MotoGP: Dorna Previews The Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland

David Swarts

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June 14, 2023

MotoGP: Dorna Previews The Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland

Get in the ring! MotoGP™ gears up for a showdown in Germany

The King of the Ring. The reigning Champion on a roll. Binder looking to make up ground… and Martin making his presence felt. Here comes part two of the triple header!

Wednesday, 14 June 2023

Here we go! We’ve packed up and headed north for the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, and what a race weekend we have ahead. There are few venues more different to each other than Mugello and the Sachsenring, and there are few riders who have a record like one does on this turf. But King of the Ring Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), with 11 wins at the track across all classes, arrives from a crash out in Italy that left him frustrated, and with no points yet scored in a Grand Prix race in 2023. His speed, however… we’ve still seen plenty of that. So we have to start there.

THE RETURN OF THE KING?

On pole in Portugal, just missing out at Le Mans and then again in Mugello, with plenty of on-track discussions with his rivals along the way, is some record considering the last few weeks, months and years of Marc Marquez’ life. And he was on the podium in the first ever Tissot Sprint. Does that, and his undefeated record every time he’s raced at the Sachsenring since he won the 125cc race in 2010 by 17 seconds, say the most? Or is the mountain just a little too high in 2023 as we watch both a legendary rider and, crucially, factory pushing to get back to the top? We’re about to find out, and with more than just a sneak peek in the Sprint on Saturday. His “first” comeback saw him take back this crown. His second sees him as ready as ever to put his elbows out and try to repeat the feat.

THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION

12 months on, it’s quite something to look at Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) then and now. Pecco arrives in Germany with a 21-point lead in 2023, having just reigned his home Grand Prix, which is a far, far cry from that record 91-point deficit he faced on Sunday evening at the Sacshenring last season. Then, he crashed out and Quartararo won… and it remains the Frenchman’s most recent victory as 2023 proves a tough season. Can this venue start some sparks of a turnaround for him and Yamaha? And what of teammate Franco Morbidelli, who had some Sunday sass of his own, as he beat El Diablo at Mugello?

But back to Bagnaia. It was some performance on home turf and he added another full house weekend – pole, Sprint win and GP win – to create that gap at the top. Can that form continue at the Sachsenring, a venue with some very different characteristics and, in the era before this, a tougher track for Ducati?

MORE, MORE, MORE

Some left Mugello wanting a whole lot more, and no one more so than Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). It wasn’t a terrible weekend, with a Sprint podium in second, but it was an expensive one in the standings as he’s now 20 points further back after a tougher Sunday. But despite not quite being able to get in the battle, he kept it calm for some points that may well prove valuable. Can he come out swinging at the Sachsenring?

Meanwhile at KTM, it was a mixed bag at Mugello but the Austrian factory left with some solid points. The kind of points that, in pre-season, looked dreamy, and now seem a little disappointing as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) gets stuck in near the top of the standings and new teammate Jack Miller continues to show some serious speed only six races in on the RC16. So what have they got for Germany? KTM have a podium at the track and Miller too on different machinery, and he and Binder have solid records here… all of which says they’ll likely be in contention again.

ON THE MOVE

Some big winners at Mugello, even if they might not have quite made it to the top step, were Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco. Both on the GP podium and Martin also visiting the Sprint rostrum, it was a good haul of points and an impressive show of speed. Having also previously been a tough track for Martin, the turnaround is notable – and it’s bumped him up to third in the standings. Zarco, meanwhile, is the only MotoGP™ rider not called Marc Marquez to have started from pole in Germany when the number 93 was on the grid. So that’s a feather in the cap of the Frenchman as he continues gaining some momentum this season too.

Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) also impressed at Mugello. Despite his injured hand, he held on for a solid Sprint result and fought Zarco nearly to the end of the GP race for that podium on Sunday. With a few more days to recover, can he stay in that fight? And it’s a similar question for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) as he rode through the pain barrier to a more than solid sixth place, and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) as he returned from injury but is still on the road to full fitness. Still, he was straight back into the top ten.

LOOKING FOR SOME MOMENTUM

Top of the pile here must surely be Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). He crashed out in the Sprint in a controversial clash with Binder and probably made the biggest splash with that needle-threading Turn 1 encounter on Sunday, but the number 73 actually also deserves a better headline: he’s the only rider who matched Bagnaia on speed as the two set identical fastest laps. The story of Alex Marquez’s year so far is serious pace, a couple of mistakes and a large dash of bad luck, but the latter two don’t cancel out the first and he can’t be counted out of the fight at the front.

Next up? Someone who fought for the podium at the Sachsenring last year: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). He just missed out on Q2 on Friday in Italy and it didn’t get better from there, but it most definitely has the potential to. Then there’s Miguel Oliveira (CryptoData RNF MotoGP™ Team), who crashed out in Mugello and will want some solid points despite that shoulder still bothering him, and teammate Raul Fernandez wants to find that Friday form after a tougher time once the lights went out.

Rookie Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) retains his record of points every Sunday alongside only Quartararo and Morbidelli, but after that fourth in France, P15 wasn’t the aim in Mugello so he’ll want more. So too will Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who slipped backwards a little last time out.

