Kreece Elliott excited to make MotoAmerica Supersport debut at Road Atlanta
Kreece Elliott is excited to announce his step into the MotoAmerica Supersport season for 2024.
Riding a Kawasaki, the Colorado-based teenager will make the jump from Junior Cup this year as he takes the next step with his racing career.
A regular top-10 finisher in Junior Cup over the past two years, Kreece, together with his family believes the time is right to move into the middleweight category and after several successful post-2023 season outings aboard the larger displacement machine, the decision was made.
The plan is to contest several MotoAmerica events whilst gaining as much experience in regional races ahead of what is hoped will be a full assault on the 2025 MotoAmerica Supersport championship.
Kreece Elliott: “I am looking forward to making the jump from Junior Cup to Supersport this year. I know the competition will be very tough, but I am willing to take on the challenge. As I grew up the Junior Cup bike started to become uncomfortable, and I feel that the bigger bike will definitely suit me more. I immediately felt good on the supersport spec Kawasaki when I rode it last year and I know that in time I will be able to run with the guys at the sharp end, but it won’t be easy. I will have to learn the tracks on the bigger bike but honestly, I cannot wait to get going. I want to be realistic in my goals and I am confident in achieving them and looking forward to having fun and improving each time I go out on track. I want to thank those people behind the scenes that continue to believe in me and hope to welcome some new people into the program as the year progresses.”
There are still opportunities available to support Kreece both financially and with product for his debut supersport season and those interested to find out more are encouraged to contact him directly through one of the links embedded within this media release.
Kreece’s 2024 MotoAmerica season will comprise of him racing at Road Atlanta, Barber Motorsports Park, Road America, Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, and COTA, offering plenty of opportunities to be part of ‘the team’.
You can also follow Kreece through his social media channels and keep up to date with his racing progress through his fully interactive website.
Acosta ends Saturday on top as the final day of Shakedown testing concludes
Saturday, 03 February 2024
The curtain came down on the 2024 MotoGP™ Sepang Shakedown with rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) on top, with the number 31 content to continue making headlines. A superb 1:58.189 on the final day saw him lead test rider Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) by 0.066s, with CASTROL Honda LCR’s new recruit Johann Zarco completing the top three.
Acosta dazzles
Despite a couple of small crashes on the final day – one in the dry at Turn 11 and one in the wet at Turn 15 – Acosta only continues to impress. His time would have placed him P5 in last year’s Sepang Test overall standings, and there are still three more days to go in that event next week.
On the final day, Acosta was lapping with KTM’s carbon chassis on both of his GASGAS bikes, indicating this may well be the direction they’ll be heading in for the season. It will be interesting to see what new parts Acosta will test on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Malaysia, as he’s joined by teammate Augusto Fernandez and the two Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Brad Binder and Jack Miller.
Dani Pedrosa (26). Photo courtesy Dorna.
And speaking of the orange squad, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro said in a video the team posted on social media that he feels “very good” on the bike after a winter of training sees the Test Rider come into 2024 in a much better physical condition. Espargaro also comments on how well Acosta is adapting to the bike.
Aero game stepped up ahead of Sepang Test
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Dorna.
As we saw across the previous two days of Shakedown action, the factories have ramped up the aerodynamics game in 2024. You can see KTM’s front fender wing, Aprilia’s ‘Batmobile’ rear wing and Ducati’s additional ground effect side panel fairing updates HERE, with the respective test riders running all of these additions on the final day. Honda’s upgraded ‘stegosaurus’ rear wing can be seen below.
Stefan Bradl (6). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Honda and Yamaha: all hands on deck
On Day 3, Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) was spotted testing a different swingarm, and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) has confirmed that Honda’s 2023 bike isn’t in Sepang. Honda are focusing on the package they had at the Valencia Test and on a new prototype they’ve got. A “change in direction”.
Zarco was the fastest Honda on Saturday, ahead of Mir and then Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) and Nakagami, peppered throughout the top ten.
Alex Rins. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) finished the Shakedown in P4, while new teammate Alex Rins was a tenth off him in P7. In terms of novelties, Yamaha Test Rider Cal Crutchlow ventured out with a new, longer exhaust and an updated aero body.
Cal Crutchlow. Photo courtesy Dorna.
More to come?
For Ducati and Aprilia, repped at the Shakedown by Michele Pirro and Lorenzo Savadori, respectively, there were the previously mentioned aero updates on obvious show, and the event saw plenty of prep for the rest of their riders to join the fray at the Sepang Test.
Michele Pirro (51). Photo courtesy Dorna.
That will include reigning Champion Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) meeting his new steed ahead of another title defence campaign, and 2023 challenger Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing). It’s also another chance to see Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) heading out, although that’s not on a 2024-spec bike…
Lorenzo Savadori (32). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Meanwhile, alongside Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia, there’s also a complete novelty of a different kind in the Noale camp as Trackhouse Racing prepare to land in MotoGP™, with Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez likely soon to appear in their new colours on track for the first time.
That’s a wrap on one of the most star-studded Shakedowns we’ve seen for some time. Next up it’s the official #SepangTest from the 6th to the 8th of February, where we’ll see everyone back out and back in business ahead of their assault on 2024.
In the meantime check out all our updates on motogp.com, and join us on social for more snippets and content from the very start of what’s sure to be another history-making season!
BEST LAPS BY RIDER: DAY 3
1 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) 1:58.189
2 Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +0.066
3 Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) +0.211
4 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) +0.249
In this video, six-time Superbike World Champion Jonathan Rea answers fans’ questions from his winter training base in Spain. There were so many questions that Rea decided to do two videos. This is Part Two.
Triumph Motorcycles Brings Rich Pedigree to SuperMotocross World Championship Series as Newest OEM Partner
Triumph Racing’s Jalek Swoll and Evan Ferry to Debut in Monster Energy Supercross Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship
DETROIT, Mich., (February 2, 2024) – Supercross Media Day activities just concluded at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., and attending press members were treated to the historic debut of Triumph Racing as athletes Jalek Swoll and Evan Ferry spun laps on the new Triumph TF 250-X for the very first time on an official Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship track.
From a competition standpoint, Triumph Motorcycles joins Beta USA as the newest manufacturers to support a racing program in the series. GASGAS joined the championship in 2021.
Triumph Motorcycles becomes the eighth Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to join the series as an official partner, joining Japanese owned brands Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Austrian brands KTM, Husqvarna, and GASGAS.
