Spaniard Jamie Masia topped Moto3 Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at TT Circuit Assen, in The Netherlands. Riding his Leopard Racing Team Honda, Masia lapped the Dutch circuit in 1:41.667 to lead the 28-rider class.
Moto3 FP1
Swiss rider Randy Krummenacher was quickest during MotoE Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at TT Circuit Assen, in The Netherlands. Riding his Dynavolt Intact GP Ducati electric racebike, Krummenacher turned a lap time of 1:41.865 to lead the 18-rider field.
MotoE FP1
“I’d like another battle!”: Thursday talking points at the TT Circuit Assen
Hear from Bagnaia, Martin, Bezzecchi, Zarco, Miller and Marc Marquez
Thursday, 22 June 2023
Do not adjust your set! Yes, we’re back in action again for the third stop of the triple header, and this time it’s the Motul TT Assen at the legendary Cathedral. Two Press Conferences kicked us off, with plenty to talk about… or maybe you agree much of it is all “clickbait and bullshit”. We’ll let Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) elaborate!
The first comprised Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), before the second saw Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) joined by Miller and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).
Here are some key quotes!
How important is this weekend?
FRANCESCO BAGNAIA: “Like always, starting this weekend for me is so special. It’s one of my favourite race weekends and I love this layout so for me it’s always great. I’m looking forward to riding tomorrow and let’s see. I’m quite sure that our bike suits this track well. Last year we worked so perfectly to arrive at the race prepared, and we will try to do the same this year. Our bike looks great on these kinds of tracks, so let’s see.”
What is it about Assen that suits your style?
“When I arrived here in the World Championship in Moto3, I always said I had great respect for this track.The first time I won was here and it was incredible with Mahindra. Then it Moto2 it was the perfect weekend because I led in all the sessions and during the race. And then last year was great, for sure two contenders were out of the race, but we managed to be competitive and we managed to be on pole position and for sure it will be very important to try to repeat the same for this year to start the summer break in a good mood. It won’t be easy, but our ambition is to be as competitive as last year.”
Do you expect to have a close battle this weekend?
“I think they are both strong. They were both so competitive at this track last year. Marco was very close to victory with me, and Jorge until the end of the race was with us. So for sure, they are so competitive, they are on the list to be contenders for this weekend. I would like to have another battle like in Sachsenring, but with different results.”
Is the win a weight off your shoulders?
JORGE MARTIN: “For sure I really enjoyed these few days after a victory, it’s a pity we have a race straight away because I didn’t celebrate a lot but you know I couldn’t, as soon as you go into the next week you already think about Assen. I’m focused on this weekend, I want to finish in a good way before summer so yeah hopefully we can battle for the podium again, be as consistent as we have in the last four races so yeah let’s see.”
Did you get the victory fairing you asked for?
“Not yet not yet, I asked Ducati already to have something for two years in a row and I have nothing from the bike. For sure Pecco has something, I don’t know why it’s difficult. I just want to put it at home, I’m not going to give it to any factory. Gino told me he would give me it so let’s see if he can manage it.”
Will Pecco be harder to beat here than in Germany?
“I know this is one of his favourites. I was just remembering when we were staying together in the motorhome when he won his first race I remember I asked him, I couldn’t race because I was injured, and he told me ‘today I will win’. I know it’s one of his favourites, last season he won, I like this track, last season I was competitive. When it started to rain I struggled a lot to have confidence so I lost contact with them but I feel strong and I think it’s a good moment to arrive.”
On Paolo Ciabatti’s quotes saying he’ll be on the Pramac in 2024…
“Yeah I’m happy where I am, I don’t see a reason to change. I have a factory bike, an amazing team that is pushing for me and I think 2024 will be the same.”
On Assen:
MARCO BEZZECCHI: “It is a place that I love for sure. When I arrived here yesterday, in my mind immediately there were beautiful memories about my first podium in MotoGP. Of course, it was a big emotion, but I know now I need to be more focus on the race of this weekend. I really like the track, it suits my riding style well, also it is quiet fun and beautiful!”
Confidence from that first podium in Assen?
“It was a big push in confidence for me because I was struggling all the weekend and then in QP I was able to go fast but my pace was not really good honestly. I tried the soft in the race without knowing whether it was possible to do well or not, and then I rode well and finished on the podium. It was something then that came into my mind that I said ‘yeah, I can do it!’ So, yeah, it is quite special but then you have to keep working and I’ll try do this and stay focused.”
On those Mugello & Sachsenring points finishes?
“We saw during the first part of the Championship that with the Sprint, everything can change so quickly. Unfortunately, in Mugello, I had a good Sprint, but I had problems on Sunday and I wasn’t fast enough to fight for the front positions. At the Sachsenring, I struggled all weekend but for the race I found something better that gave me the possibility to be faster. But as soon as you lose something with this format and the level we have, you are lost, so it is important to start in a good way and keep the high level and be consistent, it’s not too easy. My team though are giving me a lot of confidence and giving a good effort so I’m very happy for this.”
Riding better than ever?
JOHANN ZARCO: “Clearly, I think really the best moment where I could feel very good on the bike, and ride, everything naturally, was in 2015 for the first year that I was world champion. Now in MotoGP it’s always more and more difficult, but this year things are getting under control and I can enjoy more and get more tastes of the podium. It was so good to get three in a row. Le Mans, Mugello and Sachsenring. Three different tracks. So yeah, it’s a good feeling. And overall with this feeling, things are coming better every time. So I really wiish and hope for even better for the next races. This is the target.”
Atmosphere in the garage:
“The teammate is the first guy that you can look at. And watching I’m watching Jorge, but Jorge is also watching me. Not just for the for the setup, but also to do the results. vThe areas where he’s super fast, I’m trying to be fast and usually I’m quite consistent and now also he’s trying to be quite consistent. So it’s creating something that we didn’t expect. We’re leading the classification of the teams standings, and that would be very nice to keep it to the end of the year, because I think that would be it would be historical that a satellite team can be world champions, so why not? But just being focussed every race and doing the maximum, we do not share share too much our feelings with Jorge because we are two different guys. But then the results. We enjoy the same thing with the team and it’s a really nice time that I’m pretty happy to be living this season.”
Optimistic about Assen?
“Ducati can be fast everywhere now. We have a very good balance on the bike, and also with the eight riders on the Ducatis, we have so many references in case we are getting a bit lost. So the victory of Pecco last year, and the second position of Bezzecchi gives us this trust that Ducati can work well here. So yeah, we’ll try to find the good line to be able to repeat another podium, but as I say we always start from Friday. This qualifying on Saturday is always very high pressure to be on the first two rows, and then when you can control this pressure and get a good qualifying it opens your weekend much better for the Sprint and for the long race on Sunday.”
Can the shoey return?
JACK MILLER: “We’ll try our best. Every time you drive into this joint you always get that feeling I guess. Different times for sure back then but no it’s nice to be back here, I feel pretty good towards the weekend, another new track for us but the bike is working really well a the moment. We have a couple of things to iron out, but we’re getting there. Quite confident, the bike is very nimble and around here that’s what you need, a nice stable bike but something that is easy to change direction at high speed and I feel the KTM has that in it so looking forward to spinning the first laps around here.”