Meanwhile, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) took some points on Sunday but only had Marquez as a reference at Honda, and that will continue in Germany – no mean benchmark. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) will sit the race weekend out and won’t be replaced, and Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) will be sidelined for some time after breaking his leg. LCR also won’t replace him. Jonas Folger, meanwhile, will continue on duty for GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 at the venue where he took his premier class podium.

So that’s the grid. Bagnaia is in the hot seat, Bezzecchi and Binder want to gain some ground back, Martin is on a roll… and still, when you’ve won 11 times at the track and have eight World Championships, Marc Marquez is there to steal a huge chunk of the headlines as we head to the Sachsenring. Previously, the number 93’s longest win drought was the 581 days between Valencia in 2019 and the 2021 German Grand Prix. Since his most recent win in Emilia-Romagna in 2021, it will now be 602. You don’t want to miss this.

SHOWTIME

Friday’s practice sessions decide the automatic entrants to Q2, before the MotoGP™ grid qualify on Saturday morning. The Tissot Sprint is set for lights out at 15:00 on Saturday as ever, and the Grand Prix gets going at 14:00 CEST!

Tissot Sprint: Saturday 15:00 (GMT +2)

Grand Prix Race: Sunday 14:00 (GMT +2)

Moto2™: Arbolino vs Acosta arrives in Germany

If France was one twist, Mugello was another as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) hit back in style to dominate the Italian GP. But Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), despite a difficult weekend, found more than just a step on race day to take second and a valuable 20 points. That leaves him with a healthy gap at the top of the Championship in tact, so what will Germany bring?

Behind that duo, Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) was back on the podium and says it’s that first part of the race where he’s got to focus on taking a step forward, and that was true in a different way of another perennial threat at the front: Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp). He had a coming together with Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), went off on his first Long Lap attempt and then had to do another… but managed quite a comeback thereafter. Can he iron out that drama in Germany? And can Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) find something more on race day?

Find out on Sunday at 12:15 (GMT +2)!

Moto3™: Can anyone stop Holgado?

Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) put in a convincing performance at Mugello, as if the same hadn’t already been true. But in a five-way fight for the win, the number 96 came out on top once again… so can anyone stop him at the Sachsenring?

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) definitely tops the list of those looking to try. He missed out on that win at Mugello by almost nothing and was out-dragged on the straight, a challenge that should be a little smaller for the now-taller rider in Germany. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), now on a consistent run at the front and on the podium in Italy, will also want to threaten, as will Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) as he lost out. Rookie sensation David Alonso (Valresa GASGAS Aspar) will want to keep impressing too, and those who had back of the grid penalties in Germany will be back in the mix…

Tune in for more Moto3™ on Sunday at 11:00 (GMT+2)!

Canadian Superbike: More From Grand Bend Motorplex

David Swarts

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June 14, 2023

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Canadian Superbike: More From Grand Bend Motorplex

Mixed Results for Young at Grand Bend

Another challenging end to the weekend for Ben Young with mixed results at round two of the Canadian Superbike Championship. Young dominated almost every session across the weekend, taking pole position on Friday, finishing race one with a comfortable lead, and topping all practice sessions. Unfortunately, Young crossed the line in 11th in Sunday’s race after oil on the track caused a crash which took him out of contention for the win.

Young has always proved a strong racer at Grand Bend, and the weekend was no exception. The team (including Steve Weir who had been unable to join them at the track since 2019) got the brand new BMW M 1000 RR absolutely perfect, despite its first visit at the track, and Young put in consistent 1.02s laps, ultimately taking Pole by finishing over half a second faster than the nearest competition.

Saturday brought perfect weather for race one of the weekend. Title rival Dumas got the holeshot but Young passed immediately on the brakes at the end of the back straight on the opening lap to take the lead. He put his head down, completing consistently low 1.03s laps, and taking the new race record with a blistering 1.02.83. Young looked and felt great aboard the Van Dolder Home Team BMW and cruised to a comfortable race win, collecting maximum points for the win and for laps lead.

Drama ensued on Sunday with a sky that threatened rain. Right before the race was due to start, the heavens opened. On the out lap of the delayed race, Young hit oil and crashed out. For the second weekend in a row, he was forced to take a pit stop, this time switching bikes. He rolled back onto the track 3 laps down, put his head down and finished in 11th position. Young continues to show the resilience and grit found in only the best racers.

Young said: “I was lapping the same times as the race winner, and feel confident we’d have had the win in the bag if it weren’t for the oil which put me out along with many other riders throughout the day. Looking onwards to the next race though – there’s a lot of season left.”

The next race will be held at Atlantic Motorsports Park, Shubenacadie, NS on July 20-23rd.

Young’s partners for his 2022 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season include; BMW Motorrad Canada, Van Dolder’s Home Team, Scot-build Developments Inc, Parts Canada, HJC Helmets, Alpinestars, Hindle Exhaust, Clearlite, Primitive Patterns, DP Brakes, alphaRacing, Vass Performance Cycle, Cartier Racing and Bickle Racing.

To keep up-to-date on Ben Young throughout the year visit; www.BenYoungRacing.com, www.facebook.com/BenYoungRacing and on Twitter and Instagram: @benyoung_86.

