DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 20, 2026) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is Peoria, Illinois-bound for one of the most revered and renowned events in global motorsport – the World Famous Caterpillar Peoria TT presented by Walters Brothers Harley-Davidson, on Saturday, August 22.
2026 marks the 79th edition of the fabled race hosted annually by the Peoria Motorcycle Club. There race fans gather in huge numbers to witness world-class competition inside the venue’s spectacular natural amphitheater, an experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
The Path to Peoria Power Now Runs Through Bauman
Ranking among the Grand National Championship’s most iconic races, aspiring and established dirt trackers alike make a victory at the Peoria TT one of their most coveted goals.
Few achieve it. And those who do master it battle tooth-and-claw to do so again and again, creating precious little opportunity for others to share in that glory. Even top fives are difficult to come by for those without serious Peoria TT bona fides.
This has always been true. Dirt track legends of yore such as Roger Soderstrom (winner of five straight Peoria TTs from 1949-1953), Joe Leonard (seven-time winner from 1954-1961), Bart Markel (six-time winner from 1960-1968, and Dick Mann (five-time winner from 1959-1972) stamped out the dreams of those who were not up to the task of beating the best of the best at Peoria.
This trend has only further solidified over time. Over the last four decades, just nine different winners have stood atop the Mission AFT SuperTwins podium here.
Those who have are considered Peoria royalty. The longest reign, of course, belonged to “King” Henry Wiles (No. 911 DL Racing/HYMMCO Yamaha MT-07), who won 14 straight premier-class Main Events.
Chris Carr – known as “the Prince of Peoria” – earned that moniker via 13 wins of his own. More recently, JD Beach became the race’s ruling regent, notching up three consecutive triumphs from 2021-2023.
Its current warden is Briar Bauman (No. 3 Super.com/RWR/Rocket Doctor Harley-Davidson XG750R). Bauman’s win here a year ago was the third of his career, and he’s finished no worse than third since the big twins took flight once again in 2017.
The Rick Ware Racing superstar will now look to translate that expertise into a fourth Peoria TT victory – one that could draw him closer to a potential third Grand National Championship.
The Prince That Was Promised
But Bauman understands he can’t just show up and expect to roll over the competition.
Reigning champion and current points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) was practically born to be a Peoria legend himself.
Hailing from nearby Mattoon, Illinois, Daniels lived up to his childhood ambitions by breaking through with a stunning maiden professional victory as a KICKER AFT Singles rookie in 2019.
While, in many ways, that performance signaled what was to come – namely back-to-back KICKER AFT Singles titles and, ultimately, a Grand National Championship – he has yet to return to the top of the box in Peoria.
It hasn’t been due to a lack of pace, but rather a mix of misfortune, mistakes, Beach, and Bauman.
If Daniels can reclaim a destiny once almost taken granted, he’ll be in a commanding position indeed. Hang tight – we’ll return to that idea in a moment.
The Standard is the Standard
As accomplished and skilled as Bauman and Daniels are in Peoria, rookie title hopeful Kody Kopp (No. 12 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) has no choice but to meet if not exceed their level with the championship race so tight and so close to its conclusion.
Kopp has steadily improved over the years in Peoria – claiming ninth (with the save of the year) as a rookie in 2021, then fourth, third, and second in successive attempts while winning three consecutive KICKER AFT Singles crowns from 2022-2024.
While he is likely heartened about his chances at the season-finale Springfield doubleheader as a result of his DuQuoin Mile triumph – that might not be enough, as we’ll discuss next.
But as a preview, know that if Kopp wants this title, he likely needs to put in Peoria of his career… and get some help.
Running Numbers
Daniels’ Sturgis success not only put him on top of the points for the first time during his title defense, it also stripped his adversaries of control over their own destinies.
After winning both the TT and ST at the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club, the Estenson Racing Yamaha pilot now leads Kopp by 13 points and Bauman by 16 (249-236-233) with just three races to go.
With 23 points awarded for a win, 19 for second, and 16 for third, that means Daniels would repeat as champion with three seconds (306), even if Kopp were to win out (305).
The path is even more difficult for Bauman, who would have 302 points with three wins to end the year. That’s a tally Daniels could top with two seconds and a third (303).
Fast Local
Another part-timer with the potential to make things interesting is Peoria resident Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Dick Ford Racing/Mission Foods Yamaha MT-07).
Bauman still has plenty of pace – as evidenced by three top fives in his last six attempts. He also has serious Peoria chops – as evidenced by his 2019 runner-up finish to brother Briar and last year’s fourth.
As the numbers discussed above make clear, Briar could use a repeat of that 2019 1-2 right about now.
And if not Bronson, who?
Outside of the Baumans, Daniels, and Wiles, every other rider to have finished inside the top five in the premier class at the Peoria TT is either injured, retired, off racing elsewhere, or otherwise not present.
With the likes of JD Beach, Jared Mees, Jarod VanDerkooi, Max Whale, Robert Pearson, and Brandon Robinson not in the mix, that provides plenty of room for a new generation to step forward.
It’s not just about Peoria glory. There are championship rankings yet to be decided.
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke), Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods Honda CB750 Hornet), Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 Bubba Boswell/Smokey Mountain Harley-Davidson XG750R), Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07), Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Roof Systems KTM 790 Duke), Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), Chad Cose (No. 49 PRO Roofing/Parker Racing Yamaha MT-07), and Hunter Bauer (No. 24 G&G Yamaha MT-07) are still fighting to secure their GNC standing with little time left to do so.
The Amphitheater Awaits
Beyond the 79th running of one of the most thrilling and historic motorcycle races on the planet, those in attendance will also be treated to a Saturday afternoon of entertainment highlighted by a range of vendors, expansive food and beverage options, and dedicated motorcycle parking.
Mark Ramsey and Eric “Digger” Manes, stars of the hit television show Moonshiners, will be on site to serve as Grand Marshals to underline the celebratory nature of the event.
General Admission tickets are just $30 (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult GA ticket).
For $125 (all ages), fans can purchase a VIP ticket, which includes admission to the Turn 1 VIP lounge – located in an air-conditioned building that overlooks the entire track – food and beverage, a swag bag, and VIP parking.
And for $135 (all ages), H.O.G. members can enjoy the Harley-Davidson VIP Experience, which provides dedicated H.O.G. parking and an exclusive seating section, a guided tour of the infield podium and start/finish line, photo ops included, a meet-and-greet with the Harley-Davidson riders, and exclusive swag.
Gates will open at 9:00 a.m. ET/6:00 a.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT.
How to Watch
FloRacing
For those that can’t catch the live action at the track, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive American Flat Track. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2026. FloSports is available by visitinghttps://flosports.link/AFT2026 or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports coverage of the World Famous Caterpillar Peoria TT, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, August 30, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT). The full listing of American Flat Track’s television premieres can be found at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports.
Castrol Honda LCR is pleased to announce that Johann Zarco will return to racing at the Aragon Grand Prix, subject to passing the mandatory medical examination at the circuit.
After suffering a crash during Sunday’s race at the Catalan Grand Prix, Zarco was forced to miss the subsequent Grands Prix to allow him to recover from ligament injuries to his left knee. The rider and his medical team opted for a non-surgical approach, with September initially set as his target for a return to competition.
However, Zarco’s recovery has continued to improve in recent weeks, allowing him to bring forward his return to racing. He has gradually increased his workload, riding both a supermoto and a Honda CBR1000RR as part of his rehabilitation. Having made steady progress and received clearance from his medical team to resume racing, Zarco will travel to Aragon with the aim of returning to competition, subject to passing the mandatory medical assessment at the circuit.
Both Johann Zarco and the Castrol Honda LCR team are looking forward to being reunited at the Aragon Grand Prix and continuing their work together on track.
Racing is hard. Racing in changing conditions on a treacherous track makes it exponentially harder. Virginia International Raceway sent riders home with injuries this weekend, notably Richie Escalante and Juliana Fernandez, and a lot of crew members loaded a lot of wrecked machinery back into the trucks at the end of Sunday. In those conditions, good riders made mistakes on the track, crews made mistakes in the pits, and those mistakes bit hard.
So it’s not just that Josh Hayes, age 51, clocked his 90th career AMA professional road racing win that made his ride in the MotoAmerica Supersport race on Sunday so memorable. It’s that Josh delivered one of those performances that just left you thinking that somehow, someway, on this day, he was on a different track than the rest of the field.
Let’s not overstate it. The two top title contenders in the class got stuck at the back of the field for the start because they weren’t ready when the time came to race. A downpour just before the race start left teams and riders scratching their heads over tire and setup choice, and Darryn Binder started from the back of the grid and Josh Herrin from pit lane. Both had to fight their way through the field. When the lights went out, some bikes were on slicks, some on rains.
But four-time AMA Superbike Champion Hayes did the wet familiarization session, stuck his finger in the air and he and the BPR Racing team quickly and confidently made their choice – slicks for a wet-but-rapidly drying track. Typically, riders who make this choice drop backward during the first part of the race, then as the track dries out and those on rain tires overheat them on the hot, dry pavement, the slick-shod riders move back to the front – hopefully. Hayes’ years of experience told him that VIR would dry rapidly, and gave him an idea of where he could find grip with the slicks from the start.
And he did.
He was in first going into the first corner and after that, it wasn’t even close. If it was a boxing match, the ref would have stopped it. Hayes put five seconds into eventual second-place finisher Binder on the second lap. He put eight seconds into Herrin. Next time around, Hayes turned a 1:33 lap while Binder was doing a 1:38 and Herrin a 1:41. At the halfway point of the 14-lap race, Hayes was nearly 25 seconds ahead. That’s 25 seconds. That’s nearly a third of a lap at VIR! And at no point did it look like Hayes was riding over his head or taking dumb risks. What it did look like was an incredibly skilled rider demonstrating exactly how well a good Yamaha YZF-R9 could go in these conditions, a demonstration no one else in the field could come close to matching.
Josh Hayes (4). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
It might not have been the most exciting race to watch. But accomplishments grow in hindsight and with perspective. You see them for the incredibly special moments that they are. Think Valentino Rossi’s 2003 Australia Grand Prix, where he was penalized 10 seconds for passing under the yellow, put his head down and gapped the field by 15 seconds. Think Marc Marquez’s qualifying lap in Brno in 2019 on slicks in a downpour that left him 2.524 seconds clear of the field – a bigger gap than the margin from second on the grid to 12th. Think Johann Zarco’s masterstroke of strategy and courage that earned him the win in the rain-lashed French Grand Prix last year, nearly 20 seconds ahead of Marquez. In each of those cases, you were aware that what you were watching was something special, a bit of roadracing magic.
Hayes’ legacy in road racing is secure. He has nothing to prove to anyone. This was just a reminder of just how good Josh Hayes really is. And for me, it’s one of the best parts of professional racing, something that helps balance out the struggles, the injuries, the sacrifices. It’s watching a racer delivering a masterclass, something that just leaves you speechless and wondering how they are doing it – and grateful you got to see it.
WorldWCR DUO: Herrera and Vercelloni on supporting each other, new challenges and the future.
Reigning Champion Herrera and mechanic Vercelloni discuss their working relationship, supporting each other and long-term goals.
Reigning FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Champion Maria Herrera joined the Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team for the 2026 season. Her mechanic is Lucrezia Vercelloni, one of few women working in a technical role in the WorldWCR series. In a special feature, the pair discuss working together, the current landscape and changing it in the future.
THE WorldWCR EXPERIENCE
Both Maria and Lucrezia have been a part of WorldWCR since its inception, in 2024. Discussing WorldWCR, Vercelloni said: “WorldWCR is a very interesting environment in which to work because we essentially all ‘share’ a garage so there’s a real collaborative spirit. It’s like we’ve created a small community of our own inside the WorldSBK paddock. It’s great to see how the women riders support each other too, offering advice and helping each other. The Italian and European championships are a great platform, but here you have a lot more eyes on you. There’s a lot of interest, also because it’s a relatively new Championship.”
Herrera added: “People sometimes think women riders are slower or less aggressive, but I’ve been very impressed. It’s a challenge every year. We’re at the limit with the bike in WorldWCR, and this year the level is incredible! The bikes are the same for everyone, which levels the playing field. So, you must fight harder and be more precise with certain details than is perhaps necessary in another category, like MotoE or WorldSSP.”
Maria Herrera (on the bike) and her mechanic Lucrezia Vercelloni. Photo courtesy WWCR.
A NEW DYNAMIC
2026 brought a fresh challenge, as Herrera adjusted to a new team, while Vercelloni faced the pressure of working with the reigning champion. On this change, Herrera said: “I hoped to do a pre-season test to get to know the team, but it wasn’t possible and so we came to the first round without really knowing each other. But in the end, it was easy and I immediately felt good. It helped that I already felt fast at the first Portimao round, so I was calm and relaxed. And I’m still riding an R7 of course. Switching teams can be tricky, but I know I just have to trust myself and get on with it. I work with one mechanic and one technician, so it’s just the three of us, and I feel very comfortable.”
Vercelloni added: “Maria brings so much experience of course. There’s a little more pressure perhaps, but it’s normal to feel a little under pressure when you work with a high-level professional. You always try to do your best and know you’re being closely watched, but that also pushes you to do even better. I think she teaches us, just as we can teach her certain things. Maria’s very good at what she does, and the crew chief, a former rider, is able to steer her in terms of communication, to better understand what she’s feeling on the bike.”
CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE
Herrera and Vercelloni continue to break barriers in motorsport, but have there been challenges along the way?
Herrera said: “After leading the 2013 CEV Moto3 Championship, they didn’t give me the opportunity to step up to an official team. I just didn’t get that chance. I’d been leading the Championship, and everything was good, so I feel the lack of opportunity had to do with me being a woman rider; I believe we face more obstacles, at least in the beginning. But over the years, I’ve always got on well with my teams. One or two riders were difficult or might be overly aggressive in response to me overtaking them in a race. But generally, I’ve felt that other riders and paddock staff respect me. I’d like to see more female technicians of course! I think women can do any job they want, technician, mechanic, anything. Things are improving step by step, and there are now more female mechanics in the MotoGP paddock too. When I started racing, women only worked in organisational areas, travel or hospitality.”
Lucrezia added: “Fortunately, I’ve always worked on teams that welcomed me and were willing to teach me. We’re all here to work, to achieve a goal, and I’ve never come up against any walls. I would say it’s a very positive environment. Sometimes people offer help because they assume that, as a woman, I’m not physically capable of doing something, but that’s okay and I don’t really get offended. There are not many women technicians in WorldWCR, just me and a couple of others. I think some girls are self-conscious about working in this world, but if they see women carving a path here, maybe they too will have the courage to give it a go.”
Lucrezia Vercelloni working on Maria Herrera’s bike. Photo courtesy WWCR.
BUILDING THE FUTURE
As they continue to develop in their respective careers, the pair share their goals for the future, from competing at the highest level to supporting the next generation.
On her plans for the future, Vercelloni said: “The focus is on my race work right now. I’m definitely open to working in another category in the future, WorldSBK perhaps. It’s another world, different bikes, different work rhythms, but would be a very interesting technical challenge. It’s a dream of mine to work on bigger bikes.”
Herrera explained her plans that go beyond being on track: “Next year, I hope to keep pushing in this Championship. Then, beyond WorldWCR, I want to help and support young women, also via the Spanish Federation. It’s something I already do actually, as my goal is to pass on everything I know to a new generation. This is very important to me.”
MONTEREY, Calif., August 19, 2026 — The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion delivered an unforgettable celebration of motorsports history at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, bringing phenomenal crowds, fiercely competitive racing and an extraordinary collection of legendary cars and drivers together for four action-packed days during Monterey Car Week.
From priceless machines representing generations of international motorsports to celebrated champions returning to competition, the Reunion once again demonstrated why it remains one of the world’s premier historic racing events. This year’s celebration of Japanese Icons of Motorsport brought an added dimension to the event, showcasing the innovation, performance and lasting influence of Japanese manufacturers and racers on the global motorsports stage.
The paddock and grandstands were filled throughout the event as fans enjoyed the rare opportunity to see hundreds of historically significant race cars not simply displayed, but driven at speed around the iconic 2.238-mile WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca circuit.
Competition remained at the heart of the Reunion, with drivers battling throughout the weekend across an exceptional variety of racing eras and disciplines. From early sports and touring cars to Trans-Am, Can-Am, IMSA GTP and FIA Group C machinery, each race offered fans a window into a different chapter of motorsports history.
The IROC podium: Tomy Drissi, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and Series Owner Ray Evernham celebrate. Photo courtesy WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
The weekend also brought together an extraordinary roster of racing personalities. Grand Marshal Peter Brock was joined by champions and motorsports legends from across generations, while the return of IROC Presented by Chevrolet put some of racing’s most recognizable names back behind the wheel, including Zak Brown, Kurt Busch, Tomy Drissi, Jimmie Johnson, Bobby Labonte, Patrick Long, Scott Pruett, Dario Franchitti, Bruce Canepa and Danny Sullivan.
For the first time in nearly two decades, all six-living American 500cc World Grand Prix Champions reunited at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, adding an extraordinary two-wheel element to the Reunion’s celebration of motorsports legends. Kenny Roberts, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz and Kenny Roberts Jr. came together at a circuit where each raced, representing one of the most dominant eras in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history. Together, the six American champions captured an incredible 14 of the 23 500cc World Championships between 1978 and 2000. Fans were ecstatic over the rare opportunity to see these six legends together again, in the paddock and on track riding their championship-winning bikes, celebrating an unforgettable era of American motorcycle racing at a circuit that played an important role in each of their careers.
Riders image: The six American World Champions following their exhibition ride (L-R) Kevin Schwantz, Kenny Roberts Jr., Freddie Spencer, Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, and Kenny Roberts. In memoriam is the Repsol Honda #69 of the late Nicky Hayden. Chris MacAllister (standing) owns the Kenny Roberts bikes. Photo courtesy WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Two collections attracted a steady flow of visitors to the display and the fences to see and hear them on track. The Japanese Heritage Display with its 40-plus cars and motorcycles represented the pinnacle of Japanese motorsport, which included the 1991 Mazda 787B, the first Japanese car to capture the crown, and the 2018 Toyota GAZOO Racing’s TS050 Hybrid that gave Toyota its first overall victory. The Indy Car exhibit featured a vibrant evolution of more than two dozen Indy Cars that ranged from a 1911 National and 1931 Miller to the 1983 March 83C (the winner of the first Indy Car race at Laguna Seca) and the 2022 Dallara of Alex Palou.
Adding a new chapter to the Reunion was the first-ever Hypercar Parade, which brought an incredible collection of more than 40 modern hypercars onto the legendary circuit. The spectacular procession provided a striking contrast to the historic machinery competing throughout the weekend and offered fans a glimpse at the evolution of performance from motorsports past to the cutting edge of today’s automotive world.
