidelined for most of the season last year and underwent surgery last Summer to repair a wrist injury. Back to full fitness, Petersen is eager to return to action and add more wins and podiums to his tally.

The team would also like to thank Yamalube, Yamaha Financial Services, Akrapovic, Braking, TrackDaz, Podium Club at Atessa, Capit, Suter, OZ, DID, NGK-NTK, Zero Gravity, and Full Spectrum for their support.

Tom Halverson – Yamaha Racing Assistant Department Manager for YMUS

“We are very excited to continue our partnership with Attack Performance Racing. They have the passion, technical knowledge and the right people in the right positions to be successful in this ultra-competitive sport. It seems like every season MotoAmerica has raised the bar, and we are very happy to be racing with them into the near future.

“Our three-time Superbike Champion Jake Gagne had a very productive testing season, and it’s great to see that Cameron Petersen is strong, fast, and ready to prove we haven’t seen the best of him yet.”

Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager

“Attack Performance is excited to continue our collaboration with Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, to race the R1 in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship for the next three years. Together we’ve enjoyed a lot of success over these first four years and have added more premier class titles to Yamaha’s 15 years of nearly continuous Superbike Championships. We’re also happy have the continued support of Progressive Insurance and our technical partners, and look to bring them another #1 plate in 2024.

“We’re looking forward to having both Jake and Cameron back this season, which we feel will continue to be a winning combination for the team. It’s been great to see Jake rise to become one of the winningest riders in the sport, and I look forward to the upcoming season and defending the championship. We’re also happy to have Cameron back and feeling healthy. It’s been a productive off-season, and we can’t wait to get on track and see our fans this weekend at Road Atlanta.”

Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha's Jake Gagne (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha motor Corp., U.S.A. — Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha’s Jake Gagne (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha motor Corp., U.S.A.

Jake Gagne – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #1

“It’s awesome to be going on year five with the team. We’ve had a great three years here, and I’m just excited to get back to racing in 2024. We’ve had a good off-season and got some good riding in. The Superbike class is going to be really stacked this year. So I think we’ll have some good racing, and we’ll try to start off the year strong in Atlanta. I’m just ready to get riding again.”

Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha's Cameron Petersen (45). Photo courtesy Yamaha motor Corp., U.S.A. — Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha’s Cameron Petersen (45). Photo courtesy Yamaha motor Corp., U.S.A.

Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing #45

“I’m really looking forward to my third year with the team. Obviously, my second year wasn’t ideal. I had to sit out of most of it. It’s been a hard nine months and a tough off-season, but getting to ride the bike last week at the test, it’s the first time in a long time that my wrist has felt 100%, so I’m excited for 2024. The main thing for me is not to get ahead of myself and slowly build into it and get back to fighting for wins and podiums. The guys have done a lot of work on the motorcycle during the off-season, and the bike is on a different level, so I think it’s going to be a good year.”

About Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.

Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.

YMUS has a corporate office in California, three corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).

Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation, U.S.A. (Yamaha Financial Services), an affiliate of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., offering financing solutions to support Yamaha Dealers and loyal Yamaha customers nationwide. Yamaha Financial Services provides retail and commercial financing for the diverse line of Yamaha brand motor products based out of Cypress, CA and Marietta, GA.

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Stefano Mesa (37) leading Tyler Scott (70), Xavi Fores (12), and Josh Hayes (4) at Road Atlanta in 2023. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.