OMRRA: Round Two Race Report From PIR

David Swarts

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June 14, 2023

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Ideal weather conditions led to fast times and lap records as the Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association (OMRRA) teamed up with the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association (WMRRA) for round 2 of road racing in the Pacific Northwest June 10-11 at Portland International Raceway.

The Money Well Lending Title Championship Open class podium positions were contested by Andy DiBrino, Kevin Pinkstaff, David Kohlstaedt, and Brian Pinkstaff, with DiBrino taking three wins and Pinkstaff one win. Jayson Uribe also made his OMRRA debut and made sure no easy trophies were handed out.

Kohlstaedt and DiBrino also joined in the 600SBK categories as well, with Kohlstaedt taking two wins on a Kawasaki ZX-6R over DiBrino on a KTM 890 Duke, as Alex Taylor came off a recent injury to win both 600 SS races on his Yamaha R6.

Nathan Aldrich, Hannah Johnson, Oliver Jervis, and Jon Campbell all took victories in OMRRA’s fiercely competitive Middle Weight classes, which pits competitors against each other on a wide variety of machinery including Aprilia RS 660s, 690 Kramers, 600s with destroked or disabled cylinders, and Suzuki SV650s. Jervis lowered the Middleweight Superbike chicane lap record to 1:20.491 on the Zlock Racing Kawasaki ZX-6/5R.

Lightweight Twins were shared between Adam Faussett and Todd Eugene on Kawasaki Ninja 400s and Austin McCabe on a KTM RC 390, with McCabe and Faussett under the lap record, eventually settling on a 1:27.284 chicane configuration lap record by Faussett.

McCabe also dominated the ULW category on his Gray Area Racing KTM RC 390, winning all four races and setting the ULWSS chicane lap record at 1:27.763 and 1:27.387 for ULWSS. He shared the podium positions with Nate Abel and Jason Iverson, also on RC 390s.

McCabe used these wins to extend his lead in the MotoCorsa Clubman championship as he races for the 2023 1c plate.

Ryan Henry and Don Williams battled fiercely in Ninja Cup all weekend with very close finishes between the two.

Theis Corneliussen on his Yamaha TZ350 took victory over Perry Lund on a Honda CB750 in the Langlitz Leathers Vintage Cup.

OMRRA wastes no time heading to the next round on June 16-18th at Ridge Motorsports Park hosted by WMRRA.

OMRRA, incorporated in 1972 as a non-profit, volunteer run organization, has members ranging in age from 12 to over 70, racing motorcycles of many brands, sizes and ages. OMRRA operates at Portland International Raceway, a city park and world class track. For more information, visit www.omrra.com and join us at www.facebook.com/omrra.racing and @omrra.pdx on social media.

June 10-11 2023 OMRRA Round 2 Results.xlsx - Sheet1

MotoGP: Folger Still Subbing For Pol Espargaro In Germany

David Swarts

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June 14, 2023

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MotoGP: Folger Still Subbing For Pol Espargaro In Germany

GASGAS FACTORY RACING TECH3 IS ALL SET FOR SACHSENRING WITH HOMEBOY JONAS FOLGER

Are you ready to turn left? GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 for sure is, and is already setting up at the Sachsenring in Germany for the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, the second round of June’s MotoGP™ triple-header. Following a rather tricky weekend in Mugello last week, rookie Augusto Fernandez will be keen to travel to a new circuit this week, and will be joined for the fifth time by German Jonas Folger, who will have the biggest pleasure to race again in front of his home crowd at the Sachsenring.

Mugello was not an easy weekend for rookie Augusto Fernandez, but he still managed to be in the points with his fifteenth place on Sunday, meaning that he remains amongst the very few riders of the grid to have scored points in each round this season. The 3.671 km-long layout and its numerous tight corners (ten left and three right) make it one of the slowest tracks of the calendar, and is one circuit from which the GASGAS Tech3 rider will have found memories from, having won the edition in Moto2™ last season with a 7.704 seconds gap on runner-up Pedro Acosta.

Alongside him, Jonas Folger will step in again for GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 with Pol Espargaro still waiting for the green lights from the doctors to return to racing. Jonas will be pleased to be given the opportunity to race again on his home turf, a great honour for the German who will have found memories from the Germany layout, where he took his maiden podium in MotoGP™ in his rookie season back in 2017, taking the second position just 3.310 seconds behind Sachsenring king Marc Marquez.

You are in for a threat again for the second week in a row, with Fernandez aiming to continue his progression and Folger returning to his home turf at the German Grand Prix. The action will start on Friday with Practice 1 at 10:45 local time (GMT+2) for forty-five minutes, which will be followed in the afternoon with Practice 2 at 15:00, for an hour. The first highlights of the week not to miss will be on Saturday with the qualifying sessions starting at 10:50, just shortly after the usual Free Practice. If races at the short Sachsenring are entertaining to watch, wait for the Tissot Sprint at 15:00 on Saturday afternoon, it could be one not to miss out on! Finally, after ten minutes of warm up in the morning, Sunday will see the main race start at 14:00 local time. Let’s get on the gas team!