Another significant milestone came with the inaugural Bonhams auction at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Following nearly three decades at The Quail Lodge, Bonhams brought its prestigious Monterey Car Week auction directly to the raceway, creating a natural connection between exceptional collector automobiles, historic racing and the enthusiasts gathered at Laguna Seca. The successful debut further expanded the Reunion experience and established WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as an even greater destination during Monterey Car Week.
Throughout the four days, fans were immersed in motorsports history through special displays, forums, driver appearances, autograph sessions, paddock access and celebrations honoring the people and machines that have shaped the sport. The open paddock remained one of the event’s defining experiences, allowing guests to get remarkably close to legendary cars and interact with the drivers, owners and crews who keep their histories alive.
“This year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion was truly extraordinary,” said Mel Harder, president and general manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “The crowds, the quality of competition and the caliber of cars and drivers were incredible. Between celebrating Japanese motorsport, welcoming Bonhams to the raceway and introducing the Hypercar Parade, there was something special happening everywhere you looked. Most importantly, our fans came out in tremendous numbers to celebrate the history and future of motorsports with us.”
The event capped an exciting stretch that began with the Monterey Pre-Reunion and Corkscrew Hillclimb, setting the stage for a remarkable week of automotive celebrations on the Monterey Peninsula.
While the cars represented decades of racing history, the weekend proved that the passion surrounding them is as strong as ever. Legendary cars, legendary racers and generations of fans came together at one of the world’s most legendary racing circuits for a Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion that will be remembered for years to come.
2024 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport: sold for $4,570,000. Photo courtesy WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
UP NEXT: NTT INDYCAR SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FINALE
The action continues at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca over Labor Day weekend, September 4-6, as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Finale brings Championship Week to the Monterey Peninsula. The season comes down to Laguna Seca, where both the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone champions will be crowned following a weekend of thrilling, high-stakes competition on one of the most challenging and iconic circuits in motorsports. With championships on the line, the stars of INDYCAR are battling the legendary Corkscrew amid a full weekend of fan activities and entertainment. Tickets, hospitality packages and camping are available at weathertechraceway.com.
About WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca:
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a world-renowned motorsport facility located in Monterey, California, operated and managed by Friends of Laguna Seca, a 501c(3) non-profit. Nestled among scenic hills, it has a rich history of hosting premier racing events, making it a favorite destination for motorsport enthusiasts from around the world. The 2.238-mile raceway features 11 challenging turns and approximately 180 feet of elevation change, including the world-famous Corkscrew, providing a thrilling experience for both drivers and fans. Friends of Laguna Seca is committed to delivering top-tier racing and entertainment experiences year after year. Find out how you can get involved at FriendsOfLagunaSeca.org.
Acquisition builds on platform’s 22-year history of connecting powersports employers and job seekers.
IRVINE, Calif., — The Motorcycle Industry Council (http://mic.org) has acquired MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com (http://motorcycleindustryjobs.com), bringing the long-standing powersports employment platform under the MIC umbrella and creating new opportunities to strengthen the industry’s workforce.
Now backed by MIC’s resources and broad industry reach, MIJ is poised to grow while building on more than two decades of connecting powersports employers and job seekers.
“One of MIC’s pillars is to support the expansion of the powersports market, and MIJ gives us a tremendous opportunity to do just that by connecting employers with the people they need and helping more people discover the many career opportunities in powersports,” said Christy LaCurelle, MIC President and CEO. “MIJ has been serving job seekers in our industry — as well as employers — for more than two decades, and we are excited to keep that momentum rolling while also exploring the new benefits it can create for MIC members.”
MIJ was founded in 2004 by Alex Baylon, who had been looking for a job in the motorcycle industry and realized that openings were often circulated through word-of-mouth or classified ads. Baylon created the website to give people who wanted to work in the motorcycle industry a dedicated place to find jobs and for companies to find experienced candidates.
“MIJ has been a labor of love for many years, and while selling the website was not an easy decision, I’m incredibly optimistic about its future,” said Baylon. “MIC has the vision and the resources to take MIJ to the next level, helping it grow and serve the industry in even bigger ways. I truly believe this is the perfect home for MIJ, and I can’t wait to see where MIC takes it and how it can continue to serve the industry that has looked to it as a resource for so long.”
Over its 22-year history, MIJ has grown from a website that connects job seekers to employers to a comprehensive, mobile-friendly employment platform. In addition to job listings and resume posting, MIJ offers recruiting and employer services, industry and company profiles, career information, and industry-related content and data. MIJ’s administrative team will continue in their roles, helping ensure users see no change in service or support.
About the Motorcycle Industry Council:
The Motorcycle Industry Council is a not-for-profit trade association that protects, informs, and promotes the motorcycle industry. MIC represents motorcycle manufacturers, distributors, aftermarket companies, dealers, retailers, and related organizations providing vital support to the powersports industry. MIC advocates for pro-motorcycling policy and fair regulation, delivers industry insights, and promotes awareness to grow ridership. Established in 1914, MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. Keep up with the industry association on MIC.org (https://www.mic.org/#/) and through the weekly MIC RideReport (https://mailchi.mp/11fa39907daf/6ryox011tw) .
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 19, 2026) – The championship is on the line as the KICKER AFT Singles competitors arrive in Peoria, Illinois, for the 79th World Famous Caterpillar Peoria TT presented by Walters Brothers Harley-Davidson at the Peoria Motorcycle Club on Saturday, August 22.
The world’s elite 450cc motorcycle dirt track pilots will battle each other around right- and left-hand turns and over jumps, with the visceral moment-to-moment action and overarching season goals combining to create a most compelling draw for the 14th round of the 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
The Best Revenge
Defending KICKER AFT Singles champion Tom Drane (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) enters this weekend in Peoria following a dreadful week of racing in Sturgis that saw him hit with his worst back-to-back finishes since early his rookie season.
And that’s not all that hit him. The Australian’s dip in results came after being taken out while leading the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT. He then hit the ground again two days later after getting caught between two competitors as they all sought the same real estate off the start of the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track.
As a result, he was forced to run up through the field from the back of the grid following both restarts, winding up with 10th-and 7th-place finishes.
A small positive was that 10th was elevated to a 9th after archrival Chase Saathoff (No. 88 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) was disqualified for having taken Drane out. A larger negative was that Drane himself was hit with a five-point penalty after banging into the back of Saathoff’s rear wheel out of frustration when it was all over.
However, that penalty wasn’t big enough to prevent Drane from taking out his frustrations in a more productive manner this weekend.
Despite the subtraction, he still holds a 42-point advantage over second-ranked Saathoff. Drane already has the tiebreaker in hand, which means if he leaves Peoria with that lead expanded by just four points, he’ll have secured his second consecutive KICKER AFT Singles championship.
Incidentally, the difference between first- and second-place is four points.
So if Drane wins this year’s Caterpillar Peoria TT – as he did by more than eight seconds a year ago – the rising star will lock this one up two rounds early. It’ll also give him a strong case to be rewarded with a Mission AFT SuperTwins wild card ride at the Caterpillar Springfield Mile I & II double finale.
There should be no lack of motivation.
Standing in the Way
The flip side to that is Saathoff knows exactly what he must do to make certain he keeps his vanishingly slim title hopes alive to the finale: win.
Drane’s ‘25 victory at the circuit was no doubt made easier by the fact that Saathoff was absent after suffering an injury during qualifying. And he would have been a threat; the Illinois native had just posted the fastest time of the session when he was thrown from his machine attempting to land the jump.
Now fully healthy and with his own source of motivation, Saathoff responded to his Sturgis DQ by scoring his first win of the season two days later.
He’ll look to carry those winning ways forward at the same Peoria racetrack where he took top honors in 2024 following an intense battle with then-champion Kody Kopp and future-champion Drane.
Signing Off
So long as he’s sufficiently recovered from the qualifying spill that ruled him out at the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT, Jesse Janisch (No. 33 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) will line up for what’s being billed the final Progressive AFT race of his career.
If that holds true, Janisch can be proud of his sparkling record, which is highlighted by the 2022 Mission AFT Production Twins title but spread out across many classes and years.
Along with his successful title run, Janisch will be remembered as one of the all-time KICKER AFT Singles TT greats – a discipline in which he leads all riders with six career victories… and a certified Peoria TT superstar.
Janisch has won four races at the venue – three in KICKER AFT Singles competition (2015, 2017, and 2018) along with last year’s AFT AdventureTrackers Main Event.
Still plenty quick and with a huge edge in experience, it’ll be interesting to see how the young lions of the class match up with a returning (and exiting) Peoria grand master.
Dark Horses
A couple other riders have shown they have what it takes to fight up front this weekend.
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 JMC Motorsports/Fairway GMC KTM 450 SX-F) won in a wild one here in 2023, edging Drane and Kopp to the checkered flag. He also finished as last year’s runner-up and earlier earned a podium in 2022, when he finished third.
Brunner’s first week of action on the JMC Motorsports KTM signaled a return to form, a fact that makes him a contender of note this weekend.
And Tarren Santero (No. 75 Roof Systems/Texas Utility Studies/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) has also shown well here in the past. He rounded out the podium in 2025 after finishing fourth in 2024.
But podiums are no longer the goal – Santero has racked up his share of those these past three seasons; it’s that maiden win that’s overdue.
Wizards of Oz
Drane isn’t the only Australian with their sights set on the top step of the podium this weekend.
Two others are set to join the mix, one whose Peoria potential is proven, the other’s whose is projected.
Max Whale (No. 18 Australian Road Services/Heaton Plant & Pipeline KTM 450 SX-F) is set to make his first Progressive AFT appearance of the season after taking a step away following a decorated near-decade long stint in the series from 2018-2025. During that time, Whale finished as KICKER AFT Singles runner-up twice while scoring nine victories along the way.
Two of those wins came at the Peoria TT, and he underlined his expertise at the venue with a top five in last year’s Mission AFT SuperTwins Main Event.
Whale will be joined by young charger Bodie Paige (No. 165 American Honda/RWR/BA Ranch Honda CRF450R), who has not only finished on the podium in all three of his prior KICKER AFT Singles starts, he’s also spent the season winning races in MotoAmerica Twins Cup action.
Paige, who followed Dallas Daniels to become just the second-ever winner of the Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award in both flat track and road racing, should be able to put that unique blend of abilities to good use in Peoria.
Time to Step Up
Meanwhile, the field is full of young chargers who have yet to taste significant success at the fabled race. No doubt they’ll look to do just that this weekend.
Four-time KICKER AFT Singles winner Kage Tadman (No. 28 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), DAYTONA winner Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats Yamaha YZ450F), and Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT winner Evan Kelleher (No. 31 Schaeffer’s Motorsports KTM 450 SX-F) have shown they’ve got what it takes to stand atop the podium.
Meanwhile, the likes of Walker Porter (No. 10 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R Racing/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R), and Jack Brucks (No. 113 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) are hungry to do the same.
Dan Bromley AFT ProSport 450 Invitational
This weekend, Progressive AFT will pay further tribute to the late Dan Bromley, a two-time national champion who was cherished for his generosity and spirit as much as his talent and speed.
The series will do so by hosting the Dan Bromley AFT ProSport 450 Invitational as part of Saturday’s race activities at the Caterpillar Peoria TT. Invitations have been extended to riders who earned AFT Pro Sport licenses through the Road to AFT Program during the 2026 season, and they’ll be racing with a $4000 purse on the line.
The entry list is a who’s who of highly rated amateurs, including AFT ProSport 450 race winners Sam Drane (No. 7 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), Adam Costan-Wood (No. 88 Turner Racing Honda CRF450R), and Bayne Nantz (No. 313 Nantz Bros Racing KTM 450 SX-F), among several other podium finishers.
The future stars of the sport will need to give it their all to properly honor the legacy of Bromley, who won the 2021 Mission AFT Productions Twins race in Peoria.
They will, and Bromley – who dedicated himself to helping prepare the next generation of racers prior to his passing – would have no doubt been proud of their efforts.
The Amphitheater Awaits
Beyond the 79th running of one of the most thrilling and historic motorcycle races on the planet, those in attendance will also be treated to a Saturday afternoon of entertainment highlighted by a range of vendors, expansive food and beverage options, and dedicated motorcycle parking.
Mark Ramsey and Eric “Digger” Manes, stars of the hit television show Moonshiners, will be on site to serve as Grand Marshals to underline the celebratory nature of the event.
General Admission tickets are just $30 (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult GA ticket).
For $125 (all ages), fans can purchase a VIP ticket, which includes admission to the Turn 1 VIP lounge – located in an air-conditioned building that overlooks the entire track – food and beverage, a swag bag, and VIP parking.
And for $135 (all ages), H.O.G. members can enjoy the Harley-Davidson VIP Experience, which provides dedicated H.O.G. parking and an exclusive seating section, a guided tour of the infield podium and start/finish line, photo ops included, a meet-and-greet with the Harley-Davidson riders, and exclusive swag.
Gates will open at 9:00 a.m. ET/6:00 a.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT.
How to Watch
FloRacing
For those that can’t catch the live action at the track, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive American Flat Track. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2026. FloSports is available by visitinghttps://flosports.link/AFT2026 or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports coverage of the World Famous Caterpillar Peoria TT, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, August 30, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT). The full listing of American Flat Track’s television premieres can be found at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports.
Barnett National Sidecar Challenge Heads to Daytona International Speedway for ASRA Race of Champions.
Team Hammer Practice Day on Thursday Kicks Off Action-Packed Weekend; Full Coverage Streaming Live on ASRA Racing YouTube Channel.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The high-speed, high-skill world of sidecar racing returns to the iconic Daytona International Speedway this October as the Barnett National Sidecar Challenge takes the stage during the American Superbike Racing Association (ASRA) Race of Champions.
The event forms part of ASRA’s season-ending Race of Champions weekend, scheduled for October 15–18, 2026, at the World Center of Racing. Sidecar teams will battle on the legendary 3.51-mile infield road course in what promises to be one of the most exciting and unique classes of the weekend.
The action begins on Thursday with the popular Team Hammer Pro Practice & School. This dedicated practice day gives racers and students valuable track time, expert instruction, and the opportunity to dial in their machines and technique ahead of the championship races. The Team Hammer sessions have become a highlight for competitors preparing for the demanding Daytona layout.
Throughout the weekend, fans can expect a full slate of ASRA racing, including sprints, Endurance/Team Challenge events, and the crowning of national champions across multiple classes. The Barnett National Sidecar Challenge will deliver the distinctive thrills of two-person motorcycle racing—combining speed, precision, and seamless rider-passenger teamwork—on one of motorsports’ most historic venues.
Entire Race Weekend Streaming Live
Fans unable to attend in person can follow every session of the Race of Champions weekend, including the Barnett National Sidecar Challenge, live on the ASRA Racing YouTube channel. Coverage will bring the sights, sounds, and intensity of Daytona directly to viewers around the world.
For more information, schedules, registration, and spectator details, visit asraracing.com. Follow ASRA on social media and subscribe to the ASRA Racing YouTube channel for live streams, highlights, and updates.
Catch up on everything from the MotoAmerica weekend at VIRginia International Raceway with the latest team press releases and race recaps.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Motorsports:
Bobby Fong and Josh Hayes Top the Podium at VIR. Yamaha BLU CRU riders celebrate podiums across all four MotoAmerica classes at Virginia International Raceway, with Bobby Fong leaving with two Superbike wins and Josh Hayes earning a commanding victory in Supersport.
With MotoAmerica racing at Virginia International Raceway during the middle of August, it was guaranteed to be a hot one. It more than lived up to expectations – both with the triple-digit heat index and the racing on track. Amid the heat and hard-fought battles, Yamaha riders enjoyed a successful outing across all four MotoAmerica categories at the 2.25-mile circuit in Alton, Virginia, as the championship battles neared fever pitch and opportunities for wins in the 2026 season began to run out.
In the Superbike tripleheader, Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong took home a pair of wins and Strack Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz earned a pair of runner-up finishes. In Supersport, BPR Racing Yamaha’s Josh Hayes finished second in Race 1 and executed a masterclass performance in Race 2 to score his 90th career AMA road race victory. Teammate Brenden Ketelsen also celebrated a milestone with his first MotoAmerica Supersport podium. Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane also had a standout weekend, pulling double duty in Twins Cup and Talent Cup and earning four runner-up finishes.
Mathew Scholtz (11) leading Bobby Fong (50), JD Beach (95) and Richie Escalante (54) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MotoAmerica Superbike
With 75 points up for grabs at the seventh round of the championship, all three Yamaha riders – Fong, Scholtz and JD Beach – were looking to make up ground in the hotly contested MotoAmerica Superbike title fight. And with the Yamaha YZF-R1 traditionally strong at VIR, all three liked their odds.
It was a wild weekend of racing, with intense battles and multiple red flags. In the end, Fong celebrated a pair of victories with the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team. The Californian showed speed from the start, qualifying third to start on the front row of the grid. In Race 1, he slotted into fourth before making his way to the runner-up spot and closing in on Scholtz before the red flag came out. After the restart, Fong quickly returned to second and made the pass for the lead with six laps remaining, scoring his 13th career Superbike victory and gaining valuable ground in the championship.
“We needed that win to catch up on some points and also help my confidence,” said Fong. “We’ve got two long, hot races tomorrow, so a lot can happen. We just have to keep our heads down, keep working, and not get too excited because there’s a lot of competition out there. Everybody’s going to improve, so we just have to keep working.”
Bobby Fong (50) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
In Sunday’s Race 2, Fong was seventh after the start and steadily made his way forward. On Lap 7, he claimed a podium spot, passing both Richie Escalante and Sean Dylan Kelly to make it a Yamaha 1-2-3 at the front, with Scholtz in the lead and Beach in second. His forward charge continued on the following lap, passing his teammate and then applying pressure on Scholtz around the halfway mark. The duo built a gap up front, with Fong taking over the lead with four laps to go, bringing his win tally to two on the weekend and 14 career victories.
Later that afternoon, Fong got a better start to the third race and was once again battling up front before a red flag halted the action. Unfortunately, his race ended early after the restart when an incident in Turn 1 left five riders on the ground, including Scholtz and the championship leader Kelly.
“Race 2 was super good,” said Fong. “We had really good pace, and the bike felt really good. I knew in the beginning nobody would be getting away in the race, so I was just patient. We made our move with five or six laps to go, and we had great end-of-race pace like we did last year. As a whole, we had a strong weekend, but I hate not ending on a good note.”
Bobby Fong in parc fermé after claiming victory in race 1. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Despite the unfortunate end to the weekend, Fong gained some ground in the title chase, moving to within 38 points of the leader.
“We’ve made a big step with the bike over the last few rounds, and I felt super comfortable,” said Fong. “I’d like to continue our form like we did last year at the end of these races and make another step. Like I said, I’m happy about the first few races. I just wanted it to end a little bit better. I’m looking forward to COTA. We’ve got a little break to try to improve ourselves and try to gain a few points.”