As an official series partner, Triumph Motorcycles will work closely with Feld Motor Sports, Inc. to create first-class hospitality programs, FanFest activations and live event branding opportunities. Additionally, Triumph Motorcycles will enjoy prominent placement in television & streaming programming and social & digital marketing campaigns designed to engage both a domestic and international audience across the entire 31-round SMX World Championship.
The Detroit date serves as Round 5 of the indoor stadium season of Supercross for the premier 450 Class, and doubles as the official start of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship. Swoll and Ferry will be lining up against a stacked 250 field that includes the defending SMX 250 World Champion Haiden Deegan, veterans Austin Forkner, Max Anstie, Cameron McAdoo, Jeremy Martin and 2x MX2 Champion Tom Vialle.
Joining Swoll and Ferry in the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the outdoor season of the SMX World Championship, and starting at Fox Raceway in Pala, Calif. on Saturday May 25 will be longtime fan favorite Joey Savatgy.
Triumph Racing’s commitment to the sport goes far beyond this season as plans are already underway to field a 450 premier class team in the future.
All 28 rounds of the SuperMotocross World Championship, inclusive of 17 Supercross races and 11 Pro Motocross races, are currently on sale to the general public at SupercrossLIVE.com and promotocross.com. Dates, venues, and ticketing information for the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and Final will be announced in March.
MX Sports Pro Racing Awards Inaugural 250cc Champion Gary Jones with His Namesake Trophy
Development of New Gary Jones Cup and Edison Dye Cup in Process Ahead of 2024 Pro Motocross Championship This May
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (February 2, 2024) – Ahead of the Anaheim 2 round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, MX Sports Pro Racing and Feld Motor Sports, the entities that comprise the SMX League, collaborated for a unique and special presentation to honor inaugural 1972 Pro Motocross 250cc Champion Gary Jones. Included as part of the season-long 50th anniversary celebration of Supercross, for the first time, after more than five decades, the California native was surprised with a proper trophy presentation in recognition of his historic maiden championship and subsequent titles in 1973 and 1974. Fittingly, the very trophy named for Jones’ cornerstone achievement in American motocross, the Gary Jones Cup, was awarded to the AMA Hall of Famer as an enduring symbol of his role in what is now the most prestigious championship in off-road motorcycle racing.
“When MX Sports Pro Racing assumed management of the Pro Motocross Championship in 2009, we wanted to create highly coveted symbols that celebrated the legacy of American motocross to award to our respective champions each season. In partnership with AMA Pro Racing, this led to the establishment of the Gary Jones Cup for the 250 Class and the Edison Dye Cup for the 450 Class, in honor of the indelible contributions of these two men during the sport’s infancy,” explained Tim Cotter, Director, MX Sports Pro Racing, who awarded the trophy to Jones. “It was always our intention to ultimately get the cup into the hands of its namesake and we thought this served as a perfect moment to surprise him in front of the hometown crowd. Unbeknownst to us, Gary never received a championship trophy for that 1972 title, nor for his championships in 1973 and 1974, so our surprise gesture ultimately turned into a deserving, long overdue celebration of his landmark achievements. We’re proud to be able to immortalize Gary’s early dominance and are honored to give him the prize he waited nearly 52 years for.”
Since its inception, the Gary Jones Cup has become an artifact of Pro Motocross’ storied legacy, bearing the names of every single racer to capture a 125cc/250cc championship, which started in 1974. The trophy is a who’s who of American motocross history, featuring the likes of Broc Glover (1977-1979), Mark Barnett (1980-1982), Ricky Carmichael (1997-1999), and Ryan Villopoto (2006-2008), the only riders to capture three consecutive championships in the smaller displacement. The list of titleholders also includes modern era stars and newly inducted AMA Hall of Famers like Travis Pastrana (2000), James Stewart (2002 & 2004), Grant Langston (2003) and Ryan Dungey (2009), in addition to current elite racers like Eli Tomac (2013), Cooper Webb (2016), Aaron Plessinger (2018), Adam Cianciarulo (2019), Dylan Ferrandis (2020), and the Lawrence brothers, Jett (2021-2022) and Hunter (2023).
“When I raced the series in 1972 no one knew it would go on to become the Pro Motocross Championship since it was integrated into the Inter-Am series. So, when I won the title no one seemed to care. It was the same for 1973 and 1974,” explained Jones. “When I learned about the presentation (in Anaheim), I couldn’t believe it. My girlfriend secretly helped put it together with MX Sports Pro Racing as a surprise. I was flabbergasted. I had won trophies for winning Nationals, but I never received championships trophies. I was even nominated for the AMA Hall of Fame (in 2000) and never knew it. I was kind of the first for a lot of that stuff, but now with the media, social media, and the internet I feel more recognized and celebrated than ever before. I’ve received so many well wishes. It’s all been incredibly surreal and I’m just so grateful to continue to receive such strong support after all these years.”
With the original Gary Jones Cup now in possession of the man himself, MX Sports Pro Racing is in the process of developing a new version of the Gary Jones Cup ahead of the 2024 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The same process is also being undertaken for a new Edison Dye Cup. The original 450 Class trophy is currently in the possession of American Honda following Jett Lawrence’s historic perfect season as premier class rookie with Team Honda HRC.
The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship is the centerpiece of the SuperMotocross World Championship, with an 11-round summer schedule that will visit 10 different states from late May through the end of August. The season will kick off on Memorial Day Weekend in Southern California with the Fox Raceway National on Saturday, May 25, from Fox Raceway at Pala.
Tickets are now available for all 11 rounds and can be purchased by visiting www.ProMotocross.com.
Cameron Petersen has announced that he will miss the 2024 MotoAmerica Daytona 200 March 9 at Daytona International Speedway.
“Unfortunately I will be sitting out of this years Daytona200!!!” Petersen posted to his Instagram on Friday. “Still trying to get back to full fitness with the wrist, absolutely gutted I won’t be lining up with the boys but I will be back in 2025. For now we focus on the big bike!!!”
In 2023 Daytona 200, a non-points-paying MotoAmerica Supersport race, Petersen finished third, just 0.140 second behind race winner Josh Herrin, on his Attack Performance Yamaha YZF-R6.
Cameron Petersen in Victory Lane at the 2023 Daytona 200. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Later during the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike season, Petersen was forced to withdraw from action to have surgery on his right wrist.