Augusto Fernandez

Championship: 14th

Points: 31

“I am looking forward to starting the race week at the Sachsenring, it is a track where I have really good memories from. I won last season in Moto2, and it was one of my best races of the year. For these reasons, I hope that we will have a better time than in Mugello, because it was not an easy weekend. I can’t wait to go there, and continue working with the team.”

Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.

Jonas Folger

Championship: 21st

Points: 7

“I am really happy to be able to take part to the German Grand Prix. It is a very special place for me, and I hold a very special memory at the Sachsenring with Tech3, because we achieved together the best result of my career in 2017. I think that it will bring me some emotions, but we are fully motivated for this weekend. I am really looking forward to it.”

Nicolas Goyon

Team Manager

“We are now heading to Germany for the second race of June triple-header. Sachsenring is the smallest and the tightest layout of the championship, and is one of the few left hand-side circuits. Having won the race last year in Moto2 with a decent gap, it will be a good circuit for Augusto Fernandez who will have good memories from there. I am sure that he will look forward to adapting with the MotoGP, to show his speed and his ability to learn a new circuit in the category. Pol Espargaro had a medical check on Tuesday, but unfortunately he did not get the green lights from the doctors and still needs a little bit of time to fully recover. The team is a bit sad, because we really hoped that the German GP would be the one, and I know that this is a huge disappointment for him, because he has worked so hard over the last months to be ready. All we can do is continue waiting, and keep supporting him as he sees again his MotoGP comeback being postponed. Jonas Folger will once again join us this weekend, and we really want to thank him for being available to us. He is happy to come back racing in Germany, and he has very good memories here from his 2017 season, so I hope that we have a good weekend together.”

Texan Sanchez Fifth In ESBK PreMoto3 At Estoril

David Swarts

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June 14, 2023

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Texan Sanchez Fifth In ESBK PreMoto3 At Estoril

American Mikey Lou Sanchez finishes 5th in ESBK PreMoto3 at Estoril.

Heading into practice at the fourth round of the ESBK PreMoto3 Championship, 13-year-old Mikey Lou Sanchez saw some rain and mixed conditions at the Estoril Circuit, but the forecast called for dry conditions for Saturday’s qualifying and Race One as well as Sunday’s Race Two. In spite of the forecast, Mikey Lou and the team decided to mount up and ride in a wet session just in case the weather forecasters were wrong. The session went well and Mikey Lou was near the top.

Saturday had clear skies and qualifying was hectic with 32 riders looking to make it to the front of the grid. Mikey Lou improved his times throughout the 25-minute session and ended up ninth on the grid.

In Race One he broke away with the lead group of nine riders. The pace was quick and faster than he qualified with some riders crashing and bringing out a red flag on lap nine of 12. With the race being two thirds completed it was declared a finish with Mikey Lou getting sixth.

In ESBK, the top nine finishers from Race One use their finishing positions as their grid spots for Race Two. So, Mikey Lou started sixth and began charging when the lights went out. During that race, he put in some excellent laps and on lap 11 of 12 he did his fastest lap catching the leaders. On the last lap, he came out of the last turn in fourth position and got drafted at the line and finished a very strong fifth.

“It was a great race and thanks to my team and my guy Caco for all the work and helping me,” said Mikey Lou. “We are going to get ready to improve at Navarra in three months.”

“I’m really proud of this kid. The last couple of laps…the way he charged… I like it. I’m proud,” said Michael Sanchez, Mikey’s father.

The next ESBK round will be on September 16-17 at the Circuito de Navarra.

We would like to thank our sponsors: Roadway Traffic Control, HJC Helmets, Texas Motorcycle Academy, Williams Custom Painting, San Marcos Iron Doors, Moto Liberty, 212 Decals, Southern Adrenaline, Corsa Werks, Shawn Knoche, Ben Fondu, Fred & Maggie Beck, Mark Niemi, Theo Bick, Paul Stamper, Stacy Pawelek

Moto2: Tatay Replaces Skinner For Two Rounds

David Swarts

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June 14, 2023

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Moto2: Tatay Replaces Skinner For Two Rounds

Rory Skinner will miss the German and Dutch Grands Prix due to injury with Carlos Tatay taking his place.

After being collected by another rider during FP3 in Mugello, Rory will miss the remaining two races of this triple header after subsequent scans in Italy revealed a fracture to the talus bone in his right foot.

European Moto2 race winner and Moto3 podium finisher Carlos Tatay will replace him whilst the Scot recovers with the intention of coming back for his home round at Silverstone.

Rory Skinner #33

I’m obviously gutted to be missing the next two rounds but unfortunately, it’s out of my control. I’m taking all the right steps, moving forward and I’ll be seen by a specialist on Wednesday once I’m home so hopefully, I’ll be back on the right route and on the road to recovery.

Carlos Tatay #99

I’m really excited to be back in the World Championship. It’s not the best situation to replace an injured rider, but it’s a really good opportunity for me to keep growing in myself and improving my riding in Moto2. What I need is the KMs on the bike and some hours so being in the World Championship with the best riders in Moto2 is something really good as I can take this experience to my European Moto2 championship this year which is my main goal.