Strack Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz also closed the gap to the championship leader in Virginia. Like Fong, he felt the team had made progress with the bike between rounds, and from the start, the South African showed the speed to run up front. He qualified on pole and got great starts in all three races, including the restarts. In Race 1, Scholtz grabbed the holeshot and led the way before the red flag. He once again led after the restart until Fong took over the top spot with around six laps remaining.
In Sunday’s Race 2, Scholtz got another great start but was passed by Beach on the opening lap. The Strack Racing Yamaha rider stayed on his heels and reclaimed the lead on Lap 7. Around the halfway mark, Fong closed in, and the duo set the pace up front, building a gap over the chasing group. As the laps wound down, Fong made his move and Scholtz crossed the line second to complete another Yamaha 1-2 finish.
Mathew Scholtz (11) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
In the final race of the weekend, Scholtz was once again battling up front before the red flag came out. Unfortunately, he was collected in the Turn 1 incident after the restart. Scholtz got back on track but was forced into the pits with damage to the bike and was unable to rejoin the race, scoring zero points. Despite the DNF, Scholtz moved to within 17 points of the championship leader with five races remaining.
“The weekend was great, apart from the crash,” said Scholtz. “Coming into VIR, you know that it is a Yamaha-friendly track, and it’s been very good to me in the past. So the main goal was just to close up on the championship lead. We got a second, second, and a zero unfortunately, in the third race, but I definitely feel like we made some progress on the new bike. I think that the Tuesday test after Mid-Ohio really helped us here, and we’re definitely seeing the benefits of that. We’ve got COTA next, which is a little bit of a more difficult track, but we’re progressing with the bike and just wanna keep this championship hunt going.”
Beach showed speed from the start, but a pair of crashes in the practice sessions put him on the back foot heading into the races, and he qualified sixth. Despite starting from the second row of the grid, he got great starts and battled up front throughout the weekend. In Race 1, he slotted into the runner-up spot and was battling for a podium. After the restart, he was fourth and ultimately dropped back to sixth.
In Race 2, Beach got another great start and led the opening six laps, but as the tires began to fade, he lost ground and ultimately finished fifth. In the final race of the weekend, he was third in the twice-started race, but crossed the line fourth. The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing rider heads to the penultimate round third in the standings, 31 points behind the leader.
JD Beach (95) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
“It was a tough week,” said Beach. “It sucks to have three races this weekend and not capitalize on it. I really thought I could get some good points, but with the two crashes, it kind of made it tough. The team did a great job and improved my bike throughout the weekend, and on new tires, the bike felt really good. But for some reason, I was struggling on used tires, which is usually my strong point. I was there every race and was in a spot to be in the top three, but after halfway I just started going backward. And that’s not typically what I do. So it’s definitely frustrating, and I hate it for the team because they worked so hard to get me a good bike, and we just couldn’t do it this weekend. We’ve still got two more rounds to go, so we’re gonna go back home and go back to work and see what we can come up with.”
MotoAmerica Supersport
In Supersport, BPR Racing Yamaha’s Hayes was in fighting form aboard his Yamaha YZF-R9 at the Virginia International Raceway. He qualified fourth and from there had a strong start inside the top five where he battled for fourth in the opening laps. Around half-distance, Hayes closed in on the lead group and made the pass for third. It was a heated battle, with the four-time Superbike Champion briefly claiming the lead with five laps to go, ultimately finishing second.
Josh Hayes (4) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Before Sunday’s Race 2, the skies opened up, with a thunderstorm halting on-track activity and delaying the start. When Supersport returned to the track, riders were given a seven-minute wet familiarization session ahead of the race. Tire choice was key, and although the track remained wet, it was drying quickly. Hayes made the call for slicks and immediately took control of the race, setting an unmatched pace in the tricky conditions. He amassed an impressive lead and crossed the line 26.5 seconds clear to earn his 90th career AMA road race victory.
“What a special weekend at a track that has been a good one for me for a long time,” said Hayes. “The win in Race 2 felt like a race built custom for me to succeed. But to race with the front two who have dominated the season in the hot and greasy Race 1 gives me hope and excitement that we are getting closer to success in a full dry race. COTA has always been a difficult one for me, but I’m excited for the challenge, and then New Jersey is another track that has been good to me. The BPR Team is getting a grip on the R9 altogether, with my teammate’s podium also.”
Josh Hayes (left) and Brenden Ketelsen (right) celebrate with the BPR crew after finishing first and third in Supersport Race 2 at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
While Hayes celebrated career win No. 90, teammate Brenden Ketelsen celebrated his first MotoAmerica Supersport podium. Starting inside the top 10 in Race 2, Ketelsen steadily worked his way forward, reaching third around the halfway point and bringing it home for a milestone podium finish.
Although he struggled a bit at his home track, qualifying 10th, Strack Racing Yamaha’s Blake Davis earned a top-five finish in Race 1 and crossed the line seventh in Race 2’s mixed conditions.
MotoAmerica Twins Cup and Talent Cup
Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane also had a standout weekend in Virginia, which was no easy feat while pulling double duty in two classes in the extreme heat. The 16-year-old Australian rose to the occasion, qualifying second in both MotoAmerica Twins Cup and Talent Cup and battling for the win throughout all four races. Drane led multiple laps and ultimately came just shy of the top step, leaving VIR with four runner-up finishes.
Sam Drane (59) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MotoAmerica racing resumes at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 11-13. At the penultimate round for Superbike, Supersport and Talent Cup, Yamaha BLU CRU riders will look to continue their championship charge, while the Super Hooligan title will be decided with BPR Racing Yamaha teammates Andy DiBrino and Bryce Kornbau separated by just five points.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Victory for Loris Baz on the Panigale V4 R at VIR in Quad Lock MotoAmerica Superbike.
It felt like a long time coming, but Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Ducati Flo4Law) has added a second career MotoAmerica Superbike victory to his stellar international career after the triple-header race weekend at Virginia Internation Raceway (VIR).After recording fifth and sixth place finishes in races one and two, Baz was at his dynamic best in race three at VIR. A turn one crash eliminated Bobby Fong, Cameron Petersen, Sean Dylan Kelly, Mathew Scholtz and Benjamin Smith, and Baz overhauled JD Beach, Jayson Uribe and fellow Ducati rider PJ Jacobsen to take a 0.155s win. It was the first time the factory-backed, 2026 Ducati Panigale V4 R has visited Victory Lane this season.
For teammate Benjamin Smith, his weekend started well with the fourth fastest time in qualifying, but the races did not go his way with three crashes.
In the Supersport category, Darryn Binder (Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse) took the win in a spectacular race one, beating veteran Josh Hayes to the finish line with Josh Herrin third, Binder thus extending his lead in the series.
Race two was held in inclement weather and Hayes made the best of the situation to take the win, but Binder bought home a crucial second place ahead of Brendan Kettlesen and Herrin in fourth.
Binder now holds a commanding 35-point lead in the Supersport series over Herrin.
Binder’s teammate, Wristin Grigg, failed to finish race one but came home with a 13th place finish in race two.
Loris Baz (76) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law team – #76): “It’s amazing to have the 2026 Ducati Panigale V4 R, which I believe is the best-looking bike in the world, winning here in America. I’m proud to be the first one to do it,” Baz said. “It was a hard weekend, but we kept believing after Mid-Ohio that we were improving every session. I came here thinking I could fight for the win, but this track is so different. It reminded me a lot of 2021, when the big curbs would really upset the bike and make it difficult to ride.
“I can’t thank the team enough, especially my crew chief, Simone. Since Laguna, there hasn’t been a single time when he hasn’t made the bike better from one session to the next. We’ve just kept improving.
“I want to thank Ducati more than anything—Simone, Bobby and (Eraldo) Ferracci. I’m also thinking about Cameron (Beaubier) and wishing him the best recovery. I hope it takes him one week longer, though, so I can be at COTA, which is a track I really like!
“I’m glad to be racing in America for Ducati, and I just hope we can have a lot more success together.”
Benjamin Smith (78) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Benajmin Smith (Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law team – #78): “It was definitely an interesting weekend,” Smith said. “It started off really well. We were in the top five right away, had good qualifying pace and put the bike fourth on the grid.
“In race one, we were running with the front group but I made a small mistake that took me out of the race. Then, in race two, we had almost an identical situation. It was basically cut, copy and paste, which was definitely a bummer.
“Race three started well. I felt good and we were right there. Then the red flag came out. On the restart, we got into turn one and, to be honest, I don’t even know what happened. It was just chaos. I got collected in whatever the first incident was, and unfortunately that was the end of the race for us. It’s all part of the learning process. On to Texas.”
Darryn Binder (53) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Darryn Binder (Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse – #53): “That was a crazy weekend,” Binder said. “I managed to get the pole position and had a huge battle in race one and took the win.
“Today, there was a huge spanner in the works with the rain just before the second race. I got seven minutes of track familiarization to go and spin some laps, and I opted to go out on the slick tires, but I missed the pit exit and had to start the race from the back of the grid.
“The slicks were definitely the right call. I got up to second by the finish and extended my lead in the championship, so in the end it was all good.
“I’m really looking forward to Circuit of The Americas. That’s a track I know really well from my time in Grand Prix racing, so that’s less more thing I have to worry about. We’ll just keep trying to do more of the same and bank those points for the championship.”
The penultimate round of the 2026 Quad Lock MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held at the world-famous Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, over the September 11-13 weekend.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:
Paige on the podium for M4 Ecstar Suzuki in Virginia.
Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer added another podium finish to their 2026 tally as the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship rolled on at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.
Race Highlights:
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
Superbike
Richie Escalante twice finished a fighting fourth.
Brandon Paasch raced his way up to sixth at the flag in Race 3.
Twins Cup
Bodie Paige notched up the highlight of a hectic weekend with a third-place finish.
Matthew Chapin twice ran at the front but was luckless both times out.
Supersport
Tyler Scott notched up fifth- and sixth-place finishes following a pair of battles for position
Richie Escalante fought his way to a pair of impressive fourth-place finishes on his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante registered two hugely impressive finishes in MotoAmerica Superbike action. Twice the Mexican ace scratched his way forward to score a pair of fourth-place finishes aboard his GSX-R1000R – the first just four seconds off the win and the second less than a tenth of a second off the podium. Unfortunately, the promise demonstrated in those races was counterbalanced by the disappointment that came with the third race, when he crashed and was transported to the hospital with a suspected broken arm.
Escalante said, “It was a positive weekend – two P4s – and I was happy with the bike and the team. We felt great about those two races and wanted even more for Sunday. I was down in the field a little but still close to the leaders. I was feeling great and beginning to move forward when I crashed. I am going to get my arm evaluated.”
Brandon Paasch charged through the field to finish sixth in Race 3 despite a tough weekend. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
By contrast, it was third time’s the charm for Escalante’s Superbike teammate, Brandon Paasch. Paasch improved each time out, going from 12th to 10th in Race 1 to Race 2, before closing out his weekend with a sixth, which he defended at the flag, aboard his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
“Sixth was a good result for us on Sunday,” Paasch said. “It was a tough weekend – three races at the hottest event of the year. Add in the weather and it was going to be a race of attrition as much as it was about speed. It took us longer to get going, but by the end, I felt our pace to the front had really improved. I had been getting good starts all weekend, but I lost some positions on the final one when numerous guys in front of me crashed. It felt like it took me the entire race to catch up, but I made a move for sixth and was able to hold on.”
Bodie Paige put the GSX-8R on the podium with a hard-fought third-place finish. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Meanwhile, rising Australian talent Bodie Paige scored another podium in Twins Cup action during a hectic weekend in the class. In a race that was started and stopped multiple times, Paige rebounded with the help of his crew, who got his racebike back up to speed during one of the stoppages after he’d encountered an issue midrace. Paige took full advantage, coming home in third.
He said, “It wasn’t too bad of a race. I tried to stay with the leaders. I tried my best and felt like I was really good through the infield and was making up time there. Hopefully we can get this bike fully dialed in, and I can still work on a few things myself. But overall, I’m happy with another podium.”
Paige looked even stronger on Sunday, hustling the GSX-8R into the lead for a time and then fighting hard in second before his race ended in a brutal highside after crossing a wet curb.
Matthew Chapin showed strong pace at the front of the Twins Cup field. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
That was a crash that replicated the one suffered minutes earlier by teammate Matthew Chapin, rounding out what proved to be a weekend to forget for the young pilot. Chapin, who has already racked up five podiums including a win this season, ran up front both times out but saw each contest end in disappointing fashion. A mechanical problem, caused by another rider’s crash debris puncturing Chapin’s radiator, ended his race on Saturday, while the aforementioned nasty crash ended his day on Sunday.
Chapin said, “I feel great about how the weekend went, except for the races themselves. We were the fastest Suzuki rider in all the sessions, the bike felt great, and the team was doing a fantastic job. We had a punctured radiator while at the front in the first race, and I crashed hard in Race 2. I had been on that curb the first two laps with no problems, but the third time I had a much different result. I am looking at the positives, and we can run up front. We will look to put it all together and get the results to match the next time.”
Tyler Scott battled through changing conditions to finish fifth on Sunday on his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
It was a similar blend of positives and negatives for M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport ace Tyler Scott. In ideal conditions, Scott likely had the potential to fight for podiums and possibly even a win. However, he finished sixth on Saturday, and Sunday’s wet-to-dry conditions made for an eventual charge up to fifth place.
He said, “For Saturday’s race, we had a good setup. With the heat, we were having a little trouble getting the power to the ground. In the end, I feel we may have left a little bit on the table with the result, but we got through Saturday in good shape for Sunday. For Sunday, it had rained and we chose to go with slicks, which I feel was the right choice to make. I had never chosen that before, so it was the first time I have been in that situation. In the early going, I had an adjustment period which hurt my pace, but I picked up the pace and was able to go forward towards the end. We made it through the weekend with no crashes, so we’re feeling good about the next round at COTA.”
The MotoAmerica season will continue on September 11-13 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
More, from a press release issued by Real Steel Honda:
Real Steel Honda Racing perseveres through a demanding weekend at VIR.
The Real Steel Honda Racing team persevered through a hot and humid weekend with a Superbike Triple Header to score their best results of the weekend in the final race. Hayden Gillim qualified 7th again but unfortunately suffered a crash in Race 1 Saturday. Hayden had an off-track excursion in Race 2 on Sunday but pushed back to an 11th place finish at the end. For Race 3 Hayden moved forward to a 5th place finish to cap off the weekend. Hayden slipped to 11th in the Superbike championship standings. Andrew Lee scored 2 second place finishes and ended with a first place finish in the Superbike Cup class. Andrew now leads that championship by 102 points with 330 points.
In the Talent Cup class Ian Fraley scored a 9th place finish in Race 1 but suffered a DNF in Race 2. Derek Sanchez scored a 5th and a 6th respectively in the Talent Cup races.
Next up for the team is the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Texas event September 11-13 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin TX.
Real Steel Honda Racing is proudly supported by American Honda, HRC, Progressive Insurance, Pro Honda Oils. Southern Honda Powersports, Idemitsu, Last Ark: Tactics Analogue, Vesrah, K-Tech suspension, Orient Express, Dunlop, Akrapovic Exhaust Systems, Sprint Filter, Armor Bodywork, Vortex and REB Graphics.
Hayden Gillim (69) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Hayden Gillim – Rider #69 / Team Principal: “VIR ended up being a tough weekend. I felt pretty good on the bike all weekend, but a crash in race 1 set me back a bit. After that, I was tight and sore and was having a hard time doing the lap times. I ran off track at turn 1 in race 2 that put me back in last place. I was able to work my way back to 11th, which was good after that mistake. Race 3 I felt better and had some good pace but just couldn’t go with the leaders and ended up 5th. Looking forward to COTA.”
Andrew Lee (14) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Andrew Lee – Rider #14: “Rough weekend at VIR. We never really got our feet underneath us and struggled getting the feeling we needed to close up on the guys in front of us. I know the team is working to find some solutions for the remaining rounds, I’m excited to see what we can do moving forward!”
Ian Fraley (10) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Ian Fraley – Rider #10: “We had a really good weekend overall. Friday started strong as we came out faster than last year, but we struggled with the bike. Q1 was tough with rear grip and front-end support, but after going through data, we made some changes for Q2 that moved us in the right direction. Race 1 wasn’t the result we wanted, but we learned a lot. We made a big engine-braking change that completely changed the bike and made it feel so much better. We ended warmup just 4 tenths off P2, so we were feeling really good heading into Race 2. Race 2 started great and I was battling for P5, but two laps in I got onto the wet curbing from the rain earlier and unfortunately ended my race early. The results don’t show how much progress we made this weekend. We learned a ton, found a much better direction with the bike, and we are all excited to take it to COTA!
Derek Sanchez – Rider #23: “Battled up front all weekend and showed what we’re capable of. P5 in Race 1 after a draft war to the line, and P6 in Race 2 after keeping it smart through mixed conditions for key championship points. The speed is real, the bike felt amazing, and I can’t thank my whole Real Steel Honda team enough for all the relentless work in the pits. COTA can’t come soon enough!”
More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
Mesa runs as high as P3 on Sunday after making setup progress on the YZF-R9; Nassaney battles through unpredictable track conditions.
VIRginia International Raceway hosted the seventh round of the 2026 MotoAmerica Championship, presenting Altus Motorsports with hot, greasy track conditions on Saturday and mixed conditions on Sunday.
Supersport
Stefano Mesa continued building momentum on the YZF-R9, making steady setup progress throughout practice and qualifying to secure P8 on the grid. In Race 1, Mesa was fighting inside the top 10 before an unfortunate crash in Turn 7 on lap 15 brought his race to an early end. Heavy rain fell right before Race 2, but stopped before the race began which forced a decision to be made on starting the race on rain tires or on slicks. The team chose to run rain tires which granted an immediate advantage in the early stages of the race. Mesa charged up to P3 early on, but as the track dried out the rain tires proved to be a disadvantage. Mesa was able to hold on to a hard-fought P10 even as his rain tires deteriorated a rapidly drying track.
Stefano Mesa (37) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Stefano Mesa: “VIR was another weekend of learning and making progress with the R9. We continued working on the setup and found quite a few things that helped me feel more comfortable and confident on the bike. By Q2, our pace was getting much closer to the group, which was encouraging. Unfortunately, Race 1 ended with a pretty big crash into Turn 7. For Race 2, heavy rain came down right before the start and we made the call to go with rain tires. Early on it worked really well and we ran P3 for a good part of the race, but as the track dried the guys on slicks started coming through and we eventually finished P10. Overall, I’m happy with the progress we made. I’m feeling better on the bike every weekend, we’re continuing to understand what it needs, and hopefully we can keep building from here and start turning that progress into stronger results.”
Jaret Nassaney qualified P13 and worked tirelessly to find chassis feel in Saturday’s sweltering conditions. Nassaney spent much of Race 1 locked in a three-rider battle before crossing the finish line in P14. Nassaney joined Mesa in running rain tires for Race 2, but saw his tires degrade even faster in the dry conditions. The tire wear became severe and Nassaney made the call to retire to the pits early to avoid a crash.
Jaret Nassaney (59) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Jaret Nassaney:“VIR was very hot and unforgiving this weekend. We made some forward progress with the bike, but I struggled with edge grip in every session until Sunday morning. I couldn’t push forward like I would like to be able to. Race 1 I brought home a P14, but felt like I was on ice the whole race. For Race 2, it started downpouring right before our race. I was uncomfortable with the bike, so I took a gamble to stay on rains for the race. It dried out way faster than I expected. I got well into the top 10 on the first lap, but my tires went off very quickly. I didn’t want to crash the bike, so I retired from the race. Disappointed to say the least with how the weekend went, but we will continue to show up and fight! Two more rounds for the season, so let’s end it on a high note. Thank you to my Altus Motorsports team for all the hard work as always!”
“What a weekend! We changed suspension on both bikes to Ohlins hoping for better feel for our riders. With no testing it’s extremely hard to do on race weekends. Mike Himmelsbach with Ohlins stepped up and sent Scotty one of their lead Techs over. Scotty was a tremendous help. Unfortunately everything we had been working towards over two days, we could not use in race two because it was wet. The rain ended the weekend on a low. We were wanting better results. COTA is in a few weeks and we now have a great baseline and understanding of the new suspension. On the Positive my son Jaret ran faster than he ever has at VIR and Stefano went faster each session. Our Crew Chiefs Boyd and Thibault along with Data Engineer Murph have worked hard on making our bikes better every weekend. The heat and humidity were definitely hard on all of us but we did not give up. I want to say Thank You to Will, Tylar, Gent, and Eduardo our mechanics. Without them we could not compete at this level.“ said team co-owner George Nassaney
Changing weather and tricky track surfaces made VIR a challenging weekend for the paddock, but both riders demonstrated strong potential when conditions aligned. Mesa showcased impressive speed early in Race 2 by surging into P3, and the ongoing setup adjustments on the YZF-R9 continue to move in the right direction. Altus Motorsports appreciates the relentless effort from the crew through tough weather calls and is focused on carrying these setup gains forward to Circuit of the Americas in Texas.
More, from a press release issued by M4 Ecstar Suzuki:
Best weekend yet for Sonya Lloyd at VIR.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sonya Lloyd broke into the top ten for the first time during the 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season to close out an outstanding weekend as Virginia International Raceway
Per usual, the engineer made methodical and continual improvement throughout the weekend, gaining speed and confidence aboard the GSX-8R despite battling with hot and slick conditions all the while.
The Georgian qualified 19th fastest at 1:34.434, forcing her to twice fight her way forward in search of that elusive top ten.
She clawed her way up to 12th in Saturday’s chaotic Race 1. She then at last scored a top ten on Sunday’s Race 2, where she finished tenth following an intense multi-rider sprint to the checkered flag.
Afterward, the former WorldWCR contender said,“It was a great weekend all around for us, and I am super happy. The team and I worked hard all weekend and it paid off for us. We had an issue that slowed us down on Friday, but we were able to stay focused. There was a big field this weekend and hot weather.”
Lloyd continued, “Race 1 on Saturday was the craziest race I had ever been in. There were three restarts and since there was no re-gridding, there were holes out there that made for some confusion. I was able to work my way up to 12th with some good starts.”
Sonya Lloyd (28) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Not content with that finish, Lloyd looked for another good start for the second race.
“On Sunday, I was hoping to do even better,” she said. “The early part of the race was what I was expecting, and then we had another red flag. Since they re-gridded the field, I was able to start in tenth. I got another good start and jumped up even higher. I have to say, the back-and-forth battles we had for the rest of the race were the most fun I have ever had in motorcycle racing so far. We had four or five racers battling for position. I had never been this close to the front yet, so it was a very new experience for me. I had never raced those guys before and I wasn’t able to hold my best position, but I still was tenth at the flag. I know I need to work on my racecraft more after this one.
“It was our best weekend so far, so we are really pleased for those results. I learned a lot. Next for us is New Jersey. I have never raced there yet, so I will do a couple of track days there before we go back for our event.”
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup season will conclude on September 25-27 at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey.
More, from a press release issued by Robem Engineering Aprilia:
Hank Vossberg is the 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion. Robem Engineering Aprilia secures fourth MotoAmerica title in historic, podium-perfect season with the Aprilia RS 660.
The dominant reign of the Aprilia RS 660 in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup reached new historic heights this weekend at VIRginia International Raceway (August 14-16, 2026). Hank Vossberg officially secured the 2026 Twins Cup Championship after a dramatic victory in Saturday’s Race 1, marking the fourth MotoAmerica Twins Cup title for the Robem Engineering team with the Aprilia RS 660 platform.
Vossberg’s championship-clinching weekend began with a statement of pure speed during Saturday’s Qualifying 2, where he placed his Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660 on the pole position with a new lap-record of 1:29.420 – eclipsing the time previous set by Jody Barry (Righteous Racing, Aprilia RS 660) in 2021 of 1:30.082.
In Saturday afternoon’s Race 1, Vossberg showcased masterful race craft and intense determination. After an epic battle at the front, Vossberg executed a stunning performance to take the victory by a razor-thin 0.046-second margin over his closest competitor, setting the fastest lap of the race at 1:29.674 (the new race lap record) while mathematically securing the 2026 Twins Cup Championship title with three races remaining in the season.
Sunday’s Race 2 was another tactical masterclass from the newly crowned champion. Vossberg fought hard in a restarted five-lap race, claiming another victory – his ninth of the 12 races this season – just 0.122 seconds ahead of second place finisher. This podium finish preserved Vossberg’s flawless, podium-perfect season, finishing in the top three in all 12 races run so far this year. The depth of Aprilia’s technical dominance was on full display in Race 2, with six Aprilia RS 660 machines finishing in the top 10. Joining Vossberg in the upper echelon of the results were Andrew Weyh (P4 – Weyh Racing), Eli Block (P5 – ECB Racing), Khayden Brown (P7 – 2-Bones Racing), Mallory Dobbs (P8 – Reparto Veloce Racing), and Zachary Foster (P9 – Karns/TST Industries Racing).
Hank Vossberg celebrates his 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup championship with the Robem Engineering Aprilia crew after clinching the title. Photo by Sara Chappell.
This latest crown adds to the legacy of Robem Engineering, which has now secured its fourth MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship utilizing the class-benchmark Aprilia RS 660 platform. The team’s unmatched record of championship success in the Twins Cup category includes title-winning campaigns with Kaleb De Keyrel (2021), a historic double championship (x2) with Alessandro Di Mario (2024, 2025), and now Hank Vossberg’s dominant 2026 title-winning run, writing a new chapter in the team’s storied racing history.
Hank Vossberg / Robem Engineering Aprilia: “It’s a lot. You know, I didn’t think I’d be winning the championship this early in the season. Like, I know I always wanted to win the championship, but winning it with a round and a half to go was pretty crazy. Some misfortune of other riders definitely helped, but the team and the bike all worked amazing. Looking into New Jersey, and even this race, the goal is just to have fun. That’s all I can really do from now on because I have the championship won and will try and make some money by winning some more races. We’re looking forward to the next season. We might be back on Twins Cup if we can’t, you know, find some opportunity in SuperSport. It’ll be a big jump, but I don’t think that I’m unprepared for it. It’ll be a big step, and I know there’s a lot for me to learn.
“I can’t thank Freddy enough; he works at the shop every day, building the bikes, making them better all the time. Matt, he’s out in China right now. Sara, Mike and Chad for being there every round, working through the heat. My mom and dad, my dad for driving the truck to almost every round of the season, and everybody who supported me and made this happen. It’s been a journey.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Aprilia crowned 2026 MotoAmerica Champion. Hank Vossberg claims the 2026 Twins Cup tittle thanks to race 1 victory in Virginia.
It has been an incredibile season for Aprilia in MotoAmerica. At Virginia International Raceway, Hank Vossberg was crowned champion of the Twins Cup—the American championship’s intermediate class—thanks to his victory in Race 1.
Hank Vossberg (31) at VIR. Photo by Sara Chappell.
In the sixth and penultimate round of the season, held in Virginia, the 16-year-old talent racing for team Robem Engineering proved fast and competitive aboard his Aprilia RS 660 right from Friday. On Saturday, the American confirmed the strong pace shown in practice by first taking pole position with a new lap record (1:29.420) and then winning Race 1, thereby securing the national title three races early. Vossberg completed the sweep in Race 2, wrapping up the weekend with an incredible double victory.
It has been an outstanding season for Vossberg, who has secured nine wins in twelve races and finished on the podium in every single contest. Vossberg’s title highlights the Aprilia RS 660’s competitiveness and Robem Engineering’s outstanding work in the American championship over the years. A winning combination that has racked up four national titles in the last six seasons. Alongside Vossberg, the team’s honours list includes victories by Kaleb De Keyrel (2021) and back-to-back titles with Alessandro Di Mario (2024, 2025).
HANK VOSSBERG: “It’s truly incredible. I never thought I’d win the championship this early. A few circumstances certainly helped me, but the team has done a brilliant job and the Aprilia RS 660 has performed really well. As for the final round in New Jersey, I just want to enjoy myself.”
More, from a press release issued by Karns / TST Industries Team:
All three Karns/Industries riders score points during a demanding MotoAmerica Twins Cup weekend.
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup weekend at Virginia International Raceway tested every part of the Karns / TST Industries team.
The weather was brutally hot and humid. The races were filled with crashes, red flags and restarts. Each of the team’s three riders faced his own challenges. But the team kept working. By the end of the weekend, Karns / TST Industries Team had earned a podium, a career-best Twins Cup finish and points from all three riders in both races.
Kevin Olmedo (116) and Isaac Woodworth (27) during Twins Cup race 1 at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Kevin Olmedo qualified fifth and remained near the front throughout the weekend. Saturday’s crash-filled opening race was stopped three times, making it difficult for any rider to establish a rhythm. Olmedo managed the repeated restarts well and brought his Suzuki GSX-8R home in fourth place.
On Sunday, Olmedo delivered the team’s strongest result of the weekend. After another serious incident brought out the red flag, the race was restarted as a five-lap sprint. Olmedo remained composed and finished third, earning his second podium of the 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season.
“It was a tough weekend in Virginia, but thank Goodness we managed to get on the podium in the second race,” Olmedo said.“Thank you very much to the entire Karns crew and to all the sponsors who make everything possible.”
Kevin Olmedo (116) and Isaac Woodworth (27) crossed the finish line in a tight finish at the conclusion of Twins Cup Race 1 at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Isaac Woodworth qualified seventh but struggled to find the rhythm and consistency he expected from himself throughout the weekend. Issues at the start of both races forced Woodworth to recover from difficult positions. He finished sixth in Race 1 and 11th in Race 2, salvaging valuable championship points on a weekend when the results did not reflect his true pace.
“It was a tough weekend at VIR,” Woodworth said. “We struggled to find our groove, and issues off the start in both races left us with results we weren’t too happy with.”
“The pace was there, but bad luck kept us from putting it all together. I know I’m capable of better, and I’ll be healthy for NJMP. I’m just happy we were able to salvage some points and keep moving forward.”
For Woodworth, the focus now shifts to recovering, resetting and returning to the front at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Solly Mervis (25) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Solly Mervis’ weekend began with an immediate setback when a broken shift linkage cost the Ice Barn Racing/Karns Performance rider nearly the entire first qualifying session.
The crew worked quickly to repair the Suzuki GSX-8R and get Mervis back on track for Qualifying 2. He started 17th—not where he wanted to be, but he never allowed the difficult beginning to change his attitude or concentration. That became especially important in Saturday’s Race 1.
With three red flags and repeated restarts, the race demanded patience and focus. Mervis maintained both, advancing six positions and finishing 11th.
Sunday brought another long day of oppressive Virginia heat and another interrupted race. Following a serious crash involving multiple motorcycles, Race 2 was restarted as a five-lap sprint. Mervis responded with the best result of his MotoAmerica Twins Cup career. He finished sixth, completing an 11-position climb from his starting spot and giving Ice Barn Racing and Karns / TST Industries Team a second top-six result in the final race of the weekend.
“This was a really important weekend for me,” Mervis said. “Losing most of Q1 because of the broken shift linkage put us behind, and the heat and all the restarts made VIR especially challenging.”
“But I stayed positive, trusted the process and trusted the team. After Mid-Ohio, I wanted to respond with a better approach, better focus and a better attitude. Finishing sixth—my best Twins Cup result—showed what we can accomplish when I stay patient and keep working.”
“I’m incredibly grateful to the entire Karns / TST Industries Team and Ice Barn Racing crew. They worked hard all weekend and never gave up on me.”
A complete team response:
The final results tell only part of the story. Karns / TST Industries placed all three motorcycles inside the top 11 in both races. Olmedo delivered a podium, Mervis earned his career-best Twins Cup finish, and Woodworth fought through a difficult weekend to score points twice.
It was not an easy weekend.
It was a team weekend.
Now, Karns Performance turns its attention to New Jersey Motorsports Park—ready to recover, reset and fight again.
Three-time World Champion takes part in The Quail Run aboard Honda’s retro-inspired standard.
Model draws styling inspiration from the CB750F and CB900F raced by Spencer in the early 1980s.
Honda, Acura showcase over 20 iconic race cars and motorcycles at the event.
Three-time World Champion and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Freddie Spencer rode the all-new 2026 Honda CB1000F this weekend during Monterey Car Week, taking part in The Quail Run. The activity brought together one of Honda’s most celebrated racers with a model whose styling draws inspiration from versions of the CB750F and CB900F that “Fast Freddie” raced during his rise through the ranks of AMA road racing in the early 1980s. The weekend also marked the first time the CB1000F was ridden in the U.S.
Freddie Spencer (on the left) and Jeff Haney during the Monterey Car Week. Photo courtesy American Honda Motor Co.
Spencer’s history with Honda’s CB-F machines dates back to the early 1980s, when the young American emerged as one of the country’s top road racers aboard Honda machinery. His success during that period helped establish both Spencer and Honda as forces in AMA Superbike competition, before he moved to the world stage and captured three Grand Prix World Championships. Beneath its timeless styling, the CB1000F benefits from the modern foundation of the CB1000 Hornet SP, combining open-class performance and advanced technology with a comfortable riding experience.
The Quail Run took approximately two dozen participants on a scenic route through the Monterey Peninsula and Carmel Valley, with the group departing from and returning to Laguna Seca. The ride coincided with the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, a centerpiece of Monterey Car Week that this year celebrated Japanese motorsports. Spencer also participated in exhibition laps at Laguna Seca aboard a replica of the Honda NS500 he rode to the 1983 500cc Grand Prix World Championship.
“This is not just a retro bike in colors and style, but in the way they’ve done the engine,” said Spencer after completing The Quail Run aboard the CB1000F. “The great thing about the original inline engine was the changing pitch. They’ve been able to restore that sound and put it back in this bike. I love that it has the modern technology, but it doesn’t interfere with the riding experience. It also handles incredibly. It’s just an absolute pleasure to ride, because it has memories of the old motorcycle, but with the refinement of a modern bike. It’s a great combination, and I believe it’ll appeal to people across generations.”
Freddie Spencer Rides All-New CB1000F During Monterey Car Week. Photo courtesy American Honda Motor Co.
Honda also celebrated seven decades of two- and four-wheel motorsports heritage during Monterey Car Week, showcasing more than 20 iconic Honda and Acura championship-winning race cars and motorcycles. Among them were the 2026 Honda RC213V, Nicky Hayden’s 2006 MotoGP Championship-winning RC211V, Mick Doohan’s 1997 FIM Grand Prix Championship-winning NSR500, a replica of Dick Mann’s 1970 Daytona 200-winning CR750, Honda’s 2004 CBR600RR AMA Formula Xtreme bike, and Jett Lawrence’s 2025 SuperMotocross Championship-winning CRF450R. In addition, Ricky Brabec’s 2024 Dakar Rally-winning CRF450 RALLY was on display, with Brabec riding his current factory rally machine during demonstration laps at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion and The Quail Run.
Ricky Brabec (on the left) and Freddie Spencer during the Monterey Car Week. Photo courtesy American Honda Motor Co.
“Honda has deep roots in motorsport competition, which is an important part of our history and culture,” said Colin Miller, Manager of Experiential Marketing at American Honda. “Monterey Car Week gave us a great opportunity to celebrate that history through some of Honda and Acura’s most iconic racing machines. Freddie is also an important part of that story, so it was special to see him aboard a replica of the NS500 he raced and the new CB1000F, particularly given the CB1000F’s connection to the motorcycles he raced in the early 1980s.”
About Honda Powersports:
Honda began motorcycle sales in America in 1959, and today offers a full range of Honda motorcycles, scooters, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and side-by-sides in the U.S. Innovative technology always has been a Honda trademark, showcasing pioneering engine and chassis design that has set the standard for excellence for more than 65 years. Honda also has announced plans for battery-electric powersports products. Honda Powersports products have been built in America for 45 years, and today, all Honda side-by-sides and ATVs are made in America at Honda manufacturing plants in Timmonsville, SC, and Swepsonville, NC, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Learn more at https://powersports.honda.com.
Briar Bauman (No. 3) during the 2025 Peoria TT. Photo by Tim Lester for AMA Pro Racing.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 20, 2026) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is Peoria, Illinois-bound for one of the most revered and renowned events in global motorsport – the World Famous Caterpillar Peoria TT presented by Walters Brothers Harley-Davidson, on Saturday, August 22.
2026 marks the 79th edition of the fabled race hosted annually by the Peoria Motorcycle Club. There race fans gather in huge numbers to witness world-class competition inside the venue’s spectacular natural amphitheater, an experience that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
The Path to Peoria Power Now Runs Through Bauman
Ranking among the Grand National Championship’s most iconic races, aspiring and established dirt trackers alike make a victory at the Peoria TT one of their most coveted goals.
Few achieve it. And those who do master it battle tooth-and-claw to do so again and again, creating precious little opportunity for others to share in that glory. Even top fives are difficult to come by for those without serious Peoria TT bona fides.
This has always been true. Dirt track legends of yore such as Roger Soderstrom (winner of five straight Peoria TTs from 1949-1953), Joe Leonard (seven-time winner from 1954-1961), Bart Markel (six-time winner from 1960-1968, and Dick Mann (five-time winner from 1959-1972) stamped out the dreams of those who were not up to the task of beating the best of the best at Peoria.
This trend has only further solidified over time. Over the last four decades, just nine different winners have stood atop the Mission AFT SuperTwins podium here.
Those who have are considered Peoria royalty. The longest reign, of course, belonged to “King” Henry Wiles (No. 911 DL Racing/HYMMCO Yamaha MT-07), who won 14 straight premier-class Main Events.
Chris Carr – known as “the Prince of Peoria” – earned that moniker via 13 wins of his own. More recently, JD Beach became the race’s ruling regent, notching up three consecutive triumphs from 2021-2023.
Its current warden is Briar Bauman (No. 3 Super.com/RWR/Rocket Doctor Harley-Davidson XG750R). Bauman’s win here a year ago was the third of his career, and he’s finished no worse than third since the big twins took flight once again in 2017.
The Rick Ware Racing superstar will now look to translate that expertise into a fourth Peoria TT victory – one that could draw him closer to a potential third Grand National Championship.
The Prince That Was Promised
But Bauman understands he can’t just show up and expect to roll over the competition.
Reigning champion and current points leader Dallas Daniels (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07) was practically born to be a Peoria legend himself.
Hailing from nearby Mattoon, Illinois, Daniels lived up to his childhood ambitions by breaking through with a stunning maiden professional victory as a KICKER AFT Singles rookie in 2019.
While, in many ways, that performance signaled what was to come – namely back-to-back KICKER AFT Singles titles and, ultimately, a Grand National Championship – he has yet to return to the top of the box in Peoria.
It hasn’t been due to a lack of pace, but rather a mix of misfortune, mistakes, Beach, and Bauman.
If Daniels can reclaim a destiny once almost taken granted, he’ll be in a commanding position indeed. Hang tight – we’ll return to that idea in a moment.
The Standard is the Standard
As accomplished and skilled as Bauman and Daniels are in Peoria, rookie title hopeful Kody Kopp (No. 12 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) has no choice but to meet if not exceed their level with the championship race so tight and so close to its conclusion.
Kopp has steadily improved over the years in Peoria – claiming ninth (with the save of the year) as a rookie in 2021, then fourth, third, and second in successive attempts while winning three consecutive KICKER AFT Singles crowns from 2022-2024.
While he is likely heartened about his chances at the season-finale Springfield doubleheader as a result of his DuQuoin Mile triumph – that might not be enough, as we’ll discuss next.
But as a preview, know that if Kopp wants this title, he likely needs to put in Peoria of his career… and get some help.
Running Numbers
Daniels’ Sturgis success not only put him on top of the points for the first time during his title defense, it also stripped his adversaries of control over their own destinies.
After winning both the TT and ST at the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club, the Estenson Racing Yamaha pilot now leads Kopp by 13 points and Bauman by 16 (249-236-233) with just three races to go.
With 23 points awarded for a win, 19 for second, and 16 for third, that means Daniels would repeat as champion with three seconds (306), even if Kopp were to win out (305).
The path is even more difficult for Bauman, who would have 302 points with three wins to end the year. That’s a tally Daniels could top with two seconds and a third (303).
Fast Local
Another part-timer with the potential to make things interesting is Peoria resident Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Dick Ford Racing/Mission Foods Yamaha MT-07).
Bauman still has plenty of pace – as evidenced by three top fives in his last six attempts. He also has serious Peoria chops – as evidenced by his 2019 runner-up finish to brother Briar and last year’s fourth.
As the numbers discussed above make clear, Briar could use a repeat of that 2019 1-2 right about now.
And if not Bronson, who?
Outside of the Baumans, Daniels, and Wiles, every other rider to have finished inside the top five in the premier class at the Peoria TT is either injured, retired, off racing elsewhere, or otherwise not present.
With the likes of JD Beach, Jared Mees, Jarod VanDerkooi, Max Whale, Robert Pearson, and Brandon Robinson not in the mix, that provides plenty of room for a new generation to step forward.
It’s not just about Peoria glory. There are championship rankings yet to be decided.
Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing KTM 790 Duke), Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods Honda CB750 Hornet), Aidan RoosEvans (No. 26 Bubba Boswell/Smokey Mountain Harley-Davidson XG750R), Declan Bender (No. 70 Memphis Shades/Vinson Construction Yamaha MT-07), Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Roof Systems KTM 790 Duke), Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650), Chad Cose (No. 49 PRO Roofing/Parker Racing Yamaha MT-07), and Hunter Bauer (No. 24 G&G Yamaha MT-07) are still fighting to secure their GNC standing with little time left to do so.
The Amphitheater Awaits
Beyond the 79th running of one of the most thrilling and historic motorcycle races on the planet, those in attendance will also be treated to a Saturday afternoon of entertainment highlighted by a range of vendors, expansive food and beverage options, and dedicated motorcycle parking.
Mark Ramsey and Eric “Digger” Manes, stars of the hit television show Moonshiners, will be on site to serve as Grand Marshals to underline the celebratory nature of the event.
General Admission tickets are just $30 (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult GA ticket).
For $125 (all ages), fans can purchase a VIP ticket, which includes admission to the Turn 1 VIP lounge – located in an air-conditioned building that overlooks the entire track – food and beverage, a swag bag, and VIP parking.
And for $135 (all ages), H.O.G. members can enjoy the Harley-Davidson VIP Experience, which provides dedicated H.O.G. parking and an exclusive seating section, a guided tour of the infield podium and start/finish line, photo ops included, a meet-and-greet with the Harley-Davidson riders, and exclusive swag.
Gates will open at 9:00 a.m. ET/6:00 a.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT.
How to Watch
FloRacing
For those that can’t catch the live action at the track, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive American Flat Track. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2026. FloSports is available by visitinghttps://flosports.link/AFT2026 or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports coverage of the World Famous Caterpillar Peoria TT, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, August 30, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT). The full listing of American Flat Track’s television premieres can be found at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports.
Johann Zarco (5) in Brazil. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Castrol Honda LCR is pleased to announce that Johann Zarco will return to racing at the Aragon Grand Prix, subject to passing the mandatory medical examination at the circuit.
After suffering a crash during Sunday’s race at the Catalan Grand Prix, Zarco was forced to miss the subsequent Grands Prix to allow him to recover from ligament injuries to his left knee. The rider and his medical team opted for a non-surgical approach, with September initially set as his target for a return to competition.
However, Zarco’s recovery has continued to improve in recent weeks, allowing him to bring forward his return to racing. He has gradually increased his workload, riding both a supermoto and a Honda CBR1000RR as part of his rehabilitation. Having made steady progress and received clearance from his medical team to resume racing, Zarco will travel to Aragon with the aim of returning to competition, subject to passing the mandatory medical assessment at the circuit.
Both Johann Zarco and the Castrol Honda LCR team are looking forward to being reunited at the Aragon Grand Prix and continuing their work together on track.
Damp patches on the track? Unpredictable grip? Slicks? No problem. Josh Hayes demolished the Supersport field on Sunday at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
First Person/Opinion
by Michael Gougis
Racing is hard. Racing in changing conditions on a treacherous track makes it exponentially harder. Virginia International Raceway sent riders home with injuries this weekend, notably Richie Escalante and Juliana Fernandez, and a lot of crew members loaded a lot of wrecked machinery back into the trucks at the end of Sunday. In those conditions, good riders made mistakes on the track, crews made mistakes in the pits, and those mistakes bit hard.
So it’s not just that Josh Hayes, age 51, clocked his 90th career AMA professional road racing win that made his ride in the MotoAmerica Supersport race on Sunday so memorable. It’s that Josh delivered one of those performances that just left you thinking that somehow, someway, on this day, he was on a different track than the rest of the field.
Let’s not overstate it. The two top title contenders in the class got stuck at the back of the field for the start because they weren’t ready when the time came to race. A downpour just before the race start left teams and riders scratching their heads over tire and setup choice, and Darryn Binder started from the back of the grid and Josh Herrin from pit lane. Both had to fight their way through the field. When the lights went out, some bikes were on slicks, some on rains.
But four-time AMA Superbike Champion Hayes did the wet familiarization session, stuck his finger in the air and he and the BPR Racing team quickly and confidently made their choice – slicks for a wet-but-rapidly drying track. Typically, riders who make this choice drop backward during the first part of the race, then as the track dries out and those on rain tires overheat them on the hot, dry pavement, the slick-shod riders move back to the front – hopefully. Hayes’ years of experience told him that VIR would dry rapidly, and gave him an idea of where he could find grip with the slicks from the start.
And he did.
He was in first going into the first corner and after that, it wasn’t even close. If it was a boxing match, the ref would have stopped it. Hayes put five seconds into eventual second-place finisher Binder on the second lap. He put eight seconds into Herrin. Next time around, Hayes turned a 1:33 lap while Binder was doing a 1:38 and Herrin a 1:41. At the halfway point of the 14-lap race, Hayes was nearly 25 seconds ahead. That’s 25 seconds. That’s nearly a third of a lap at VIR! And at no point did it look like Hayes was riding over his head or taking dumb risks. What it did look like was an incredibly skilled rider demonstrating exactly how well a good Yamaha YZF-R9 could go in these conditions, a demonstration no one else in the field could come close to matching.
Josh Hayes (4). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
It might not have been the most exciting race to watch. But accomplishments grow in hindsight and with perspective. You see them for the incredibly special moments that they are. Think Valentino Rossi’s 2003 Australia Grand Prix, where he was penalized 10 seconds for passing under the yellow, put his head down and gapped the field by 15 seconds. Think Marc Marquez’s qualifying lap in Brno in 2019 on slicks in a downpour that left him 2.524 seconds clear of the field – a bigger gap than the margin from second on the grid to 12th. Think Johann Zarco’s masterstroke of strategy and courage that earned him the win in the rain-lashed French Grand Prix last year, nearly 20 seconds ahead of Marquez. In each of those cases, you were aware that what you were watching was something special, a bit of roadracing magic.
Hayes’ legacy in road racing is secure. He has nothing to prove to anyone. This was just a reminder of just how good Josh Hayes really is. And for me, it’s one of the best parts of professional racing, something that helps balance out the struggles, the injuries, the sacrifices. It’s watching a racer delivering a masterclass, something that just leaves you speechless and wondering how they are doing it – and grateful you got to see it.
Lucrezia Vercelloni (on the left) and Maria Herrera (on the right). Photo courtesy WWCR.
WorldWCR DUO: Herrera and Vercelloni on supporting each other, new challenges and the future.
Reigning Champion Herrera and mechanic Vercelloni discuss their working relationship, supporting each other and long-term goals.
Reigning FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Champion Maria Herrera joined the Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team for the 2026 season. Her mechanic is Lucrezia Vercelloni, one of few women working in a technical role in the WorldWCR series. In a special feature, the pair discuss working together, the current landscape and changing it in the future.
THE WorldWCR EXPERIENCE
Both Maria and Lucrezia have been a part of WorldWCR since its inception, in 2024. Discussing WorldWCR, Vercelloni said: “WorldWCR is a very interesting environment in which to work because we essentially all ‘share’ a garage so there’s a real collaborative spirit. It’s like we’ve created a small community of our own inside the WorldSBK paddock. It’s great to see how the women riders support each other too, offering advice and helping each other. The Italian and European championships are a great platform, but here you have a lot more eyes on you. There’s a lot of interest, also because it’s a relatively new Championship.”
Herrera added: “People sometimes think women riders are slower or less aggressive, but I’ve been very impressed. It’s a challenge every year. We’re at the limit with the bike in WorldWCR, and this year the level is incredible! The bikes are the same for everyone, which levels the playing field. So, you must fight harder and be more precise with certain details than is perhaps necessary in another category, like MotoE or WorldSSP.”
Maria Herrera (on the bike) and her mechanic Lucrezia Vercelloni. Photo courtesy WWCR.
A NEW DYNAMIC
2026 brought a fresh challenge, as Herrera adjusted to a new team, while Vercelloni faced the pressure of working with the reigning champion. On this change, Herrera said: “I hoped to do a pre-season test to get to know the team, but it wasn’t possible and so we came to the first round without really knowing each other. But in the end, it was easy and I immediately felt good. It helped that I already felt fast at the first Portimao round, so I was calm and relaxed. And I’m still riding an R7 of course. Switching teams can be tricky, but I know I just have to trust myself and get on with it. I work with one mechanic and one technician, so it’s just the three of us, and I feel very comfortable.”
Vercelloni added: “Maria brings so much experience of course. There’s a little more pressure perhaps, but it’s normal to feel a little under pressure when you work with a high-level professional. You always try to do your best and know you’re being closely watched, but that also pushes you to do even better. I think she teaches us, just as we can teach her certain things. Maria’s very good at what she does, and the crew chief, a former rider, is able to steer her in terms of communication, to better understand what she’s feeling on the bike.”
CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE
Herrera and Vercelloni continue to break barriers in motorsport, but have there been challenges along the way?
Herrera said: “After leading the 2013 CEV Moto3 Championship, they didn’t give me the opportunity to step up to an official team. I just didn’t get that chance. I’d been leading the Championship, and everything was good, so I feel the lack of opportunity had to do with me being a woman rider; I believe we face more obstacles, at least in the beginning. But over the years, I’ve always got on well with my teams. One or two riders were difficult or might be overly aggressive in response to me overtaking them in a race. But generally, I’ve felt that other riders and paddock staff respect me. I’d like to see more female technicians of course! I think women can do any job they want, technician, mechanic, anything. Things are improving step by step, and there are now more female mechanics in the MotoGP paddock too. When I started racing, women only worked in organisational areas, travel or hospitality.”
Lucrezia added: “Fortunately, I’ve always worked on teams that welcomed me and were willing to teach me. We’re all here to work, to achieve a goal, and I’ve never come up against any walls. I would say it’s a very positive environment. Sometimes people offer help because they assume that, as a woman, I’m not physically capable of doing something, but that’s okay and I don’t really get offended. There are not many women technicians in WorldWCR, just me and a couple of others. I think some girls are self-conscious about working in this world, but if they see women carving a path here, maybe they too will have the courage to give it a go.”
Lucrezia Vercelloni working on Maria Herrera’s bike. Photo courtesy WWCR.
BUILDING THE FUTURE
As they continue to develop in their respective careers, the pair share their goals for the future, from competing at the highest level to supporting the next generation.
On her plans for the future, Vercelloni said: “The focus is on my race work right now. I’m definitely open to working in another category in the future, WorldSBK perhaps. It’s another world, different bikes, different work rhythms, but would be a very interesting technical challenge. It’s a dream of mine to work on bigger bikes.”
Herrera explained her plans that go beyond being on track: “Next year, I hope to keep pushing in this Championship. Then, beyond WorldWCR, I want to help and support young women, also via the Spanish Federation. It’s something I already do actually, as my goal is to pass on everything I know to a new generation. This is very important to me.”
Phenomenal crowds, legendary racers and cars, the inaugural Bonhams auction and first-ever Hypercar Parade highlight an unforgettable Monterey Car Week. Photo courtesy WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
MONTEREY, Calif., August 19, 2026 — The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion delivered an unforgettable celebration of motorsports history at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, bringing phenomenal crowds, fiercely competitive racing and an extraordinary collection of legendary cars and drivers together for four action-packed days during Monterey Car Week.
From priceless machines representing generations of international motorsports to celebrated champions returning to competition, the Reunion once again demonstrated why it remains one of the world’s premier historic racing events. This year’s celebration of Japanese Icons of Motorsport brought an added dimension to the event, showcasing the innovation, performance and lasting influence of Japanese manufacturers and racers on the global motorsports stage.
The paddock and grandstands were filled throughout the event as fans enjoyed the rare opportunity to see hundreds of historically significant race cars not simply displayed, but driven at speed around the iconic 2.238-mile WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca circuit.
Competition remained at the heart of the Reunion, with drivers battling throughout the weekend across an exceptional variety of racing eras and disciplines. From early sports and touring cars to Trans-Am, Can-Am, IMSA GTP and FIA Group C machinery, each race offered fans a window into a different chapter of motorsports history.
The IROC podium: Tomy Drissi, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch and Series Owner Ray Evernham celebrate. Photo courtesy WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
The weekend also brought together an extraordinary roster of racing personalities. Grand Marshal Peter Brock was joined by champions and motorsports legends from across generations, while the return of IROC Presented by Chevrolet put some of racing’s most recognizable names back behind the wheel, including Zak Brown, Kurt Busch, Tomy Drissi, Jimmie Johnson, Bobby Labonte, Patrick Long, Scott Pruett, Dario Franchitti, Bruce Canepa and Danny Sullivan.
For the first time in nearly two decades, all six-living American 500cc World Grand Prix Champions reunited at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, adding an extraordinary two-wheel element to the Reunion’s celebration of motorsports legends. Kenny Roberts, Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz and Kenny Roberts Jr. came together at a circuit where each raced, representing one of the most dominant eras in Grand Prix motorcycle racing history. Together, the six American champions captured an incredible 14 of the 23 500cc World Championships between 1978 and 2000. Fans were ecstatic over the rare opportunity to see these six legends together again, in the paddock and on track riding their championship-winning bikes, celebrating an unforgettable era of American motorcycle racing at a circuit that played an important role in each of their careers.
Riders image: The six American World Champions following their exhibition ride (L-R) Kevin Schwantz, Kenny Roberts Jr., Freddie Spencer, Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, and Kenny Roberts. In memoriam is the Repsol Honda #69 of the late Nicky Hayden. Chris MacAllister (standing) owns the Kenny Roberts bikes. Photo courtesy WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
Two collections attracted a steady flow of visitors to the display and the fences to see and hear them on track. The Japanese Heritage Display with its 40-plus cars and motorcycles represented the pinnacle of Japanese motorsport, which included the 1991 Mazda 787B, the first Japanese car to capture the crown, and the 2018 Toyota GAZOO Racing’s TS050 Hybrid that gave Toyota its first overall victory. The Indy Car exhibit featured a vibrant evolution of more than two dozen Indy Cars that ranged from a 1911 National and 1931 Miller to the 1983 March 83C (the winner of the first Indy Car race at Laguna Seca) and the 2022 Dallara of Alex Palou.
Adding a new chapter to the Reunion was the first-ever Hypercar Parade, which brought an incredible collection of more than 40 modern hypercars onto the legendary circuit. The spectacular procession provided a striking contrast to the historic machinery competing throughout the weekend and offered fans a glimpse at the evolution of performance from motorsports past to the cutting edge of today’s automotive world.
Another significant milestone came with the inaugural Bonhams auction at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Following nearly three decades at The Quail Lodge, Bonhams brought its prestigious Monterey Car Week auction directly to the raceway, creating a natural connection between exceptional collector automobiles, historic racing and the enthusiasts gathered at Laguna Seca. The successful debut further expanded the Reunion experience and established WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as an even greater destination during Monterey Car Week.
Throughout the four days, fans were immersed in motorsports history through special displays, forums, driver appearances, autograph sessions, paddock access and celebrations honoring the people and machines that have shaped the sport. The open paddock remained one of the event’s defining experiences, allowing guests to get remarkably close to legendary cars and interact with the drivers, owners and crews who keep their histories alive.
“This year’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion was truly extraordinary,” said Mel Harder, president and general manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “The crowds, the quality of competition and the caliber of cars and drivers were incredible. Between celebrating Japanese motorsport, welcoming Bonhams to the raceway and introducing the Hypercar Parade, there was something special happening everywhere you looked. Most importantly, our fans came out in tremendous numbers to celebrate the history and future of motorsports with us.”
The event capped an exciting stretch that began with the Monterey Pre-Reunion and Corkscrew Hillclimb, setting the stage for a remarkable week of automotive celebrations on the Monterey Peninsula.
While the cars represented decades of racing history, the weekend proved that the passion surrounding them is as strong as ever. Legendary cars, legendary racers and generations of fans came together at one of the world’s most legendary racing circuits for a Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion that will be remembered for years to come.
2024 Bugatti Chiron Super Sport: sold for $4,570,000. Photo courtesy WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
UP NEXT: NTT INDYCAR SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP FINALE
The action continues at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca over Labor Day weekend, September 4-6, as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Finale brings Championship Week to the Monterey Peninsula. The season comes down to Laguna Seca, where both the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone champions will be crowned following a weekend of thrilling, high-stakes competition on one of the most challenging and iconic circuits in motorsports. With championships on the line, the stars of INDYCAR are battling the legendary Corkscrew amid a full weekend of fan activities and entertainment. Tickets, hospitality packages and camping are available at weathertechraceway.com.
About WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca:
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a world-renowned motorsport facility located in Monterey, California, operated and managed by Friends of Laguna Seca, a 501c(3) non-profit. Nestled among scenic hills, it has a rich history of hosting premier racing events, making it a favorite destination for motorsport enthusiasts from around the world. The 2.238-mile raceway features 11 challenging turns and approximately 180 feet of elevation change, including the world-famous Corkscrew, providing a thrilling experience for both drivers and fans. Friends of Laguna Seca is committed to delivering top-tier racing and entertainment experiences year after year. Find out how you can get involved at FriendsOfLagunaSeca.org.
During the Ride With Us: Building our Industry, Building our Community-Together panel, Andre Albert (second from left), the Motorcycle Industry Council's Director of Market Expansion and Events, emphasized the importance of prioritizing long-term rider growth over short-term transactions. Photo courtesy AIMExpo.
Acquisition builds on platform’s 22-year history of connecting powersports employers and job seekers.
IRVINE, Calif., — The Motorcycle Industry Council (http://mic.org) has acquired MotorcycleIndustryJobs.com (http://motorcycleindustryjobs.com), bringing the long-standing powersports employment platform under the MIC umbrella and creating new opportunities to strengthen the industry’s workforce.
Now backed by MIC’s resources and broad industry reach, MIJ is poised to grow while building on more than two decades of connecting powersports employers and job seekers.
“One of MIC’s pillars is to support the expansion of the powersports market, and MIJ gives us a tremendous opportunity to do just that by connecting employers with the people they need and helping more people discover the many career opportunities in powersports,” said Christy LaCurelle, MIC President and CEO. “MIJ has been serving job seekers in our industry — as well as employers — for more than two decades, and we are excited to keep that momentum rolling while also exploring the new benefits it can create for MIC members.”
MIJ was founded in 2004 by Alex Baylon, who had been looking for a job in the motorcycle industry and realized that openings were often circulated through word-of-mouth or classified ads. Baylon created the website to give people who wanted to work in the motorcycle industry a dedicated place to find jobs and for companies to find experienced candidates.
“MIJ has been a labor of love for many years, and while selling the website was not an easy decision, I’m incredibly optimistic about its future,” said Baylon. “MIC has the vision and the resources to take MIJ to the next level, helping it grow and serve the industry in even bigger ways. I truly believe this is the perfect home for MIJ, and I can’t wait to see where MIC takes it and how it can continue to serve the industry that has looked to it as a resource for so long.”
Over its 22-year history, MIJ has grown from a website that connects job seekers to employers to a comprehensive, mobile-friendly employment platform. In addition to job listings and resume posting, MIJ offers recruiting and employer services, industry and company profiles, career information, and industry-related content and data. MIJ’s administrative team will continue in their roles, helping ensure users see no change in service or support.
About the Motorcycle Industry Council:
The Motorcycle Industry Council is a not-for-profit trade association that protects, informs, and promotes the motorcycle industry. MIC represents motorcycle manufacturers, distributors, aftermarket companies, dealers, retailers, and related organizations providing vital support to the powersports industry. MIC advocates for pro-motorcycling policy and fair regulation, delivers industry insights, and promotes awareness to grow ridership. Established in 1914, MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., with a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. Keep up with the industry association on MIC.org (https://www.mic.org/#/) and through the weekly MIC RideReport (https://mailchi.mp/11fa39907daf/6ryox011tw) .
Tom Drane (No. 59) leads the KICKER AFT Singles into turn one during the 2025 Peoria TT. Photo by Tim Lester for AMA Pro Racing.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 19, 2026) – The championship is on the line as the KICKER AFT Singles competitors arrive in Peoria, Illinois, for the 79th World Famous Caterpillar Peoria TT presented by Walters Brothers Harley-Davidson at the Peoria Motorcycle Club on Saturday, August 22.
The world’s elite 450cc motorcycle dirt track pilots will battle each other around right- and left-hand turns and over jumps, with the visceral moment-to-moment action and overarching season goals combining to create a most compelling draw for the 14th round of the 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
The Best Revenge
Defending KICKER AFT Singles champion Tom Drane (No. 1 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) enters this weekend in Peoria following a dreadful week of racing in Sturgis that saw him hit with his worst back-to-back finishes since early his rookie season.
And that’s not all that hit him. The Australian’s dip in results came after being taken out while leading the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT. He then hit the ground again two days later after getting caught between two competitors as they all sought the same real estate off the start of the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Short Track.
As a result, he was forced to run up through the field from the back of the grid following both restarts, winding up with 10th-and 7th-place finishes.
A small positive was that 10th was elevated to a 9th after archrival Chase Saathoff (No. 88 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) was disqualified for having taken Drane out. A larger negative was that Drane himself was hit with a five-point penalty after banging into the back of Saathoff’s rear wheel out of frustration when it was all over.
However, that penalty wasn’t big enough to prevent Drane from taking out his frustrations in a more productive manner this weekend.
Despite the subtraction, he still holds a 42-point advantage over second-ranked Saathoff. Drane already has the tiebreaker in hand, which means if he leaves Peoria with that lead expanded by just four points, he’ll have secured his second consecutive KICKER AFT Singles championship.
Incidentally, the difference between first- and second-place is four points.
So if Drane wins this year’s Caterpillar Peoria TT – as he did by more than eight seconds a year ago – the rising star will lock this one up two rounds early. It’ll also give him a strong case to be rewarded with a Mission AFT SuperTwins wild card ride at the Caterpillar Springfield Mile I & II double finale.
There should be no lack of motivation.
Standing in the Way
The flip side to that is Saathoff knows exactly what he must do to make certain he keeps his vanishingly slim title hopes alive to the finale: win.
Drane’s ‘25 victory at the circuit was no doubt made easier by the fact that Saathoff was absent after suffering an injury during qualifying. And he would have been a threat; the Illinois native had just posted the fastest time of the session when he was thrown from his machine attempting to land the jump.
Now fully healthy and with his own source of motivation, Saathoff responded to his Sturgis DQ by scoring his first win of the season two days later.
He’ll look to carry those winning ways forward at the same Peoria racetrack where he took top honors in 2024 following an intense battle with then-champion Kody Kopp and future-champion Drane.
Signing Off
So long as he’s sufficiently recovered from the qualifying spill that ruled him out at the Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT, Jesse Janisch (No. 33 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) will line up for what’s being billed the final Progressive AFT race of his career.
If that holds true, Janisch can be proud of his sparkling record, which is highlighted by the 2022 Mission AFT Production Twins title but spread out across many classes and years.
Along with his successful title run, Janisch will be remembered as one of the all-time KICKER AFT Singles TT greats – a discipline in which he leads all riders with six career victories… and a certified Peoria TT superstar.
Janisch has won four races at the venue – three in KICKER AFT Singles competition (2015, 2017, and 2018) along with last year’s AFT AdventureTrackers Main Event.
Still plenty quick and with a huge edge in experience, it’ll be interesting to see how the young lions of the class match up with a returning (and exiting) Peoria grand master.
Dark Horses
A couple other riders have shown they have what it takes to fight up front this weekend.
Trevor Brunner (No. 21 JMC Motorsports/Fairway GMC KTM 450 SX-F) won in a wild one here in 2023, edging Drane and Kopp to the checkered flag. He also finished as last year’s runner-up and earlier earned a podium in 2022, when he finished third.
Brunner’s first week of action on the JMC Motorsports KTM signaled a return to form, a fact that makes him a contender of note this weekend.
And Tarren Santero (No. 75 Roof Systems/Texas Utility Studies/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R) has also shown well here in the past. He rounded out the podium in 2025 after finishing fourth in 2024.
But podiums are no longer the goal – Santero has racked up his share of those these past three seasons; it’s that maiden win that’s overdue.
Wizards of Oz
Drane isn’t the only Australian with their sights set on the top step of the podium this weekend.
Two others are set to join the mix, one whose Peoria potential is proven, the other’s whose is projected.
Max Whale (No. 18 Australian Road Services/Heaton Plant & Pipeline KTM 450 SX-F) is set to make his first Progressive AFT appearance of the season after taking a step away following a decorated near-decade long stint in the series from 2018-2025. During that time, Whale finished as KICKER AFT Singles runner-up twice while scoring nine victories along the way.
Two of those wins came at the Peoria TT, and he underlined his expertise at the venue with a top five in last year’s Mission AFT SuperTwins Main Event.
Whale will be joined by young charger Bodie Paige (No. 165 American Honda/RWR/BA Ranch Honda CRF450R), who has not only finished on the podium in all three of his prior KICKER AFT Singles starts, he’s also spent the season winning races in MotoAmerica Twins Cup action.
Paige, who followed Dallas Daniels to become just the second-ever winner of the Nicky Hayden AMA Horizon Award in both flat track and road racing, should be able to put that unique blend of abilities to good use in Peoria.
Time to Step Up
Meanwhile, the field is full of young chargers who have yet to taste significant success at the fabled race. No doubt they’ll look to do just that this weekend.
Four-time KICKER AFT Singles winner Kage Tadman (No. 28 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), DAYTONA winner Bradon Pfanders (No. 83 Memphis Shades/Corbin Seats Yamaha YZ450F), and Caterpillar Jackpine Gypsies Super TT winner Evan Kelleher (No. 31 Schaeffer’s Motorsports KTM 450 SX-F) have shown they’ve got what it takes to stand atop the podium.
Meanwhile, the likes of Walker Porter (No. 10 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Jared Lowe (No. 63 Big R Racing/Vinson Construction Honda CRF450R), and Jack Brucks (No. 113 1st Impressions Race Team Husqvarna FC450) are hungry to do the same.
Dan Bromley AFT ProSport 450 Invitational
This weekend, Progressive AFT will pay further tribute to the late Dan Bromley, a two-time national champion who was cherished for his generosity and spirit as much as his talent and speed.
The series will do so by hosting the Dan Bromley AFT ProSport 450 Invitational as part of Saturday’s race activities at the Caterpillar Peoria TT. Invitations have been extended to riders who earned AFT Pro Sport licenses through the Road to AFT Program during the 2026 season, and they’ll be racing with a $4000 purse on the line.
The entry list is a who’s who of highly rated amateurs, including AFT ProSport 450 race winners Sam Drane (No. 7 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), Adam Costan-Wood (No. 88 Turner Racing Honda CRF450R), and Bayne Nantz (No. 313 Nantz Bros Racing KTM 450 SX-F), among several other podium finishers.
The future stars of the sport will need to give it their all to properly honor the legacy of Bromley, who won the 2021 Mission AFT Productions Twins race in Peoria.
They will, and Bromley – who dedicated himself to helping prepare the next generation of racers prior to his passing – would have no doubt been proud of their efforts.
The Amphitheater Awaits
Beyond the 79th running of one of the most thrilling and historic motorcycle races on the planet, those in attendance will also be treated to a Saturday afternoon of entertainment highlighted by a range of vendors, expansive food and beverage options, and dedicated motorcycle parking.
Mark Ramsey and Eric “Digger” Manes, stars of the hit television show Moonshiners, will be on site to serve as Grand Marshals to underline the celebratory nature of the event.
General Admission tickets are just $30 (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult GA ticket).
For $125 (all ages), fans can purchase a VIP ticket, which includes admission to the Turn 1 VIP lounge – located in an air-conditioned building that overlooks the entire track – food and beverage, a swag bag, and VIP parking.
And for $135 (all ages), H.O.G. members can enjoy the Harley-Davidson VIP Experience, which provides dedicated H.O.G. parking and an exclusive seating section, a guided tour of the infield podium and start/finish line, photo ops included, a meet-and-greet with the Harley-Davidson riders, and exclusive swag.
Gates will open at 9:00 a.m. ET/6:00 a.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m. ET/12:00 p.m. PT.
How to Watch
FloRacing
For those that can’t catch the live action at the track, FloRacing is the live streaming home of Progressive American Flat Track. Motorsports fans can subscribe to FloRacing to enjoy over 1,000 live motorsports events in 2026. FloSports is available by visitinghttps://flosports.link/AFT2026 or by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast.
FS1
FOX Sports coverage of the World Famous Caterpillar Peoria TT, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on Sunday, August 30, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT). The full listing of American Flat Track’s television premieres can be found at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports.
Rider Peter Essaf at Summit Point Raceway in May 2024. Photo courtesy of ASRA Racing.
Barnett National Sidecar Challenge Heads to Daytona International Speedway for ASRA Race of Champions.
Team Hammer Practice Day on Thursday Kicks Off Action-Packed Weekend; Full Coverage Streaming Live on ASRA Racing YouTube Channel.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The high-speed, high-skill world of sidecar racing returns to the iconic Daytona International Speedway this October as the Barnett National Sidecar Challenge takes the stage during the American Superbike Racing Association (ASRA) Race of Champions.
The event forms part of ASRA’s season-ending Race of Champions weekend, scheduled for October 15–18, 2026, at the World Center of Racing. Sidecar teams will battle on the legendary 3.51-mile infield road course in what promises to be one of the most exciting and unique classes of the weekend.
The action begins on Thursday with the popular Team Hammer Pro Practice & School. This dedicated practice day gives racers and students valuable track time, expert instruction, and the opportunity to dial in their machines and technique ahead of the championship races. The Team Hammer sessions have become a highlight for competitors preparing for the demanding Daytona layout.
Throughout the weekend, fans can expect a full slate of ASRA racing, including sprints, Endurance/Team Challenge events, and the crowning of national champions across multiple classes. The Barnett National Sidecar Challenge will deliver the distinctive thrills of two-person motorcycle racing—combining speed, precision, and seamless rider-passenger teamwork—on one of motorsports’ most historic venues.
Entire Race Weekend Streaming Live
Fans unable to attend in person can follow every session of the Race of Champions weekend, including the Barnett National Sidecar Challenge, live on the ASRA Racing YouTube channel. Coverage will bring the sights, sounds, and intensity of Daytona directly to viewers around the world.
For more information, schedules, registration, and spectator details, visit asraracing.com. Follow ASRA on social media and subscribe to the ASRA Racing YouTube channel for live streams, highlights, and updates.
JD Beach (95) leading Mathew Scholtz (11), Sean Dylan Kelly (40), Richie Escalante (54) and Loris Baz (76) in Superbike race 2 at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Catch up on everything from the MotoAmerica weekend at VIRginia International Raceway with the latest team press releases and race recaps.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Motorsports:
Bobby Fong and Josh Hayes Top the Podium at VIR. Yamaha BLU CRU riders celebrate podiums across all four MotoAmerica classes at Virginia International Raceway, with Bobby Fong leaving with two Superbike wins and Josh Hayes earning a commanding victory in Supersport.
With MotoAmerica racing at Virginia International Raceway during the middle of August, it was guaranteed to be a hot one. It more than lived up to expectations – both with the triple-digit heat index and the racing on track. Amid the heat and hard-fought battles, Yamaha riders enjoyed a successful outing across all four MotoAmerica categories at the 2.25-mile circuit in Alton, Virginia, as the championship battles neared fever pitch and opportunities for wins in the 2026 season began to run out.
In the Superbike tripleheader, Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong took home a pair of wins and Strack Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz earned a pair of runner-up finishes. In Supersport, BPR Racing Yamaha’s Josh Hayes finished second in Race 1 and executed a masterclass performance in Race 2 to score his 90th career AMA road race victory. Teammate Brenden Ketelsen also celebrated a milestone with his first MotoAmerica Supersport podium. Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane also had a standout weekend, pulling double duty in Twins Cup and Talent Cup and earning four runner-up finishes.
Mathew Scholtz (11) leading Bobby Fong (50), JD Beach (95) and Richie Escalante (54) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MotoAmerica Superbike
With 75 points up for grabs at the seventh round of the championship, all three Yamaha riders – Fong, Scholtz and JD Beach – were looking to make up ground in the hotly contested MotoAmerica Superbike title fight. And with the Yamaha YZF-R1 traditionally strong at VIR, all three liked their odds.
It was a wild weekend of racing, with intense battles and multiple red flags. In the end, Fong celebrated a pair of victories with the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team. The Californian showed speed from the start, qualifying third to start on the front row of the grid. In Race 1, he slotted into fourth before making his way to the runner-up spot and closing in on Scholtz before the red flag came out. After the restart, Fong quickly returned to second and made the pass for the lead with six laps remaining, scoring his 13th career Superbike victory and gaining valuable ground in the championship.
“We needed that win to catch up on some points and also help my confidence,” said Fong. “We’ve got two long, hot races tomorrow, so a lot can happen. We just have to keep our heads down, keep working, and not get too excited because there’s a lot of competition out there. Everybody’s going to improve, so we just have to keep working.”
Bobby Fong (50) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
In Sunday’s Race 2, Fong was seventh after the start and steadily made his way forward. On Lap 7, he claimed a podium spot, passing both Richie Escalante and Sean Dylan Kelly to make it a Yamaha 1-2-3 at the front, with Scholtz in the lead and Beach in second. His forward charge continued on the following lap, passing his teammate and then applying pressure on Scholtz around the halfway mark. The duo built a gap up front, with Fong taking over the lead with four laps to go, bringing his win tally to two on the weekend and 14 career victories.
Later that afternoon, Fong got a better start to the third race and was once again battling up front before a red flag halted the action. Unfortunately, his race ended early after the restart when an incident in Turn 1 left five riders on the ground, including Scholtz and the championship leader Kelly.
“Race 2 was super good,” said Fong. “We had really good pace, and the bike felt really good. I knew in the beginning nobody would be getting away in the race, so I was just patient. We made our move with five or six laps to go, and we had great end-of-race pace like we did last year. As a whole, we had a strong weekend, but I hate not ending on a good note.”
Bobby Fong in parc fermé after claiming victory in race 1. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Despite the unfortunate end to the weekend, Fong gained some ground in the title chase, moving to within 38 points of the leader.
“We’ve made a big step with the bike over the last few rounds, and I felt super comfortable,” said Fong. “I’d like to continue our form like we did last year at the end of these races and make another step. Like I said, I’m happy about the first few races. I just wanted it to end a little bit better. I’m looking forward to COTA. We’ve got a little break to try to improve ourselves and try to gain a few points.”
Strack Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz also closed the gap to the championship leader in Virginia. Like Fong, he felt the team had made progress with the bike between rounds, and from the start, the South African showed the speed to run up front. He qualified on pole and got great starts in all three races, including the restarts. In Race 1, Scholtz grabbed the holeshot and led the way before the red flag. He once again led after the restart until Fong took over the top spot with around six laps remaining.
In Sunday’s Race 2, Scholtz got another great start but was passed by Beach on the opening lap. The Strack Racing Yamaha rider stayed on his heels and reclaimed the lead on Lap 7. Around the halfway mark, Fong closed in, and the duo set the pace up front, building a gap over the chasing group. As the laps wound down, Fong made his move and Scholtz crossed the line second to complete another Yamaha 1-2 finish.
Mathew Scholtz (11) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
In the final race of the weekend, Scholtz was once again battling up front before the red flag came out. Unfortunately, he was collected in the Turn 1 incident after the restart. Scholtz got back on track but was forced into the pits with damage to the bike and was unable to rejoin the race, scoring zero points. Despite the DNF, Scholtz moved to within 17 points of the championship leader with five races remaining.
“The weekend was great, apart from the crash,” said Scholtz. “Coming into VIR, you know that it is a Yamaha-friendly track, and it’s been very good to me in the past. So the main goal was just to close up on the championship lead. We got a second, second, and a zero unfortunately, in the third race, but I definitely feel like we made some progress on the new bike. I think that the Tuesday test after Mid-Ohio really helped us here, and we’re definitely seeing the benefits of that. We’ve got COTA next, which is a little bit of a more difficult track, but we’re progressing with the bike and just wanna keep this championship hunt going.”
Beach showed speed from the start, but a pair of crashes in the practice sessions put him on the back foot heading into the races, and he qualified sixth. Despite starting from the second row of the grid, he got great starts and battled up front throughout the weekend. In Race 1, he slotted into the runner-up spot and was battling for a podium. After the restart, he was fourth and ultimately dropped back to sixth.
In Race 2, Beach got another great start and led the opening six laps, but as the tires began to fade, he lost ground and ultimately finished fifth. In the final race of the weekend, he was third in the twice-started race, but crossed the line fourth. The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing rider heads to the penultimate round third in the standings, 31 points behind the leader.
JD Beach (95) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
“It was a tough week,” said Beach. “It sucks to have three races this weekend and not capitalize on it. I really thought I could get some good points, but with the two crashes, it kind of made it tough. The team did a great job and improved my bike throughout the weekend, and on new tires, the bike felt really good. But for some reason, I was struggling on used tires, which is usually my strong point. I was there every race and was in a spot to be in the top three, but after halfway I just started going backward. And that’s not typically what I do. So it’s definitely frustrating, and I hate it for the team because they worked so hard to get me a good bike, and we just couldn’t do it this weekend. We’ve still got two more rounds to go, so we’re gonna go back home and go back to work and see what we can come up with.”
MotoAmerica Supersport
In Supersport, BPR Racing Yamaha’s Hayes was in fighting form aboard his Yamaha YZF-R9 at the Virginia International Raceway. He qualified fourth and from there had a strong start inside the top five where he battled for fourth in the opening laps. Around half-distance, Hayes closed in on the lead group and made the pass for third. It was a heated battle, with the four-time Superbike Champion briefly claiming the lead with five laps to go, ultimately finishing second.
Josh Hayes (4) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Before Sunday’s Race 2, the skies opened up, with a thunderstorm halting on-track activity and delaying the start. When Supersport returned to the track, riders were given a seven-minute wet familiarization session ahead of the race. Tire choice was key, and although the track remained wet, it was drying quickly. Hayes made the call for slicks and immediately took control of the race, setting an unmatched pace in the tricky conditions. He amassed an impressive lead and crossed the line 26.5 seconds clear to earn his 90th career AMA road race victory.
“What a special weekend at a track that has been a good one for me for a long time,” said Hayes. “The win in Race 2 felt like a race built custom for me to succeed. But to race with the front two who have dominated the season in the hot and greasy Race 1 gives me hope and excitement that we are getting closer to success in a full dry race. COTA has always been a difficult one for me, but I’m excited for the challenge, and then New Jersey is another track that has been good to me. The BPR Team is getting a grip on the R9 altogether, with my teammate’s podium also.”
Josh Hayes (left) and Brenden Ketelsen (right) celebrate with the BPR crew after finishing first and third in Supersport Race 2 at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
While Hayes celebrated career win No. 90, teammate Brenden Ketelsen celebrated his first MotoAmerica Supersport podium. Starting inside the top 10 in Race 2, Ketelsen steadily worked his way forward, reaching third around the halfway point and bringing it home for a milestone podium finish.
Although he struggled a bit at his home track, qualifying 10th, Strack Racing Yamaha’s Blake Davis earned a top-five finish in Race 1 and crossed the line seventh in Race 2’s mixed conditions.
MotoAmerica Twins Cup and Talent Cup
Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing’s Sam Drane also had a standout weekend in Virginia, which was no easy feat while pulling double duty in two classes in the extreme heat. The 16-year-old Australian rose to the occasion, qualifying second in both MotoAmerica Twins Cup and Talent Cup and battling for the win throughout all four races. Drane led multiple laps and ultimately came just shy of the top step, leaving VIR with four runner-up finishes.
Sam Drane (59) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MotoAmerica racing resumes at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 11-13. At the penultimate round for Superbike, Supersport and Talent Cup, Yamaha BLU CRU riders will look to continue their championship charge, while the Super Hooligan title will be decided with BPR Racing Yamaha teammates Andy DiBrino and Bryce Kornbau separated by just five points.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Victory for Loris Baz on the Panigale V4 R at VIR in Quad Lock MotoAmerica Superbike.
It felt like a long time coming, but Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Ducati Flo4Law) has added a second career MotoAmerica Superbike victory to his stellar international career after the triple-header race weekend at Virginia Internation Raceway (VIR).After recording fifth and sixth place finishes in races one and two, Baz was at his dynamic best in race three at VIR. A turn one crash eliminated Bobby Fong, Cameron Petersen, Sean Dylan Kelly, Mathew Scholtz and Benjamin Smith, and Baz overhauled JD Beach, Jayson Uribe and fellow Ducati rider PJ Jacobsen to take a 0.155s win. It was the first time the factory-backed, 2026 Ducati Panigale V4 R has visited Victory Lane this season.
For teammate Benjamin Smith, his weekend started well with the fourth fastest time in qualifying, but the races did not go his way with three crashes.
In the Supersport category, Darryn Binder (Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse) took the win in a spectacular race one, beating veteran Josh Hayes to the finish line with Josh Herrin third, Binder thus extending his lead in the series.
Race two was held in inclement weather and Hayes made the best of the situation to take the win, but Binder bought home a crucial second place ahead of Brendan Kettlesen and Herrin in fourth.
Binder now holds a commanding 35-point lead in the Supersport series over Herrin.
Binder’s teammate, Wristin Grigg, failed to finish race one but came home with a 13th place finish in race two.
Loris Baz (76) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Loris Baz (Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law team – #76): “It’s amazing to have the 2026 Ducati Panigale V4 R, which I believe is the best-looking bike in the world, winning here in America. I’m proud to be the first one to do it,” Baz said. “It was a hard weekend, but we kept believing after Mid-Ohio that we were improving every session. I came here thinking I could fight for the win, but this track is so different. It reminded me a lot of 2021, when the big curbs would really upset the bike and make it difficult to ride.
“I can’t thank the team enough, especially my crew chief, Simone. Since Laguna, there hasn’t been a single time when he hasn’t made the bike better from one session to the next. We’ve just kept improving.
“I want to thank Ducati more than anything—Simone, Bobby and (Eraldo) Ferracci. I’m also thinking about Cameron (Beaubier) and wishing him the best recovery. I hope it takes him one week longer, though, so I can be at COTA, which is a track I really like!
“I’m glad to be racing in America for Ducati, and I just hope we can have a lot more success together.”
Benjamin Smith (78) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Benajmin Smith (Warhorse HSBK Ducati FLo4Law team – #78): “It was definitely an interesting weekend,” Smith said. “It started off really well. We were in the top five right away, had good qualifying pace and put the bike fourth on the grid.
“In race one, we were running with the front group but I made a small mistake that took me out of the race. Then, in race two, we had almost an identical situation. It was basically cut, copy and paste, which was definitely a bummer.
“Race three started well. I felt good and we were right there. Then the red flag came out. On the restart, we got into turn one and, to be honest, I don’t even know what happened. It was just chaos. I got collected in whatever the first incident was, and unfortunately that was the end of the race for us. It’s all part of the learning process. On to Texas.”
Darryn Binder (53) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Darryn Binder (Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse – #53): “That was a crazy weekend,” Binder said. “I managed to get the pole position and had a huge battle in race one and took the win.
“Today, there was a huge spanner in the works with the rain just before the second race. I got seven minutes of track familiarization to go and spin some laps, and I opted to go out on the slick tires, but I missed the pit exit and had to start the race from the back of the grid.
“The slicks were definitely the right call. I got up to second by the finish and extended my lead in the championship, so in the end it was all good.
“I’m really looking forward to Circuit of The Americas. That’s a track I know really well from my time in Grand Prix racing, so that’s less more thing I have to worry about. We’ll just keep trying to do more of the same and bank those points for the championship.”
The penultimate round of the 2026 Quad Lock MotoAmerica Superbike Championship will be held at the world-famous Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, over the September 11-13 weekend.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA:
Paige on the podium for M4 Ecstar Suzuki in Virginia.
Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer added another podium finish to their 2026 tally as the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship rolled on at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Virginia.
Race Highlights:
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki
Superbike
Richie Escalante twice finished a fighting fourth.
Brandon Paasch raced his way up to sixth at the flag in Race 3.
Twins Cup
Bodie Paige notched up the highlight of a hectic weekend with a third-place finish.
Matthew Chapin twice ran at the front but was luckless both times out.
Supersport
Tyler Scott notched up fifth- and sixth-place finishes following a pair of battles for position
Richie Escalante fought his way to a pair of impressive fourth-place finishes on his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante registered two hugely impressive finishes in MotoAmerica Superbike action. Twice the Mexican ace scratched his way forward to score a pair of fourth-place finishes aboard his GSX-R1000R – the first just four seconds off the win and the second less than a tenth of a second off the podium. Unfortunately, the promise demonstrated in those races was counterbalanced by the disappointment that came with the third race, when he crashed and was transported to the hospital with a suspected broken arm.
Escalante said, “It was a positive weekend – two P4s – and I was happy with the bike and the team. We felt great about those two races and wanted even more for Sunday. I was down in the field a little but still close to the leaders. I was feeling great and beginning to move forward when I crashed. I am going to get my arm evaluated.”
Brandon Paasch charged through the field to finish sixth in Race 3 despite a tough weekend. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
By contrast, it was third time’s the charm for Escalante’s Superbike teammate, Brandon Paasch. Paasch improved each time out, going from 12th to 10th in Race 1 to Race 2, before closing out his weekend with a sixth, which he defended at the flag, aboard his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
“Sixth was a good result for us on Sunday,” Paasch said. “It was a tough weekend – three races at the hottest event of the year. Add in the weather and it was going to be a race of attrition as much as it was about speed. It took us longer to get going, but by the end, I felt our pace to the front had really improved. I had been getting good starts all weekend, but I lost some positions on the final one when numerous guys in front of me crashed. It felt like it took me the entire race to catch up, but I made a move for sixth and was able to hold on.”
Bodie Paige put the GSX-8R on the podium with a hard-fought third-place finish. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Meanwhile, rising Australian talent Bodie Paige scored another podium in Twins Cup action during a hectic weekend in the class. In a race that was started and stopped multiple times, Paige rebounded with the help of his crew, who got his racebike back up to speed during one of the stoppages after he’d encountered an issue midrace. Paige took full advantage, coming home in third.
He said, “It wasn’t too bad of a race. I tried to stay with the leaders. I tried my best and felt like I was really good through the infield and was making up time there. Hopefully we can get this bike fully dialed in, and I can still work on a few things myself. But overall, I’m happy with another podium.”
Paige looked even stronger on Sunday, hustling the GSX-8R into the lead for a time and then fighting hard in second before his race ended in a brutal highside after crossing a wet curb.
Matthew Chapin showed strong pace at the front of the Twins Cup field. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
That was a crash that replicated the one suffered minutes earlier by teammate Matthew Chapin, rounding out what proved to be a weekend to forget for the young pilot. Chapin, who has already racked up five podiums including a win this season, ran up front both times out but saw each contest end in disappointing fashion. A mechanical problem, caused by another rider’s crash debris puncturing Chapin’s radiator, ended his race on Saturday, while the aforementioned nasty crash ended his day on Sunday.
Chapin said, “I feel great about how the weekend went, except for the races themselves. We were the fastest Suzuki rider in all the sessions, the bike felt great, and the team was doing a fantastic job. We had a punctured radiator while at the front in the first race, and I crashed hard in Race 2. I had been on that curb the first two laps with no problems, but the third time I had a much different result. I am looking at the positives, and we can run up front. We will look to put it all together and get the results to match the next time.”
Tyler Scott battled through changing conditions to finish fifth on Sunday on his M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
It was a similar blend of positives and negatives for M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Supersport ace Tyler Scott. In ideal conditions, Scott likely had the potential to fight for podiums and possibly even a win. However, he finished sixth on Saturday, and Sunday’s wet-to-dry conditions made for an eventual charge up to fifth place.
He said, “For Saturday’s race, we had a good setup. With the heat, we were having a little trouble getting the power to the ground. In the end, I feel we may have left a little bit on the table with the result, but we got through Saturday in good shape for Sunday. For Sunday, it had rained and we chose to go with slicks, which I feel was the right choice to make. I had never chosen that before, so it was the first time I have been in that situation. In the early going, I had an adjustment period which hurt my pace, but I picked up the pace and was able to go forward towards the end. We made it through the weekend with no crashes, so we’re feeling good about the next round at COTA.”
The MotoAmerica season will continue on September 11-13 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
More, from a press release issued by Real Steel Honda:
Real Steel Honda Racing perseveres through a demanding weekend at VIR.
The Real Steel Honda Racing team persevered through a hot and humid weekend with a Superbike Triple Header to score their best results of the weekend in the final race. Hayden Gillim qualified 7th again but unfortunately suffered a crash in Race 1 Saturday. Hayden had an off-track excursion in Race 2 on Sunday but pushed back to an 11th place finish at the end. For Race 3 Hayden moved forward to a 5th place finish to cap off the weekend. Hayden slipped to 11th in the Superbike championship standings. Andrew Lee scored 2 second place finishes and ended with a first place finish in the Superbike Cup class. Andrew now leads that championship by 102 points with 330 points.
In the Talent Cup class Ian Fraley scored a 9th place finish in Race 1 but suffered a DNF in Race 2. Derek Sanchez scored a 5th and a 6th respectively in the Talent Cup races.
Next up for the team is the MotoAmerica Superbikes at Texas event September 11-13 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin TX.
Real Steel Honda Racing is proudly supported by American Honda, HRC, Progressive Insurance, Pro Honda Oils. Southern Honda Powersports, Idemitsu, Last Ark: Tactics Analogue, Vesrah, K-Tech suspension, Orient Express, Dunlop, Akrapovic Exhaust Systems, Sprint Filter, Armor Bodywork, Vortex and REB Graphics.
Hayden Gillim (69) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Hayden Gillim – Rider #69 / Team Principal: “VIR ended up being a tough weekend. I felt pretty good on the bike all weekend, but a crash in race 1 set me back a bit. After that, I was tight and sore and was having a hard time doing the lap times. I ran off track at turn 1 in race 2 that put me back in last place. I was able to work my way back to 11th, which was good after that mistake. Race 3 I felt better and had some good pace but just couldn’t go with the leaders and ended up 5th. Looking forward to COTA.”
Andrew Lee (14) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Andrew Lee – Rider #14: “Rough weekend at VIR. We never really got our feet underneath us and struggled getting the feeling we needed to close up on the guys in front of us. I know the team is working to find some solutions for the remaining rounds, I’m excited to see what we can do moving forward!”
Ian Fraley (10) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Ian Fraley – Rider #10: “We had a really good weekend overall. Friday started strong as we came out faster than last year, but we struggled with the bike. Q1 was tough with rear grip and front-end support, but after going through data, we made some changes for Q2 that moved us in the right direction. Race 1 wasn’t the result we wanted, but we learned a lot. We made a big engine-braking change that completely changed the bike and made it feel so much better. We ended warmup just 4 tenths off P2, so we were feeling really good heading into Race 2. Race 2 started great and I was battling for P5, but two laps in I got onto the wet curbing from the rain earlier and unfortunately ended my race early. The results don’t show how much progress we made this weekend. We learned a ton, found a much better direction with the bike, and we are all excited to take it to COTA!
Derek Sanchez – Rider #23: “Battled up front all weekend and showed what we’re capable of. P5 in Race 1 after a draft war to the line, and P6 in Race 2 after keeping it smart through mixed conditions for key championship points. The speed is real, the bike felt amazing, and I can’t thank my whole Real Steel Honda team enough for all the relentless work in the pits. COTA can’t come soon enough!”
More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
Mesa runs as high as P3 on Sunday after making setup progress on the YZF-R9; Nassaney battles through unpredictable track conditions.
VIRginia International Raceway hosted the seventh round of the 2026 MotoAmerica Championship, presenting Altus Motorsports with hot, greasy track conditions on Saturday and mixed conditions on Sunday.
Supersport
Stefano Mesa continued building momentum on the YZF-R9, making steady setup progress throughout practice and qualifying to secure P8 on the grid. In Race 1, Mesa was fighting inside the top 10 before an unfortunate crash in Turn 7 on lap 15 brought his race to an early end. Heavy rain fell right before Race 2, but stopped before the race began which forced a decision to be made on starting the race on rain tires or on slicks. The team chose to run rain tires which granted an immediate advantage in the early stages of the race. Mesa charged up to P3 early on, but as the track dried out the rain tires proved to be a disadvantage. Mesa was able to hold on to a hard-fought P10 even as his rain tires deteriorated a rapidly drying track.
Stefano Mesa (37) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Stefano Mesa: “VIR was another weekend of learning and making progress with the R9. We continued working on the setup and found quite a few things that helped me feel more comfortable and confident on the bike. By Q2, our pace was getting much closer to the group, which was encouraging. Unfortunately, Race 1 ended with a pretty big crash into Turn 7. For Race 2, heavy rain came down right before the start and we made the call to go with rain tires. Early on it worked really well and we ran P3 for a good part of the race, but as the track dried the guys on slicks started coming through and we eventually finished P10. Overall, I’m happy with the progress we made. I’m feeling better on the bike every weekend, we’re continuing to understand what it needs, and hopefully we can keep building from here and start turning that progress into stronger results.”
Jaret Nassaney qualified P13 and worked tirelessly to find chassis feel in Saturday’s sweltering conditions. Nassaney spent much of Race 1 locked in a three-rider battle before crossing the finish line in P14. Nassaney joined Mesa in running rain tires for Race 2, but saw his tires degrade even faster in the dry conditions. The tire wear became severe and Nassaney made the call to retire to the pits early to avoid a crash.
Jaret Nassaney (59) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Jaret Nassaney:“VIR was very hot and unforgiving this weekend. We made some forward progress with the bike, but I struggled with edge grip in every session until Sunday morning. I couldn’t push forward like I would like to be able to. Race 1 I brought home a P14, but felt like I was on ice the whole race. For Race 2, it started downpouring right before our race. I was uncomfortable with the bike, so I took a gamble to stay on rains for the race. It dried out way faster than I expected. I got well into the top 10 on the first lap, but my tires went off very quickly. I didn’t want to crash the bike, so I retired from the race. Disappointed to say the least with how the weekend went, but we will continue to show up and fight! Two more rounds for the season, so let’s end it on a high note. Thank you to my Altus Motorsports team for all the hard work as always!”
“What a weekend! We changed suspension on both bikes to Ohlins hoping for better feel for our riders. With no testing it’s extremely hard to do on race weekends. Mike Himmelsbach with Ohlins stepped up and sent Scotty one of their lead Techs over. Scotty was a tremendous help. Unfortunately everything we had been working towards over two days, we could not use in race two because it was wet. The rain ended the weekend on a low. We were wanting better results. COTA is in a few weeks and we now have a great baseline and understanding of the new suspension. On the Positive my son Jaret ran faster than he ever has at VIR and Stefano went faster each session. Our Crew Chiefs Boyd and Thibault along with Data Engineer Murph have worked hard on making our bikes better every weekend. The heat and humidity were definitely hard on all of us but we did not give up. I want to say Thank You to Will, Tylar, Gent, and Eduardo our mechanics. Without them we could not compete at this level.“ said team co-owner George Nassaney
Changing weather and tricky track surfaces made VIR a challenging weekend for the paddock, but both riders demonstrated strong potential when conditions aligned. Mesa showcased impressive speed early in Race 2 by surging into P3, and the ongoing setup adjustments on the YZF-R9 continue to move in the right direction. Altus Motorsports appreciates the relentless effort from the crew through tough weather calls and is focused on carrying these setup gains forward to Circuit of the Americas in Texas.
More, from a press release issued by M4 Ecstar Suzuki:
Best weekend yet for Sonya Lloyd at VIR.
M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Sonya Lloyd broke into the top ten for the first time during the 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season to close out an outstanding weekend as Virginia International Raceway
Per usual, the engineer made methodical and continual improvement throughout the weekend, gaining speed and confidence aboard the GSX-8R despite battling with hot and slick conditions all the while.
The Georgian qualified 19th fastest at 1:34.434, forcing her to twice fight her way forward in search of that elusive top ten.
She clawed her way up to 12th in Saturday’s chaotic Race 1. She then at last scored a top ten on Sunday’s Race 2, where she finished tenth following an intense multi-rider sprint to the checkered flag.
Afterward, the former WorldWCR contender said,“It was a great weekend all around for us, and I am super happy. The team and I worked hard all weekend and it paid off for us. We had an issue that slowed us down on Friday, but we were able to stay focused. There was a big field this weekend and hot weather.”
Lloyd continued, “Race 1 on Saturday was the craziest race I had ever been in. There were three restarts and since there was no re-gridding, there were holes out there that made for some confusion. I was able to work my way up to 12th with some good starts.”
Sonya Lloyd (28) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Not content with that finish, Lloyd looked for another good start for the second race.
“On Sunday, I was hoping to do even better,” she said. “The early part of the race was what I was expecting, and then we had another red flag. Since they re-gridded the field, I was able to start in tenth. I got another good start and jumped up even higher. I have to say, the back-and-forth battles we had for the rest of the race were the most fun I have ever had in motorcycle racing so far. We had four or five racers battling for position. I had never been this close to the front yet, so it was a very new experience for me. I had never raced those guys before and I wasn’t able to hold my best position, but I still was tenth at the flag. I know I need to work on my racecraft more after this one.
“It was our best weekend so far, so we are really pleased for those results. I learned a lot. Next for us is New Jersey. I have never raced there yet, so I will do a couple of track days there before we go back for our event.”
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup season will conclude on September 25-27 at New Jersey Motorsports Park, in Millville, New Jersey.
More, from a press release issued by Robem Engineering Aprilia:
Hank Vossberg is the 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion. Robem Engineering Aprilia secures fourth MotoAmerica title in historic, podium-perfect season with the Aprilia RS 660.
The dominant reign of the Aprilia RS 660 in the MotoAmerica Twins Cup reached new historic heights this weekend at VIRginia International Raceway (August 14-16, 2026). Hank Vossberg officially secured the 2026 Twins Cup Championship after a dramatic victory in Saturday’s Race 1, marking the fourth MotoAmerica Twins Cup title for the Robem Engineering team with the Aprilia RS 660 platform.
Vossberg’s championship-clinching weekend began with a statement of pure speed during Saturday’s Qualifying 2, where he placed his Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660 on the pole position with a new lap-record of 1:29.420 – eclipsing the time previous set by Jody Barry (Righteous Racing, Aprilia RS 660) in 2021 of 1:30.082.
In Saturday afternoon’s Race 1, Vossberg showcased masterful race craft and intense determination. After an epic battle at the front, Vossberg executed a stunning performance to take the victory by a razor-thin 0.046-second margin over his closest competitor, setting the fastest lap of the race at 1:29.674 (the new race lap record) while mathematically securing the 2026 Twins Cup Championship title with three races remaining in the season.
Sunday’s Race 2 was another tactical masterclass from the newly crowned champion. Vossberg fought hard in a restarted five-lap race, claiming another victory – his ninth of the 12 races this season – just 0.122 seconds ahead of second place finisher. This podium finish preserved Vossberg’s flawless, podium-perfect season, finishing in the top three in all 12 races run so far this year. The depth of Aprilia’s technical dominance was on full display in Race 2, with six Aprilia RS 660 machines finishing in the top 10. Joining Vossberg in the upper echelon of the results were Andrew Weyh (P4 – Weyh Racing), Eli Block (P5 – ECB Racing), Khayden Brown (P7 – 2-Bones Racing), Mallory Dobbs (P8 – Reparto Veloce Racing), and Zachary Foster (P9 – Karns/TST Industries Racing).
Hank Vossberg celebrates his 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup championship with the Robem Engineering Aprilia crew after clinching the title. Photo by Sara Chappell.
This latest crown adds to the legacy of Robem Engineering, which has now secured its fourth MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship utilizing the class-benchmark Aprilia RS 660 platform. The team’s unmatched record of championship success in the Twins Cup category includes title-winning campaigns with Kaleb De Keyrel (2021), a historic double championship (x2) with Alessandro Di Mario (2024, 2025), and now Hank Vossberg’s dominant 2026 title-winning run, writing a new chapter in the team’s storied racing history.
Hank Vossberg / Robem Engineering Aprilia: “It’s a lot. You know, I didn’t think I’d be winning the championship this early in the season. Like, I know I always wanted to win the championship, but winning it with a round and a half to go was pretty crazy. Some misfortune of other riders definitely helped, but the team and the bike all worked amazing. Looking into New Jersey, and even this race, the goal is just to have fun. That’s all I can really do from now on because I have the championship won and will try and make some money by winning some more races. We’re looking forward to the next season. We might be back on Twins Cup if we can’t, you know, find some opportunity in SuperSport. It’ll be a big jump, but I don’t think that I’m unprepared for it. It’ll be a big step, and I know there’s a lot for me to learn.
“I can’t thank Freddy enough; he works at the shop every day, building the bikes, making them better all the time. Matt, he’s out in China right now. Sara, Mike and Chad for being there every round, working through the heat. My mom and dad, my dad for driving the truck to almost every round of the season, and everybody who supported me and made this happen. It’s been a journey.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Racing:
Aprilia crowned 2026 MotoAmerica Champion. Hank Vossberg claims the 2026 Twins Cup tittle thanks to race 1 victory in Virginia.
It has been an incredibile season for Aprilia in MotoAmerica. At Virginia International Raceway, Hank Vossberg was crowned champion of the Twins Cup—the American championship’s intermediate class—thanks to his victory in Race 1.
Hank Vossberg (31) at VIR. Photo by Sara Chappell.
In the sixth and penultimate round of the season, held in Virginia, the 16-year-old talent racing for team Robem Engineering proved fast and competitive aboard his Aprilia RS 660 right from Friday. On Saturday, the American confirmed the strong pace shown in practice by first taking pole position with a new lap record (1:29.420) and then winning Race 1, thereby securing the national title three races early. Vossberg completed the sweep in Race 2, wrapping up the weekend with an incredible double victory.
It has been an outstanding season for Vossberg, who has secured nine wins in twelve races and finished on the podium in every single contest. Vossberg’s title highlights the Aprilia RS 660’s competitiveness and Robem Engineering’s outstanding work in the American championship over the years. A winning combination that has racked up four national titles in the last six seasons. Alongside Vossberg, the team’s honours list includes victories by Kaleb De Keyrel (2021) and back-to-back titles with Alessandro Di Mario (2024, 2025).
HANK VOSSBERG: “It’s truly incredible. I never thought I’d win the championship this early. A few circumstances certainly helped me, but the team has done a brilliant job and the Aprilia RS 660 has performed really well. As for the final round in New Jersey, I just want to enjoy myself.”
More, from a press release issued by Karns / TST Industries Team:
All three Karns/Industries riders score points during a demanding MotoAmerica Twins Cup weekend.
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup weekend at Virginia International Raceway tested every part of the Karns / TST Industries team.
The weather was brutally hot and humid. The races were filled with crashes, red flags and restarts. Each of the team’s three riders faced his own challenges. But the team kept working. By the end of the weekend, Karns / TST Industries Team had earned a podium, a career-best Twins Cup finish and points from all three riders in both races.
Kevin Olmedo (116) and Isaac Woodworth (27) during Twins Cup race 1 at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Kevin Olmedo qualified fifth and remained near the front throughout the weekend. Saturday’s crash-filled opening race was stopped three times, making it difficult for any rider to establish a rhythm. Olmedo managed the repeated restarts well and brought his Suzuki GSX-8R home in fourth place.
On Sunday, Olmedo delivered the team’s strongest result of the weekend. After another serious incident brought out the red flag, the race was restarted as a five-lap sprint. Olmedo remained composed and finished third, earning his second podium of the 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season.
“It was a tough weekend in Virginia, but thank Goodness we managed to get on the podium in the second race,” Olmedo said.“Thank you very much to the entire Karns crew and to all the sponsors who make everything possible.”
Kevin Olmedo (116) and Isaac Woodworth (27) crossed the finish line in a tight finish at the conclusion of Twins Cup Race 1 at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Isaac Woodworth qualified seventh but struggled to find the rhythm and consistency he expected from himself throughout the weekend. Issues at the start of both races forced Woodworth to recover from difficult positions. He finished sixth in Race 1 and 11th in Race 2, salvaging valuable championship points on a weekend when the results did not reflect his true pace.
“It was a tough weekend at VIR,” Woodworth said. “We struggled to find our groove, and issues off the start in both races left us with results we weren’t too happy with.”
“The pace was there, but bad luck kept us from putting it all together. I know I’m capable of better, and I’ll be healthy for NJMP. I’m just happy we were able to salvage some points and keep moving forward.”
For Woodworth, the focus now shifts to recovering, resetting and returning to the front at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
Solly Mervis (25) at VIR. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Solly Mervis’ weekend began with an immediate setback when a broken shift linkage cost the Ice Barn Racing/Karns Performance rider nearly the entire first qualifying session.
The crew worked quickly to repair the Suzuki GSX-8R and get Mervis back on track for Qualifying 2. He started 17th—not where he wanted to be, but he never allowed the difficult beginning to change his attitude or concentration. That became especially important in Saturday’s Race 1.
With three red flags and repeated restarts, the race demanded patience and focus. Mervis maintained both, advancing six positions and finishing 11th.
Sunday brought another long day of oppressive Virginia heat and another interrupted race. Following a serious crash involving multiple motorcycles, Race 2 was restarted as a five-lap sprint. Mervis responded with the best result of his MotoAmerica Twins Cup career. He finished sixth, completing an 11-position climb from his starting spot and giving Ice Barn Racing and Karns / TST Industries Team a second top-six result in the final race of the weekend.
“This was a really important weekend for me,” Mervis said. “Losing most of Q1 because of the broken shift linkage put us behind, and the heat and all the restarts made VIR especially challenging.”
“But I stayed positive, trusted the process and trusted the team. After Mid-Ohio, I wanted to respond with a better approach, better focus and a better attitude. Finishing sixth—my best Twins Cup result—showed what we can accomplish when I stay patient and keep working.”
“I’m incredibly grateful to the entire Karns / TST Industries Team and Ice Barn Racing crew. They worked hard all weekend and never gave up on me.”
A complete team response:
The final results tell only part of the story. Karns / TST Industries placed all three motorcycles inside the top 11 in both races. Olmedo delivered a podium, Mervis earned his career-best Twins Cup finish, and Woodworth fought through a difficult weekend to score points twice.
It was not an easy weekend.
It was a team weekend.
Now, Karns Performance turns its attention to New Jersey Motorsports Park—ready to recover, reset and fight again.
Freddie Spencer Rides All-New CB1000F During Monterey Car Week. Photo courtesy American Honda Motor Co.
Three-time World Champion takes part in The Quail Run aboard Honda’s retro-inspired standard.
Model draws styling inspiration from the CB750F and CB900F raced by Spencer in the early 1980s.
Honda, Acura showcase over 20 iconic race cars and motorcycles at the event.
Three-time World Champion and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Freddie Spencer rode the all-new 2026 Honda CB1000F this weekend during Monterey Car Week, taking part in The Quail Run. The activity brought together one of Honda’s most celebrated racers with a model whose styling draws inspiration from versions of the CB750F and CB900F that “Fast Freddie” raced during his rise through the ranks of AMA road racing in the early 1980s. The weekend also marked the first time the CB1000F was ridden in the U.S.
Freddie Spencer (on the left) and Jeff Haney during the Monterey Car Week. Photo courtesy American Honda Motor Co.
Spencer’s history with Honda’s CB-F machines dates back to the early 1980s, when the young American emerged as one of the country’s top road racers aboard Honda machinery. His success during that period helped establish both Spencer and Honda as forces in AMA Superbike competition, before he moved to the world stage and captured three Grand Prix World Championships. Beneath its timeless styling, the CB1000F benefits from the modern foundation of the CB1000 Hornet SP, combining open-class performance and advanced technology with a comfortable riding experience.
The Quail Run took approximately two dozen participants on a scenic route through the Monterey Peninsula and Carmel Valley, with the group departing from and returning to Laguna Seca. The ride coincided with the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, a centerpiece of Monterey Car Week that this year celebrated Japanese motorsports. Spencer also participated in exhibition laps at Laguna Seca aboard a replica of the Honda NS500 he rode to the 1983 500cc Grand Prix World Championship.
“This is not just a retro bike in colors and style, but in the way they’ve done the engine,” said Spencer after completing The Quail Run aboard the CB1000F. “The great thing about the original inline engine was the changing pitch. They’ve been able to restore that sound and put it back in this bike. I love that it has the modern technology, but it doesn’t interfere with the riding experience. It also handles incredibly. It’s just an absolute pleasure to ride, because it has memories of the old motorcycle, but with the refinement of a modern bike. It’s a great combination, and I believe it’ll appeal to people across generations.”
Freddie Spencer Rides All-New CB1000F During Monterey Car Week. Photo courtesy American Honda Motor Co.
Honda also celebrated seven decades of two- and four-wheel motorsports heritage during Monterey Car Week, showcasing more than 20 iconic Honda and Acura championship-winning race cars and motorcycles. Among them were the 2026 Honda RC213V, Nicky Hayden’s 2006 MotoGP Championship-winning RC211V, Mick Doohan’s 1997 FIM Grand Prix Championship-winning NSR500, a replica of Dick Mann’s 1970 Daytona 200-winning CR750, Honda’s 2004 CBR600RR AMA Formula Xtreme bike, and Jett Lawrence’s 2025 SuperMotocross Championship-winning CRF450R. In addition, Ricky Brabec’s 2024 Dakar Rally-winning CRF450 RALLY was on display, with Brabec riding his current factory rally machine during demonstration laps at the Monterey Motorsports Reunion and The Quail Run.
Ricky Brabec (on the left) and Freddie Spencer during the Monterey Car Week. Photo courtesy American Honda Motor Co.
“Honda has deep roots in motorsport competition, which is an important part of our history and culture,” said Colin Miller, Manager of Experiential Marketing at American Honda. “Monterey Car Week gave us a great opportunity to celebrate that history through some of Honda and Acura’s most iconic racing machines. Freddie is also an important part of that story, so it was special to see him aboard a replica of the NS500 he raced and the new CB1000F, particularly given the CB1000F’s connection to the motorcycles he raced in the early 1980s.”
About Honda Powersports:
Honda began motorcycle sales in America in 1959, and today offers a full range of Honda motorcycles, scooters, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and side-by-sides in the U.S. Innovative technology always has been a Honda trademark, showcasing pioneering engine and chassis design that has set the standard for excellence for more than 65 years. Honda also has announced plans for battery-electric powersports products. Honda Powersports products have been built in America for 45 years, and today, all Honda side-by-sides and ATVs are made in America at Honda manufacturing plants in Timmonsville, SC, and Swepsonville, NC, using domestic and globally sourced parts. Learn more at https://powersports.honda.com.
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