“The wrist was so bad before I had less than 50% of strength than I did in my left hand. I’m right-hand dominant, so it was pretty bad,” Petersen told Roadracingworld.com in August 2023, after he had the surgery. “We were having to inject a local anesthetic before each session [on track], and I was struggling to pick up a glass of water.
“They took a whole row of bones out of my wrist. I think the procedure is called a Proximal Row Carpectomy. It’s three bones [the scaphoid bone and the bone on either side of it] that they take out. She [surgeon Dr. Rosemary Yi] said it was pretty rare for someone my age to get it done, but I know Nicky Hayden had it done and John Hopkins had it done to kind of restart their careers. I have full confidence in the procedure, and I think it’s going to be really good.”
At that time, Petersen said he expected to return to normal activity in December 2023, and he did resume riding motocross and flat track. Then in January, he tested his Yamaha Superbike at The Podium Club at Attesa, in Arizona, but apparently Petersen feels he needs more recovery time before the start of the 2024 MotoAmerica Superbike season at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in April.
I kicked the shift lever, slammed the transmission into fourth and cranked the throttle open wide, taking full advantage of the immense amount of torque on hand to let the massive engine pull from the bottom of the rev range and keep spinning. I had already put a couple more clicks of compression damping into the shocks, and when the beast drove through the dip at the apex of the big sweeper at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Classic Course, everything stayed calm and stable. I ground the floorboard all the way through the sweeper and just kissed the rev limiter, the speedometer display flashing triple digits for just a second, before it was time to grab the front brake lever and slow to a crawl for a switchback series of coned-off U-turns designed to slow us down and keep the riding relatively sane.
Harley-Davidson took journalists to the racetrack to sample The Motor Company’s 2024 CVO Road Glide ST, the day before we got the chance to briefly ride the Street Glide and Road Glide standard models on the street. Rain brought the street ride to a premature halt, but not before we had a solid first impression of all three models of the thoroughly revamped Grand American Touring motorcycle platform. “We started from the ground up, and we touched everything,” said Scott Nash, Chief Engineer.
The highlight of the new model range is the CVO (Custom Vehicle Operations) ST — the ST stands for Sport Touring. The $42,999 machine is “the quickest, fastest and most sophisticated performance bagger ever produced by Harley-Davidson,” the company says. And it owes its existence to the company’s involvement in King of the Baggers racing with MotoAmerica. Company officials say the idea for the model emerged during its first season of racing in the new class, and lessons learned on the track have been transferred to the new CVO ST. One example: The throttle mapping for the bike’s track modes (and yes, modes as in multiple track modes, Track and Track-Plus) are cut and pasted from the factory Screamin’ Eagle Road Glide King of the Baggers racebike.
New technology for the CVO ST centers around the Milwaukee-Eight 121 High Output engine. The 1977cc (121 cubic-inch) V-Twin powerplant revs to 5,900 rpm and puts out a claimed 127 bhp at 4,900 rpm and 145 lbs.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. The new intake flows 26% more air than the standard 121 intake, and the HO version eliminates the variable valve timing mechanism to make the engine more efficient at higher rpm and to save two pounds. Titanium mufflers with forged carbon-fiber end caps improve exhaust flow.
The gas tank, wheels, and brakes have been re-designed to reduce weight. How far did Harley-Davidson engineers go to make this machine lighter? The CVO ST has what one company official described as “performance floorboards.” They are shorter and lighter with cutouts to further reduce weight. The bike still weighs 800 pounds dry, but in a performance machine, every pound counts. Fully adjustable 47mm inverted Showa forks work with a pair of remote reservoir/fully adjustable rear shocks.
I was always aware of the mass, but the bike pulls away from a standing start smartly. The engine really is impressive, as it accelerates with little vibration all the way to redline and feels like it could spin significantly higher–it feels enthusiastic. But I found that riding a gear higher allowed me to access that down-low torque and avoid shifting as often. Interestingly, the Sport riding mode is a bit more aggressive right off of idle than the track modes. Softening the throttle response in that part of the rev range in Track mode allows the rider to get into the throttle more aggressively at corner exits on the track, where the rider is feeling for traction and grip and modulating rear wheel spin while leaned over. The rider in Sport mode is likely to be completely straight up and down and trying to make an impression when leaving a stoplight …
The upgraded suspension works well at speeds that are outside the machine’s design envelope. With a little more fine-tuning, the hint of wobble that occasionally reared its head likely could have been dialed out. And whenever I felt the bike starting to get uncomfortable, I’d look down at the speedometer and realize I was going far quicker than I’d go on the street! Vibration was minimal, the sound out of the pipes was a celebration of internal combustion, and the only real thing I’d want in this machine was a change in the ergonomics–specifically, lower handlebars. The CVO ST has a six-inch handlebar riser. The lower Street Glide handlebars were more to my liking.
Harley-Davidson marketeers noted a few years back that its customers were spending less money on “profiling” (flashy paint, customized aesthetics) and more on performance. Inspired by the monsters the Motor Company was building for the race team, the marketeers found that the in-house focus on performance aligned precisely with what Hayley-Davidson customers wanted. The CVO ST is the confluence of those trends. A day at the track revealed a big, solid touring motorcycle with a definite performance edge that is still true to its Harley-Davidson roots, a bike worthy of the “Fast Johnnie” stickers that are part of its livery.
(Just for fun, look up the legend of Johnnie, the pig mascot of the legendary Harley-Davidson Wrecking Crew. Somebody really, really needs to do that again!)
A more complete riding impression and technical overview of the 2024 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST and the Road Glide and Street Glide models will be available in an upcoming issue of Roadracing World.
The Tytlers Cycle Racing Superbike team of JD Beach and Cameron Beaubier is testing their BMW M 1000 RR MotoAmerica Superbikes during a Florida Trackdays event today at Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Florida.
Beach previously tested Tytlers Cycle Racing BMWs at another track day at Homestead in November. Rather than a tryout for Beach, Team Owner Michael Kiley told Roadracingworld.com at the time that the test was his team simply fulfilling an obligation to BMW Motorrad and with Beaubier unavailable due to recent knee surgery Beach was drafted in as a test rider.
JD Beach (left) and Cameron Beaubier (right), as seen Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Photo by Steve Guanche.
Today’s test, however, is the team’s first official test of the 2024 MotoAmerica pre-season.
The official Yamaha Superbike team of Jake Gagne and Cameron Petersen recently held its first test of the pre-season at The Podium Club at Attesa, in Arizona.