My expectation for these GPs is to keep growing and keep learning. I don’t want to say any position or goal because, in the end, I want to keep improving and enjoying being on track with some really fast riders. It’s really exciting to be back but I need to keep calm for myself because I think I can learn more if I’m like this and keep myself under control.

I want to send my best wishes to Rory for a speedy recovery. I’d end thanks to the American Racing Team for giving me this opportunity as well as Edu and the Pertamina Mandalika SAG Racing Team for believing in me and letting me go to another team for these two races in the World Championship.

WeatherTech Extends Naming Rights Deal With Laguna Seca

David Swarts

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June 13, 2023

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WeatherTech Extends Naming Rights Deal With Laguna Seca

WeatherTech Extends Naming Rights of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for Five Years

MONTEREY, Calif., June 13, 2023—The Monterey County Board of Supervisors today unanimously approved a five-year extension for WeatherTech® to continue as naming rights partner of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, which is owned by the County of Monterey. The new agreement will extend through June 30, 2028. WeatherTech became the title sponsor in July 2018 for its initial five-year involvement.

The five-year term supports the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Initiatives for Economic Development, Administration and Infrastructure. The annual sponsorship is $1 million per year.

“We are thrilled to have WeatherTech continue with their support in such a meaningful and enthusiastic way,” said John Narigi, president and general manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. “The WeatherTech team’s enthusiasm for motorsports and our community is unmatched.”

WeatherTech’s re-signing is another spark in the energetic resurgence at WeatherTech Raceway as the new Start/Finish bridge, site and drainage work, and repaving of the historical track are nearing completion. The grand reopening will be held July 7 with the MotoAmerica Superbike SpeedFest.

“We thank the Board of Supervisors who approved funding to address much-needed repairs. The race track is going to be in the best shape ever, and the Laguna Seca Recreation Area will prosper year-round and well into the future,” added Narigi. “WeatherTech Raceway has never been in such a prime position to succeed as it is now.”

The partnership with WeatherTech is a symbiotic one. WeatherTech has a rich history in motorsports and in supporting sports car racing in America through its title sponsorship of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Series. The Illinois-based company provides complete products for a wide variety of automotive care, as well as for home and pets. And like motorsports where every detail counts, WeatherTech’s high quality products are designed, engineered and manufactured in America.

“WeatherTech is a strong advocate within the motorsports field, and a staunch supporter of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca,” Narigi added. “We enjoy receiving their feedback on ways to enhance the customer experience, whether it’s a race attendee, an overnight camper or day visitor.”

For information on the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca season, visit WeatherTechRaceway.com.

N2/WERA National Endurance: More From Carolina Motorsports Park

David Swarts

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June 13, 2023

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N2/WERA National Endurance: More From Carolina Motorsports Park

Army of Darkness wins the N2/WERA National Endurance Race at Carolina Motorsports Park.

Media, PA (June 2023) – Army of Darkness wins the Overall and Heavyweight class on a Yamaha YZF-R1 at the 4-Hour N2/WERA National Endurance Race by Dunlop at Carolina Motorsports Park. Army of Darkness was joined on the overall podium by Middleweight class winners Alpha Omega on a Yamaha YZF-R6 and Lightweight class winners Robem Engineering on an Aprilia RS 660. This was the first time the overall podium was occupied by class winners from each of the main classes.

51 teams battled for a lucrative purse and championship bonuses at the 2-hour and 4-Hour N2/WERA National Endurance Race by Dunlop at Carolina Motorsports Park.

Cody Wyman started the race for Army of Darkness and battled with Nature Power Superbike’s Jason Waters for the first 35 minutes until Waters had to pit to exchange bikes with teammate Dan Kruger. Wyman was able to grind out extremely fast laps and put his Dunlop-shod YZF-R1 up by a lap after the first stop. The Army of Darkness had a flawless race and never relinquished the lead with riders Ben Walters and Hunter Dunham winning by three laps over Middleweight winners Alpha Omega and an astounding 40 laps over Heavyweight second place Team 199 Miles and 83 laps over Kustom Cockpits.

Although the Alpha Omega Team won the Middleweight class they had trouble during the first pit stop and almost gave the win away. Fantastic riding by Eziah Davis, Anthony Mazziotto, Emerson Amaya, and Steven Roth kept them in the lead. Second-place TopBox Racing and Trash Panda Racing both crashed into each other on the second restart putting both podium contenders in the dirt. Amazing work by both teams and fantastic riding by Tony Mcknight, Mark Faulkner, and Caleb Odom on TopBox and Chuck Ivey, Matt Burdett, Mark Pisano, and Sean Hopkins on Trash Panda kept them on the podium.

The Lightweight class was dominated by Robem Engineering on an Aprilia RS 660 with riders Gus Rodio and Alessandro Di Mario. Rodio broke the Lightweight track record with a time of 1:34.2 in his first stint and the team was never challenged, winning by six laps. Second place went to Chief’s Racing with riders Chris Parish and Brian Mullins. Third place went to RBoM Racing’s Giacomo Manera and Ryan Wolfe.

