Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands Design Indian’s Bobby Fong overcame the challenge of the air bag going off inside his leathers on the starting grid and went on to take a flag-to-flag victory in MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race Two at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson’s James Rispoli used the draft to win the battle for second just 0.010 second over Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson’s Kyle Wyman. Wyman came away with third place and the Championship point lead.
Josh Herrin rode the race of his life to win MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
With PJ Jacobsen breathing down his neck throughout most of the race, Herrin went faster and faster until he broke the All-Time Lap Record on the final lap of the race on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R and secured the victory by 2.014 seconds.
Jacobsen was less than a second behind Herrin for most of the race but came up a little bit short in second place on his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Two-time and defending Champion Jake Gagne finished a challenging weekend by taking third just 0.051 second ahead of his teammate Cameron Petersen, who was fourth.
Toni Elias passed Westby Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz on the run from the final corner to the checkered flag to score fifth on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Cameron Beaubier was fighting Herrin for the lead on lap four when Beaubier’s BMW suffered a technical problem, forcing him to retire.
Herrin And Ducati Win Medallia Race Two At Road America
Josh Herrin Wins His Ninth Career Superbike Race And His First With Ducati
Josh Herrin (2) held off PJ Jacobsen (99) to win Race Two. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
ELKHART LAKE, WI (June 4, 2023) – Going into the second of two MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike races at Road America on Sunday, Josh Herrin had won AMA Superbike races on two different makes of motorcycles – Yamaha and Suzuki. As of Sunday afternoon you can add Ducati to that list as the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati rider rode his Panigale V4 R to his first victory of the season and the ninth Superbike win of his career.
Herrin led from the start and then tussled with Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier in the early laps until Beaubier’s BMW M 1000 RR suffered a mechanical failure that put him out of the race. From there Herrin withstood the constant pressure from a second Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW ridden by PJ Jacobsen.
But Herrin was fast, consistent, and mostly mistake-free en route to a 2.01-second win over Jacobsen after 12 laps of the four-mile Road America circuit. The win came in front of a record three-day crowd of 41,000 spectators at “America’s National Park of Speed.”
Jacobsen finished second for the second straight day after crossing the finish line some eight seconds ahead of Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne.
For Gagne the third-place finish was a reprieve from a weekend he and the team would like to forget. Mechanical problems plagued the team for the first two days of the Road America weekend and Gagne failed to finish yesterday’s race, which cost him his championship points lead.
However, with Beaubier’s non-finish combined with Gagne’s third-place finish, Gagne was back atop the championship point standings by 12 points over Beaubier, 111-99. Herrin, meanwhile, jumped to third in the standings with 90 points.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen was the ultimate wingman to his teammate Gagne and ended up a shadow fourth despite racing with his injured right wrist.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Toni Elias was fifth in what was the Spaniard’s final race as he announced his retirement on TV immediately after the race. Elias drafted past Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz at the stripe, beating the South African by just .161 of a second. Those two were well clear of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Corey Alexander, who bested Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante by half a second.
Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates and Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim rounded out the top 10 finishers.
Superbike Race Two
Josh Herrin (Ducati)
PJ Jacobsen (BMW)
Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)
Toni Elias (Suzuki)
Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)
Corey Alexander (BMW)
Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
Ashton Yates (BMW)
Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)
Josh Herrin – Winner
“It was just for the haters, man. It just felt good. It felt right. But it was all in good fun. That felt really good. Like I said on the podium, I think this just motivates me to do more. I know that this is for sure one of our strongest tracks, but we’ve got to figure out how to make tracks like Barber not be such a weakness for us. I think just getting more time on the bike and a little bit more confidence will for sure help with that. I’m so happy that I’m a part of this team. It’s been really like a family these last two years. It’s a bummer that the DeNaples couldn’t be here for this one, because I know that they wish they could. It just feels good. It feels good to be 33 years old winning Superbike races on a bike like I’m riding right now and just having fun. This track has always been one of my favorite tracks, but today it really felt like… I’ve been racing here since 2006. This is my 18th season racing at this track. It felt like ’06 with the crowds that we had today. It was just really special going around the track afterwards and seeing everybody cheering on the fence. It’s really motivating as a racer to be out there and see a crowd like that. So, thank you to everybody for showing up. Thank you to the whole team for everything that they do for me. I’m ready to keep going.”
PJ Jacobsen – Second Place
“Josh (Herrin) rode really, really well today. My starts just suck, and they’ve been sucking all year. So, that’s one thing that I need to figure out how to get off the line better. In the race, I feel like we were doing pretty consistent lap times, into the nines and stuff like that. I caught up to him and Cam (Beaubier), and then Cam had the problem. Then I felt like I was catching Josh a little, and then it stayed like that. Then the last few laps it felt like we were going pretty fast. I think I did 2:09.2 with two laps to go. Then there was pretty decent gap. I don’t know if it was a gap enough to go and try to challenge for the win. After turn three or whatever, we were ripping and I was like, I don’t know if I should really throw this thing away trying to go faster than that lap time we just did, because it was fast enough. I was trying really hard. Josh rode a really good race. So, it was a bummer. I felt really good in morning warmup and breaking the track record this morning. It was kind of a bummer not to get the win today, but I felt like I rode pretty good, and my team did a great job all weekend. The bikes were super, super fast all weekend. So, it was really good. I’m pretty happy with the whole weekend.”
Jake Gagne – Third Place
“That was about all I could expect, I think, coming from the last couple days. Josh (Herrin) and PJ (Jacobsen) and Cam (Beaubier), those guys were really flying. They had pace. I know what it feels like now. They had pace that I just couldn’t run, no matter what. They took off right away. I wanted to get a good start and at least try to clear some of the other guys. My teammate, Cam (Petersen), was on me the whole race long. I could hear him breathing down on me. Again, the team went through a lot of crap this weekend and had some real bad luck. It was just one of those weekends. So, I’m happy that we at least put it up on the box today. With Beaubier having a DNF, I got some luck on my side too, which isn’t how you want it, but we’re up here and I’m ready to get out of this state.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Ducati’s Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés Hold Nothing Back at Road America MotoAmerica
Josh Herrin takes pole position and dominates race two for his debut win of the season Forés retains perfect season with another double win
Sunnyvale, Calif., June 4, 2023 — The Warhorse HSBK Ducati NYC duo of Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés held nothing back during round three of the 2023 MotoAmerica Championship at Wisconsin’s Road America. Herrin settled for third in the opening Superbike race at the newly paved Road America but dominated race two for his debut win of the season. As for Forés, he doubled once again, achieving a perfect season so far in the Supersport Championship.
Herrin piloted his Panigale V4 R to the pole position Saturday before settling for third in that day’s race one. He led until lap six when BMW’s Cameron Beaubier passed him. Herrin then lost another position on lap eight to Beaubier’s teammate PJ Jacobsen, who stuffed him in the chicane, forcing Herrin to go wide.
But it was a much different story for Sunday’s race two. The 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Herrin led the entire 12-lap race from the pole, even breaking the lap record on the final lap with a 2:09.025. Herrin finished 2.014 seconds ahead of Jacobsen and his performance bumped him from fifth to third in points; he is now 21 points behind the leader Gagne.
In the Supersport class, the Spaniard Forés was again untouchable aboard his Panigale V2. In race one Saturday, he was constantly challenged by Kawasaki rider Stefano Mesa and Yamaha’s Joshua Hayes, but was able to hold them off to secure his fourth win of the season.
Forés continued his dominance in Sunday’s race two, again holding off a charging Mesa. But he was able to keep the focus until securing his fifth win of the season and retaining a perfect record so far in the 2023 Supersport class.
2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings After Round Three
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 111
P2 – Cameron Beaubier (BMW) 99
P3 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 90
P4 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 81
P5 – PJ Jacobsen (BMW) 72
2023 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings After Round Three
P1 – Xavi Forés (Ducati) 150
P2 – Stefano Mesa (Kawasaki) 113
P3 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 83
P4 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 79
P5 – Michael Gilbert (Suzuki) 70
Josh Herrin (2). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #2)
“Sunday’s win felt very special. The team was working really hard this weekend. We were bummed Saturday during race one because we thought we’d have the win. But we chose the wrong front tire and had some issues. But Sunday was awesome. That was one of my favorite wins ever. I’m so happy for the team, and that they gave me a chance to be part of this program. Now I’m looking forward to the next round at The Ridge and riding the V4 R some more.”
Xavi Fores (12). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #12)
“Five victories in a row is much better than I was expecting at the beginning of the season. I felt strong all weekend and on pace and had a great time riding the Panigale V2 on the newly paved Road America. On Sunday, I was pushing very hard all the race to make some gap, and it worked just enough to hold off Mesa. I’m happy with the job done this weekend and look forward to the next round at The Ridge. Thanks to the Warhorse HSBK Ducati NYC Team for such a great job!”
Round Four of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship will take place at Ridge Motorsports Park in Washington June 23-25.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Reclaims Superbike Points Lead with Road America Podium Finish
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne returned to the podium with a third-place finish to reclaim the championship lead in Race 2 at Road America
Yamaha’s Jake Gagne (1) and Cameron Petersen (45) racing for third at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Yamaha.
MARIETTA, Ga. – June 4, 2023 – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne returned to the podium and reclaimed the points lead with a third-place finish in today’s MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at Road America. It was a positive conclusion to a roller coaster weekend for the reigning champ and his team, with Cameron Petersen also improving his result to fourth on the second day of racing at the third round of the championship in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Although he did not repeat yesterday’s impressive start from the second row of the grid, Gagne was a force to be reckoned with on the opening lap. In sixth after the start, he quickly made his way to fourth and then went from fourth to the runner-up spot shortly after. The defending champ tried to hold onto the position but ultimately was shuffled back to fourth a few laps later. Undeterred, he ran his own race with his teammate on his heels and ultimately advanced to third after his championship rival had to withdraw from the race. Gagne rode on to take the final podium spot, reclaiming the number-one spot with a 12-point lead.
Petersen made improvements on the final day of racing at the 4.05-mile track, getting a great start from the fifth spot on the grid to third. After being passed by Gagne on the opening lap, he was shuffled to fifth. He continued to run a strong pace on the heels of his teammate despite still not feeling 100% with his wrist injury and crossed the line fourth.
The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team returns to action on June 24-26 for Round 4 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Ridge Motorsports Park, in Shelton, Washington.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“We made a good step today with both riders. We were just behind all weekend, but the riders and the team stayed positive and pushed until the end. Jake goes away with a championship lead, and Cam rode well to finish on his heels despite the wrist pain. We are happy to leave with decent points and move on to more technical tracks that we know will suit our Yamaha R1s. We are looking forward to seeing our fans at The Ridge in Washington.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a good to finish the weekend with some points. We overcame a lot of adversity this weekend, so it feels great to be back on the podium. I was surprised to come out with the points lead, but that’s racing. I’m ready to head to The Ridge, which has always been good for the Yamaha.”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a positive end to the weekend. I had a fun race with Jake, and I’m happy to bring the bike home in fourth. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season and heading to The Ridge in a couple of weeks; the Yamahas are going to be good!”
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Mathew Scholtz And Westby Racing Endure A Difficult Weekend At Road America
Mathew Scholtz (11) leads Toni Elias (24) and Richie Escalante (54) during Race Two at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Elkhart Lake, WI – June 4, 2023 – Round three of the 2023 Medallia Superbike Championship took place at Road America, and “America’s National Park of Speed” had been repaved during the off-season. Record-setting laps and top speeds were expected, so Mathew Scholtz and his Westby Racing team knew they had their work cut out for them since their Yamaha YZF-R1 is built for razor-sharp handling more than eyeball-flattening speed.
After qualifying fourth on the starting grid for the weekend’s two races, Mathew struggled with a lack of grip in Saturday’s race one. He ended up in sixth place when he crossed the finish line, but he was penalized two positions after officials ruled that he passed riders when the yellow flag was waving. So, that moved him back to eighth in the results.
Mathew and the team regrouped overnight. Then, in Sunday morning’s warm up session, air temperatures were cooler and even though he was seventh-fastest, Mathew felt more comfortable with the setup. The track heated up in the afternoon, however, which caused him to struggle again with grip, and he ultimately finished sixth.
“We obviously knew coming into the Road America track that it was going to be one of the more difficult weekends, just because the Yamaha is a little bit down on horsepower compared with the BMWs and the Ducatis,” Mathew said. “But, leaving Barber, we were pretty confident that we had a really good setup, and that we could challenge up front, or at least near the front. Since the circuit is newly repaved, we had to use the harder-compound Dunlop tires because the track is so abrasive, and it just seemed like we were really far away on the setup. From the first practice session on Friday, I was struggling with the rear coming around on the entry of the corners. We were just kind of chasing that all weekend long. We did make it better and better after each session, and we finally got it the best for Sunday warmup, which at least gave me confidence that we were managing to sort things out.
“It was one of the most difficult weekends of my career, to be honest. Finishing eighth, granted, I did finish sixth and got docked two positions for passing on a yellow flag. But an eighth and a sixth place are, by far, the worst two races I’ve had since stepping up to the Superbike class. However, I do feel like this is the strongest package we’ve had, so, it was just kind of a hard pill to swallow. Road America is, by far, the toughest track for our bike. Now, we’ll be going towards tighter, twistier tracks that suit the Yamaha, and we can use the advantage of the flowing Yamaha frame with the softer regular tires that we’re used to running and that we’ve actually set up the bike for.”
The Westby Racing team will be back in action on June 23 through 25 at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, for round four of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
Xavi Fores continued his perfect performance so far in MotoAmerica by winning Supersport Race Two Sunday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Fores, riding his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V2, led most of the race but was pressured by Stefano Mesa all the way to the checkered flag. At the finish, it was Fores winning his fifth race in five starts by 0.399 second over Mesa and his Tytlers Cycle Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R.
After finishing sixth in Race One, Tyler Scott stepped up in Race Two to score third on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750.
Josh Hayes was a close fourth on his Squid Hunter Racing Yamaha YZF-R6, and Michael Gilbert rounded out the top five finishers on his Michael Gilbert Racing Suzuki GSX-R750.
Fong, Fores, Wyman, Moor And Much Moore At Road America On Day Two
Bobby Fong, Xavi Fores, Rossi More, Mikala Moore And Travis Wyman Win Big On Sunday In Wisconsin
ELKHART LAKE, WI (June 4, 2023) – With a record three-day crowd of 41,000 spectators on hand at Road America on Sunday, the five support classes of the MotoAmerica Championship were on center stage and they didn’t disappoint.
Mission King Of The Baggers – The Fonger!
The last thing anybody thought would happen in the Mission King Of The Bagger race at Road America was that one rider would simply ride off in the distance and leave the rest to fight for second place. But that’s what happened on Sunday as Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands/Indian’s Bobby Fong annihilated the rest of the Mission King Of The Baggers field, winning by an unheard of 5.7 seconds.
Bobby Fong (50) completely dominated the Mission King Of The Baggers race at Road America on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
The race didn’t start well for Fong as he somehow made the airbag in his leathers activate after the warm-up lap and he started the race looking like Bibendum. It didn’t slow him down, however, as he got a great start and simply pulled away.
In Fong’s wake was a full-on war with James Rispoli, Kyle Wyman, Hayden Gillim and Jeremy McWilliams brawling over the remaining podium spots. The runner-up spot ended up going to Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson’s Rispoli over H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Wyman by just .010 of a second. Gillim was right behind them in fourth with Travis Wyman fifth on the second H-D Screamin’ Eagle Harley. McWilliams, meanwhile, crashed out of the race on the last lap two turns from the finish.
“It’s been a rollercoaster of a year, but we’ve shown some glimpses of hope here and there and had some bad luck, but that’s part of racing,” Fong said. “I’ve dealt with worse in the past. I’m just thankful to be up here today. Before the race, I was just doing my little warmup, pump me up, little pump my chest and the damn airbag popped off, but it gave me a little adrenaline rush right before the race. The main thing, my goal was just to get away from the chaos behind me. I knew it was going to be a mess back there. I got the initial jump and then I started slipping my clutch. I’m like, ‘damn, they’re all going to blow by me,’ and nobody got by me. Yesterday Tyler (O’Hara) and Jeremy (McWilliams) had a hell of a start, so I was just waiting for them to blow by me. But I just put my head down the first lap. I’m like, ‘okay, I feel good.’ The pace was pretty smooth. I felt pretty good doing it, but I can’t get too used to this. These guys are going pretty good. Laguna (Seca) they go real well also. I’m going to have my hands full for the rest of the year, and we’ll just keep our head down and keep pushing.”
Supersport – Fores Still Perfect
When Xavi Fores inked his deal to come to America to ride a Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V2 in the MotoAmerica Supersport Series, he figured he’d win races and challenge for the title. Little did he know he’d win the first five races of his MotoAmerica career, but that’s exactly what he’s done as he won his fifth in a row at Road America on Sunday.
Tyler Scott (70) leads eventual winner Xavi Fores (12) and the rest of the Supersport pack at Road America on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Forest battled throughout the race with Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa with the Floridian coming up just .399 of a second short after the run up the hill to the finish line.
Third place went to Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott with the youngster topping Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes by a tick over a second. Michael Gilbert Racing’s Michael Gilbert rounded out the top five.
“I realized already this morning in warmup I was not able to pass him on the draft,” Fores said. “He is lighter than me and the bike is fast, but I wanted to see how was his pace. I ran wide in the chicane. I lost the front a little bit, so I said, okay. I looked back and no one was coming close to us. I said, “okay, I’m going to let him pass and try to understand his pace.’ So after that, on the first split, I was a little bit faster than him and I was solid braking into turn five, so I passed again. I was quite okay doing 16 on my pace. I was pushing so hard. I was looking back all the time and he was there. The bike was working quite well, despite some issues I still have on the front. I never felt the front on my side from the first race of this year. But we are working a little bit. We are improving the bike a little bit, but it is still not enough. I lose the front sometimes when I am deep on the brakes. But I’m enjoying my riding. I’m enjoying fighting with them, discovering new tracks. If it’s winning races like that, it’s always welcome.”
Junior Cup – Rossi Wants More
It was a big day for Fairium NGRT- Gray Area Racing KTM rider Rossi Moor. The fifteen-year-old former Mini Cup rider, who podiumed in Saturday’s Junior Cup race one, notched his first career MotoAmerica race on Sunday at Road America in Junior Cup race two. It was another “pack mentality” race for MotoAmerica’s entry-level riders where you didn’t know who’d win till they actually took the checkered flag. Moor prevailed over SportbikeTrackGear.com Kawasaki rider Max Van, who came from back in the pack to take the runner-up position over third-place rider Avery Dreher aboard his Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki.
Rossi Moor (34) won his first career MotoAmerica Junior Cup race on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
“Yesterday, I wanted to try and stay in second place and try to not lead the race because I remember when Avery was saying that on this track you really don’t want to lead, especially on the last laps since the draft is so important here,” Moor said. “But I was analyzing the race yesterday and I thought that I had the pace to be able to break away. I just have to put my head down and sometimes you need a little bit of luck, like somebody making a mistake, to have that little breakaway. So, it was a really good race for me, after the bad luck I’ve had this season with two DNF’s. But finally, I got the win and I’m super excited.”
Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. – One Moore
The 12 ladies of the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. program kicked off Sunday’s racing at Road America with their second feature event of the weekend. Mikayla Moore, who won Saturday’s race one by more than 17 seconds, was victorious again on Sunday. But, this time, Kayleigh Buyck, who suffered a mechanical in race one and was unable to finish, came back on Sunday to finish second and a little under 12 seconds behind Moore. Completing the podium was Aubrey Credaroli, who was another 9 seconds behind Buyck.
Mikayla Moore (78) won the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. race for the second straight day. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
The BTR series will race again at MotoAmerica’s next round, which is Ridge Motorsports Park, June 24-26.
“I have a lap-timer on my bike, and surprisingly, my fastest time all weekend was in qualifying 2. I did a 2:53.8,” Moore said. “This time I think I was a second off. I’m still finding a little bit of bike setup during the race, but other than that, I just kept consistent. Made sure I hit all my lines, hit all my marks, and I’m glad these ladies are up here with me. Not going to lie, going onto the straightaway I could see the big screen, and I was watching. I was like, ‘Oh, there’s a battle going on back there.’”
Stock 1000 – Wyman Does It
According to Travis Wyman, he struggled with the setup of his Travis Wyman Racing BMW throughout most of the Road America weekend. This was despite the fact that he qualified in the pole position for the weekend’s two Steel Commander Stock 1000 races and finished second in Saturday’s race two.
Travis Wyman (10) won the Steel Commander Stock 1000 race on Sunday at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
On Sunday, Wyman won the race over Orange Cat Racing’s Kaleb De Keyrel, who was also aboard a BMW and just a little over two seconds behind Wyman. Third place went to Disrupt Racing Suzuki rider Hayden Gillim, the Kentucky rider happy to get a podium result at a track where he felt he would struggle due to the power and speed of the BMWs. Gillim was some 16 seconds behind De Keyrel at the checkered flag, and he was also able to take advantage of the fact that points leader Ezra Beaubier ran off the track and finished fourth.
“It’s definitely where I wanted to be yesterday,” Wyman said, “But I think we were still missing a little bit of something. So, the guys put a great package underneath me today. I think just the little bit cooler temperatures gave me more confidence to just get out and push, because in Q2 yesterday morning it was about similar temperatures, a little overcast, and the bike felt its best. Yesterday in the race when the sun was beating down, I didn’t have the confidence in the grip level. I knew if I got a holeshot, I could put my head down and go to work. I saw the gap getting bigger and bigger, and then all of a sudden it was back down to the plus zero again. Honestly, I thought it was Ezra behind me the entire time, and I just kept my head down for a couple more laps and I looked up and I saw on the monitor going into three and it was Kaleb. Kaleb has been strong at the end of the races, so I had to keep going. Just really never looked back. The bike was phenomenal. It was a huge step up from yesterday. It felt like it did in Q2. I got to give it all to my team. It’s been a long time coming. It’s been since Laguna 2021 when I won a Stock 1000 race.”
DUNLOP CLAIMS HIS 23RD TT WIN IN THE RST SUPERBIKE RACE
Michael Dunlop’s grip of the 2023 Isle of Man TT Races continued on Sunday afternoon as he broke the race record by almost a minute to win the RST Superbike race, his 23rd victory in total which saw him draw level with John McGuinness as the second most successful TT rider ever.
Michael Dunlop (6) won Sunday’s Superbike TT. Photo courtesy Isle of Man TT Press Office.
Dunlop led from start to finish on the Hawk Racing Honda to win by 8.2 seconds as Peter Hickman (Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW) narrowly missed out on a new outright lap record with a speed of 135.445mph on his final lap. Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) was again third.
Dunlop grabbed the lead on the first run to Glen Helen, his lead over Harrison a miniscule 0.145 seconds and it was Davey Todd (Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda) in third, 1.2 seconds further back. Hickman, experiencing quickshifter issues, slotted into fourth, 0.866 seconds behind Todd and 2.3 seconds behind Dunlop. James Hillier (OMG Racing Yamaha) and John McGuinness MBE (Honda Racing) ran in fifth and sixth just ahead of Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Honda) and Josh Brookes (Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW).
Dunlop still led at Ballaugh but his lead over Harrison had increased to 3.1 seconds with the running order behind the same although Hickman was now only 0.3 seconds adrift of Todd. By Ramsey, Dunlop’s lead had stretched again and was now 4.5 seconds but Hickman had overhauled Todd for third with Coward doing the same to McGuinness for sixth.
Up and down Snaefell for the first time and with an opening lap of 134.519mph, Dunlop led Harrison by 6.2s. The Kawasaki man was 4.9s clear of Hickman who, in turn, held a slender half second advantage over Todd. Hillier still ran in fifth after also lapping at more than 132mph, which made him the fastest Yamaha rider ever around the Mountain Course, with the top ten completed by Coward, McGuinness, Brookes, Dominic Herbertson and Shaun Anderson.
Mike Browne was an early caller into the pits at the end of lap one before continuing but back at the head of the field and Dunlop added another second to his lead by the time he swept through Glen Helen for the second time. Indeed, the Ulsterman was increasing the gap at every timing point as he appeared on course to set a new outright lap record.
Through Ramsey, the gap was 10.1seconds with Harrison 8.3 seconds ahead of Hickman who had pulled clear of Todd who was now coming under pressure from Hillier, the gap between the two hovering around two seconds. Coward was still in a good sixth with both him and Hillier having overtaken seventh placed McGuinness on the road.
A second lap speed of 135.046mph meant Dunlop fell just short of the outright lap record but, more importantly, his lead over Harrison had gone out to 14.6s as he came into the pits for his first stop. Hickman was now 6s behind Harrison but 19s clear of Todd who had stretched out the gap to Hillier to 7.5 seconds. Coward remained in sixth with McGuinness, Brookes, Herbertson and Anderson the running order behind.
In a repeat of Saturday’s Supersport race, Dunlop was controlling the race from the front with Hickman slowly reeling Harrison in as they battled for second whilst Hillier was now up to fourth having pulled four seconds clear of Todd halfway round lap three.
At half race distance, Dunlop’s lead had gone up to 18.8s but there was disappointment for Todd whose race was over as he pulled into the pits to retire. That elevated Hillier up to fourth with Coward and McGuinness now up to fifth and sixth respectively and, further back, Rob Hodson moved into the top ten.
A fourth lap speed of 134.192mph meant Dunlop’s lead went over 20 seconds for the first time with Harrison still keeping Hickman at bay. The fab three were more than a minute clear of the rest of the field with Hillier, Coward and McGuinness still running in fourth to sixth after more 130mph+ laps. Brookes, Herbertson, Hodson and Michael Rutter filled the rest of the top ten positions.
The second and final pit stop at the end of the fourth lap saw the gaps change slightly with Dunlop’s lead back down to 19 seconds but, crucially, now just 3.6 seconds between Harrison and Hickman. Coward had also closed to within seven seconds of Hillier.
Dunlop was able to control the race over the final two laps, despite Hickman’s late charge and came home for his second win of the week with Harrison completing the podium in third.
Hillier and Coward were rewarded for their fine rides with fourth and fifth as McGuinness, Brookes, Herbertson, Rutter and Anderson completed the top ten.
Rossi Moor won MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race Two Sunday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Starting from pole position on his Fairium NGRT – Gray Area Racing KTM RC 390 R, Moor got the holeshot and controlled the pace for much of the race on his way to his first win in the class.
Max Van, riding his SportbikeTrackGear.com Kawasaki Ninja 400, drafted past Race One winner Avery Dreher on the run to the checkered flag to take the runner-up spot. Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki’s Dreher came in third by 0.057 second behind Van and left still holding the Championship point lead.
Travis Wyman won MotoAmerica Steel Commander Stock 1000 Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Wyman, riding his Travis Wyman Racing BMW M 1000 RR, got the holeshot, never surrendered the lead, and won the eight-lap race by 2.130 seconds.
Kaleb De Keyrel pressured Wyman from start to finish but had to settle for second place on his Orange Cat Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Hayden Gillim ran off the track twice but fought back to salvage third place on his Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
De Keyrel’s teammate Ezra Beaubier ran off the track on the first lap, dropped back to eighth, and worked his way back up to salvage fourth, which allowed him to maintain the Championship point lead.
Mikayla Moore completed her perfect debut by taking another victory in Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Riding her Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, Moore won the five-lap race by 11.786 seconds.
Defending Champion Kayleigh Buyck bounced back from a mechanical DNF in Race One to score second in Race Two.
Aubrey Credaroli placed third in the all-female race.
Alvaro Bautista extended his Superbike World Championship lead with a victory in Race Two Sunday afternoon at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino.
Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, the Spaniard won the 21-lap race by 8.4 seconds. It was Bautista’s 10th win in 10 full-length races and his 14th win overall so far in 2023.
Toprak Razgatlioglu was the runner-up on his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1, and Axel Bassani finished on his Motocorsa Racing Ducati.
American Garrett Gerloff was ninth and the top-finishing BMW rider on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
Dominant Bautista completes a hat-trick of wins on Ducati’s home soil
Alvaro Bautista (1) Photo courtesy Dorna.
Reigning WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista beat Toprak Razgatlioglu and Axel Bassani in Race 2 to take his tenth consecutive victory. He became the first rider in WorldSBK history with 14 wins out of the first 15 races of the Championship. He extends his lead his championship tally to 298 points.
P1 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“Fortunately, in red or yellow, I have the same feeling with the bike. We had the same performance, so the colour doesn’t matter, what’s important is inside. It was a very special weekend for Ducati and also for me because, in the end, I feel half-Italian half-Spanish because I’ve worked with Ducati for many years, and I feel so good. Last year, we won two out of three races but this year we did the hat-trick so I’m happy.
It’s unbelievable how we started the season, but the important thing is the feeling I have with the bike. I can ride it at my best, and I can get to the limit of the bike at all tracks and in all situations so I’m really happy for that. Records are to be looked at after my retirement but, now, we are building our way to try and keep this feeling with the bike to work. This is not the end. We have to keep working like this.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu took second place in Race 2 as he crossed the finish line 8.446s behind the race winner. He remains second in the standings with 212 points, 86 fewer than Bautista.
Local hero Axel Bassani completed the Race 2 podium to take his fifth podium, the first one since San Juan 2022. He is fifth in the standings with 126 points and is the top Independent rider.
P3 | Axel Bassani | Motorcorsa Racing
“It’s a really special place for a first podium of the year. I’m really happy for the team because we worked really hard and never gave up. I’m really happy and want to continue in this way but now we need to enjoy the moment and then focus on the next races after! I’m totally happy, I don’t have a lot of words to say! To have a podium at home is like a victory!
It’s always special to battle with Jonathan; for me, he’s the best rider in WorldSBK as he’s a legend! To have some laps with him is good but it’s also good to beat him! Today, it was hard to do, because he’s crazy and like an animal! He pushes every lap until the end, but I’m happy to beat him. I made a mistake but recovered the position and tried to get to Toprak and Michael. I tried, but these are the races! I’m very happy!”
Jonathan Rea finished fourth, his best result since Catalunya Race 1. With 129 points, he stands in fourth place in the standings.
Third in the Championship standings with 150 points, Andrea Locatelli completed Race 2 top six.
WorldSBK Race 2 Report
There were fights up and down the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid during Race 2 at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” during the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed a stunning win to take a Misano hat-trick wearing a special yellow livery for Ducati, while his teammate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, crashed out from third place when fighting for the podium.
As the lights went out, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) got the holeshot to lead into Turn 1 before Rinaldi battled his way through on his teammate at Turn 4 to move into second. However, it did not take long for Bautista to head to the front of the field as he overtook his teammate and then went through on Razgatlioglu at Turn 8 on Lap 2. From there, he was able to build a gap to Razgatlioglu behind him as the Turkish star found himself under pressure from Rinaldi.
That pressure soon told for Razgatlioglu as the pair battled it out for second place before Rinaldi overtook the 2021 Champion heading into Turn 8 on Lap 3. Despite Rinaldi pulling away, Razgatlioglu started closing the gap but, by the halfway point of the race, Rinaldi had stabilised the gap slightly to around three tenths. On Lap 13, Razgatlioglu again closed the gap on Rinaldi as he looked to take second place from the home hero. Razgatlioglu made his overtake on Rinaldi at Turn 8 on Lap 15 to move into second but Rinaldi kept the pressure on, with the pair making contact at Turn 1 when Rinaldi looked to re-gain second place; Rinaldi’s race ended when he went into the gravel.
Originally a battle for fourth but turning into a podium fight after Rinaldi’s crash, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) went head to head with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Rea got ahead in the early stages before Bassani responded on Lap 3 to move ahead of Rea to claim what turned into third place to claim his first podium on home soil and his first of the 2023 campaign as he pulled out a gap over Rea behind him.
Rea claimed fourth place after losing touch with Bassani as the race progressed, but he was able to finish more than two seconds clear of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) in fifth place as he enjoyed a strong Emilia-Romagna Round. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) came home in sixth place after fending off Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in the closing stages of the race to take six, finishing a second behind Vierge and 0.245s clear of Petrucci in seventh after he bounced back from two incidents in the Tissot Superpole Race.
WorldSBK will be back in action for the Prosecco DOC UK Round at Donington Park from the 30th of June to the 2nd of July.
Ten Kate Racing Yamaha’s Stefano Manzi won FIM Supersport World Championship Race Two Sunday at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino.
Manzi won the 18-lap race by 0.2 second over Nicolo Bulega, who rode an Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2.
Marcel Schroetter was a close third on his factory MV Agusta F3 RR, an 800cc triple.
Defending Champion Alvaro Bautista rode his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R to a narrow victory in the World Superbike Superpole race Sunday at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino.
Pata Yamaha Prometeon’s Toprak Razgatlioglu finished second, just 0.101 second behind Bautista and just 0.637 second ahead of Bautista’s teammate Michael Rinaldi in third.
American Garrett Gerloff placed 9th overall on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
Road America, prior to its recent repaving. Photo by John Ewert, courtesy Road America.
Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands Design Indian’s Bobby Fong overcame the challenge of the air bag going off inside his leathers on the starting grid and went on to take a flag-to-flag victory in MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers Race Two at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson’s James Rispoli used the draft to win the battle for second just 0.010 second over Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson’s Kyle Wyman. Wyman came away with third place and the Championship point lead.
Road America, prior to its recent repaving. Photo by John Ewert, courtesy Road America.
Josh Herrin rode the race of his life to win MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
With PJ Jacobsen breathing down his neck throughout most of the race, Herrin went faster and faster until he broke the All-Time Lap Record on the final lap of the race on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R and secured the victory by 2.014 seconds.
Jacobsen was less than a second behind Herrin for most of the race but came up a little bit short in second place on his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Two-time and defending Champion Jake Gagne finished a challenging weekend by taking third just 0.051 second ahead of his teammate Cameron Petersen, who was fourth.
Toni Elias passed Westby Racing Yamaha’s Mathew Scholtz on the run from the final corner to the checkered flag to score fifth on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Cameron Beaubier was fighting Herrin for the lead on lap four when Beaubier’s BMW suffered a technical problem, forcing him to retire.
Herrin And Ducati Win Medallia Race Two At Road America
Josh Herrin Wins His Ninth Career Superbike Race And His First With Ducati
Josh Herrin (2) held off PJ Jacobsen (99) to win Race Two. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
ELKHART LAKE, WI (June 4, 2023) – Going into the second of two MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike races at Road America on Sunday, Josh Herrin had won AMA Superbike races on two different makes of motorcycles – Yamaha and Suzuki. As of Sunday afternoon you can add Ducati to that list as the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati rider rode his Panigale V4 R to his first victory of the season and the ninth Superbike win of his career.
Herrin led from the start and then tussled with Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier in the early laps until Beaubier’s BMW M 1000 RR suffered a mechanical failure that put him out of the race. From there Herrin withstood the constant pressure from a second Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW ridden by PJ Jacobsen.
But Herrin was fast, consistent, and mostly mistake-free en route to a 2.01-second win over Jacobsen after 12 laps of the four-mile Road America circuit. The win came in front of a record three-day crowd of 41,000 spectators at “America’s National Park of Speed.”
Jacobsen finished second for the second straight day after crossing the finish line some eight seconds ahead of Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne.
For Gagne the third-place finish was a reprieve from a weekend he and the team would like to forget. Mechanical problems plagued the team for the first two days of the Road America weekend and Gagne failed to finish yesterday’s race, which cost him his championship points lead.
However, with Beaubier’s non-finish combined with Gagne’s third-place finish, Gagne was back atop the championship point standings by 12 points over Beaubier, 111-99. Herrin, meanwhile, jumped to third in the standings with 90 points.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen was the ultimate wingman to his teammate Gagne and ended up a shadow fourth despite racing with his injured right wrist.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Toni Elias was fifth in what was the Spaniard’s final race as he announced his retirement on TV immediately after the race. Elias drafted past Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz at the stripe, beating the South African by just .161 of a second. Those two were well clear of Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Corey Alexander, who bested Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante by half a second.
Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates and Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim rounded out the top 10 finishers.
Superbike Race Two
Josh Herrin (Ducati)
PJ Jacobsen (BMW)
Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
Cameron Petersen (Yamaha)
Toni Elias (Suzuki)
Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)
Corey Alexander (BMW)
Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
Ashton Yates (BMW)
Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)
Josh Herrin – Winner
“It was just for the haters, man. It just felt good. It felt right. But it was all in good fun. That felt really good. Like I said on the podium, I think this just motivates me to do more. I know that this is for sure one of our strongest tracks, but we’ve got to figure out how to make tracks like Barber not be such a weakness for us. I think just getting more time on the bike and a little bit more confidence will for sure help with that. I’m so happy that I’m a part of this team. It’s been really like a family these last two years. It’s a bummer that the DeNaples couldn’t be here for this one, because I know that they wish they could. It just feels good. It feels good to be 33 years old winning Superbike races on a bike like I’m riding right now and just having fun. This track has always been one of my favorite tracks, but today it really felt like… I’ve been racing here since 2006. This is my 18th season racing at this track. It felt like ’06 with the crowds that we had today. It was just really special going around the track afterwards and seeing everybody cheering on the fence. It’s really motivating as a racer to be out there and see a crowd like that. So, thank you to everybody for showing up. Thank you to the whole team for everything that they do for me. I’m ready to keep going.”
PJ Jacobsen – Second Place
“Josh (Herrin) rode really, really well today. My starts just suck, and they’ve been sucking all year. So, that’s one thing that I need to figure out how to get off the line better. In the race, I feel like we were doing pretty consistent lap times, into the nines and stuff like that. I caught up to him and Cam (Beaubier), and then Cam had the problem. Then I felt like I was catching Josh a little, and then it stayed like that. Then the last few laps it felt like we were going pretty fast. I think I did 2:09.2 with two laps to go. Then there was pretty decent gap. I don’t know if it was a gap enough to go and try to challenge for the win. After turn three or whatever, we were ripping and I was like, I don’t know if I should really throw this thing away trying to go faster than that lap time we just did, because it was fast enough. I was trying really hard. Josh rode a really good race. So, it was a bummer. I felt really good in morning warmup and breaking the track record this morning. It was kind of a bummer not to get the win today, but I felt like I rode pretty good, and my team did a great job all weekend. The bikes were super, super fast all weekend. So, it was really good. I’m pretty happy with the whole weekend.”
Jake Gagne – Third Place
“That was about all I could expect, I think, coming from the last couple days. Josh (Herrin) and PJ (Jacobsen) and Cam (Beaubier), those guys were really flying. They had pace. I know what it feels like now. They had pace that I just couldn’t run, no matter what. They took off right away. I wanted to get a good start and at least try to clear some of the other guys. My teammate, Cam (Petersen), was on me the whole race long. I could hear him breathing down on me. Again, the team went through a lot of crap this weekend and had some real bad luck. It was just one of those weekends. So, I’m happy that we at least put it up on the box today. With Beaubier having a DNF, I got some luck on my side too, which isn’t how you want it, but we’re up here and I’m ready to get out of this state.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Ducati’s Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés Hold Nothing Back at Road America MotoAmerica
Josh Herrin takes pole position and dominates race two for his debut win of the season Forés retains perfect season with another double win
Sunnyvale, Calif., June 4, 2023 — The Warhorse HSBK Ducati NYC duo of Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés held nothing back during round three of the 2023 MotoAmerica Championship at Wisconsin’s Road America. Herrin settled for third in the opening Superbike race at the newly paved Road America but dominated race two for his debut win of the season. As for Forés, he doubled once again, achieving a perfect season so far in the Supersport Championship.
Herrin piloted his Panigale V4 R to the pole position Saturday before settling for third in that day’s race one. He led until lap six when BMW’s Cameron Beaubier passed him. Herrin then lost another position on lap eight to Beaubier’s teammate PJ Jacobsen, who stuffed him in the chicane, forcing Herrin to go wide.
But it was a much different story for Sunday’s race two. The 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Herrin led the entire 12-lap race from the pole, even breaking the lap record on the final lap with a 2:09.025. Herrin finished 2.014 seconds ahead of Jacobsen and his performance bumped him from fifth to third in points; he is now 21 points behind the leader Gagne.
In the Supersport class, the Spaniard Forés was again untouchable aboard his Panigale V2. In race one Saturday, he was constantly challenged by Kawasaki rider Stefano Mesa and Yamaha’s Joshua Hayes, but was able to hold them off to secure his fourth win of the season.
Forés continued his dominance in Sunday’s race two, again holding off a charging Mesa. But he was able to keep the focus until securing his fifth win of the season and retaining a perfect record so far in the 2023 Supersport class.
2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings After Round Three
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 111
P2 – Cameron Beaubier (BMW) 99
P3 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 90
P4 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 81
P5 – PJ Jacobsen (BMW) 72
2023 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings After Round Three
P1 – Xavi Forés (Ducati) 150
P2 – Stefano Mesa (Kawasaki) 113
P3 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 83
P4 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 79
P5 – Michael Gilbert (Suzuki) 70
Josh Herrin (2). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #2)
“Sunday’s win felt very special. The team was working really hard this weekend. We were bummed Saturday during race one because we thought we’d have the win. But we chose the wrong front tire and had some issues. But Sunday was awesome. That was one of my favorite wins ever. I’m so happy for the team, and that they gave me a chance to be part of this program. Now I’m looking forward to the next round at The Ridge and riding the V4 R some more.”
Xavi Fores (12). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – #12)
“Five victories in a row is much better than I was expecting at the beginning of the season. I felt strong all weekend and on pace and had a great time riding the Panigale V2 on the newly paved Road America. On Sunday, I was pushing very hard all the race to make some gap, and it worked just enough to hold off Mesa. I’m happy with the job done this weekend and look forward to the next round at The Ridge. Thanks to the Warhorse HSBK Ducati NYC Team for such a great job!”
Round Four of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship will take place at Ridge Motorsports Park in Washington June 23-25.
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Gagne Reclaims Superbike Points Lead with Road America Podium Finish
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne returned to the podium with a third-place finish to reclaim the championship lead in Race 2 at Road America
Yamaha’s Jake Gagne (1) and Cameron Petersen (45) racing for third at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Yamaha.
MARIETTA, Ga. – June 4, 2023 – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne returned to the podium and reclaimed the points lead with a third-place finish in today’s MotoAmerica Superbike Race 2 at Road America. It was a positive conclusion to a roller coaster weekend for the reigning champ and his team, with Cameron Petersen also improving his result to fourth on the second day of racing at the third round of the championship in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Although he did not repeat yesterday’s impressive start from the second row of the grid, Gagne was a force to be reckoned with on the opening lap. In sixth after the start, he quickly made his way to fourth and then went from fourth to the runner-up spot shortly after. The defending champ tried to hold onto the position but ultimately was shuffled back to fourth a few laps later. Undeterred, he ran his own race with his teammate on his heels and ultimately advanced to third after his championship rival had to withdraw from the race. Gagne rode on to take the final podium spot, reclaiming the number-one spot with a 12-point lead.
Petersen made improvements on the final day of racing at the 4.05-mile track, getting a great start from the fifth spot on the grid to third. After being passed by Gagne on the opening lap, he was shuffled to fifth. He continued to run a strong pace on the heels of his teammate despite still not feeling 100% with his wrist injury and crossed the line fourth.
The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team returns to action on June 24-26 for Round 4 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Ridge Motorsports Park, in Shelton, Washington.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“We made a good step today with both riders. We were just behind all weekend, but the riders and the team stayed positive and pushed until the end. Jake goes away with a championship lead, and Cam rode well to finish on his heels despite the wrist pain. We are happy to leave with decent points and move on to more technical tracks that we know will suit our Yamaha R1s. We are looking forward to seeing our fans at The Ridge in Washington.”
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a good to finish the weekend with some points. We overcame a lot of adversity this weekend, so it feels great to be back on the podium. I was surprised to come out with the points lead, but that’s racing. I’m ready to head to The Ridge, which has always been good for the Yamaha.”
Cameron Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a positive end to the weekend. I had a fun race with Jake, and I’m happy to bring the bike home in fourth. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season and heading to The Ridge in a couple of weeks; the Yamahas are going to be good!”
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Mathew Scholtz And Westby Racing Endure A Difficult Weekend At Road America
Mathew Scholtz (11) leads Toni Elias (24) and Richie Escalante (54) during Race Two at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Elkhart Lake, WI – June 4, 2023 – Round three of the 2023 Medallia Superbike Championship took place at Road America, and “America’s National Park of Speed” had been repaved during the off-season. Record-setting laps and top speeds were expected, so Mathew Scholtz and his Westby Racing team knew they had their work cut out for them since their Yamaha YZF-R1 is built for razor-sharp handling more than eyeball-flattening speed.
After qualifying fourth on the starting grid for the weekend’s two races, Mathew struggled with a lack of grip in Saturday’s race one. He ended up in sixth place when he crossed the finish line, but he was penalized two positions after officials ruled that he passed riders when the yellow flag was waving. So, that moved him back to eighth in the results.
Mathew and the team regrouped overnight. Then, in Sunday morning’s warm up session, air temperatures were cooler and even though he was seventh-fastest, Mathew felt more comfortable with the setup. The track heated up in the afternoon, however, which caused him to struggle again with grip, and he ultimately finished sixth.
“We obviously knew coming into the Road America track that it was going to be one of the more difficult weekends, just because the Yamaha is a little bit down on horsepower compared with the BMWs and the Ducatis,” Mathew said. “But, leaving Barber, we were pretty confident that we had a really good setup, and that we could challenge up front, or at least near the front. Since the circuit is newly repaved, we had to use the harder-compound Dunlop tires because the track is so abrasive, and it just seemed like we were really far away on the setup. From the first practice session on Friday, I was struggling with the rear coming around on the entry of the corners. We were just kind of chasing that all weekend long. We did make it better and better after each session, and we finally got it the best for Sunday warmup, which at least gave me confidence that we were managing to sort things out.
“It was one of the most difficult weekends of my career, to be honest. Finishing eighth, granted, I did finish sixth and got docked two positions for passing on a yellow flag. But an eighth and a sixth place are, by far, the worst two races I’ve had since stepping up to the Superbike class. However, I do feel like this is the strongest package we’ve had, so, it was just kind of a hard pill to swallow. Road America is, by far, the toughest track for our bike. Now, we’ll be going towards tighter, twistier tracks that suit the Yamaha, and we can use the advantage of the flowing Yamaha frame with the softer regular tires that we’re used to running and that we’ve actually set up the bike for.”
The Westby Racing team will be back in action on June 23 through 25 at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington, for round four of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
Road America, prior to its recent repaving. Photo by John Ewert, courtesy Road America.
Xavi Fores continued his perfect performance so far in MotoAmerica by winning Supersport Race Two Sunday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Fores, riding his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V2, led most of the race but was pressured by Stefano Mesa all the way to the checkered flag. At the finish, it was Fores winning his fifth race in five starts by 0.399 second over Mesa and his Tytlers Cycle Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R.
After finishing sixth in Race One, Tyler Scott stepped up in Race Two to score third on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750.
Josh Hayes was a close fourth on his Squid Hunter Racing Yamaha YZF-R6, and Michael Gilbert rounded out the top five finishers on his Michael Gilbert Racing Suzuki GSX-R750.
Fong, Fores, Wyman, Moor And Much Moore At Road America On Day Two
Bobby Fong, Xavi Fores, Rossi More, Mikala Moore And Travis Wyman Win Big On Sunday In Wisconsin
ELKHART LAKE, WI (June 4, 2023) – With a record three-day crowd of 41,000 spectators on hand at Road America on Sunday, the five support classes of the MotoAmerica Championship were on center stage and they didn’t disappoint.
Mission King Of The Baggers – The Fonger!
The last thing anybody thought would happen in the Mission King Of The Bagger race at Road America was that one rider would simply ride off in the distance and leave the rest to fight for second place. But that’s what happened on Sunday as Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands/Indian’s Bobby Fong annihilated the rest of the Mission King Of The Baggers field, winning by an unheard of 5.7 seconds.
Bobby Fong (50) completely dominated the Mission King Of The Baggers race at Road America on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
The race didn’t start well for Fong as he somehow made the airbag in his leathers activate after the warm-up lap and he started the race looking like Bibendum. It didn’t slow him down, however, as he got a great start and simply pulled away.
In Fong’s wake was a full-on war with James Rispoli, Kyle Wyman, Hayden Gillim and Jeremy McWilliams brawling over the remaining podium spots. The runner-up spot ended up going to Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson’s Rispoli over H-D Screamin’ Eagle’s Wyman by just .010 of a second. Gillim was right behind them in fourth with Travis Wyman fifth on the second H-D Screamin’ Eagle Harley. McWilliams, meanwhile, crashed out of the race on the last lap two turns from the finish.
“It’s been a rollercoaster of a year, but we’ve shown some glimpses of hope here and there and had some bad luck, but that’s part of racing,” Fong said. “I’ve dealt with worse in the past. I’m just thankful to be up here today. Before the race, I was just doing my little warmup, pump me up, little pump my chest and the damn airbag popped off, but it gave me a little adrenaline rush right before the race. The main thing, my goal was just to get away from the chaos behind me. I knew it was going to be a mess back there. I got the initial jump and then I started slipping my clutch. I’m like, ‘damn, they’re all going to blow by me,’ and nobody got by me. Yesterday Tyler (O’Hara) and Jeremy (McWilliams) had a hell of a start, so I was just waiting for them to blow by me. But I just put my head down the first lap. I’m like, ‘okay, I feel good.’ The pace was pretty smooth. I felt pretty good doing it, but I can’t get too used to this. These guys are going pretty good. Laguna (Seca) they go real well also. I’m going to have my hands full for the rest of the year, and we’ll just keep our head down and keep pushing.”
Supersport – Fores Still Perfect
When Xavi Fores inked his deal to come to America to ride a Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V2 in the MotoAmerica Supersport Series, he figured he’d win races and challenge for the title. Little did he know he’d win the first five races of his MotoAmerica career, but that’s exactly what he’s done as he won his fifth in a row at Road America on Sunday.
Tyler Scott (70) leads eventual winner Xavi Fores (12) and the rest of the Supersport pack at Road America on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Forest battled throughout the race with Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa with the Floridian coming up just .399 of a second short after the run up the hill to the finish line.
Third place went to Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott with the youngster topping Squid Hunter Racing’s Josh Hayes by a tick over a second. Michael Gilbert Racing’s Michael Gilbert rounded out the top five.
“I realized already this morning in warmup I was not able to pass him on the draft,” Fores said. “He is lighter than me and the bike is fast, but I wanted to see how was his pace. I ran wide in the chicane. I lost the front a little bit, so I said, okay. I looked back and no one was coming close to us. I said, “okay, I’m going to let him pass and try to understand his pace.’ So after that, on the first split, I was a little bit faster than him and I was solid braking into turn five, so I passed again. I was quite okay doing 16 on my pace. I was pushing so hard. I was looking back all the time and he was there. The bike was working quite well, despite some issues I still have on the front. I never felt the front on my side from the first race of this year. But we are working a little bit. We are improving the bike a little bit, but it is still not enough. I lose the front sometimes when I am deep on the brakes. But I’m enjoying my riding. I’m enjoying fighting with them, discovering new tracks. If it’s winning races like that, it’s always welcome.”
Junior Cup – Rossi Wants More
It was a big day for Fairium NGRT- Gray Area Racing KTM rider Rossi Moor. The fifteen-year-old former Mini Cup rider, who podiumed in Saturday’s Junior Cup race one, notched his first career MotoAmerica race on Sunday at Road America in Junior Cup race two. It was another “pack mentality” race for MotoAmerica’s entry-level riders where you didn’t know who’d win till they actually took the checkered flag. Moor prevailed over SportbikeTrackGear.com Kawasaki rider Max Van, who came from back in the pack to take the runner-up position over third-place rider Avery Dreher aboard his Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki.
Rossi Moor (34) won his first career MotoAmerica Junior Cup race on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
“Yesterday, I wanted to try and stay in second place and try to not lead the race because I remember when Avery was saying that on this track you really don’t want to lead, especially on the last laps since the draft is so important here,” Moor said. “But I was analyzing the race yesterday and I thought that I had the pace to be able to break away. I just have to put my head down and sometimes you need a little bit of luck, like somebody making a mistake, to have that little breakaway. So, it was a really good race for me, after the bad luck I’ve had this season with two DNF’s. But finally, I got the win and I’m super excited.”
Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. – One Moore
The 12 ladies of the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. program kicked off Sunday’s racing at Road America with their second feature event of the weekend. Mikayla Moore, who won Saturday’s race one by more than 17 seconds, was victorious again on Sunday. But, this time, Kayleigh Buyck, who suffered a mechanical in race one and was unable to finish, came back on Sunday to finish second and a little under 12 seconds behind Moore. Completing the podium was Aubrey Credaroli, who was another 9 seconds behind Buyck.
Mikayla Moore (78) won the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. race for the second straight day. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
The BTR series will race again at MotoAmerica’s next round, which is Ridge Motorsports Park, June 24-26.
“I have a lap-timer on my bike, and surprisingly, my fastest time all weekend was in qualifying 2. I did a 2:53.8,” Moore said. “This time I think I was a second off. I’m still finding a little bit of bike setup during the race, but other than that, I just kept consistent. Made sure I hit all my lines, hit all my marks, and I’m glad these ladies are up here with me. Not going to lie, going onto the straightaway I could see the big screen, and I was watching. I was like, ‘Oh, there’s a battle going on back there.’”
Stock 1000 – Wyman Does It
According to Travis Wyman, he struggled with the setup of his Travis Wyman Racing BMW throughout most of the Road America weekend. This was despite the fact that he qualified in the pole position for the weekend’s two Steel Commander Stock 1000 races and finished second in Saturday’s race two.
Travis Wyman (10) won the Steel Commander Stock 1000 race on Sunday at Road America. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
On Sunday, Wyman won the race over Orange Cat Racing’s Kaleb De Keyrel, who was also aboard a BMW and just a little over two seconds behind Wyman. Third place went to Disrupt Racing Suzuki rider Hayden Gillim, the Kentucky rider happy to get a podium result at a track where he felt he would struggle due to the power and speed of the BMWs. Gillim was some 16 seconds behind De Keyrel at the checkered flag, and he was also able to take advantage of the fact that points leader Ezra Beaubier ran off the track and finished fourth.
“It’s definitely where I wanted to be yesterday,” Wyman said, “But I think we were still missing a little bit of something. So, the guys put a great package underneath me today. I think just the little bit cooler temperatures gave me more confidence to just get out and push, because in Q2 yesterday morning it was about similar temperatures, a little overcast, and the bike felt its best. Yesterday in the race when the sun was beating down, I didn’t have the confidence in the grip level. I knew if I got a holeshot, I could put my head down and go to work. I saw the gap getting bigger and bigger, and then all of a sudden it was back down to the plus zero again. Honestly, I thought it was Ezra behind me the entire time, and I just kept my head down for a couple more laps and I looked up and I saw on the monitor going into three and it was Kaleb. Kaleb has been strong at the end of the races, so I had to keep going. Just really never looked back. The bike was phenomenal. It was a huge step up from yesterday. It felt like it did in Q2. I got to give it all to my team. It’s been a long time coming. It’s been since Laguna 2021 when I won a Stock 1000 race.”
Michael Dunlop (6) leaving the starting line at the Isle of Man TT earlier this week. Photo courtesy Isle of Man TT Press Office.
DUNLOP CLAIMS HIS 23RD TT WIN IN THE RST SUPERBIKE RACE
Michael Dunlop’s grip of the 2023 Isle of Man TT Races continued on Sunday afternoon as he broke the race record by almost a minute to win the RST Superbike race, his 23rd victory in total which saw him draw level with John McGuinness as the second most successful TT rider ever.
Michael Dunlop (6) won Sunday’s Superbike TT. Photo courtesy Isle of Man TT Press Office.
Dunlop led from start to finish on the Hawk Racing Honda to win by 8.2 seconds as Peter Hickman (Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW) narrowly missed out on a new outright lap record with a speed of 135.445mph on his final lap. Dean Harrison (DAO Racing Kawasaki) was again third.
Dunlop grabbed the lead on the first run to Glen Helen, his lead over Harrison a miniscule 0.145 seconds and it was Davey Todd (Milenco by Padgett’s Motorcycles Honda) in third, 1.2 seconds further back. Hickman, experiencing quickshifter issues, slotted into fourth, 0.866 seconds behind Todd and 2.3 seconds behind Dunlop. James Hillier (OMG Racing Yamaha) and John McGuinness MBE (Honda Racing) ran in fifth and sixth just ahead of Jamie Coward (KTS Racing powered by Steadplan Honda) and Josh Brookes (Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW).
Dunlop still led at Ballaugh but his lead over Harrison had increased to 3.1 seconds with the running order behind the same although Hickman was now only 0.3 seconds adrift of Todd. By Ramsey, Dunlop’s lead had stretched again and was now 4.5 seconds but Hickman had overhauled Todd for third with Coward doing the same to McGuinness for sixth.
Up and down Snaefell for the first time and with an opening lap of 134.519mph, Dunlop led Harrison by 6.2s. The Kawasaki man was 4.9s clear of Hickman who, in turn, held a slender half second advantage over Todd. Hillier still ran in fifth after also lapping at more than 132mph, which made him the fastest Yamaha rider ever around the Mountain Course, with the top ten completed by Coward, McGuinness, Brookes, Dominic Herbertson and Shaun Anderson.
Mike Browne was an early caller into the pits at the end of lap one before continuing but back at the head of the field and Dunlop added another second to his lead by the time he swept through Glen Helen for the second time. Indeed, the Ulsterman was increasing the gap at every timing point as he appeared on course to set a new outright lap record.
Through Ramsey, the gap was 10.1seconds with Harrison 8.3 seconds ahead of Hickman who had pulled clear of Todd who was now coming under pressure from Hillier, the gap between the two hovering around two seconds. Coward was still in a good sixth with both him and Hillier having overtaken seventh placed McGuinness on the road.
A second lap speed of 135.046mph meant Dunlop fell just short of the outright lap record but, more importantly, his lead over Harrison had gone out to 14.6s as he came into the pits for his first stop. Hickman was now 6s behind Harrison but 19s clear of Todd who had stretched out the gap to Hillier to 7.5 seconds. Coward remained in sixth with McGuinness, Brookes, Herbertson and Anderson the running order behind.
In a repeat of Saturday’s Supersport race, Dunlop was controlling the race from the front with Hickman slowly reeling Harrison in as they battled for second whilst Hillier was now up to fourth having pulled four seconds clear of Todd halfway round lap three.
At half race distance, Dunlop’s lead had gone up to 18.8s but there was disappointment for Todd whose race was over as he pulled into the pits to retire. That elevated Hillier up to fourth with Coward and McGuinness now up to fifth and sixth respectively and, further back, Rob Hodson moved into the top ten.
A fourth lap speed of 134.192mph meant Dunlop’s lead went over 20 seconds for the first time with Harrison still keeping Hickman at bay. The fab three were more than a minute clear of the rest of the field with Hillier, Coward and McGuinness still running in fourth to sixth after more 130mph+ laps. Brookes, Herbertson, Hodson and Michael Rutter filled the rest of the top ten positions.
The second and final pit stop at the end of the fourth lap saw the gaps change slightly with Dunlop’s lead back down to 19 seconds but, crucially, now just 3.6 seconds between Harrison and Hickman. Coward had also closed to within seven seconds of Hillier.
Dunlop was able to control the race over the final two laps, despite Hickman’s late charge and came home for his second win of the week with Harrison completing the podium in third.
Hillier and Coward were rewarded for their fine rides with fourth and fifth as McGuinness, Brookes, Herbertson, Rutter and Anderson completed the top ten.
Road America, prior to its recent repaving. Photo by John Ewert, courtesy Road America.
Rossi Moor won MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race Two Sunday at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Starting from pole position on his Fairium NGRT – Gray Area Racing KTM RC 390 R, Moor got the holeshot and controlled the pace for much of the race on his way to his first win in the class.
Max Van, riding his SportbikeTrackGear.com Kawasaki Ninja 400, drafted past Race One winner Avery Dreher on the run to the checkered flag to take the runner-up spot. Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki’s Dreher came in third by 0.057 second behind Van and left still holding the Championship point lead.
Road America, prior to its recent repaving. Photo by John Ewert, courtesy Road America.
Travis Wyman won MotoAmerica Steel Commander Stock 1000 Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Wyman, riding his Travis Wyman Racing BMW M 1000 RR, got the holeshot, never surrendered the lead, and won the eight-lap race by 2.130 seconds.
Kaleb De Keyrel pressured Wyman from start to finish but had to settle for second place on his Orange Cat Racing BMW M 1000 RR.
Hayden Gillim ran off the track twice but fought back to salvage third place on his Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
De Keyrel’s teammate Ezra Beaubier ran off the track on the first lap, dropped back to eighth, and worked his way back up to salvage fourth, which allowed him to maintain the Championship point lead.
Road America, prior to its recent repaving. Photo by John Ewert, courtesy Road America.
Mikayla Moore completed her perfect debut by taking another victory in Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. Race Two Sunday at Road America, in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Riding her Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, Moore won the five-lap race by 11.786 seconds.
Defending Champion Kayleigh Buyck bounced back from a mechanical DNF in Race One to score second in Race Two.
Aubrey Credaroli placed third in the all-female race.
Misano World Circuit - Marco Simoncelli. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alvaro Bautista extended his Superbike World Championship lead with a victory in Race Two Sunday afternoon at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino.
Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, the Spaniard won the 21-lap race by 8.4 seconds. It was Bautista’s 10th win in 10 full-length races and his 14th win overall so far in 2023.
Toprak Razgatlioglu was the runner-up on his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1, and Axel Bassani finished on his Motocorsa Racing Ducati.
American Garrett Gerloff was ninth and the top-finishing BMW rider on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
Dominant Bautista completes a hat-trick of wins on Ducati’s home soil
Alvaro Bautista (1) Photo courtesy Dorna.
Reigning WorldSBK Champion Alvaro Bautista beat Toprak Razgatlioglu and Axel Bassani in Race 2 to take his tenth consecutive victory. He became the first rider in WorldSBK history with 14 wins out of the first 15 races of the Championship. He extends his lead his championship tally to 298 points.
P1 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“Fortunately, in red or yellow, I have the same feeling with the bike. We had the same performance, so the colour doesn’t matter, what’s important is inside. It was a very special weekend for Ducati and also for me because, in the end, I feel half-Italian half-Spanish because I’ve worked with Ducati for many years, and I feel so good. Last year, we won two out of three races but this year we did the hat-trick so I’m happy.
It’s unbelievable how we started the season, but the important thing is the feeling I have with the bike. I can ride it at my best, and I can get to the limit of the bike at all tracks and in all situations so I’m really happy for that. Records are to be looked at after my retirement but, now, we are building our way to try and keep this feeling with the bike to work. This is not the end. We have to keep working like this.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu took second place in Race 2 as he crossed the finish line 8.446s behind the race winner. He remains second in the standings with 212 points, 86 fewer than Bautista.
Local hero Axel Bassani completed the Race 2 podium to take his fifth podium, the first one since San Juan 2022. He is fifth in the standings with 126 points and is the top Independent rider.
P3 | Axel Bassani | Motorcorsa Racing
“It’s a really special place for a first podium of the year. I’m really happy for the team because we worked really hard and never gave up. I’m really happy and want to continue in this way but now we need to enjoy the moment and then focus on the next races after! I’m totally happy, I don’t have a lot of words to say! To have a podium at home is like a victory!
It’s always special to battle with Jonathan; for me, he’s the best rider in WorldSBK as he’s a legend! To have some laps with him is good but it’s also good to beat him! Today, it was hard to do, because he’s crazy and like an animal! He pushes every lap until the end, but I’m happy to beat him. I made a mistake but recovered the position and tried to get to Toprak and Michael. I tried, but these are the races! I’m very happy!”
Jonathan Rea finished fourth, his best result since Catalunya Race 1. With 129 points, he stands in fourth place in the standings.
Third in the Championship standings with 150 points, Andrea Locatelli completed Race 2 top six.
WorldSBK Race 2 Report
There were fights up and down the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid during Race 2 at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” during the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed a stunning win to take a Misano hat-trick wearing a special yellow livery for Ducati, while his teammate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, crashed out from third place when fighting for the podium.
As the lights went out, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) got the holeshot to lead into Turn 1 before Rinaldi battled his way through on his teammate at Turn 4 to move into second. However, it did not take long for Bautista to head to the front of the field as he overtook his teammate and then went through on Razgatlioglu at Turn 8 on Lap 2. From there, he was able to build a gap to Razgatlioglu behind him as the Turkish star found himself under pressure from Rinaldi.
That pressure soon told for Razgatlioglu as the pair battled it out for second place before Rinaldi overtook the 2021 Champion heading into Turn 8 on Lap 3. Despite Rinaldi pulling away, Razgatlioglu started closing the gap but, by the halfway point of the race, Rinaldi had stabilised the gap slightly to around three tenths. On Lap 13, Razgatlioglu again closed the gap on Rinaldi as he looked to take second place from the home hero. Razgatlioglu made his overtake on Rinaldi at Turn 8 on Lap 15 to move into second but Rinaldi kept the pressure on, with the pair making contact at Turn 1 when Rinaldi looked to re-gain second place; Rinaldi’s race ended when he went into the gravel.
Originally a battle for fourth but turning into a podium fight after Rinaldi’s crash, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) went head to head with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Rea got ahead in the early stages before Bassani responded on Lap 3 to move ahead of Rea to claim what turned into third place to claim his first podium on home soil and his first of the 2023 campaign as he pulled out a gap over Rea behind him.
Rea claimed fourth place after losing touch with Bassani as the race progressed, but he was able to finish more than two seconds clear of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) in fifth place as he enjoyed a strong Emilia-Romagna Round. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) came home in sixth place after fending off Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in the closing stages of the race to take six, finishing a second behind Vierge and 0.245s clear of Petrucci in seventh after he bounced back from two incidents in the Tissot Superpole Race.
WorldSBK will be back in action for the Prosecco DOC UK Round at Donington Park from the 30th of June to the 2nd of July.
Misano World Circuit - Marco Simoncelli. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Ten Kate Racing Yamaha’s Stefano Manzi won FIM Supersport World Championship Race Two Sunday at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino.
Manzi won the 18-lap race by 0.2 second over Nicolo Bulega, who rode an Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2.
Marcel Schroetter was a close third on his factory MV Agusta F3 RR, an 800cc triple.
Misano World Circuit - Marco Simoncelli. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Defending Champion Alvaro Bautista rode his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R to a narrow victory in the World Superbike Superpole race Sunday at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli, in San Marino.
Pata Yamaha Prometeon’s Toprak Razgatlioglu finished second, just 0.101 second behind Bautista and just 0.637 second ahead of Bautista’s teammate Michael Rinaldi in third.
American Garrett Gerloff placed 9th overall on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode 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
Improves website's visuals
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
Helps to focus on specific content
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
Reduces distractions and improve focus
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
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
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.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
April 20, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
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