The first round of the 2024 MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike Championship is April 19-21 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Yamaha and Honda race riders join the fray on Friday in Sepang
Friday, 02 February 2024
The Shakedown is hotting up! A host more riders joined the fray on Friday but it was still Red Bull KTM Factory Racing on top, this time thanks to test rider Pol Espargaro. He ended Day 2 of the Shakedown fastest with a 1:58.241, a lap time just under three tenths clear of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), taking part for the first time on Friday. Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) continued to impress, third quickest and just thousandths off 2021 Champion Quartararo.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Dorna.
After remaining on the sidelines for the opening day of Shakedown action, the Yamaha and Honda riders all allowed to take part thanks to the new concessions system – catch up on that HERE – headed out. Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) was the first rider on track, with teammate Joan Mir, Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) also in action. Likewise, Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) got stuck in, settling in to his new team.
Alex Rins (42) on his new Yamaha YZR-M1. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Acosta continues to impress
It was another eye-catching day for MotoGP™’s sole 2024 rookie Acosta. The #31’s best time on Day 2 was a 1:58.531. For context, Brad Binder’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) quickest time at the 2023 Malaysian GP was a 1:58.080 (Q2), Augusto Fernandez’ (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was a 1:58.107 (Q1) and Jack Miller’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was a 1:58.232 (PR)…
Rookie Pedro Acosta (31). Photo courtesy Dorna.
The aero game continues
A new piece of front aero – more specifically a front fender wing – was spotted on Dani Pedrosa’s Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine on Day 2, while Aprilia Racing – with Lorenzo Savadori – continued to lap on the Noale factory’s new ‘Batmobile’ rear wing (below). Honda and Stefan Bradl have been busy testing an upgraded stegosaurus-looking rear wing too, as you can see from the photos on motogp.com.
Lorenzo Savadori’s (32) Aprilia RS-GP had a new aerodynamic tail section. Photo courtesy Dorna.
In the hands of Michele Pirro, Ducati’s main aero update that we’ve seen so far – teased by Gigi Dall’Igna at the 2024 team launch – comes on the side fairing. The addition of a further “ground effect” panel can be seen next to Ducati’s usual downwash duct, so it will be interesting to hear the comments of the riders on what effect this has.
Michele Pirro (51) on his Ducati Desmosedici prototype. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Getting up to speed
For the full-time riders, most of the day was spent getting themselves back in the groove on a MotoGP™ bike after the winter break. Quartararo and Rins had three bikes – two ’23 spec and one ’24 spec – each, with Mir spending a lot of his time on the bike he used at the Valencia Test. The same can be said for Marini, with the Italian largely focusing on adapting to the RC213V.
Luca Marini (10) on his new Honda RC213V. Photo courtesy Dorna.
A heavy rain shower meant dry running was cut short on Friday ahead of the final day of Shakedown testing on Saturday. But there’s still plenty more to come! Keep up with all action across our social media channels and on motogp.com, before the full grid heads out for the official Sepang Test next week!
BEST LAPS BY RIDER: DAY 2
1 Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 1:58.241
2 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) +0.283
3 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) +0.290
4 Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) +0.409
Roadracing World Publishing is now requesting schedule and photo submissions from trackday organizers and riding school operators for the 2024 season to put in Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine and the 2024 Roadracing World Trackday Directory annual edition.
All schedule submissions should include: the name of your school or trackday organization, your schedule (including exact dates, correct track names and locations, and the track layout being used that day, if applicable), and full contact information for consumers.
Schedules submitted will be published in the Calendar section of Roadracing World magazine and the Events calendar section of Roadracingworld.com as soon as possible after they are received.
For trackday and school organizations and schedules to be listed in Roadracing World’s 2024 Trackday Directory annual edition, however, we need your schedule and the following information by February 2, 2024:
School or Trackday Organization Name:
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Please e-mail schedule/calendar and Trackday Directory listing information and/or updates to [email protected].
Even if your 2024 schedule is not finalized, please respond to us and send whatever information you can so that you will not be left out of the Trackday Directory annual. Provisional schedules or dates listed as provisional are allowed.
There is no cost to be listed in Roadracing World’s Trackday Directory annual edition, but we can’t post your information if we don’t receive it in time. As a result, late submissions or incomplete submissions may not be published.
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If you’ve already submitted your schedule for inclusion in the Calendar section of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology, great! But this is not enough information for an entry in the Trackday Directory. Please submit the participant information requested above to be included in the once-per-year Roadracing World Trackday Directory or call us to do minor updates to the information we published in our last Trackday Directory.
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Send Photos
As always, we are also requesting trackday organizers and school operators to submit digital photos of their events and groups in action – on and off the track — for possible publication in the 2024 Trackday Directory. This is a great way to publicize your events and spotlight some of your members at no cost to you, but we need you to help us help you.
Digital photos must be in-focus, free from any watermarks or graphics, and high-resolution, which means a minimum of 300 dpi/ppi or 3000 pixels wide at 3 inches. The best way to submit these photos is with a file transfer program like Google Drive, Hightail, or Dropbox, which are free to download and use on a limited basis. Emailing the photos in small batches also works.
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For additional information, e-mail [email protected] or call (909) 654-4779.
Kreece Elliott excited to make MotoAmerica Supersport debut at Road Atlanta
Kreece Elliott is excited to announce his step into the MotoAmerica Supersport season for 2024.
Riding a Kawasaki, the Colorado-based teenager will make the jump from Junior Cup this year as he takes the next step with his racing career.
A regular top-10 finisher in Junior Cup over the past two years, Kreece, together with his family believes the time is right to move into the middleweight category and after several successful post-2023 season outings aboard the larger displacement machine, the decision was made.
The plan is to contest several MotoAmerica events whilst gaining as much experience in regional races ahead of what is hoped will be a full assault on the 2025 MotoAmerica Supersport championship.
Kreece Elliott: “I am looking forward to making the jump from Junior Cup to Supersport this year. I know the competition will be very tough, but I am willing to take on the challenge. As I grew up the Junior Cup bike started to become uncomfortable, and I feel that the bigger bike will definitely suit me more. I immediately felt good on the supersport spec Kawasaki when I rode it last year and I know that in time I will be able to run with the guys at the sharp end, but it won’t be easy. I will have to learn the tracks on the bigger bike but honestly, I cannot wait to get going. I want to be realistic in my goals and I am confident in achieving them and looking forward to having fun and improving each time I go out on track. I want to thank those people behind the scenes that continue to believe in me and hope to welcome some new people into the program as the year progresses.”
There are still opportunities available to support Kreece both financially and with product for his debut supersport season and those interested to find out more are encouraged to contact him directly through one of the links embedded within this media release.
Kreece’s 2024 MotoAmerica season will comprise of him racing at Road Atlanta, Barber Motorsports Park, Road America, Laguna Seca, Mid-Ohio, and COTA, offering plenty of opportunities to be part of ‘the team’.
You can also follow Kreece through his social media channels and keep up to date with his racing progress through his fully interactive website.
Acosta ends Saturday on top as the final day of Shakedown testing concludes
Saturday, 03 February 2024
The curtain came down on the 2024 MotoGP™ Sepang Shakedown with rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) on top, with the number 31 content to continue making headlines. A superb 1:58.189 on the final day saw him lead test rider Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) by 0.066s, with CASTROL Honda LCR’s new recruit Johann Zarco completing the top three.
Acosta dazzles
Despite a couple of small crashes on the final day – one in the dry at Turn 11 and one in the wet at Turn 15 – Acosta only continues to impress. His time would have placed him P5 in last year’s Sepang Test overall standings, and there are still three more days to go in that event next week.
On the final day, Acosta was lapping with KTM’s carbon chassis on both of his GASGAS bikes, indicating this may well be the direction they’ll be heading in for the season. It will be interesting to see what new parts Acosta will test on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Malaysia, as he’s joined by teammate Augusto Fernandez and the two Red Bull KTM Factory Racing riders Brad Binder and Jack Miller.
Dani Pedrosa (26). Photo courtesy Dorna.
And speaking of the orange squad, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Pol Espargaro said in a video the team posted on social media that he feels “very good” on the bike after a winter of training sees the Test Rider come into 2024 in a much better physical condition. Espargaro also comments on how well Acosta is adapting to the bike.
Aero game stepped up ahead of Sepang Test
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Dorna.
As we saw across the previous two days of Shakedown action, the factories have ramped up the aerodynamics game in 2024. You can see KTM’s front fender wing, Aprilia’s ‘Batmobile’ rear wing and Ducati’s additional ground effect side panel fairing updates HERE, with the respective test riders running all of these additions on the final day. Honda’s upgraded ‘stegosaurus’ rear wing can be seen below.
Stefan Bradl (6). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Honda and Yamaha: all hands on deck
On Day 3, Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) was spotted testing a different swingarm, and Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) has confirmed that Honda’s 2023 bike isn’t in Sepang. Honda are focusing on the package they had at the Valencia Test and on a new prototype they’ve got. A “change in direction”.
Zarco was the fastest Honda on Saturday, ahead of Mir and then Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) and Nakagami, peppered throughout the top ten.
Alex Rins. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Meanwhile, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) finished the Shakedown in P4, while new teammate Alex Rins was a tenth off him in P7. In terms of novelties, Yamaha Test Rider Cal Crutchlow ventured out with a new, longer exhaust and an updated aero body.
Cal Crutchlow. Photo courtesy Dorna.
More to come?
For Ducati and Aprilia, repped at the Shakedown by Michele Pirro and Lorenzo Savadori, respectively, there were the previously mentioned aero updates on obvious show, and the event saw plenty of prep for the rest of their riders to join the fray at the Sepang Test.
Michele Pirro (51). Photo courtesy Dorna.
That will include reigning Champion Pecco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) meeting his new steed ahead of another title defence campaign, and 2023 challenger Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing). It’s also another chance to see Marc Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) heading out, although that’s not on a 2024-spec bike…
Lorenzo Savadori (32). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Meanwhile, alongside Maverick Viñales and Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia, there’s also a complete novelty of a different kind in the Noale camp as Trackhouse Racing prepare to land in MotoGP™, with Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez likely soon to appear in their new colours on track for the first time.
That’s a wrap on one of the most star-studded Shakedowns we’ve seen for some time. Next up it’s the official #SepangTest from the 6th to the 8th of February, where we’ll see everyone back out and back in business ahead of their assault on 2024.
In the meantime check out all our updates on motogp.com, and join us on social for more snippets and content from the very start of what’s sure to be another history-making season!
BEST LAPS BY RIDER: DAY 3
1 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) 1:58.189
2 Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) +0.066
3 Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) +0.211
4 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) +0.249
Jonathan Rea (right) with his new Crew Chief Andrew Pitt (left) during a recent test at Jerez. Photo courtesy Dorna.
In this video, six-time Superbike World Champion Jonathan Rea answers fans’ questions from his winter training base in Spain. There were so many questions that Rea decided to do two videos. This is Part Two.
Triumph Racing’s Jalek Swoll (33) and Evan Ferry (751) before Supercross Media Day at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Triumph Motorcycles Brings Rich Pedigree to SuperMotocross World Championship Series as Newest OEM Partner
Triumph Racing’s Jalek Swoll and Evan Ferry to Debut in Monster Energy Supercross Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship
DETROIT, Mich., (February 2, 2024) – Supercross Media Day activities just concluded at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich., and attending press members were treated to the historic debut of Triumph Racing as athletes Jalek Swoll and Evan Ferry spun laps on the new Triumph TF 250-X for the very first time on an official Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship track.
From a competition standpoint, Triumph Motorcycles joins Beta USA as the newest manufacturers to support a racing program in the series. GASGAS joined the championship in 2021.
Triumph Motorcycles becomes the eighth Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to join the series as an official partner, joining Japanese owned brands Kawasaki, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, and Austrian brands KTM, Husqvarna, and GASGAS.
As an official series partner, Triumph Motorcycles will work closely with Feld Motor Sports, Inc. to create first-class hospitality programs, FanFest activations and live event branding opportunities. Additionally, Triumph Motorcycles will enjoy prominent placement in television & streaming programming and social & digital marketing campaigns designed to engage both a domestic and international audience across the entire 31-round SMX World Championship.
The Detroit date serves as Round 5 of the indoor stadium season of Supercross for the premier 450 Class, and doubles as the official start of the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship. Swoll and Ferry will be lining up against a stacked 250 field that includes the defending SMX 250 World Champion Haiden Deegan, veterans Austin Forkner, Max Anstie, Cameron McAdoo, Jeremy Martin and 2x MX2 Champion Tom Vialle.
Joining Swoll and Ferry in the Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, the outdoor season of the SMX World Championship, and starting at Fox Raceway in Pala, Calif. on Saturday May 25 will be longtime fan favorite Joey Savatgy.
Triumph Racing’s commitment to the sport goes far beyond this season as plans are already underway to field a 450 premier class team in the future.
All 28 rounds of the SuperMotocross World Championship, inclusive of 17 Supercross races and 11 Pro Motocross races, are currently on sale to the general public at SupercrossLIVE.com and promotocross.com. Dates, venues, and ticketing information for the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and Final will be announced in March.
Three-time Pro Motocross 250cc Champion and AMA Hall of Famer Gary Jones with the Gary Jones Trophy. Photo courtesy MX Sports Pro Racing.
MX Sports Pro Racing Awards Inaugural 250cc Champion Gary Jones with His Namesake Trophy
Development of New Gary Jones Cup and Edison Dye Cup in Process Ahead of 2024 Pro Motocross Championship This May
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (February 2, 2024) – Ahead of the Anaheim 2 round of the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, MX Sports Pro Racing and Feld Motor Sports, the entities that comprise the SMX League, collaborated for a unique and special presentation to honor inaugural 1972 Pro Motocross 250cc Champion Gary Jones. Included as part of the season-long 50th anniversary celebration of Supercross, for the first time, after more than five decades, the California native was surprised with a proper trophy presentation in recognition of his historic maiden championship and subsequent titles in 1973 and 1974. Fittingly, the very trophy named for Jones’ cornerstone achievement in American motocross, the Gary Jones Cup, was awarded to the AMA Hall of Famer as an enduring symbol of his role in what is now the most prestigious championship in off-road motorcycle racing.
“When MX Sports Pro Racing assumed management of the Pro Motocross Championship in 2009, we wanted to create highly coveted symbols that celebrated the legacy of American motocross to award to our respective champions each season. In partnership with AMA Pro Racing, this led to the establishment of the Gary Jones Cup for the 250 Class and the Edison Dye Cup for the 450 Class, in honor of the indelible contributions of these two men during the sport’s infancy,” explained Tim Cotter, Director, MX Sports Pro Racing, who awarded the trophy to Jones. “It was always our intention to ultimately get the cup into the hands of its namesake and we thought this served as a perfect moment to surprise him in front of the hometown crowd. Unbeknownst to us, Gary never received a championship trophy for that 1972 title, nor for his championships in 1973 and 1974, so our surprise gesture ultimately turned into a deserving, long overdue celebration of his landmark achievements. We’re proud to be able to immortalize Gary’s early dominance and are honored to give him the prize he waited nearly 52 years for.”
Since its inception, the Gary Jones Cup has become an artifact of Pro Motocross’ storied legacy, bearing the names of every single racer to capture a 125cc/250cc championship, which started in 1974. The trophy is a who’s who of American motocross history, featuring the likes of Broc Glover (1977-1979), Mark Barnett (1980-1982), Ricky Carmichael (1997-1999), and Ryan Villopoto (2006-2008), the only riders to capture three consecutive championships in the smaller displacement. The list of titleholders also includes modern era stars and newly inducted AMA Hall of Famers like Travis Pastrana (2000), James Stewart (2002 & 2004), Grant Langston (2003) and Ryan Dungey (2009), in addition to current elite racers like Eli Tomac (2013), Cooper Webb (2016), Aaron Plessinger (2018), Adam Cianciarulo (2019), Dylan Ferrandis (2020), and the Lawrence brothers, Jett (2021-2022) and Hunter (2023).
“When I raced the series in 1972 no one knew it would go on to become the Pro Motocross Championship since it was integrated into the Inter-Am series. So, when I won the title no one seemed to care. It was the same for 1973 and 1974,” explained Jones. “When I learned about the presentation (in Anaheim), I couldn’t believe it. My girlfriend secretly helped put it together with MX Sports Pro Racing as a surprise. I was flabbergasted. I had won trophies for winning Nationals, but I never received championships trophies. I was even nominated for the AMA Hall of Fame (in 2000) and never knew it. I was kind of the first for a lot of that stuff, but now with the media, social media, and the internet I feel more recognized and celebrated than ever before. I’ve received so many well wishes. It’s all been incredibly surreal and I’m just so grateful to continue to receive such strong support after all these years.”
With the original Gary Jones Cup now in possession of the man himself, MX Sports Pro Racing is in the process of developing a new version of the Gary Jones Cup ahead of the 2024 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing. The same process is also being undertaken for a new Edison Dye Cup. The original 450 Class trophy is currently in the possession of American Honda following Jett Lawrence’s historic perfect season as premier class rookie with Team Honda HRC.
The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship is the centerpiece of the SuperMotocross World Championship, with an 11-round summer schedule that will visit 10 different states from late May through the end of August. The season will kick off on Memorial Day Weekend in Southern California with the Fox Raceway National on Saturday, May 25, from Fox Raceway at Pala.
Tickets are now available for all 11 rounds and can be purchased by visiting www.ProMotocross.com.
Cameron Petersen (45) on his Attack Performance Yamaha YZF-R6 at Daytona in 2023. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Cameron Petersen has announced that he will miss the 2024 MotoAmerica Daytona 200 March 9 at Daytona International Speedway.
“Unfortunately I will be sitting out of this years Daytona200!!!” Petersen posted to his Instagram on Friday. “Still trying to get back to full fitness with the wrist, absolutely gutted I won’t be lining up with the boys but I will be back in 2025. For now we focus on the big bike!!!”
In 2023 Daytona 200, a non-points-paying MotoAmerica Supersport race, Petersen finished third, just 0.140 second behind race winner Josh Herrin, on his Attack Performance Yamaha YZF-R6.
Cameron Petersen in Victory Lane at the 2023 Daytona 200. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Later during the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike season, Petersen was forced to withdraw from action to have surgery on his right wrist.
“The wrist was so bad before I had less than 50% of strength than I did in my left hand. I’m right-hand dominant, so it was pretty bad,” Petersen told Roadracingworld.com in August 2023, after he had the surgery. “We were having to inject a local anesthetic before each session [on track], and I was struggling to pick up a glass of water.
“They took a whole row of bones out of my wrist. I think the procedure is called a Proximal Row Carpectomy. It’s three bones [the scaphoid bone and the bone on either side of it] that they take out. She [surgeon Dr. Rosemary Yi] said it was pretty rare for someone my age to get it done, but I know Nicky Hayden had it done and John Hopkins had it done to kind of restart their careers. I have full confidence in the procedure, and I think it’s going to be really good.”
At that time, Petersen said he expected to return to normal activity in December 2023, and he did resume riding motocross and flat track. Then in January, he tested his Yamaha Superbike at The Podium Club at Attesa, in Arizona, but apparently Petersen feels he needs more recovery time before the start of the 2024 MotoAmerica Superbike season at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in April.
The author grinding away boots and floorboards on a 2024 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Harley-Davidson.
I kicked the shift lever, slammed the transmission into fourth and cranked the throttle open wide, taking full advantage of the immense amount of torque on hand to let the massive engine pull from the bottom of the rev range and keep spinning. I had already put a couple more clicks of compression damping into the shocks, and when the beast drove through the dip at the apex of the big sweeper at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Classic Course, everything stayed calm and stable. I ground the floorboard all the way through the sweeper and just kissed the rev limiter, the speedometer display flashing triple digits for just a second, before it was time to grab the front brake lever and slow to a crawl for a switchback series of coned-off U-turns designed to slow us down and keep the riding relatively sane.
Harley-Davidson took journalists to the racetrack to sample The Motor Company’s 2024 CVO Road Glide ST, the day before we got the chance to briefly ride the Street Glide and Road Glide standard models on the street. Rain brought the street ride to a premature halt, but not before we had a solid first impression of all three models of the thoroughly revamped Grand American Touring motorcycle platform. “We started from the ground up, and we touched everything,” said Scott Nash, Chief Engineer.
The highlight of the new model range is the CVO (Custom Vehicle Operations) ST — the ST stands for Sport Touring. The $42,999 machine is “the quickest, fastest and most sophisticated performance bagger ever produced by Harley-Davidson,” the company says. And it owes its existence to the company’s involvement in King of the Baggers racing with MotoAmerica. Company officials say the idea for the model emerged during its first season of racing in the new class, and lessons learned on the track have been transferred to the new CVO ST. One example: The throttle mapping for the bike’s track modes (and yes, modes as in multiple track modes, Track and Track-Plus) are cut and pasted from the factory Screamin’ Eagle Road Glide King of the Baggers racebike.
New technology for the CVO ST centers around the Milwaukee-Eight 121 High Output engine. The 1977cc (121 cubic-inch) V-Twin powerplant revs to 5,900 rpm and puts out a claimed 127 bhp at 4,900 rpm and 145 lbs.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. The new intake flows 26% more air than the standard 121 intake, and the HO version eliminates the variable valve timing mechanism to make the engine more efficient at higher rpm and to save two pounds. Titanium mufflers with forged carbon-fiber end caps improve exhaust flow.
The gas tank, wheels, and brakes have been re-designed to reduce weight. How far did Harley-Davidson engineers go to make this machine lighter? The CVO ST has what one company official described as “performance floorboards.” They are shorter and lighter with cutouts to further reduce weight. The bike still weighs 800 pounds dry, but in a performance machine, every pound counts. Fully adjustable 47mm inverted Showa forks work with a pair of remote reservoir/fully adjustable rear shocks.
I was always aware of the mass, but the bike pulls away from a standing start smartly. The engine really is impressive, as it accelerates with little vibration all the way to redline and feels like it could spin significantly higher–it feels enthusiastic. But I found that riding a gear higher allowed me to access that down-low torque and avoid shifting as often. Interestingly, the Sport riding mode is a bit more aggressive right off of idle than the track modes. Softening the throttle response in that part of the rev range in Track mode allows the rider to get into the throttle more aggressively at corner exits on the track, where the rider is feeling for traction and grip and modulating rear wheel spin while leaned over. The rider in Sport mode is likely to be completely straight up and down and trying to make an impression when leaving a stoplight …
The upgraded suspension works well at speeds that are outside the machine’s design envelope. With a little more fine-tuning, the hint of wobble that occasionally reared its head likely could have been dialed out. And whenever I felt the bike starting to get uncomfortable, I’d look down at the speedometer and realize I was going far quicker than I’d go on the street! Vibration was minimal, the sound out of the pipes was a celebration of internal combustion, and the only real thing I’d want in this machine was a change in the ergonomics–specifically, lower handlebars. The CVO ST has a six-inch handlebar riser. The lower Street Glide handlebars were more to my liking.
Harley-Davidson marketeers noted a few years back that its customers were spending less money on “profiling” (flashy paint, customized aesthetics) and more on performance. Inspired by the monsters the Motor Company was building for the race team, the marketeers found that the in-house focus on performance aligned precisely with what Hayley-Davidson customers wanted. The CVO ST is the confluence of those trends. A day at the track revealed a big, solid touring motorcycle with a definite performance edge that is still true to its Harley-Davidson roots, a bike worthy of the “Fast Johnnie” stickers that are part of its livery.
(Just for fun, look up the legend of Johnnie, the pig mascot of the legendary Harley-Davidson Wrecking Crew. Somebody really, really needs to do that again!)
A more complete riding impression and technical overview of the 2024 Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide ST and the Road Glide and Street Glide models will be available in an upcoming issue of Roadracing World.
The Tytlers Cycle Racing MotoAmerica Superbike team and its BMW M 1000 RR Superbikes set up in a garage at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Team Manager/Crew Chief Dave Weaver can be seen at the far right. Photo by Steve Guanche.
The Tytlers Cycle Racing Superbike team of JD Beach and Cameron Beaubier is testing their BMW M 1000 RR MotoAmerica Superbikes during a Florida Trackdays event today at Homestead-Miami Speedway, in Homestead, Florida.
Beach previously tested Tytlers Cycle Racing BMWs at another track day at Homestead in November. Rather than a tryout for Beach, Team Owner Michael Kiley told Roadracingworld.com at the time that the test was his team simply fulfilling an obligation to BMW Motorrad and with Beaubier unavailable due to recent knee surgery Beach was drafted in as a test rider.
JD Beach (left) and Cameron Beaubier (right), as seen Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Photo by Steve Guanche.
Today’s test, however, is the team’s first official test of the 2024 MotoAmerica pre-season.
The official Yamaha Superbike team of Jake Gagne and Cameron Petersen recently held its first test of the pre-season at The Podium Club at Attesa, in Arizona.
The first round of the 2024 MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike Championship is April 19-21 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
Yamaha and Honda race riders join the fray on Friday in Sepang
Friday, 02 February 2024
The Shakedown is hotting up! A host more riders joined the fray on Friday but it was still Red Bull KTM Factory Racing on top, this time thanks to test rider Pol Espargaro. He ended Day 2 of the Shakedown fastest with a 1:58.241, a lap time just under three tenths clear of Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), taking part for the first time on Friday. Rookie sensation Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) continued to impress, third quickest and just thousandths off 2021 Champion Quartararo.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Dorna.
After remaining on the sidelines for the opening day of Shakedown action, the Yamaha and Honda riders all allowed to take part thanks to the new concessions system – catch up on that HERE – headed out. Luca Marini (Repsol Honda Team) was the first rider on track, with teammate Joan Mir, Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda LCR) and Takaaki Nakagami (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) also in action. Likewise, Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) got stuck in, settling in to his new team.
Alex Rins (42) on his new Yamaha YZR-M1. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Acosta continues to impress
It was another eye-catching day for MotoGP™’s sole 2024 rookie Acosta. The #31’s best time on Day 2 was a 1:58.531. For context, Brad Binder’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) quickest time at the 2023 Malaysian GP was a 1:58.080 (Q2), Augusto Fernandez’ (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) was a 1:58.107 (Q1) and Jack Miller’s (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was a 1:58.232 (PR)…
Rookie Pedro Acosta (31). Photo courtesy Dorna.
The aero game continues
A new piece of front aero – more specifically a front fender wing – was spotted on Dani Pedrosa’s Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine on Day 2, while Aprilia Racing – with Lorenzo Savadori – continued to lap on the Noale factory’s new ‘Batmobile’ rear wing (below). Honda and Stefan Bradl have been busy testing an upgraded stegosaurus-looking rear wing too, as you can see from the photos on motogp.com.
Lorenzo Savadori’s (32) Aprilia RS-GP had a new aerodynamic tail section. Photo courtesy Dorna.
In the hands of Michele Pirro, Ducati’s main aero update that we’ve seen so far – teased by Gigi Dall’Igna at the 2024 team launch – comes on the side fairing. The addition of a further “ground effect” panel can be seen next to Ducati’s usual downwash duct, so it will be interesting to hear the comments of the riders on what effect this has.
Michele Pirro (51) on his Ducati Desmosedici prototype. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Getting up to speed
For the full-time riders, most of the day was spent getting themselves back in the groove on a MotoGP™ bike after the winter break. Quartararo and Rins had three bikes – two ’23 spec and one ’24 spec – each, with Mir spending a lot of his time on the bike he used at the Valencia Test. The same can be said for Marini, with the Italian largely focusing on adapting to the RC213V.
Luca Marini (10) on his new Honda RC213V. Photo courtesy Dorna.
A heavy rain shower meant dry running was cut short on Friday ahead of the final day of Shakedown testing on Saturday. But there’s still plenty more to come! Keep up with all action across our social media channels and on motogp.com, before the full grid heads out for the official Sepang Test next week!
BEST LAPS BY RIDER: DAY 2
1 Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) 1:58.241
2 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) +0.283
3 Pedro Acosta (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) +0.290
4 Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) +0.409
Racing Editor Chris Ulrich and the track-only KTM RC 8 C were the cover stars on the 2023 Roadracing World Trackday Directory. Photo courtesy KTM.
Roadracing World Publishing is now requesting schedule and photo submissions from trackday organizers and riding school operators for the 2024 season to put in Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine and the 2024 Roadracing World Trackday Directory annual edition.
All schedule submissions should include: the name of your school or trackday organization, your schedule (including exact dates, correct track names and locations, and the track layout being used that day, if applicable), and full contact information for consumers.
Schedules submitted will be published in the Calendar section of Roadracing World magazine and the Events calendar section of Roadracingworld.com as soon as possible after they are received.
For trackday and school organizations and schedules to be listed in Roadracing World’s 2024 Trackday Directory annual edition, however, we need your schedule and the following information by February 2, 2024:
School or Trackday Organization Name:
Physical or Mailing Address (Street address, city, state abbreviation, zip code):
Phone Number:
Website Address:
Email Address:
Participant Information (Select one answer for each question):
Events Run Rain or Shine: Yes or No
Coolant: Antifreeze OK or No Antifreeze Allowed
Headlight & Taillight: OK or Tape or Disconnect or Tape and Disconnect
Mirrors & Signals: OK or Tape or Remove
License Plate: OK or Remove
Safety Wire: Some Required or None Required
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The minimum age to participate is: ?
Please e-mail schedule/calendar and Trackday Directory listing information and/or updates to [email protected].
Even if your 2024 schedule is not finalized, please respond to us and send whatever information you can so that you will not be left out of the Trackday Directory annual. Provisional schedules or dates listed as provisional are allowed.
There is no cost to be listed in Roadracing World’s Trackday Directory annual edition, but we can’t post your information if we don’t receive it in time. As a result, late submissions or incomplete submissions may not be published.
Again, the deadline to submit is February 2, 2024.
If you’ve already submitted your schedule for inclusion in the Calendar section of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology, great! But this is not enough information for an entry in the Trackday Directory. Please submit the participant information requested above to be included in the once-per-year Roadracing World Trackday Directory or call us to do minor updates to the information we published in our last Trackday Directory.
If you have any doubt about what you have or have not sent in or if it was received, please contact us.
Send Photos
As always, we are also requesting trackday organizers and school operators to submit digital photos of their events and groups in action – on and off the track — for possible publication in the 2024 Trackday Directory. This is a great way to publicize your events and spotlight some of your members at no cost to you, but we need you to help us help you.
Digital photos must be in-focus, free from any watermarks or graphics, and high-resolution, which means a minimum of 300 dpi/ppi or 3000 pixels wide at 3 inches. The best way to submit these photos is with a file transfer program like Google Drive, Hightail, or Dropbox, which are free to download and use on a limited basis. Emailing the photos in small batches also works.
Photos must be accompanied by information to be used to write a caption. This includes the name of the track and information in order to credit the photographer, etc. By submitting a photo or photos, you certify that you own the submitted material and that you give us (Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.) permission to publish it in Roadracing World magazine and/or post it on Roadracingworld.com, without paying you (or anybody else) any money.
And racing organizations, if your contact information has changed since last year or you just want to be sure we have your correct information please e-mail it in.
For additional information, e-mail [email protected] or call (909) 654-4779.
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Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