The Ultralight 2-Hour Endurance was won by 12-year-old Hank Vossberg who traveled all the way to South Carolina from Wisconsin. Vossberg did not have it all his way as he was involved in a race-long battle with Ryne Snooks and Logan Cunnison. The three riders battled tooth and nail coming together and crashing with 10 minutes left in the race. The race was red-flagged and the results went back a lap giving Vossberg the win with Ready to Ride’s Ryne Snooks in second and RTR Racing’s Logan Cunnison in third.

The Relay Class is an exhibition class run during the 4-Hour event and allows each rider to ride their own bike and only switch transponders at each exchange. This class allows riders and teams to try endurance racing without committing to building a bike and a team. The Relay Class was once again won by Nature Power Superbike with riders Jason Waters and Dan Kruger. RTR Hooligans finished second and A Proper Ding Dong finished third in Relay.

About N2: N2 – Ride, Learn, Race.

Founded in 2014, N2’s mission is to build a sustainable motorcycle community through safe, structured motorcycle track days, advanced rider training programs based on Yamaha Champions Riding School teaching methods, with a strong affinity for motorcycle road racing. N2 successfully resurrected Motorcycle Endurance Racing in America partnering with WERA Roadracing and creating the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop. N2 is a premier participant in the MotoAmerica Pro Racing Series with a multi-rider team competing in several classes. N2 is also a major contributor to the Roadracing World Action Fund through fundraising efforts and support from its large member base.

The N2 National Endurance Series is proudly sponsored by: Dunlop Motorcycle Tire, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dainese, Woodcraft Technologies, BobbleHeadMoto, WERA Road Racing, KYT Helmets America, R.E.B Graphics, Millennium Technologies, Wiseco Pistons, JE Pistons, Rise Moto, Ghetto Customs, Pit-Lane Moto and Yamaha Champions Riding School.

For more information:

www.n2td.org

AHRMA Classic MotoFest: Lots To Do At Laguna Seca

David Swarts

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June 13, 2023

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AHRMA Classic MotoFest: Lots To Do At Laguna Seca

Experience WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Family Fun at the AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ in Monterey July 14-16

Dedicated to keeping vintage motorcycles alive and well, AHRMA offers a variety of motorcycle events for its third year.

MONTEREY, Calif. – Have you ever wondered how it feels to drop down into the corkscrew on two wheels? Or just how blind is turn one? You’ll have your chance to find out during the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) ClassicMotoFestTM of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca race track on both Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16.

Buy your tickets here to experience two parade laps led by the Laguna Seca pace car. The 3-day Cycle Corral is a great choice even if you can’t attend all three days. And bring your youngster to ride as a passenger at no additional cost. Helmets required.

Along with watching road and off-road motorcycle racing action, including a winning Sidecar team from New Zealand, there will be many family-friendly events. For the littlest ones just learning to ride, Strider bikes, through the support of the All Kids Bike program, will be available to try out. To help get your children excited about motorcycles, “Mimi and Moto, The Motorcycle Monkeys” books and other favorite monkey stuff will be on hand. And when you need a break, have them ride the free carnival rides!

Just learning to ride yourself or want to improve? Pacific Motorcycle Training is back once again with their Endless Summer motorcycle training event! Partnering with AHRMA for the third year in a row, moto enthusiasts are going to get the treat of the year. Attendees can take “learn to ride” classes from PMT on any of the 3 days as well as intermediate and advanced courses. There are classes available for every level of rider. Classes will be held July 11-16.

Plus, late Saturday afternoon, don’t miss the “Slow Race” sponsored by the CHP’s California Motorcycle Safety Program. See who’s last to reach the finish line without touching down. Sign up will be in the tech garage.

In the paddock, check out the expansive swap meet on Friday and Saturday. And be sure to view, or enter, the Classic Bike Show entrants on Saturday with awards presented between 1pm and 2pm.

A full array of ticket packages is available from camping to single or multiple day admission tickets for the AHRMA Classic MotoFest of Monterey. For ticket information, go here.

About WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a world-renowned 2.238-mile traditional road course that was built in 1957 and was known at the time as Laguna Seca Raceway. WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is owned by the County of Monterey and operated by A&D Narigi Consulting, LLC.

The 2023 premier event schedule includes the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest July 7-9, the AHRMA Classic MotoFest™ of Monterey July 14-16, the Monterey Pre-Reunion August 12-13, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion August 16-19, the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey September 8-10 and the Porsche Rennsport Reunion 7 September 28 – October 1.

ABOUT AHRMA

American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving, restoring, and competing on historic motorcycles. With more than 3,000 members, AHRMA is the leading historic motorcycle racing group in North America and one of the largest in the world. The association’s enthusiastic membership reflects this country’s strong interest in classic bikes.

American Matsudaira Takes Top-Five Moto4 Finish At Estoril

David Swarts

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June 13, 2023

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American Matsudaira Takes Top-Five Moto4 Finish At Estoril

American Kensei Matsudaira Takes Another Top 5 Finish at Estoril, Portugal for ESBK Moto4 Championship Round 4

In his first outing to Circuito Estoril in Portugal, 12-year-old American Kensei Matsudaira began the race weekend with tricky conditions with intermittent rain making the first three practice sessions wet. However, Kensei showed his strong pace after a single dry free practice by topping the qualifying charts for most of the session and finally qualifying in second place just 0.05 second off pole, his best qualifying result of the season.