Does the experience of last two races put you in a better position?
“The high-speed corners in Mugello was where I was struggling with in, Arabbiata 2, and again at the weekend it was obvious where my weak point was at the Sachsenring, 9, 10, 11, going down the hill. I tried a lot of different things during the race in terms of my riding style just to try and compensate for what I was having through those corners. Wasn’t able to find what I wanted but we went back to the drawing board and I think we’ve got a direction to go in terms of set up and geometry to help give me more stability in the fast corners without losing too much in the slower corners.”
His reaction to the reaction to his reaction:
“My reaction is it’s a lot of clickbait and bullshit. The majority of people weren’t there at the media debrief so they don’t even know what was actually said, then you clickbaited and put on spray like this. It is what it is, this is the world we live in. At the end of the day I just want the health of the championship to better, I want guys to get on with their job and that’s all it is. Like I say, a lot of people weren’t there.”
And on Pedro Acosta:
“We know he’s ready. That interview says it all, if he thinks he’s ready then that’s all that matters. I like that he’s young, he’s confident and that’s what you need to do at that age, you need to say what you think and that’s what he did there. For sure I’m excited by the prospects, hopefully KTM can keep him in the family of course because we would love to have him on one of our bikes for sure.”
MARC MARQUEZ: “I rode on the limit last weekend, but we have done a very good job the last three days in Madrid with my medical team and my physio team. The ankle was the biggest problem before coming here as it was swollen a lot, but they did a very good job and now I don’t think it will be a big problem. My thumb is broken, but luckily it is just the end, so it won’t be a problem. The rib, I have a crack in the second rib and this will be a problem because as soon as I breathe or if I push with my arm, I’ll feel it…anyways let’s see, we’ll start with P1 and step by step.”
On Sachsenring drama.
“Yeah it was a tough weekend. The thing is if you are pushing and you crash, you accept it, like I did it in QP practice but for example the WUP crash…. already on Saturday I had given up a bit on the weekend and I will just keep going and in Saturday’s race… I didn’t push more than I felt with the bike. Then in WUP I had an unexpected crash, only on the second lap without pushing and yeah, this is the most difficult to understand.”
Has his opinion changed on the future?
I didn’t read a lot (the news). I am focused on myself and I have a lot work to do with the physios and in the gym these days but as you can see, if I am here with all those injuries, it’s because my commitment with Honda is maximum and I want to continue working with this project in the future. Yeah, my commitment is 100% and for that reason I am here, to get information and improve the bike for the future.”
Biggest injury problem?
“Let’s see. In Mugello and Germany I already said about physical conditions, I felt in one of my best moments and for that reason I was able to be in the top positions by riding over the limit most of the time. Here, obviously after 5 crashes, I’m not ready to push again. It’s time to step back and get some information.”
Bagnaia joins Assen’s TT Legends Club
Last year’s Grand Prix winner, Pecco Bagnaia, is now officially part of the TT Legends Club! The reigning Champion was presented with his stone for the walk of fame by Assen mayor Marco Out and Willem Bakker from the TT Legends foundation. The stone will now take its place on the famous street in Assen, alongside his fellow legends!
New Jersey Motorsports Park – June 23-24-25, Return of the Matchless G50’s
Team Obsolete is pleased to announce the return to the racetrack of two of our beloved Matchlesses, after a two-decade absence. These are the very special Dick Mann Special, and #G50 1708, which dominated the Brands Hatch Superprix in the late 1990’s. Both are freshly overhauled. They will be accompanied by an ex-Agostini MV Agusta 500/3, all three to be ridden by Dave Roper, who will also ride his Aermacchi. Additionally, Walt Fulton will present our ex-factory Harley-Davidson XR750TT, which he rescued from its 23-year semi-retirement. Dale Quarterley was expected to ride one of the Matchlesses, but had a conflict with his NASCAR truck schedule.
Now that Rob Iannucci is morphing into semi-retirement, look forward to seeing more bikes from the fabled Team Obsolete stable.
Many thanks to our sponsors: Vanson Leathers, Red Line Synthetic Oil, Avon Tyres and Buchanan’s Spoke & Rim, Inc.
It’s West By Westby This Weekend At Ridge Motorsports Park
Tulsa, OK – Round four of the 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship is this weekend, and Mathew Scholtz & Company are looking forward to putting some “Westby” in the Pacific Northwest beginning on Friday at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington.
Ridge has been a very good racetrack for Mathew and the Westby Racing team. In the three years that MotoAmerica has been going there, Mathew has finished as runner-up once, fourth a total of four times, and fifth once. All told, that’s six top-five results at Ridge for The Scholtz Kid and his experienced crew, and they are definitely ready to add to the success this weekend.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back on my Westby Racing Yamaha at Ridge,” Mathew said. “We ended the weekend on a high note last year, and we landed on a really good setup that gave us good pace in race two. Road America a couple of weeks ago was a little bit disappointing for us, but Ridge is definitely more of a ‘Yamaha-style’ track with more of a flowing layout that suits our bike. Also, we’ve made some pretty major changes to the bike after Road America, and I’m feeling confident that it will benefit us this weekend. I saw that the track is working hard to get everything prepped for us, and the weather looks good, too, so we’re excited to continue our push and be back up at the front where we belong. Unfortunately, (team owner) Tryg (Westby) isn’t going to be there with us, and we’re really going to miss him, but we’re determined to get him the best results possible because that’s what he deserves.”
Superbike final qualifying is on Saturday morning at 10:25 PT, Superbike race one will go green on Saturday afternoon at 3:10 PT, and Superbike race two is on Sunday afternoon also at 3:10 PT. Both races will be broadcast live on MotoAmerica’s YouTube Channel.
For all the action from Ridge Motorsports Park, as it happens, subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+, which is MotoAmerica’s live streaming and on-demand service.
Meet Mathew, Get An Autographed Poster, And More
Mathew will be available for autographs during the Dunlop Hot Pit Walk & Autograph Session, scheduled for 11 to 11:40 a.m. Sunday on pit lane at Ridge Motorsports Park. He and the team will be handing out free posters and T-shirts, so don’t miss it.
Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA and Pro-Bolt USA are the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area this race weekend, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit www.WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés Carry Momentum to The Ridge as the 2023 MotoAmerica Championship Nears the Halfway Point
Sunnyvale, Calif. — Round four of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championships will kick off this weekend at The Ridge in Mason County, Washington.
The picturesque 2.47-mile circuit, nestled in the pine forests two hours southwest of Seattle, sees Ducati duo Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés looking to build on superb performances last time out at Road America at Elkhart Lake in Wisconsin, where Herrin took a popular win in race two in Superbike and Forés continued his unbeaten streak with two race wins in Supersport.
The Superbike championship picture has Herrin third coming into The Ridge on 91 points, within a race win of leader Jake Gagne, while Forés is flying with a maximum of 150 points, 37 up on second-placed Stefano Mesa.
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati Panigale V4 R – #2):
“I really like The Ridge,” Herrin said. “In 2021, I had two good races there on the Superbike and in 2022 I won both Supersport races there on the Panigale V2—it’s a place I’ve had good success. My hope is we can keep the ball rolling that started in Wisconsin. The Ridge is always a fun place to race. It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve been on my Panigale V4 R so I’m really pumped to get back together with the team and have a fun few days in the Pacific Northwest.”
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati Panigale V2 – #12)
“The Ridge is going to be another new track for me, the same situation we’ve had all year,” Forés said. “But I am really looking forward to the challenge. From my understanding, our Panigale V2 seems to work really well there. Josh (Herrin) did a fantastic job last year with two victories and a really good pace, so this is a target for us to aim for this weekend.
On-track action for the fourth round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championships kicks off at 9:00 am PDT. Forés will take to the track for Supersport FP1 at 10:10 am on Friday, May 19, while Herrin will be on track for Superbike FP1 at 10:45 am.
Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom have started “The Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast,” which will be focused on the FIM MotoGP World Championship.
This week’s podcast is “Sachsenring 2023 – There’s Always A Price For Everything.”
The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.
It’s Tight At The Top In REV’IT! Twins Cup As The Series Heads To Ridge Motorsports Park
Just Two Points Separate Top Three As MotoAmerica Visits Washington State
IRVINE, CA (June 22, 2023) – The REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship is back on track this coming weekend at Ridge Motorsports Park, June 23-25, after a one-round hiatus and that means a lot of attention will rightfully fall on what is the closest title fight in the MotoAmerica Championship after three rounds and six races.
So how close is it? Just 20 points separate the top five riders in the title chase and only two points separate the top three as the series arrives at the racetrack located on the Olympic Peninsula region of Washington State.
In addition to the REV’IT! Twins Cup and the premier MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike classes, the MotoAmerica weekend at Ridge Motorsports Park will feature three other classes of racing: Supersport, Mission Super Hooligan National Championship and Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race.
REV’IT! Twins Cup – Battle Royale
As previously mentioned, championships don’t get much closer than this one.
At the very top of the REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship sits N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto’s defending series champion Blake Davis, one of two riders in the top five to score points in all six races thus far. Davis has one victory and only one other podium finish, but he’s managed even on bad days to walk away with points and that’s what has him atop the standings.
Behind him by just two points are Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering’s Gus Rodio and Cycle Tech’s Hayden Schultz.
Rodio arrives in Washington trying to forget the misery of scoring zero points at Barber Motorsports Park and Schultz arrives with chunks of points from all six races, including three podiums. Rodio’s season, meanwhile, started with a win and three second-place finishes before derailing in Alabama. Both find themselves in solid positions at the top of the standings.
The hottest rider in the class is Rodio’s quasi-teammate Rocco Landers, the winner of the last three races after missing the opening two races of the season at Daytona International Speedway. Landers is the all-time win leader in Twins Cup with 12 race victories, nine of which came in his championship-winning year in 2020.
Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing’s Jackson Blackmon is fifth in the championship heading to Ridge Motorsports Park – 20 points behind Davis.
Supersport – Can Fores Stay Perfect?
There have been 150 championship points up for grabs from the five Supersport races held so far in 2023 and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores has 150 of them in his pocket as he arrives for what will be his first laps at Ridge Motorsports Park. It begs the question: Will he keep that perfect season alive in Washington?
The 150 points that Fores has secured puts him atop the title chase by 37 points over Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa with Mesa an additional 30 points ahead of Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes.
If not for Fores’ season, we’d be talking about how fast and consistent Mesa has been with his four runner-up finishes and the fact that his fourth-place finish in the opening race at Road Atlanta is his only non-podium finish.
Hayes, who is just four points ahead of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott, has also been solid with three podiums from the five races. Scott has two podium finishes and is nine points ahead of Michael Gilbert Racing’s Michael Gilbert with Gilbert’s scorecard featuring a fourth and four fifth-place finishes.
Mission Super Hooligan National Championship – O’Hara Defends
Only two Mission Super Hooligan National Championship races have been held so far in 2023 and those took place way back in March at Daytona International Speedway. And both were won by defending class champion Tyler O’Hara and his Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods-backed Indian FTR1200.
O’Hara’s successful run at Daytona puts him 14 points clear of his teammate Jeremy McWilliams, who in turn is 12 points ahead of Gray Area Racing’s Mark Price and his KTM 890 DUKE R. Price was eighth in race one at Daytona and third in race two. McWilliams returned to Northern Ireland with third- and second-place finishes to show for his trip to Florida.
Roland Sands Design/Indian Motorcycle’s Bobby Fong was second in race one at Daytona but failed to finish race two. Fong will be pulling double duty at Ridge Motorsports Park as he will also be racing in the Medallia Superbike class.
Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. – Moore Wins To Come?
After two dominating performances in the opening round of the Royal Enfield championship at Road America, it doesn’t appear as of yet that anyone will be able to challenge Maryland’s Mikayla Moore. Moore didn’t just win those two races; she annihilated the competition and didn’t seem to put a wheel wrong in her Build. Train. Race. debut.
If anyone can rise to the challenge it is likely to be last year’s champion Kayleigh Buyck. Buyck failed to finish race one at Road America, but she was the closest competition to Moore in race two, finishing 11.7 seconds behind, after Moore had won race one by 17.2 seconds.
Texan Crystal Martinez, who like Buyck is in her second year of Royal Enfield racing, is second in the points after two podium finishes at Road America. She trails Moore by 17 points and is just four points ahead of Utah’s Aubrey Credaroli.
Pre-Ridge Support Class Notes
Last year’s two Supersport races at Ridge Motorsports Park were won by Josh Herrin, who went on to claim the 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team. Herrin beat Rocco Landers and Sam Lochoff in race one before beating Tyler Scott and Kevin Olmedo in race two. Herrin has moved to the Medallia Superbike class for 2023 where he currently sits third in the championship.
Anthony Mazziotto swept to a doubleheader wins in the REV’IT! Twins Cup class last year with the New Jerseyan beating Kaleb De Keyrel and Hayden Schultz in race one and Schultz and Cody Wyman in race two.
The class with the most entries at Ridge Motorsports Park this year? Mission Super Hooligan National Championship with 35 riders set to do battle on both Saturday and Sunday. Eight of those 35 entries are from the Pacific Northwest states of Washington and Oregon with 10 Californians driving up the coast to compete in Shelton.
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.
Hot Weather Testing Day For KRT
With the midpoint of the 2023 WorldSBK season soon to be reached the long gap between Rounds Five and Six offers the ideal opportunity for the KRT squad to make a hot weather test at Motorland Aragon in Northern Spain.
The Motorland Aragon circuit will host a 2023 WorldSBK race weekend once more this year, but of immediate importance for KRT is to use one of their remaining permitted test days to work on a hot weather machine set-up, They will also make chassis tests to enhance overall performance in 2023, as well as working towards the future.
The 2023 season has been tough in parts for both six-times champion Rea and proven race-winner Lowes, especially when the track temperatures have been particularly high.
Motorland is a circuit conceived and executed on a grand scale, covering a large area and featuring corners of many kinds along its relatively long 5.077km length. A very long back straight adds to the feeling of space and scale at Motorland.
The next round of the championship itself takes place at Alex and Jonathan’s home round of Donington Park, in the UK, between 30 June and 2 July.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “This test comes at a great time because we have made no secret that we really need to make a step with our bike. Added track time with good conditions is always important for us. We will try some ideas from a chassis point of view and also how we can improve for the future. From another point of view, with the big break from Misano to Donington, it is always good to ride the bike to keep the rhythm. We expect favourable conditions and it is an important to test to understand the direction we will take in the future. Misano was a tough weekend, in finishing so far from the race winner, so we need to work hard. Big respect to the team for getting another mid-season test in. Hopefully we can draw some conclusions and find a way forward.”
Alex Lowes, stated: “I am looking forward to the test and I always find that ‘in-season’ tests, with hot temperatures, to be a lot more valuable than winter testing in cooler conditions. With a busy month coming up in July, featuring three race weekends, we want to try and improve our base package. We will work on that on Friday at Motorland. We are still looking at improving the front end of the bike, especially in hotter conditions, to not have a drop in performance when the track gets slippier or the temperatures rise a lot. It looks like the track temperatures are going to get high, so that is what we are focusing on, hoping to make a couple of nice improvements to be ready for the home round at Donington.”
Guim Roda, KRT Team Manager, stated: “This Motorland test is planned to check possible items to use in the 2024 season as well as trying set-up solutions for the coming races. Trying to improve our bike according to the limitations inside the rules, we could not find the package we wished to, and now we need to reconsider how to work for next championship rounds. Our target is Honda, Yamaha, BMW. It is a matter of rule limitations that do not allow us to maximise the potential of our ZX-10RR, but it is what it is. The FIM/Dorna Management has decided it should be like this, so we will need to play the game the best we can.”
TYLER SCOTT WINS 100TH LOUDON CLASSIC FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI
BREA, CA – Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki star Tyler Scott’s precision, patience, and perseverance paid off in the form of victory in this past weekend’s 100th Loudon Classic.
A massive combined $250,000 purse attracted a field stacked with some of the nation’s elite racers, among them Scott and teammates Teagg Hobbs and Richie Escalante, the three of them armed with next-generation Suzuki GSX-R750 Supersport racebikes.
Unfortunately, inclement weather made for a chaotic contest marred by numerous red flags before the race was ultimately called complete. Scott was awarded the victory at that point, becoming the youngest winner at 17 years old, of this historic race, while collecting the $55,000 purse paid to the winner in the process.
Hobbs and Escalante were among the race’s many victims, both suffering crashes during the race. However, both remounted and soldiered on. Hobbs was credited with eighth position and Escalante 16th.
The accomplishment is the latest in a long list of achievements for the teenager. Scott previously finished third in the ‘22 MotoAmerica Supersport championship as a class rookie on the strength of a win and nine podiums, dominated the ‘21 Junior Cup series, competed in the Red Bull Rookies Cup and the FIM CEV European Talent Cup, and racked up countless honors and titles as an amateur dirt track star.
Scott said, “The race was exciting, with a ton of restarts and red flags. We were on pole and got to practice our starts a bunch. Off those starts, I’d get good launches but the rear wheel would spin over the paint on the track. I usually got into first or second going into turn one about 75% of the time. We led around five laps in the portion that won us the race and led a lot of laps overall. We were in the right place for much of the race and when it counted the most.
“Winning again was cool and the prize was $55,000. It was our first win of the year against a very tough field. The Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team did a great job in a difficult race and really prepared a great bike. We developed the bike when it was dry, and I got to work on my skills in the wet when it was raining”
Chris Ulrich, Team Hammer Vice President of Operations, said, “Taking on Loudon was a big challenge for the team and riders. Tyler had a mature ride and kept his head in a race held in extremely challenging conditions. Teagg and Richie were caught out by the difficult track surface and suffered crashes. Fortunately, they were unhurt and the crew was able to get them back on track so they could finish. I’m really proud of the job the team did at the race. I also want to thank the NEMRR for putting on the race. It’s a bold idea that brought top-level talent. It was a shame about the weather.”
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki will now head to Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, on June 23-25, for this weekend’s round of the 2023 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing championship.
For more racing news, results, and special team content please visit https://suzukicycles.com/racing/road-racing.
ABOUT SUZUKI
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2023 season marks Team Hammer’s 43rd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Race bikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 347 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
Energica and PETRONAS Lubricants International race to new heights together
Energica Motor Company, the worldwide leader in high-performance electric motorcycles and EV system integrations has joined forces with lubricant giant, PETRONAS Lubricants International, as it becomes Energica’s Industrial Partner and Energica’s Racing America Main Sponsor for the 2023 season.
Energica is currently supporting team Tytlers Cycle Racing with invaluable know-how and incredible machinery in the Roland Sand Designs’ Super Hooligan National Championship, part of the MotoAmerica series. Energica is the only electric manufacturer to compete alongside other ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) players for the full season.
“We’re making history once again. Racing has always been in our DNA from the very beginning, and after making history in MotoE for four years, we accepted a new challenge alongside Tytlers Cycle Racing. What makes this even more incredible is to have a powerhouse like PETRONAS Lubricants International alongside us to lay a new milestone in motorsport history,” says Giampiero Testoni, CTO of Energica Motor Company.
“PETRONAS Lubricants International is constantly exploring ways to support the rapidly developing EV industry, including in the motorsport scene. This partnership opens opportunities for us in the development of EV fluids that cover all types of electric vehicles including trucks, light commercial vehicles, passenger cars and motorbikes. It is a testament to our ability of customising bespoke solutions for the full range of fluid applications in electrified powertrains,” added Hezlinn Idris, Managing Director and Group CEO of PETRONAS Lubricants International.
PETRONAS Lubricants International is represented by the company’s brand of next generation fluids specifically tailored for electric vehicles, PETRONAS Iona, which includes e-Transmission fluids, e-Cooling fluids, and e-Greases. PETRONAS Lubricants International adds Energica to the list of partnerships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to extend its Fluid Technology Solutions™, meeting the demanding requirements of electric vehicles.
PETRONAS Lubricants International has made strides since the launch of PETRONAS Iona in 2019 in the company’s quest towards sustainability, with full-scale programs to support electric vehicles, reducing environmental impact, stepping up on clean energy, managing GHG emissions and promoting a circular economy – all goals in common with Energica’s vision and mission for a cleaner and more sustainable future of mobility.
Motorcycle-wise, the main star of this racing challenge is the Eva Ribelle RS, the electric streetfighter ridden by the experienced and talented Stefano Mesa from Colombia. Energica electric motorcycles have been made in the famous Motor Valley of Italy since 2014 and are available for sale at more than 130 dealers and importers worldwide. Since April 2022, Energica Motor Company has been part of Ideanomics, a global group that aims at accelerating the commercial adoption of electric vehicles.
Round two of the 2023 Super Hooligan National Championship will take place on June 23-25 at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington State (around 90 miles away from Seattle).
Spaniard Jamie Masia topped Moto3 Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at TT Circuit Assen, in The Netherlands. Riding his Leopard Racing Team Honda, Masia lapped the Dutch circuit in 1:41.667 to lead the 28-rider class.
Moto3 FP1
Swiss rider Randy Krummenacher was quickest during MotoE Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at TT Circuit Assen, in The Netherlands. Riding his Dynavolt Intact GP Ducati electric racebike, Krummenacher turned a lap time of 1:41.865 to lead the 18-rider field.
MotoE FP1
“I’d like another battle!”: Thursday talking points at the TT Circuit Assen
Hear from Bagnaia, Martin, Bezzecchi, Zarco, Miller and Marc Marquez
Thursday, 22 June 2023
Do not adjust your set! Yes, we’re back in action again for the third stop of the triple header, and this time it’s the Motul TT Assen at the legendary Cathedral. Two Press Conferences kicked us off, with plenty to talk about… or maybe you agree much of it is all “clickbait and bullshit”. We’ll let Jack Miller (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) elaborate!
The first comprised Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing) and Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), before the second saw Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) joined by Miller and Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).
Here are some key quotes!
How important is this weekend?
FRANCESCO BAGNAIA: “Like always, starting this weekend for me is so special. It’s one of my favourite race weekends and I love this layout so for me it’s always great. I’m looking forward to riding tomorrow and let’s see. I’m quite sure that our bike suits this track well. Last year we worked so perfectly to arrive at the race prepared, and we will try to do the same this year. Our bike looks great on these kinds of tracks, so let’s see.”
What is it about Assen that suits your style?
“When I arrived here in the World Championship in Moto3, I always said I had great respect for this track.The first time I won was here and it was incredible with Mahindra. Then it Moto2 it was the perfect weekend because I led in all the sessions and during the race. And then last year was great, for sure two contenders were out of the race, but we managed to be competitive and we managed to be on pole position and for sure it will be very important to try to repeat the same for this year to start the summer break in a good mood. It won’t be easy, but our ambition is to be as competitive as last year.”
Do you expect to have a close battle this weekend?
“I think they are both strong. They were both so competitive at this track last year. Marco was very close to victory with me, and Jorge until the end of the race was with us. So for sure, they are so competitive, they are on the list to be contenders for this weekend. I would like to have another battle like in Sachsenring, but with different results.”
Is the win a weight off your shoulders?
JORGE MARTIN: “For sure I really enjoyed these few days after a victory, it’s a pity we have a race straight away because I didn’t celebrate a lot but you know I couldn’t, as soon as you go into the next week you already think about Assen. I’m focused on this weekend, I want to finish in a good way before summer so yeah hopefully we can battle for the podium again, be as consistent as we have in the last four races so yeah let’s see.”
Did you get the victory fairing you asked for?
“Not yet not yet, I asked Ducati already to have something for two years in a row and I have nothing from the bike. For sure Pecco has something, I don’t know why it’s difficult. I just want to put it at home, I’m not going to give it to any factory. Gino told me he would give me it so let’s see if he can manage it.”
Will Pecco be harder to beat here than in Germany?
“I know this is one of his favourites. I was just remembering when we were staying together in the motorhome when he won his first race I remember I asked him, I couldn’t race because I was injured, and he told me ‘today I will win’. I know it’s one of his favourites, last season he won, I like this track, last season I was competitive. When it started to rain I struggled a lot to have confidence so I lost contact with them but I feel strong and I think it’s a good moment to arrive.”
On Paolo Ciabatti’s quotes saying he’ll be on the Pramac in 2024…
“Yeah I’m happy where I am, I don’t see a reason to change. I have a factory bike, an amazing team that is pushing for me and I think 2024 will be the same.”
On Assen:
MARCO BEZZECCHI: “It is a place that I love for sure. When I arrived here yesterday, in my mind immediately there were beautiful memories about my first podium in MotoGP. Of course, it was a big emotion, but I know now I need to be more focus on the race of this weekend. I really like the track, it suits my riding style well, also it is quiet fun and beautiful!”
Confidence from that first podium in Assen?
“It was a big push in confidence for me because I was struggling all the weekend and then in QP I was able to go fast but my pace was not really good honestly. I tried the soft in the race without knowing whether it was possible to do well or not, and then I rode well and finished on the podium. It was something then that came into my mind that I said ‘yeah, I can do it!’ So, yeah, it is quite special but then you have to keep working and I’ll try do this and stay focused.”
On those Mugello & Sachsenring points finishes?
“We saw during the first part of the Championship that with the Sprint, everything can change so quickly. Unfortunately, in Mugello, I had a good Sprint, but I had problems on Sunday and I wasn’t fast enough to fight for the front positions. At the Sachsenring, I struggled all weekend but for the race I found something better that gave me the possibility to be faster. But as soon as you lose something with this format and the level we have, you are lost, so it is important to start in a good way and keep the high level and be consistent, it’s not too easy. My team though are giving me a lot of confidence and giving a good effort so I’m very happy for this.”
Riding better than ever?
JOHANN ZARCO: “Clearly, I think really the best moment where I could feel very good on the bike, and ride, everything naturally, was in 2015 for the first year that I was world champion. Now in MotoGP it’s always more and more difficult, but this year things are getting under control and I can enjoy more and get more tastes of the podium. It was so good to get three in a row. Le Mans, Mugello and Sachsenring. Three different tracks. So yeah, it’s a good feeling. And overall with this feeling, things are coming better every time. So I really wiish and hope for even better for the next races. This is the target.”
Atmosphere in the garage:
“The teammate is the first guy that you can look at. And watching I’m watching Jorge, but Jorge is also watching me. Not just for the for the setup, but also to do the results. vThe areas where he’s super fast, I’m trying to be fast and usually I’m quite consistent and now also he’s trying to be quite consistent. So it’s creating something that we didn’t expect. We’re leading the classification of the teams standings, and that would be very nice to keep it to the end of the year, because I think that would be it would be historical that a satellite team can be world champions, so why not? But just being focussed every race and doing the maximum, we do not share share too much our feelings with Jorge because we are two different guys. But then the results. We enjoy the same thing with the team and it’s a really nice time that I’m pretty happy to be living this season.”
Optimistic about Assen?
“Ducati can be fast everywhere now. We have a very good balance on the bike, and also with the eight riders on the Ducatis, we have so many references in case we are getting a bit lost. So the victory of Pecco last year, and the second position of Bezzecchi gives us this trust that Ducati can work well here. So yeah, we’ll try to find the good line to be able to repeat another podium, but as I say we always start from Friday. This qualifying on Saturday is always very high pressure to be on the first two rows, and then when you can control this pressure and get a good qualifying it opens your weekend much better for the Sprint and for the long race on Sunday.”
Can the shoey return?
JACK MILLER: “We’ll try our best. Every time you drive into this joint you always get that feeling I guess. Different times for sure back then but no it’s nice to be back here, I feel pretty good towards the weekend, another new track for us but the bike is working really well a the moment. We have a couple of things to iron out, but we’re getting there. Quite confident, the bike is very nimble and around here that’s what you need, a nice stable bike but something that is easy to change direction at high speed and I feel the KTM has that in it so looking forward to spinning the first laps around here.”
Does the experience of last two races put you in a better position?
“The high-speed corners in Mugello was where I was struggling with in, Arabbiata 2, and again at the weekend it was obvious where my weak point was at the Sachsenring, 9, 10, 11, going down the hill. I tried a lot of different things during the race in terms of my riding style just to try and compensate for what I was having through those corners. Wasn’t able to find what I wanted but we went back to the drawing board and I think we’ve got a direction to go in terms of set up and geometry to help give me more stability in the fast corners without losing too much in the slower corners.”
His reaction to the reaction to his reaction:
“My reaction is it’s a lot of clickbait and bullshit. The majority of people weren’t there at the media debrief so they don’t even know what was actually said, then you clickbaited and put on spray like this. It is what it is, this is the world we live in. At the end of the day I just want the health of the championship to better, I want guys to get on with their job and that’s all it is. Like I say, a lot of people weren’t there.”
And on Pedro Acosta:
“We know he’s ready. That interview says it all, if he thinks he’s ready then that’s all that matters. I like that he’s young, he’s confident and that’s what you need to do at that age, you need to say what you think and that’s what he did there. For sure I’m excited by the prospects, hopefully KTM can keep him in the family of course because we would love to have him on one of our bikes for sure.”
MARC MARQUEZ: “I rode on the limit last weekend, but we have done a very good job the last three days in Madrid with my medical team and my physio team. The ankle was the biggest problem before coming here as it was swollen a lot, but they did a very good job and now I don’t think it will be a big problem. My thumb is broken, but luckily it is just the end, so it won’t be a problem. The rib, I have a crack in the second rib and this will be a problem because as soon as I breathe or if I push with my arm, I’ll feel it…anyways let’s see, we’ll start with P1 and step by step.”
On Sachsenring drama.
“Yeah it was a tough weekend. The thing is if you are pushing and you crash, you accept it, like I did it in QP practice but for example the WUP crash…. already on Saturday I had given up a bit on the weekend and I will just keep going and in Saturday’s race… I didn’t push more than I felt with the bike. Then in WUP I had an unexpected crash, only on the second lap without pushing and yeah, this is the most difficult to understand.”
Has his opinion changed on the future?
I didn’t read a lot (the news). I am focused on myself and I have a lot work to do with the physios and in the gym these days but as you can see, if I am here with all those injuries, it’s because my commitment with Honda is maximum and I want to continue working with this project in the future. Yeah, my commitment is 100% and for that reason I am here, to get information and improve the bike for the future.”
Biggest injury problem?
“Let’s see. In Mugello and Germany I already said about physical conditions, I felt in one of my best moments and for that reason I was able to be in the top positions by riding over the limit most of the time. Here, obviously after 5 crashes, I’m not ready to push again. It’s time to step back and get some information.”
Bagnaia joins Assen’s TT Legends Club
Last year’s Grand Prix winner, Pecco Bagnaia, is now officially part of the TT Legends Club! The reigning Champion was presented with his stone for the walk of fame by Assen mayor Marco Out and Willem Bakker from the TT Legends foundation. The stone will now take its place on the famous street in Assen, alongside his fellow legends!
New Jersey Motorsports Park – June 23-24-25, Return of the Matchless G50’s
Team Obsolete is pleased to announce the return to the racetrack of two of our beloved Matchlesses, after a two-decade absence. These are the very special Dick Mann Special, and #G50 1708, which dominated the Brands Hatch Superprix in the late 1990’s. Both are freshly overhauled. They will be accompanied by an ex-Agostini MV Agusta 500/3, all three to be ridden by Dave Roper, who will also ride his Aermacchi. Additionally, Walt Fulton will present our ex-factory Harley-Davidson XR750TT, which he rescued from its 23-year semi-retirement. Dale Quarterley was expected to ride one of the Matchlesses, but had a conflict with his NASCAR truck schedule.
Now that Rob Iannucci is morphing into semi-retirement, look forward to seeing more bikes from the fabled Team Obsolete stable.
Many thanks to our sponsors: Vanson Leathers, Red Line Synthetic Oil, Avon Tyres and Buchanan’s Spoke & Rim, Inc.
It’s West By Westby This Weekend At Ridge Motorsports Park
Tulsa, OK – Round four of the 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship is this weekend, and Mathew Scholtz & Company are looking forward to putting some “Westby” in the Pacific Northwest beginning on Friday at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington.
Ridge has been a very good racetrack for Mathew and the Westby Racing team. In the three years that MotoAmerica has been going there, Mathew has finished as runner-up once, fourth a total of four times, and fifth once. All told, that’s six top-five results at Ridge for The Scholtz Kid and his experienced crew, and they are definitely ready to add to the success this weekend.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back on my Westby Racing Yamaha at Ridge,” Mathew said. “We ended the weekend on a high note last year, and we landed on a really good setup that gave us good pace in race two. Road America a couple of weeks ago was a little bit disappointing for us, but Ridge is definitely more of a ‘Yamaha-style’ track with more of a flowing layout that suits our bike. Also, we’ve made some pretty major changes to the bike after Road America, and I’m feeling confident that it will benefit us this weekend. I saw that the track is working hard to get everything prepped for us, and the weather looks good, too, so we’re excited to continue our push and be back up at the front where we belong. Unfortunately, (team owner) Tryg (Westby) isn’t going to be there with us, and we’re really going to miss him, but we’re determined to get him the best results possible because that’s what he deserves.”
Superbike final qualifying is on Saturday morning at 10:25 PT, Superbike race one will go green on Saturday afternoon at 3:10 PT, and Superbike race two is on Sunday afternoon also at 3:10 PT. Both races will be broadcast live on MotoAmerica’s YouTube Channel.
For all the action from Ridge Motorsports Park, as it happens, subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+, which is MotoAmerica’s live streaming and on-demand service.
Meet Mathew, Get An Autographed Poster, And More
Mathew will be available for autographs during the Dunlop Hot Pit Walk & Autograph Session, scheduled for 11 to 11:40 a.m. Sunday on pit lane at Ridge Motorsports Park. He and the team will be handing out free posters and T-shirts, so don’t miss it.
Check Out The Westby Racing Sponsor Showcase
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA and Pro-Bolt USA are the featured team sponsors on display in the Westby Racing paddock area this race weekend, so be sure to stop by to say hello and learn about some of the companies that support the team.
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit www.WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés Carry Momentum to The Ridge as the 2023 MotoAmerica Championship Nears the Halfway Point
Sunnyvale, Calif. — Round four of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championships will kick off this weekend at The Ridge in Mason County, Washington.
The picturesque 2.47-mile circuit, nestled in the pine forests two hours southwest of Seattle, sees Ducati duo Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés looking to build on superb performances last time out at Road America at Elkhart Lake in Wisconsin, where Herrin took a popular win in race two in Superbike and Forés continued his unbeaten streak with two race wins in Supersport.
The Superbike championship picture has Herrin third coming into The Ridge on 91 points, within a race win of leader Jake Gagne, while Forés is flying with a maximum of 150 points, 37 up on second-placed Stefano Mesa.
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati Panigale V4 R – #2):
“I really like The Ridge,” Herrin said. “In 2021, I had two good races there on the Superbike and in 2022 I won both Supersport races there on the Panigale V2—it’s a place I’ve had good success. My hope is we can keep the ball rolling that started in Wisconsin. The Ridge is always a fun place to race. It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve been on my Panigale V4 R so I’m really pumped to get back together with the team and have a fun few days in the Pacific Northwest.”
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati Panigale V2 – #12)
“The Ridge is going to be another new track for me, the same situation we’ve had all year,” Forés said. “But I am really looking forward to the challenge. From my understanding, our Panigale V2 seems to work really well there. Josh (Herrin) did a fantastic job last year with two victories and a really good pace, so this is a target for us to aim for this weekend.
On-track action for the fourth round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championships kicks off at 9:00 am PDT. Forés will take to the track for Supersport FP1 at 10:10 am on Friday, May 19, while Herrin will be on track for Superbike FP1 at 10:45 am.
Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom have started “The Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast,” which will be focused on the FIM MotoGP World Championship.
This week’s podcast is “Sachsenring 2023 – There’s Always A Price For Everything.”
The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.
It’s Tight At The Top In REV’IT! Twins Cup As The Series Heads To Ridge Motorsports Park
Just Two Points Separate Top Three As MotoAmerica Visits Washington State
IRVINE, CA (June 22, 2023) – The REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship is back on track this coming weekend at Ridge Motorsports Park, June 23-25, after a one-round hiatus and that means a lot of attention will rightfully fall on what is the closest title fight in the MotoAmerica Championship after three rounds and six races.
So how close is it? Just 20 points separate the top five riders in the title chase and only two points separate the top three as the series arrives at the racetrack located on the Olympic Peninsula region of Washington State.
In addition to the REV’IT! Twins Cup and the premier MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike classes, the MotoAmerica weekend at Ridge Motorsports Park will feature three other classes of racing: Supersport, Mission Super Hooligan National Championship and Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race.
REV’IT! Twins Cup – Battle Royale
As previously mentioned, championships don’t get much closer than this one.
At the very top of the REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship sits N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto’s defending series champion Blake Davis, one of two riders in the top five to score points in all six races thus far. Davis has one victory and only one other podium finish, but he’s managed even on bad days to walk away with points and that’s what has him atop the standings.
Behind him by just two points are Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering’s Gus Rodio and Cycle Tech’s Hayden Schultz.
Rodio arrives in Washington trying to forget the misery of scoring zero points at Barber Motorsports Park and Schultz arrives with chunks of points from all six races, including three podiums. Rodio’s season, meanwhile, started with a win and three second-place finishes before derailing in Alabama. Both find themselves in solid positions at the top of the standings.
The hottest rider in the class is Rodio’s quasi-teammate Rocco Landers, the winner of the last three races after missing the opening two races of the season at Daytona International Speedway. Landers is the all-time win leader in Twins Cup with 12 race victories, nine of which came in his championship-winning year in 2020.
Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing’s Jackson Blackmon is fifth in the championship heading to Ridge Motorsports Park – 20 points behind Davis.
Supersport – Can Fores Stay Perfect?
There have been 150 championship points up for grabs from the five Supersport races held so far in 2023 and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores has 150 of them in his pocket as he arrives for what will be his first laps at Ridge Motorsports Park. It begs the question: Will he keep that perfect season alive in Washington?
The 150 points that Fores has secured puts him atop the title chase by 37 points over Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa with Mesa an additional 30 points ahead of Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes.
If not for Fores’ season, we’d be talking about how fast and consistent Mesa has been with his four runner-up finishes and the fact that his fourth-place finish in the opening race at Road Atlanta is his only non-podium finish.
Hayes, who is just four points ahead of Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott, has also been solid with three podiums from the five races. Scott has two podium finishes and is nine points ahead of Michael Gilbert Racing’s Michael Gilbert with Gilbert’s scorecard featuring a fourth and four fifth-place finishes.
Mission Super Hooligan National Championship – O’Hara Defends
Only two Mission Super Hooligan National Championship races have been held so far in 2023 and those took place way back in March at Daytona International Speedway. And both were won by defending class champion Tyler O’Hara and his Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods-backed Indian FTR1200.
O’Hara’s successful run at Daytona puts him 14 points clear of his teammate Jeremy McWilliams, who in turn is 12 points ahead of Gray Area Racing’s Mark Price and his KTM 890 DUKE R. Price was eighth in race one at Daytona and third in race two. McWilliams returned to Northern Ireland with third- and second-place finishes to show for his trip to Florida.
Roland Sands Design/Indian Motorcycle’s Bobby Fong was second in race one at Daytona but failed to finish race two. Fong will be pulling double duty at Ridge Motorsports Park as he will also be racing in the Medallia Superbike class.
Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. – Moore Wins To Come?
After two dominating performances in the opening round of the Royal Enfield championship at Road America, it doesn’t appear as of yet that anyone will be able to challenge Maryland’s Mikayla Moore. Moore didn’t just win those two races; she annihilated the competition and didn’t seem to put a wheel wrong in her Build. Train. Race. debut.
If anyone can rise to the challenge it is likely to be last year’s champion Kayleigh Buyck. Buyck failed to finish race one at Road America, but she was the closest competition to Moore in race two, finishing 11.7 seconds behind, after Moore had won race one by 17.2 seconds.
Texan Crystal Martinez, who like Buyck is in her second year of Royal Enfield racing, is second in the points after two podium finishes at Road America. She trails Moore by 17 points and is just four points ahead of Utah’s Aubrey Credaroli.
Pre-Ridge Support Class Notes
Last year’s two Supersport races at Ridge Motorsports Park were won by Josh Herrin, who went on to claim the 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team. Herrin beat Rocco Landers and Sam Lochoff in race one before beating Tyler Scott and Kevin Olmedo in race two. Herrin has moved to the Medallia Superbike class for 2023 where he currently sits third in the championship.
Anthony Mazziotto swept to a doubleheader wins in the REV’IT! Twins Cup class last year with the New Jerseyan beating Kaleb De Keyrel and Hayden Schultz in race one and Schultz and Cody Wyman in race two.
The class with the most entries at Ridge Motorsports Park this year? Mission Super Hooligan National Championship with 35 riders set to do battle on both Saturday and Sunday. Eight of those 35 entries are from the Pacific Northwest states of Washington and Oregon with 10 Californians driving up the coast to compete in Shelton.
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.
Hot Weather Testing Day For KRT
With the midpoint of the 2023 WorldSBK season soon to be reached the long gap between Rounds Five and Six offers the ideal opportunity for the KRT squad to make a hot weather test at Motorland Aragon in Northern Spain.
The Motorland Aragon circuit will host a 2023 WorldSBK race weekend once more this year, but of immediate importance for KRT is to use one of their remaining permitted test days to work on a hot weather machine set-up, They will also make chassis tests to enhance overall performance in 2023, as well as working towards the future.
The 2023 season has been tough in parts for both six-times champion Rea and proven race-winner Lowes, especially when the track temperatures have been particularly high.
Motorland is a circuit conceived and executed on a grand scale, covering a large area and featuring corners of many kinds along its relatively long 5.077km length. A very long back straight adds to the feeling of space and scale at Motorland.
The next round of the championship itself takes place at Alex and Jonathan’s home round of Donington Park, in the UK, between 30 June and 2 July.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “This test comes at a great time because we have made no secret that we really need to make a step with our bike. Added track time with good conditions is always important for us. We will try some ideas from a chassis point of view and also how we can improve for the future. From another point of view, with the big break from Misano to Donington, it is always good to ride the bike to keep the rhythm. We expect favourable conditions and it is an important to test to understand the direction we will take in the future. Misano was a tough weekend, in finishing so far from the race winner, so we need to work hard. Big respect to the team for getting another mid-season test in. Hopefully we can draw some conclusions and find a way forward.”
Alex Lowes, stated: “I am looking forward to the test and I always find that ‘in-season’ tests, with hot temperatures, to be a lot more valuable than winter testing in cooler conditions. With a busy month coming up in July, featuring three race weekends, we want to try and improve our base package. We will work on that on Friday at Motorland. We are still looking at improving the front end of the bike, especially in hotter conditions, to not have a drop in performance when the track gets slippier or the temperatures rise a lot. It looks like the track temperatures are going to get high, so that is what we are focusing on, hoping to make a couple of nice improvements to be ready for the home round at Donington.”
Guim Roda, KRT Team Manager, stated: “This Motorland test is planned to check possible items to use in the 2024 season as well as trying set-up solutions for the coming races. Trying to improve our bike according to the limitations inside the rules, we could not find the package we wished to, and now we need to reconsider how to work for next championship rounds. Our target is Honda, Yamaha, BMW. It is a matter of rule limitations that do not allow us to maximise the potential of our ZX-10RR, but it is what it is. The FIM/Dorna Management has decided it should be like this, so we will need to play the game the best we can.”
TYLER SCOTT WINS 100TH LOUDON CLASSIC FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI
BREA, CA – Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki star Tyler Scott’s precision, patience, and perseverance paid off in the form of victory in this past weekend’s 100th Loudon Classic.
A massive combined $250,000 purse attracted a field stacked with some of the nation’s elite racers, among them Scott and teammates Teagg Hobbs and Richie Escalante, the three of them armed with next-generation Suzuki GSX-R750 Supersport racebikes.
Unfortunately, inclement weather made for a chaotic contest marred by numerous red flags before the race was ultimately called complete. Scott was awarded the victory at that point, becoming the youngest winner at 17 years old, of this historic race, while collecting the $55,000 purse paid to the winner in the process.
Hobbs and Escalante were among the race’s many victims, both suffering crashes during the race. However, both remounted and soldiered on. Hobbs was credited with eighth position and Escalante 16th.
The accomplishment is the latest in a long list of achievements for the teenager. Scott previously finished third in the ‘22 MotoAmerica Supersport championship as a class rookie on the strength of a win and nine podiums, dominated the ‘21 Junior Cup series, competed in the Red Bull Rookies Cup and the FIM CEV European Talent Cup, and racked up countless honors and titles as an amateur dirt track star.
Scott said, “The race was exciting, with a ton of restarts and red flags. We were on pole and got to practice our starts a bunch. Off those starts, I’d get good launches but the rear wheel would spin over the paint on the track. I usually got into first or second going into turn one about 75% of the time. We led around five laps in the portion that won us the race and led a lot of laps overall. We were in the right place for much of the race and when it counted the most.
“Winning again was cool and the prize was $55,000. It was our first win of the year against a very tough field. The Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki team did a great job in a difficult race and really prepared a great bike. We developed the bike when it was dry, and I got to work on my skills in the wet when it was raining”
Chris Ulrich, Team Hammer Vice President of Operations, said, “Taking on Loudon was a big challenge for the team and riders. Tyler had a mature ride and kept his head in a race held in extremely challenging conditions. Teagg and Richie were caught out by the difficult track surface and suffered crashes. Fortunately, they were unhurt and the crew was able to get them back on track so they could finish. I’m really proud of the job the team did at the race. I also want to thank the NEMRR for putting on the race. It’s a bold idea that brought top-level talent. It was a shame about the weather.”
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki will now head to Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, on June 23-25, for this weekend’s round of the 2023 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing championship.
For more racing news, results, and special team content please visit https://suzukicycles.com/racing/road-racing.
ABOUT SUZUKI
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2023 season marks Team Hammer’s 43rd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Race bikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 347 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
Energica and PETRONAS Lubricants International race to new heights together
Energica Motor Company, the worldwide leader in high-performance electric motorcycles and EV system integrations has joined forces with lubricant giant, PETRONAS Lubricants International, as it becomes Energica’s Industrial Partner and Energica’s Racing America Main Sponsor for the 2023 season.
Energica is currently supporting team Tytlers Cycle Racing with invaluable know-how and incredible machinery in the Roland Sand Designs’ Super Hooligan National Championship, part of the MotoAmerica series. Energica is the only electric manufacturer to compete alongside other ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) players for the full season.
“We’re making history once again. Racing has always been in our DNA from the very beginning, and after making history in MotoE for four years, we accepted a new challenge alongside Tytlers Cycle Racing. What makes this even more incredible is to have a powerhouse like PETRONAS Lubricants International alongside us to lay a new milestone in motorsport history,” says Giampiero Testoni, CTO of Energica Motor Company.
“PETRONAS Lubricants International is constantly exploring ways to support the rapidly developing EV industry, including in the motorsport scene. This partnership opens opportunities for us in the development of EV fluids that cover all types of electric vehicles including trucks, light commercial vehicles, passenger cars and motorbikes. It is a testament to our ability of customising bespoke solutions for the full range of fluid applications in electrified powertrains,” added Hezlinn Idris, Managing Director and Group CEO of PETRONAS Lubricants International.
PETRONAS Lubricants International is represented by the company’s brand of next generation fluids specifically tailored for electric vehicles, PETRONAS Iona, which includes e-Transmission fluids, e-Cooling fluids, and e-Greases. PETRONAS Lubricants International adds Energica to the list of partnerships with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to extend its Fluid Technology Solutions™, meeting the demanding requirements of electric vehicles.
PETRONAS Lubricants International has made strides since the launch of PETRONAS Iona in 2019 in the company’s quest towards sustainability, with full-scale programs to support electric vehicles, reducing environmental impact, stepping up on clean energy, managing GHG emissions and promoting a circular economy – all goals in common with Energica’s vision and mission for a cleaner and more sustainable future of mobility.
Motorcycle-wise, the main star of this racing challenge is the Eva Ribelle RS, the electric streetfighter ridden by the experienced and talented Stefano Mesa from Colombia. Energica electric motorcycles have been made in the famous Motor Valley of Italy since 2014 and are available for sale at more than 130 dealers and importers worldwide. Since April 2022, Energica Motor Company has been part of Ideanomics, a global group that aims at accelerating the commercial adoption of electric vehicles.
Round two of the 2023 Super Hooligan National Championship will take place on June 23-25 at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington State (around 90 miles away from Seattle).