In Race One held on Saturday, Kensei finished in fifth place only 0.5 second from the winner after fighting through a race-long battle in the 15-rider top group. However, he was demoted to sixth after a one-position penalty for exceeding track limits on the final lap was applied.

Sunday morning was another tricky affair with a wet warmup session, but Kensei again demonstrated strong pace in Race Two held in the afternoon in dry conditions by making a charge from sixth on the grid to lead the race on lap seven, and fought in the top positions until the finish line where he was drafted past and lost two positions at the finish line. Kensei finished the race in fifth, just 0.1 second from the race winner and losing out on the podium by just a few hundredths of a second.

“Race One was difficult, the pace was slower than I expected and there was so much passing going on that it was difficult to make proper fast laps. Definitely a little different than the other races and I learned a lot riding 2-3 wide in every corner,” Kensei said after the races. “In Race Two the finishing position was the same but this was so much better, I was fighting in the front and lead the race as well. The battles were intense, lots of contact and many times I thought I might crash but I kept it together to the end. I’m not happy about getting bumped off the podium but I’m happy with how I was able to race hard with the top guys and be right there, especially for my first time at this circuit. This definitely gives me more confidence for the future.”

Round Five of the RFME ESBK championship will be held at Circuito de Navarra in Los Arcos, Spain on September 16-17, 2023.

Kensei and the Evike.com Nox#27 Racing Team would like to thank all of Kensei’s sponsors for their support this year: Evike.com, Evike Europe, HJC Helmets, Dave Designs, Almassera El Teular, OrangeCat Racing, Iconic Motorbikes, Bison Track, Moto Tecnica, Karen E. Ott Photography, BSP Racing, American Racing Team & Academy, The Starting Grid, TJ Corse, VNM Sport, NLAB Studio, California Superbike School, MadLabs Minimoto, Hans King, 73 Moto Parts, D.I.D Chain, Galfer USA, Bickle Racing, Yoshimura R&D, Vortex Racing, Suspension Matters, Moto Survival School, Live 100 Moto, TechSpec, Landers Racing, Boyko Racing, Mini Moto Alliance

Results - ESBK Moto4 Round 4 Estoril

MotoGP: Dorna Previews The Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland

June 14, 2023

Sachsenring, in Germany. Photo courtesy Michelin.

Get in the ring! MotoGP™ gears up for a showdown in Germany

The King of the Ring. The reigning Champion on a roll. Binder looking to make up ground… and Martin making his presence felt. Here comes part two of the triple header!

Wednesday, 14 June 2023

Here we go! We’ve packed up and headed north for the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, and what a race weekend we have ahead. There are few venues more different to each other than Mugello and the Sachsenring, and there are few riders who have a record like one does on this turf. But King of the Ring Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), with 11 wins at the track across all classes, arrives from a crash out in Italy that left him frustrated, and with no points yet scored in a Grand Prix race in 2023. His speed, however… we’ve still seen plenty of that. So we have to start there.

THE RETURN OF THE KING?

On pole in Portugal, just missing out at Le Mans and then again in Mugello, with plenty of on-track discussions with his rivals along the way, is some record considering the last few weeks, months and years of Marc Marquez’ life. And he was on the podium in the first ever Tissot Sprint. Does that, and his undefeated record every time he’s raced at the Sachsenring since he won the 125cc race in 2010 by 17 seconds, say the most? Or is the mountain just a little too high in 2023 as we watch both a legendary rider and, crucially, factory pushing to get back to the top? We’re about to find out, and with more than just a sneak peek in the Sprint on Saturday. His “first” comeback saw him take back this crown. His second sees him as ready as ever to put his elbows out and try to repeat the feat.

THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION

12 months on, it’s quite something to look at Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) then and now. Pecco arrives in Germany with a 21-point lead in 2023, having just reigned his home Grand Prix, which is a far, far cry from that record 91-point deficit he faced on Sunday evening at the Sacshenring last season. Then, he crashed out and Quartararo won… and it remains the Frenchman’s most recent victory as 2023 proves a tough season. Can this venue start some sparks of a turnaround for him and Yamaha? And what of teammate Franco Morbidelli, who had some Sunday sass of his own, as he beat El Diablo at Mugello?

But back to Bagnaia. It was some performance on home turf and he added another full house weekend – pole, Sprint win and GP win – to create that gap at the top. Can that form continue at the Sachsenring, a venue with some very different characteristics and, in the era before this, a tougher track for Ducati?

MORE, MORE, MORE

Some left Mugello wanting a whole lot more, and no one more so than Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). It wasn’t a terrible weekend, with a Sprint podium in second, but it was an expensive one in the standings as he’s now 20 points further back after a tougher Sunday. But despite not quite being able to get in the battle, he kept it calm for some points that may well prove valuable. Can he come out swinging at the Sachsenring?

Meanwhile at KTM, it was a mixed bag at Mugello but the Austrian factory left with some solid points. The kind of points that, in pre-season, looked dreamy, and now seem a little disappointing as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) gets stuck in near the top of the standings and new teammate Jack Miller continues to show some serious speed only six races in on the RC16. So what have they got for Germany? KTM have a podium at the track and Miller too on different machinery, and he and Binder have solid records here… all of which says they’ll likely be in contention again.

ON THE MOVE

Some big winners at Mugello, even if they might not have quite made it to the top step, were Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco. Both on the GP podium and Martin also visiting the Sprint rostrum, it was a good haul of points and an impressive show of speed. Having also previously been a tough track for Martin, the turnaround is notable – and it’s bumped him up to third in the standings. Zarco, meanwhile, is the only MotoGP™ rider not called Marc Marquez to have started from pole in Germany when the number 93 was on the grid. So that’s a feather in the cap of the Frenchman as he continues gaining some momentum this season too.

Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) also impressed at Mugello. Despite his injured hand, he held on for a solid Sprint result and fought Zarco nearly to the end of the GP race for that podium on Sunday. With a few more days to recover, can he stay in that fight? And it’s a similar question for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) as he rode through the pain barrier to a more than solid sixth place, and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) as he returned from injury but is still on the road to full fitness. Still, he was straight back into the top ten.

LOOKING FOR SOME MOMENTUM

Top of the pile here must surely be Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). He crashed out in the Sprint in a controversial clash with Binder and probably made the biggest splash with that needle-threading Turn 1 encounter on Sunday, but the number 73 actually also deserves a better headline: he’s the only rider who matched Bagnaia on speed as the two set identical fastest laps. The story of Alex Marquez’s year so far is serious pace, a couple of mistakes and a large dash of bad luck, but the latter two don’t cancel out the first and he can’t be counted out of the fight at the front.

Next up? Someone who fought for the podium at the Sachsenring last year: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). He just missed out on Q2 on Friday in Italy and it didn’t get better from there, but it most definitely has the potential to. Then there’s Miguel Oliveira (CryptoData RNF MotoGP™ Team), who crashed out in Mugello and will want some solid points despite that shoulder still bothering him, and teammate Raul Fernandez wants to find that Friday form after a tougher time once the lights went out.

Rookie Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) retains his record of points every Sunday alongside only Quartararo and Morbidelli, but after that fourth in France, P15 wasn’t the aim in Mugello so he’ll want more. So too will Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who slipped backwards a little last time out.

Meanwhile, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) took some points on Sunday but only had Marquez as a reference at Honda, and that will continue in Germany – no mean benchmark. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) will sit the race weekend out and won’t be replaced, and Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) will be sidelined for some time after breaking his leg. LCR also won’t replace him. Jonas Folger, meanwhile, will continue on duty for GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 at the venue where he took his premier class podium.

So that’s the grid. Bagnaia is in the hot seat, Bezzecchi and Binder want to gain some ground back, Martin is on a roll… and still, when you’ve won 11 times at the track and have eight World Championships, Marc Marquez is there to steal a huge chunk of the headlines as we head to the Sachsenring. Previously, the number 93’s longest win drought was the 581 days between Valencia in 2019 and the 2021 German Grand Prix. Since his most recent win in Emilia-Romagna in 2021, it will now be 602. You don’t want to miss this.

SHOWTIME

Friday’s practice sessions decide the automatic entrants to Q2, before the MotoGP™ grid qualify on Saturday morning. The Tissot Sprint is set for lights out at 15:00 on Saturday as ever, and the Grand Prix gets going at 14:00 CEST!

Tissot Sprint: Saturday 15:00 (GMT +2)

Grand Prix Race: Sunday 14:00 (GMT +2)

Moto2™: Arbolino vs Acosta arrives in Germany

If France was one twist, Mugello was another as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) hit back in style to dominate the Italian GP. But Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), despite a difficult weekend, found more than just a step on race day to take second and a valuable 20 points. That leaves him with a healthy gap at the top of the Championship in tact, so what will Germany bring?

Behind that duo, Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) was back on the podium and says it’s that first part of the race where he’s got to focus on taking a step forward, and that was true in a different way of another perennial threat at the front: Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp). He had a coming together with Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), went off on his first Long Lap attempt and then had to do another… but managed quite a comeback thereafter. Can he iron out that drama in Germany? And can Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) find something more on race day?

Find out on Sunday at 12:15 (GMT +2)!

Moto3™: Can anyone stop Holgado?

Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) put in a convincing performance at Mugello, as if the same hadn’t already been true. But in a five-way fight for the win, the number 96 came out on top once again… so can anyone stop him at the Sachsenring?

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) definitely tops the list of those looking to try. He missed out on that win at Mugello by almost nothing and was out-dragged on the straight, a challenge that should be a little smaller for the now-taller rider in Germany. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), now on a consistent run at the front and on the podium in Italy, will also want to threaten, as will Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) as he lost out. Rookie sensation David Alonso (Valresa GASGAS Aspar) will want to keep impressing too, and those who had back of the grid penalties in Germany will be back in the mix…

Tune in for more Moto3™ on Sunday at 11:00 (GMT+2)!

Canadian Superbike: More From Grand Bend Motorplex

June 14, 2023

No one could come close to Ben Young (1) during Friday afternoon's Superbike qualifying sessions at Grand Bend Motorplex, with the BMW rider half a second clear of the rest of the field. Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK. — Ben Young (1). Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK.