Mounsey & Dessoy split the spoils as Donington serves up two final corner deciders
The two share the wins and the luck in Round 2, with Belford taking over the points lead
Monday, 22 May 2023
Sullivan Mounsey (Wilson Racing/Maddison Media) is now an R&G British Talent Cup race winner! The first showdown at Donington saw the number 4 come out on top in a final corner classic, pinching the win from Evan Belford (City Lifting/RS Racing) with a perfectly-judged move up the inside at Goddards. Huge drama hit at the same time and place as Harley McCabe (McCabe Racing) high-sided out of contention right at the end of the race, trying to head up the inside of Lucas Brown (Amphibian Scaffolding/SP125 Racing) but overcooking it – leaving Brown unopposed to take fantastic first podium in third.
Ryan Frost (Talentum Motorsport by Azure Notions) took the holeshot before duelling it out with Mounsey, with Belford initially dropping a few positions from pole. Meanwhile Harrison Dessoy (Microlise Cresswell Racing/Eastern Garage Racing) slotted into third, but drama hit on Lap 2 as Frost made contact with Dessoy and the number 55 slid straight off onto the grass, rider ok but left gesticulating from the sidelines. There would be consequences for Frost’s weekend too as he was judged to be at fault, and he was given both a Long Lap for Race 1 and, with penalty points added and that taking his total to six, a back of the grid start for Race 2.
At the front that left a seven-rider group battling it out: Mounsey, Frost, Julian Correa (Microlise Cresswell Racing), Belford, McCabe, Brown and Alexander Rowan (Mortimer Racing Victoria House Academy). With Frost serving his penalty, it became a group of six, and by the final five laps it was a group of five as Rowan faded slightly from the podium fight.
It remained a group of five right to the final lap as Mounsey led the way over the line, with Belford then just about muscling his way past. Brown then took a two-for-one at McLeans, demoting both Mounsey and McCabe to take over in second. But Mounsey immediately hit back and tagged onto the rear wheel of Belford, attacking at the Melbourne loop and then two then exiting side-by-side with their elbows out. The number 4 then sliced up the inside into Goddards and pulled up to perfection, heading over the line to take his first win by just over a tenth, with Belford forced to settle for second.
Behind though, there was drama as a final corner highside for McCabe – rider ok – saw him crash out between Brown and Correa. Brown was left free to cross the line for his first podium, but Correa was forced onto the grass on his way to the flag, that seeing him get pipped by both Frost, who had stormed back past Rowan, and Rowan too.
Ollie Walker (Wright Morgan/SP125 Racing) escaped the second group battle to take seventh, ahead of Filip Surowiak (FS75 Racing / FAB Racing), Charlie Huntingford (Opteven Mototechniks) and Josh Bannister (Dunsley Heat Racing) completing the top ten.
After the bad luck of Race 1, Harrison Dessoy hit back on Sunday as the second contest of the weekend likewise went down to the final corner. The number 55 pitched it to perfection as the drama unfolded right behind him, taking his second win of the season as Harley McCabe came through to take second and also reverse his fortunes on Sunday. Evan Belford, after leading down in to the final corner, gathered it back up to take third and another podium, holding on to his lead in the Championship.
Julian Correa took the holeshot from pole, with Belford right on his tail and not waiting long to take over at the front. As ever, however, it was a group fight from the off – with Ryan Frost on a charge from the back of the grid after that penalty and up into P16 at the end of Lap 1.
Correa was able to get back past Belford and Dessoy had made his own impressive leap up the order from 10th on the grid to second, making the initial group Dessoy leading Correa, Race 1 winner Sullivan Mounsey, Belford, Lucas Brown, Alexander Rowan and Ollie Walker.
By Lap 4, Frost was up into the top ten but facing a gap to Charlie Huntingford up ahead, and then another to the group ahead of him. But he was making progress, as was the front group as Walker and Rowan started to lose touch with the top six. Not long after that gap appeared, Frost had caught and passed Huntingford too, up into ninth with the next target on the horizon now that Walker-Rowan duel.
There was no headway into that gap though, and it was a six-rider fight for the win as Mounsey, Dessoy, Belford, Brown, Correa and McCabe tussled it out in the final few laps. Just before the very last lap, however, Brown slid out into the final corner just as Dessoy, Mounsey and Belford made a break for it. At the Melbourne loop Belford then made his move and pulled off a stunning two-for-one, slicing into the lead heading into Goddards.
Just as there had been on Saturday, there was drama on Sunday. Belford headed in too deep, opening the door for Dessoy and Mounsey as both shot through. But Mounsey then suddenly high-sided out of second in a near replay of McCabe’s Race 1 drama, with the number 4 likewise splitting the group.
Dessoy took the win to bounce back from his bad luck on Saturday, with McCabe then able to come through into second as he avoided the aftermath of the Mounsey crash. Belford took third and Correa fourth, with an angry Mounsey left on the sidelines to watch Frost storm through into fifth. Rowan and Walker took sixth and seventh, with Huntingford, Harrison Mackay (Wilson Racing/Super Soco) and Clayton Edmunds (City Lifting/RS Racing) completing the top ten.
That’s it from a dramatic Round 2, with Dessoy bouncing back from bad luck, Belford’s consistency putting him top of the table and Mounsey taking a first win before that late race heartbreak on Sunday. He’ll be keen to bounce back as the R&G British Talent Cup returns next time out at Knockhill… and they’ll also have Amanuel Brinton (Kovara Projects/RS Racing) back in the chase as the former points lead and double podium finisher returns from ETC duty! Join us for more from the 16th to the 18th of June!
The world’s most exciting motorsport? Audiences agree as key markets show huge growth
Monday, 22 May 2023
On the heels of a record crowd that saw nearly 280,000 fans descend on the French Grand Prix last weekend, the broadcast audience figures are now in for the first quarter of the blockbuster 2023 MotoGP™ season – and they’re just as impressive. With notable growth across many of MotoGP™’s largest markets, the increase in weekend TV audiences is a sizeable 27%.
The Tissot Sprint has landed
The new sporting format is designed to create the best show possible, giving fans more MotoGP™ than ever and adding a new spectacle at every Grand Prix. The audience data so far confirms the success and popularity of the new-look weekend, with audiences increasing by an average of 51% on Saturdays as fans tune in to enjoy both the shootout for pole position and the Sprint.
What’s more, the overall increase in viewership is not solely attributed to the introduction of the Sprint on super Saturday. Viewing figures for the Grand Prix race on Sunday are up by nearly a fifth across key markets, showing the new format is not only garnering its own audience, but also driving interest and viewership for the sport overall.
The fans in the stands
The trend has also continued in the grandstands, with the first part of 2023 marking a notable surge in weekend attendance. On average across the first five races, the available data shows a 40% increase in fans coming to enjoy the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship at the track. Most notably, MotoGP™ also broke its all-time weekend attendance record at the Shark Grand Prix de France as well over a quarter of a million fans flocked through the gates at Le Mans – an achievement befitting the 1000th FIM Grand Prix.
Now the sport is ready to make more history across a tantalising triple-header, getting in gear with Mugello and the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley from the 9th to the 11th of June. Then it’s the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland as the Sachsenring puts more history on the table, before the Motul TT Assen stages a third showdown in three weeks. Tune in for more as the 2023 season continues to break records – on track and off!
Dan Rossomondo, Chief Commercial Officer, Dorna Sports: “We are very excited to reveal these audience increases for the first part of the season. The new weekend format and the introduction of the Tissot Sprint were designed to create a better show across the board, and we are encouraged by the initial performance. These numbers are a fantastic foundation, and we intend to keep building on it.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu to compete for BMW Motorrad Motorsport in WorldSBK from 2024.
Toprak Razgatlioglu will join the BMW Motorrad factory riders family in the FIM Superbike World Championship in 2024.
The 2021 World Champion will compete for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.
Dr. Markus Schramm: “This is a forward-looking step for our project and a strong commitment of BMW Motorrad Motorsport in World Superbike.”
Marc Bongers: “We are convinced that Toprak will settle into the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family very quickly.”
Munich. The BMW Motorrad Motorsport family in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) will have a new member from next season. From 2024, Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) will join the BMW Motorrad Motorsport WorldSBK factory squad. The 2021 World Champion will compete on the BMW M 1000 RR of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team in the coming year. The other rider-team allocations will be announced at a later date.
26-year old Razgatlioglu, has been competing in WorldSBK since 2018. Already in his debut season he has celebrated his first podium finishes. In the 168 WorldSBK races the Turkish rider has contested in his successful career so far, he has notched up 33 wins and a total of 93 podiums. In the 2021 season he celebrated his greatest success to date when he was crowned Superbike World Champion.
“Welcome to the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family, Toprak Razgatlioglu,” said Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad. “We are delighted to welcome him to our WorldSBK factory squad from next season on. I am very proud that Toprak has opted to join BMW Motorrad. This is a forward-looking step for our project and a strong commitment of BMW Motorrad Motorsport in World Superbike.”
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “Toprak is undoubtedly one of the best riders in the field at the moment, which he proved by winning the 2021 World Championship title. He’s not just a fast motorcycle racer, he’s also a great personality off the track. We are convinced that Toprak will settle into the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family very quickly. We are looking forward to our collaboration and to our future together.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Yamaha and Razgatlıoğlu to Part Ways at End of 2023 WorldSBK Season
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
The 2021 Superbike World Champion, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, will leave the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team at the end of the 2023 season as he and Yamaha amicably end their successful four-year relationship together, with the Turkish rider seeking a new challenge for 2024.
Razgatlıoğlu’s potential on two wheels was clear from a young age. He won several national Turkish Motocross Championship titles as a child before being crowned European Superstock 600 Champion on his first attempt in 2015. Moving up to the Superbike World Championship in 2018, he became the first Turkish rider to score a podium and record a win in the class before signing with Yamaha for the 2020 season.
Razgatlıoğlu got his Yamaha career off to a stunning start, winning on his debut at Phillip Island in 2020, before taking two more convincing victories in Estoril at the end of the year on his way to fourth in the championship standings.
The 2021 season bore witness to one of the greatest title battles in WorldSBK history, with Razgatlıoğlu facing off with Jonathan Rea for the world championship crown. Ultimately, the Turkish rider reigned supreme, taking 13 victories, 29 podiums and three pole positions to lift the 2021 Superbike World Championship, ending Rea’s six-year reign as champion and securing Yamaha’s first title in the class since Ben Spies in 2009.
In 2022, the Turkish star was again locked in a fierce championship battle alongside Rea and Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista. Razgatlıoğlu missed out on a second consecutive title but ended the season with more wins (14) than in 2021, as well as 29 podiums, and four pole positions. He also became Yamaha’s most successful rider in WorldSBK history with 30 victories, surpassing the previous record held by Noriyuki Haga.
The 2023 season has seen the Turkish rider show incredible consistency and pace, with the 26-year-old currently second in the overall standings, having secured one victory and ten further podiums in the first 12 races.
However, after four seasons, one world title, 31 race wins, and 47 other appearances on the podium with Yamaha in WorldSBK, Razgatlıoğlu has decided to take on a new challenge in 2024 and will exit the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team at the end of this season. At the same time, both Yamaha and Razgatlıoğlu remain fully committed to fighting for the 2023 WorldSBK title.
Yamaha would like to thank Razgatlıoğlu for his immense contribution to Yamaha’s sporting success in WorldSBK and to take this opportunity to wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours.
Andrea Dosoli: Road Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe
“We will be sorry to see Toprak leave Yamaha at the end of this season. We wanted to continue what has been an incredibly successful partnership, with the obvious highlight being the triple crown of rider, manufacturer, and team world titles that we won together in 2021. We made what we felt was an offer that properly reflected Toprak’s value as a rider and an ambassador for Yamaha, as well as the competitiveness of our racing package and our racing strategy within the WorldSBK platform. However, as the negotiations progressed it became apparent to both parties that Toprak is motivated to embrace a new challenge in 2024 and we respect his decision. Although our paths will diverge at the end of the year, we are now fully focused on the battle for the 2023 WorldSBK title, which resumes shortly in Misano. Finally, I would like to thank Toprak on behalf of Yamaha but also personally, for his invaluable contribution to our WorldSBK project. His first World Championship title in 2021 was a just reward for him but also for all the people who, since we returned to WorldSBK in 2016, have worked so hard to make this project a success. It is a memory that everyone at Yamaha will cherish. We wish Toprak every success for the future but, for now, we have a job to finish.”
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team
“I want to say to the whole Yamaha family a very big thank you for the love and respect they have shown me. To win the world championship was my dream when I signed with Yamaha, and we reached that goal together. For next season I feel I need a new challenge and while there was an opportunity in MotoGP, I didn’t feel the same connection with the MotoGP bike that I have with the superbike. But if I am to stay in WorldSBK then I need a new target, a new ambition. I am sorry to leave Yamaha, both the brand and the people, as we have a very good relationship, but change is part of any sport and normal for any professional. So, a big thank you to Yamaha Motor Company, Yamaha Motor Europe, Yamaha Motor Turkiye, the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team and especially to my crew, who have all worked so hard for me.”
Editorial Notes: Canadian Torin Collins, riding his AGR Team KTM, finished 20th in JuniorGP Race One and 15th in Race Two. American Max Toth, riding his MMR Kalex, DNF the sole Moto2 race. American Kristian Daniel Jr., riding his MRE Talent Honda, finished 12th in European Talent Cup Race One but DNF Race Two.
Six of the best… thrilling Round 2 for JuniorGP™ in Valencia with title twists aplenty
From rookie revelations to a new winner at long last and one of the greatest comebacks seen, Sunday delivered the goods in the 2023 Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship paddock
It was a stunning second round of the 2023 Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain. It was a mighty display with first-time winners and rookie revelations headlining throughout a packed day of action. In the JuniorGP™ class, Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) finally took victory and doubled up, whilst in the Moto2™ European Championship, honours went to Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team), making it three from three. In a day of domination, Maximo Quiles (Aspar Junior Team) checked out in both European Talent Cup races in emphatic fashion and Daniel Muñoz (SP57 Racing Team) took a second Stock™ European Championship win of 2023.
Angel Piqueras (18) won both FIM JuniorGP races at Valencia. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Starting with the JuniorGP™ races, it really was a master vs the apprentice feel, with Race 1 being a battle between the rookie exuberance of Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team) from a career-first pole, whilst Angel Piqueras’ seasoned experience saw him right in the mix. Championship leader Nico Carraro (Aspar Junior Team) was right in the mix too but due to exceeding track limits, was forced to take a Long Lap Penalty and the battle for fourth soon became a battle for third. Onto the last lap, Piqueras hit the front at Turn 1 and got ahead of Esteban, who couldn’t retaliate. Piqueras took a first victory of his JuniorGP™ career and thus became the 50th different winner since 2012. Esteban was second, whilst taking a hard-earned podium, Luca Lunetta (AC Racing Team) denied Jacob Roulstone (Aspar Junior Team). On the last lap at Turn 8, a collision between David Almansa (Finetwork Mir Racing Team) saw both end up in the gravel.
After a short delay to Race 2 for a technical fault, the action was back underway and for the majority of the action, it was a five-rider fight with Piqueras, Esteban, Roulstone, Carraro and Elia Bartolini (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0). A technical issue saw Esteban out in the second half of the race as he slowed up on the front straight, with a four-rider group doing battle through to the last lap. Going onto the final 4km of the race, a brave pass saw Piqueras go from third to first at Turn 11, sitting up Roulstone and Carraro ahead of him. Carraro was wide and Bartolini saw an opportunity, but collided with his fellow countryman and both crashed. Piqueras was left to double up whilst Roulstone fought through the drama for a first podium. Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) took a mighty third, with plenty of reason to celebrate on the podium. Eddie O’Shea (British Talent Team) was top talent team rider in sixth, whereas Carraro remounted for 12th. Piqueras is the new Championship leader heading to Jerez.
With just one race on the billing for the Moto2™ ECh, Senna Agius never looked threatened as he once again swept the field away to take a fine victory, his third of the season. In second place after a strong ride and resisting a late challenge from behind, it was a career-best result for Italian star Mattia Rato (AGR Team), who returned his team to the podium and likewise moved up in the Championship standings to second. Completing the podium after a scary start, where he got away much slower than his rivals, Carlos Tatay (Pertamina SAG Racing Team) fought back to finish third, denying Roberto Garcia what would have been a first podium in the category. Elsewhere, Harrison Voight’s (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike Racing Team) front row start wasn’t converted as he had a Long Lap Penalty to serve, then outbraked himself at Turn 8 before crashing out all together at Turn 6; he was thankfully OK. Agius remains the Championship leader with a perfect 75 points achieved.
The ETC races were absolutely electric; in Race 1, one of the greatest comebacks through the field that we’ve ever seen was accomplished, as Maximo Quiles – who was scheduled to start from pole – had to go from 25th on the grid on row nine due to riding slowly in all sectors during qualifying; he also had a Long Lap Penalty to serve. In the early laps, defending title winner Guido Pini (AC Racing Team), Alberto Ferrandez (Finetwork Mir Racing Team), standings leader Brian Uriarte (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Dodo Boggio (Aspar Junior Team) to name all but a few, battled it out in classic ETC fashion, but before half-race distance, it was Quiles who came on through and hit the front at Turn 1, before clearing off into the distance for a stunning first win of 2023. Casey O’Gorman (VisionTrack Racing Team) was in the mix behind, along with Jesus Rios (MRE Talent), but the latter crashed with Ferrandez and O’Gorman at the final corner on the last lap. Pini took second, whilst Rico Salmela (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) came through for P3. Quiles’ win from P25 sets a new record for a win from the lowest grid slot, a record that stood since Matteo Patacca won from P17 in Valencia, 2018.
O’Gorman was out injured in Race 2 as his luckless start to 2023 season continued; going from pole and grabbing the holeshot on his way to a dominant double, Quiles was unrivalled at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit as he made it two wins, with three podiums from the first four races of 2023. The battle was fierce behind though and it was once again a final lap showdown. After looking for P2, Pini had to serve a Long Lap Penalty in the closing stages for exceeding track limits, which saw Uriarte and Ferrandez capitalise to complete the podium. Dodo Boggio (Aspar Junior Team) took fourth, but the day belonged to Quiles, who is the standings leader leaving Valencia by five points over Uriarte.
Concluding the day of action, the Stock™ class. However, there was a red flag on Lap 2 after Daniel Brooks’ (Yamaha GV Stratos) bike expired, leaving his teammate Mihail Florov and Eric Fernandez (FAU55 TEY Racing) on the floor. After a delay as the track was cleared up, a new 12-lap race distance was set and it was a tense stand-off from Estoril winner and polesitter Daniel Muñoz and Fernandez, who remounted his bike and made the restart. Fernandez was quicker in the second half of the lap but it was a strong first half of the lap that gave Muñoz a crucial advantage in the overtaking hotspots, limiting his vulnerability to attack from behind to hold for a second win of the year. Fernandez took second, whilst Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports) was a strong third. Muñoz is unbeaten in 2023, thus remains the Championship leader.
You can also find all the results, videos, photos and information regarding the championship on the official website: www.fimjuniorgp.com
Dumas dominates race two at SMP, stretches out huge title lead
Shannonville, ON – It may only be one round into the five-round Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season, but Alex Dumas cracked the series wide open on Sunday with another victory at Shannonville Motorsport Park.
It was Sam Guerin who grabbed the holeshot for a second day in a row, but Dumas was far less patient his second time following the BMW rider, taking over the lead late on the opening lap. Guerin initially managed to hang with the race one winner, but it was only a matter of time as Dumas stretched out an insurmountable lead, cruising to perhaps the most dominant victory of his GP Bikes Pro Superbike career.
The result turned out even better for the Purple Skull Brewing/Liqui Moly Suzuki team, as rival and defending champion Ben Young saw his early title hopes unravel beneath him.
After charging through to second on lap four, Young curiously sped into the pit lane, revealing a loose tail-section that the Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW mechanics had to rip off the machine. The bodywork issue left him stranded in ninth, facing an impossible comeback as Dumas torched the rest of the field.
Young would manage his way to sixth, but the damage was done as Dumas leaves Shannonville with a comfortable 23-point lead.
“It’s an awesome start to the season. Once I got some clear track, I just wanted to put my head down and stretch out a lead,” Dumas said. “It sucks what happened to Ben, but it’s good for our championship. Now we’re really looking forward to round two.”
Alex Dumas (23) stretched out a big early championship lead on Sunday, winning Race Two comfortably his Purple Skull Brewing/Liqui Moly Suzuki. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.
Salvaging BMW’s hopes was Guerin, who redeemed himself from his Saturday crash out of the lead to finish second. It was hardly a straightforward race for the EFC Group BMW rider, however, as he faded back to fourth before returning to second in an epic battle with Jordan Szoke.
The result was long-overdue for Guerin, who stepped back onto the podium for the first time since his rookie season in 2020.
“I thought yesterday was my time, but I ended up on my butt,” he joked. “It was a fun battle with Jordan – hats off to him – but it’s good to be back.”
Szoke was the real hero of the day, fighting through injuries and poor health to score his 118th career podium, and first since returning from the frightening injuries that nearly ended his career.
The LDS Consultants Kawasaki rider – who his team confirmed was close to not racing on Sunday as he recovers from a recent infection and a rare Saturday crash – could barely stand as he mounted the podium, though the 14-time champion was likely uplifted by the (very deserved) praise from the fans for his effort.
“I don’t even know what to say. I only got a few laps in this morning…I’m in a lot of pain, but it feels good to be back up here,” Szoke said. “I saw something happened to Ben, so I was aiming for a podium. It was a good battle with Sam. I thought I could get him in the esses on the last lap, but he held me off.”
Jordan Szoke (101) put his LDS Consultants Kawasaki back on the podium Sunday for the first time since his career-altering injuries in 2022. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.
Finishing fourth was Trevor Daley, mounting a late comeback on the OneSpeed Suzuki machine as he began to reel in the battle for the final podium places. Daley’s effort was also crucial for Suzuki given the issues for Young, as he helps put the 2021 champions 16 points clear of the reigning winners entering round two.
Completing the top-five was Tomas Casas, who ran as high as third after finishing there on Saturday before arm pump issues relegated him behind the quicker Daley. Still, the pair of top-five finishes will place the Parts Canada Yamaha rider third overall in the championship, the highest he’s ever ranked in his GP Bikes Pro Superbike career.
Young’s comeback to sixth would at least earn him the FAST Riding School Hard Charger Award and a $500 prize, though he was understandably frustrated as he leaves round one with just 34 of a possible 58 points.
“Unfortunately, on the first lap the tail-section came loose, but it was okay for three or four laps so I thought it might be okay,” Young said. “After that it just got too sketchy, and I didn’t want it to affect anyone behind me. I tried to make the gentleman move and just rip it off, but obviously it limited us quite a bit – but the season’s far from over.”
Just behind Young was lBEW BMW’s Jordan Royds, who broke free of a battle with fellow BMW-mounted rider Philip Leckie on the SCM/TanIans machine, the pair finishing seventh and eighth in the final order to put four BMW’s in that group.
Alberta’s Paul Macdonell was the top rookie in ninth, putting his Acme Motorsports Yamaha atop the Brooklin Cycle Racing Pro Rookie of the Year standings and keeping Yamaha ahead of Kawasaki for third in the Constructors Standings.
Full results can be found on the series’ official website.
More, from a press release issued by Ben Young Racing:
The opening round of the Canadian Superbike Championship was a bumpy ride for reigning champion Ben Young in more ways than one. A mixed bag of results after a challenging weekend saw Young leave Shannonville Motorsports Park with points for pole position, a second place, and a hard-fought 6th place finish after being forced to detour through the pit lane to remove a broken tail seat.
After setting a blistering pace during the Superpole session on Friday, Young was poised for a successful weekend. Aboard his Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW M1, Young put in a time of 1:04.749 which no one could come near.
A very rainy Saturday ushered in the first race of the season. Young didn’t feel overly comfortable given the conditions of the rain-soaked track. It’s a long season, and he played a smart race by cruising to a solid 2nd place, gaining valuable championship points.
Ben Young (1). Photo by Damian Pereira, courtesy Ben Young Racing.
A sunnier, albeit cool Sunday started off well for Young who would lead the morning’s practice session, feeling very at home on the BMW M1. After a poor start to race two, Young found himself in 5th position. On the first lap, the fiberglass seat under him collapsed. He fought back to 2nd position, but the seat was completely broken and was unsafe for himself and other riders. He was forced to detour into pit lane, where the team tore the seat off and Young rejoined the race in a distant 9th position. After an extremely uncomfortable ride perched atop the subframe and bike battery, Young still managed to fight back to 6th position.
Of the weekend Young said: “Obviously the weekend didn’t go how we’d planned. The 6th position isn’t ideal for the championship, but it’s better than no points. It’s a long season ahead and hopefully, that’s all the bad luck out the way”.
The next race will be held at Grand Bend Motorplex, Lake Huron, ON on June 8th-11th.
Young’s partners for his 2022 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season include; BMW Motorrad Canada, Van Dolder’s Home Team, Scot-build Developments Inc, Parts Canada, HJC Helmets, Alpinestars, Hindle Exhaust, Clearlite, Primitive Patterns, DP Brakes, alphaRacing, Vass Performance Cycle, Cartier Racing and Bickle Racing.
To keep up-to-date on Ben Young throughout the year visit; www.BenYoungRacing.com, www.facebook.com/BenYoungRacing and on Twitter and Instagram: @benyoung_86.
Two-time and defending Champion Jake Gagne rode his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha to victory in MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham, Alabama. Gagne led from start to finish and won the 20-lap race by 2.935 seconds. It was his third straight win.
Mathew Scholtz and Cameron Beaubier raced for second place most of the way, and Westby Racing Yamaha’s Scholtz was able to hold off Beaubier and his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW by 0.161 second at the finish line.
Richie Escalante finished fourth, 5.7 seconds behind Beaubier, on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Beaubier’s teammate PJ Jacobsen passed Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin with seven laps to go to secure fifth place.
Gagne Perfect With Doubleheader Sweep Of Medallia Superbike Races At Barber
Two Races, Two Wins For Jake Gagne In Alabama
Jake Gagne (1) leads Cameron Petersen (45) into Turn Five on the opening lap of the Medallia Superbike race. Petersen would crash seconds later and Gagne would race away to victory on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
BIRMINGHAM, AL (May 21, 2023) – Other than surviving one of the scariest moments of his racing career midway through the Medallia Superbike race at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday, Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne had the perfect weekend in Alabama. The two-time defending Medallia Superbike Champion started from pole position and led every lap en route to a clean sweep of the two races.
Sunday’s victory was Gagne’s third in a row, and it increased his lead in the championship to 24 points over Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier, 95-71. The win was also the 32nd AMA Superbike victory for Gagne and it moved him into a tie for fourth overall with Miguel Duhamel and Toni Elias on the all-time AMA Superbike win list.
Gagne’s only scare was when he lost control of his Yamaha YZF-R1, ran on to the grass and dirt on the inside of turn three, somehow saved it and carried on to win the 20-lap race by 2.9 seconds.
“It could have been bad. I got lucky,” Gagne said of his near crash after the race.
Other than that, Gagne’s 32nd win was like the other 31. Get a great start and don’t let anyone else get near you, much less past you.
Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz was second on his Yamaha YZF-R1 with the South African getting the better of Beaubier after a near race-long battle for the position. Their race came down to a last-lap brawl with the pair crossing the finish line just .161 of a second apart and almost hitting as Scholtz unknowingly swerved into Beaubier’s path.
Beaubier, who was fourth on Saturday with the harder-compound Dunlop R5s, switched to the softer R3 Dunlop for race two on Sunday and it paid dividends as he was a fighting third.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante had his best Superbike weekend to date, and he ended it in style with an impressive fourth-place finish on Sunday. Escalante was 5.7 seconds behind Beaubier and some six seconds clear of fifth-placed PJ Jacobsen with the New Yorker getting the better of Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin, who struggled with tire-wear woes.
With Herrin sixth, seventh went to Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Corey Alexander, who was less than a second ahead of Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Toni Elias was ninth with Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim rounding out the top 10.
The most notable of the non-finishers was Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen with the South African crashing out of second on the opening lap while trying to keep pace with Gagne.
Superbike Race 2
Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)
Cameron Beaubier (BMW)
Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
PJ Jacobsen (BMW)
Josh Herrin (Ducati)
Corey Alexander (BMW)
Ashton Yates (BMW)
Toni Elias (Suzuki)
Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)
Superbike Quotes Jake Gagne – Winner
“I got off to another good start. There was some chaos on the grid. I pulled up to the grid last and I got off to a sweet start, luckily. I heard Cam (Petersen) went down in five. I was surprised on my gap. Even on the first lap I think I had a half second on my board, or something. So, I think that kind of gave me that little bit of a separation in the beginning. Put my head down. I was surprised to see 22.4 (a 1:22.4 lap), honestly. Really surprised. So, those first couple laps gave me a good break. We made some improvements on the bike. It was a little easier for me to ride. It was turning a little better than it was yesterday. But I think halfway through out of turn two, I had a moment that I haven’t had in years. Totally sideways, almost highsided. Ran off the inside grass, up over the curb, into the grass up over turn three. It was gnarly. I don’t even know. I think I only lost like a second somehow. I was expecting to lose a lot more than that. So, I got really lucky that I even kept it. After that, I’m like, I got to bring this thing home. I know these guys could – I had enough of a gap, they could reel me in a bit. I just needed to bring it home. Good weekend. This is obviously a track that really, really suits the Yamaha. So, I wanted to come in here and take advantage of that. Next up, Road America. I think all these boys are going to be in the hunt. It’s not going to be easy to get a win there, but we’ll just keep doing our job. Again, hats off to the team. I’m glad we got two dry races in here, because the weather was looking kind of gnarly. Good weekend.”
Mathew Scholtz – Second Place
“I think I pulled a little bit of a gap and Cameron (Beaubier) closed me down. I kind of knew from I think maybe lap six or seven that Cam had a couple tenths on me. So, I didn’t really try to push as hard as I could on the limits and use too much tire. Once he passed me, I just made sure I made a couple good laps down that he didn’t pull a gap. There were a couple sectors on the track that he was definitely quicker, a couple sectors I was a little bit faster. On the final lap, I knew Charlotte’s Web was one of the main points that you could pass someone, so I went in there really, really deep. Then ruined the drive coming out. Cameron got up next to me going into corner seven. I brake-passed him there and it was a pretty hard pass. So, I kind of thought that I had a couple bike lengths and going into the final corner I tried to focus on driving out hard. Pushed the front and I just kind of had to close the line a little bit, because I know Cameron was obviously right there and driving off the corner well. Obviously, I don’t mean to try to cut somebody off, but I’m just happy to be sitting up here in second place. Obviously watching Cam ride Moto2 for the last two years, it feels awesome to be up here battling with him. So, well done to Jake (Gagne). He spanked us one more time. Hopefully ,in two weeks’ time we can give him something.”
Cameron Beaubier – Third Place
“This morning I was super happy with how I was riding. I was super happy with the step we made this morning. We made a couple tweaks to the bike overnight and threw the soft tire in. I’ve been struggling pretty much ever since I got on this bike to make a good time on the soft tire. I think part of it is I’m just not trusting the TC, I’m not trusting the bike. I felt just really good first from as soon as I rode out of pit lane. I was just trusting the thing. I was really riding the bike. I felt like I made a good step this morning on it. So, we just decided to race on the R3 soft rear, and it was a lot better than yesterday. I had really good grip there at the beginning. I just got stuck behind Josh (Herrin). He was really good on the brakes. Obviously, the Ducati has some speed on the straight. So, that was a little tough, but I put my head down after I was able to get by him and was able to reel in Matty (Scholtz). Matty had a really good pace going, and so did I at the beginning. I saw low 23s for a while on my dash. I was able to pass Matty and just kept my head down. Then I started running into tire problems. Even my front was pushing around. The rear was coming around here and there. Then I just kind of lost my roll speed around the track. Ended up almost losing it down into five, into Charlotte’s Web. Matty got by. I just tried to do everything I could to stick on Matty’s wheel because he had a really good pace going. He was high 23s, low 24s. I tried to do something with him on the last lap. Like I said, I was struggling just to hang there. I came into the last lap. I was going to try to line him up going into Charlotte’s Web. I wasn’t close enough. Then he pushed the front in the last corner, and I snuck up the inside of him. I thought I was going to beat him to the line, but he got me with a sneaky little swerve. I don’t think he realized I was as close as I was. Hats off to him. He was riding so good. Obviously, Jake (Gagne) rode incredible all weekend. It’s going to be tough to close the gap to that guy, but just happy to get out of here with a podium and move on with the season.”
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Mathew Scholtz Is Runner-Up In MotoAmerica Superbike Race Two At Barber Motorsports Park
Mathew Scholtz (11) held off Cameron Beaubier (6) to take second in Race Two. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Birmingham, AL – May 21, 2023 – On Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, Mathew Scholtz, rider of the #11 Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike, showed once again, that he is a world-class rider. He finished second in the weekend’s race after a nearly race-long battle with five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and former Moto2 World Championship contender Cameron Beaubier.
Taking his grid position on the front row, Mathew got off to a much better start than in Saturday’s race, and that enabled him to set and maintain a good pace, which kept him closer to the front.
He was pursued by Beaubier in third, who did manage to overtake Mathew for second place as the laps wound down. Undaunted by the move, however, Mathew put his head down and retook the position. Beaubier made one more attempt to overtake Mathew on the final run to the checkered flag, but a defensive move by Mathew to break Beaubier’s draft thwarted his effort and ensured Mathew’s runner-up finish while fellow Yamaha rider Jake Gagne took the win.
“I think I pulled a little bit of a gap and Cameron (Beaubier) closed me down,” Mathew said. “I kind of knew from, I think, maybe lap six or seven, that Cam had a couple tenths on me. So, I didn’t really try to push as hard as I could on the limits and use too much tire. Once he passed me, I just made sure I made a couple good laps and that he didn’t pull a gap. There were a couple of sectors on the track where he was definitely quicker, and a couple sectors where I was a little bit faster. On the final lap, I knew ‘Charlotte’s Web’ was one of the main points that you could pass someone, so I went in there really, really deep. Then, I ruined the drive coming out. Cameron got up next to me going into corner seven. I brake-passed him there, and it was a pretty hard pass. So, I kind of thought that I had a couple bike lengths on him.
“Going into the final corner, I tried to focus on driving out hard. I pushed the front, and I just kind of had to close the line a little bit, because I knew Cameron was right there and driving off the corner well. Obviously, I don’t mean to try to cut somebody off, but I’m just happy to be sitting up here in second place. After watching Cam ride in Moto2 for the past two years, it feels awesome to be up here battling with him. Well-done to Jake. He spanked us one more time. Hopefully, in two weeks’ time, we can give him something.”
The Westby Racing team will be back in action on June 3 through 5 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, for round three of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
MotoAmerica Superbike Standings
1. Jake Gagne – Yamaha – 95
2. Cameron Beaubier – BMW – 71
3. Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha – 59
4. Cameron Petersen – Yamaha – 53
5. Josh Herrin – Ducati – 49
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit http://www.WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Forés Wins MotoAmerica Supersport “Extended” Race as Herrin Battles on in Alabama
Sunnyvale, Calif., May 21, 2023 — The second round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama saw the two Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC protagonists fighting at the front of their respective fields. However, Xavi Forés was particularly impressive in the first-ever MotoAmerica Supersport “Extended” race.
The Spanish ace made it look easy on the #12 Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V2, dealing with multiple red flags better than the chasing pack and leading into the mandatory pit stop.
Forés emerged at half race distance in the lead ahead of Kawasaki’s Stefano Mesa, a position he would not relinquish as he took the third straight checkered flag of his MotoAmerica Supersport campaign. Forés, thanks to this “Extended” race being a double-points event, now holds a thoroughly commanding 27-point lead in the championship over Mesa with Yamaha’s Josh Hayes 46 points in arrears in third.
Xavi Fores (12) leads the “extended” Supersport race in tricky conditions Saturday at Barber. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Herrin’s weekend in the Heart of Dixie state saw the 2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion take a pair of sixth place finishes aboard the factory Ducati Panigale V4 R. Citing continual tire issues that plagued the majority of the Superbike grid, Herrin showed his mettle and refused to give in, his 20-point haul for the weekend cementing him in fifth place so far in the championship on 49 points.
2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings After Round Two
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 95
P2 – Cameron Beaubier (BMW) 71
P3 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 59
P4 – Cameron Petersen (Yamaha) 53
P5 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 49
2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings After Round Two
P1 – Xavi Forés (Ducati) 100
P2 – Stefano Mesa (Kawasaki) 73
P3 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 54
P4 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 53
P5 – Michael Gilbert (Suzuki) 48
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC– #12)
“It was a really tricky race, but a good one for us!” Forés said. “There were a couple of red flags but we managed the pit stops well, as well as choosing the tires correctly. In the end, we used our experience to win the race. Now we have a 27-point lead in the championship and we’re looking forward to Road America which looks like it’ll be a great track for the Ducati Panigale V2.”
Josh Herrin (2). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC– #2)
“This weekend was tough,” Herrin said after race two. “We knew we might struggle here but we battled the tires more than anything. Everyone had issues with the tires but we just couldn’t find the right set-up to make the tires work as they should. It was frustrating, for sure, but we kept it on two wheels and took a pair of sixth places, got some valuable points. We’ll take the positives and move on to Road America.”
Round Three of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship will take place at the iconic Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, over the June 2-4 weekend.
Kyle Ryde won Bennetts British Superbike Race Three Sunday at Donington Park, in England. Riding his LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha, Ryde won the 20-lap race by 1.397 seconds over Tommy Bridewell and his BeerMonster Ducati Panigale V4 R. Bridewell’s teammate Glenn Irwin finished a close third.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
O’Halloran becomes fifth different victor of 2023 as Ryde rebounds to win race three
Jason O’Halloran (22) won Race Two. Photo courtesy MSVR.
Jason O’Halloran ended his recent run of torrid fortunes by claiming his first victory in the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship to become the fifth different race winner of the season, following a sensational second race at Donington Park.
However, in the final race at the third round, Kyle Ryde rebounded from a race two crash to become the first rider to claim a double victory on a weekend where seven different riders celebrated podium success. Ten points now separate the leading five riders in the standings ahead of Knockhill (June 16/17/18).
Ryde had taken the spoils in yesterday’s BikeSocial Sprint Race and again he launched off the line with an incredible start from the front row with Leon Haslam and O’Halloran in close contention.
A sensational race ensued and whilst Ryde held the advantage, behind him Haslam and O’Halloran were trading blows for second place as Tommy Bridewell was also soon in the lead group pushing for the podium finishes.
In the battle for the win, Ryde was still leading the pack, but he couldn’t bridge the advantage and behind him, Haslam, Bridewell and O’Halloran were continuously swapping positions in their quest for the top three.
It was heartbreak for Ryde though when he crashed out of the lead on lap 12 and with debris from the stricken LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha, the BMW Safety Car was deployed as the Herock Racesafe Marshals cleared the crash damage.
There was then just five laps left to decide the winner when the race resumed and it became a six-way battle initially as Haslam instantly made a move on Bridewell, but O’Halloran made a pass too and that eased the lone BeerMonster Ducati into third. His teammate Glenn Irwin had crashed out at Redgate unhurt.
O’Halloran hit the front of the pack, but Haslam instantly fought back to regain the position, but into Redgate on lap 16 Bridewell made a decisive pass to snatch the advantage with O’Halloran still holding third place. Josh Brookes though had also joined the battle at the front following the BMW Safety Car period.
Bridewell was leading with three laps remaining ahead of O’Halloran and Haslam, but the ROKiT BMW Motorrad rider was back into second place with a move at Redgate, only for his McAMS Yamaha rival to regain the advantage at McLeans.
O’Halloran held the lead, but behind Bridewell was forced to retire the BeerMonster Ducati, relinquishing his lead in the standings. Meanwhile, Ryan Vickers then put himself firmly in the podium fight and was up to second place ahead of Haslam and Brookes.
O’Halloran had the edge at the chequered flag to return to winning ways, just ahead of Vickers who celebrated an emotional debut podium in Bennetts BSB with Brookes completing the podium to move into the championship lead.
In the final race, Ryde again got a fantastic start to lead the pack ahead of his teammate Vickers and Bridewell. The BeerMonster Ducati rider was soon into second place, but Haslam was moving up the order too over the opening laps and he was soon into fourth.
On the same lap, Andrew Irwin’s difficult weekend came to a premature end when he crashed out with Storm Stacey at the Melbourne Loop. Andrew Irwin was penalised with three penalty points and a drop of three grid positions for his next race, following the incident.
Ryde was holding the advantage at the front but Bridewell continued to pile on the pressure and the pair eased out an advantage, but over the final two laps, the home contender had the edge to take his third win of the season.
Bridewell’s second place fired him back ahead in the championship standings, but only by three points as his teammate Glenn Irwin carved his way through the pack from eleventh on the grid to finish third and hold second in the title fight ahead of Knockhill.
Vickers continued his strong weekend with a fourth place finish as he led the next on track pack ahead of a Christian Iddon, who overcame illness to take his best result of the season with fifth for the Oxford Products Racing Ducati team.
Haslam scored the most points across the Oulton Park and Donington Park events to be crowned the winner of the Milwaukee Spring Grand Slam trophy.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 2 result:
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha)
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.347s
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +1.797s
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) +2.517s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +3.927s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing) +5.690s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +6.564s
Tom Neave (Honda Racing UK) +7.408s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +7.790s
Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) +8.153s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 3 result:
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha)
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) +1.397s
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +3.588s
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +3.690s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +4.999s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +5.137s
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +5.581s
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) +9.123s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing) +9.374s
Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad) +11.351s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 119
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 116
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 114
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) 110
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 109
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 70
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 70
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 50
Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) 50
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 49
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Jason O’Halloran
McAMS Yamaha
“I’m really chuffed to get our first win of the year, it’s obviously been a bit of a rollercoaster these first three rounds but we know we’ve had the speed, we’ve just had to put it together.
“I settled into the race really well, the safety car came out and then we made the most of the last four or five laps and managed to get our first win of the year.
“I’m disappointed with the last race, I felt like we had good speed and the bike felt good but we had an overheating issue which hurt our straight line speed. I’m sure the guys will get on top of that and fix it for the next one.
“All in all a positive weekend, three finishes, competitive throughout and our first win of the year.”
Kyle Ryde
LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha
“Every track we have been on the podium so far this year and that was my aim but I think Knockhill will be tough!
“It’s been a great weekend in front of the home fans at my favourite track and obviously the weather’s been great to us. Hopefully everyone’s enjoyed the racing this weekend!
“The crash in race two, I didn’t do anything different. I just had a little crash at turn one. Unfortunately, the bike went end over end and clattered me in the knee so I had a big ice pack on it between the races.
“This track I always have gone well around and I have done what I wanted to do this weekend. I had one tip off and two wins, so I am proud with this weekend.”
“I am sure after 25-minutes home I will celebrate this weekend with my grandad and a beer!”
Belgian rider Levi Badie broke through to take his maiden victory in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race Two Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Hayden Bicknese led out of the last corner, but Badie was able to get a better drive with his Badie Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400 and beat Bicknese to the checkered flag in a photo finish.
Bicknese was not happy to finish second on his Bicknese Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400.
Championship point leader Avery Dreher’s three-race win streak ended with him taking third on his Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki.
Support Class Title Chases Tighten Up At Barber Motorsports Park
Just Two Points Separate Three Riders In REV’IT! Twins Cup
Rocco Landers (97) leads teammate Gus Rodio (96) and Kayla Yaakov (131) in the REV’IT! Twins Cup race on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
BIRMINGHAM, AL (May 21, 2023) – You won’t find a MotoAmerica Championship more closely fought than the one for the REV’IT! Twins Cup title after Sunday’s eventful race at Barber Motorsports Park.
How’s this for close? Defending REV’IT! Twins Cup Champion Blake Davis leads Gus Rodio and Hayden Schultz by just two points after three rounds and six races. And despite not taking part in the two races at Daytona and DNFing the first race at Road Atlanta, Rocco Landers is lurking in fourth just 12 points behind.
Three straight wins will do that for you.
Landers won both races in Alabama and those two wins, combined with two non-finishes by former runaway championship leader Gus Rodio, have flipped the championship upside down.
REV’IT! Twins Cup race two kicked off the feature events on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, and Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia rider Landers completed a perfect weekend where he earned the pole, won race one and was also victorious in race two. Landers’ teammate Rodio didn’t fare as well, unfortunately. He had the points lead coming into the weekend, but a crash in each of the two races moved him down to second in the standings where he is tied with Schultz.
Davis finished second in Sunday’s race aboard his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha and took over first place in the standings by two points over Rodio. The WagBar MP13 Racing’s Kayla Yaakov got her second podium finish in as many days with a third-place finish on Sunday to go with her second-place finish on Saturday. Yaakov missed the Daytona and Road Atlanta rounds of the REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship due to injury, but she came back strong at Barber Motorsports Park in her debut weekend in the class.
“Somehow, I’m like 12 points back now, Landers said. “It’s wild. We missed the first round and then we had a DNF in Atlanta, which was infuriating. I couldn’t give it up to my whole Robem Engineering Rodio Racing team enough, my mechanic Chad works so hard to make the bike perfect for me. Matt Spicer is helping me out so much, Robem. The whole Rodio family. Such a bummer to see that happen to Gus (Rodio). Always nice to get a team one-two, and for Aprilia, as well. Maybe I could talk them into letting me finish the season off for him, because we’re getting kind of close in the championship. It would be nice. But it was a good race, though. I enjoyed it.”
Junior Cup – Badie’s First
In the Junior Cup Championship, Sunday’s race one saw a Belgian rider take the checkered flag for the first time in MotoAmerica history. Badie Racing’s Levi Badie came from behind during the race to beat out Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese by only three milliseconds. Bad Boys Racing’s Avery Dreher, who won Saturday’s race one, had his winning streak snapped at three victories when he finished third on Sunday.
Levi Badie (71) won his first career MotoAmerica Junior Cup race with a .003 of a second victory over Hayden Bicknese (69) on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
“I didn’t think I was going to win,” Badie said. “But I saw him (Bicknese) struggling in the last corner. I saw him held in the limiter, or something. So, I was like, ‘Okay, now is the chance. Go full tucked in and just go for it. If it’s second, it’s second.’ I was happy for both of the places. I didn’t think, but I’m first so I’m happy.”
Stock 1000 – Gillim’s Double
Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim had a horrible opening round to the Steel Commander Stock 1000 Championship at Road Atlanta, but he turned that into a distant memory with his second victory of the weekend at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday.
Hayden Gillim (69) sprinted away from the pursuing pack to win the Steel Commander Stock 1000 class for the second straight day at Barber Motorsports Park. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Gillim’s efforts were rewarded as he gained 14 points on championship leader Ezra Beaubier, with the Orange Cat Racing-backed Californian finishing third on Sunday behind Gillim and his teammate Kaleb De Keyrel.
Beaubier now leads Gillim and De Keyrel, who are tied for second, by 26 points, 86-60, with Taylor Knapp Racing’s Taylor Knapp (fourth today) fourth with 50 points and Travis Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman (DNF today) fifth with 46 points.
“I tried. Ezra (Beaubier) didn’t make that happen very easy. It was good. He got a good start. I was hoping he would be kind of a little easy in turn one again today, and he drove it off in there. It was a good race. It was fun those first couple laps. There were a couple spots I knew where if I could get a little bit of a gap, I didn’t think he could get up next to me and try any out-braking maneuvers. I just put my head down and tried to go. I knew I had really good pace and I knew I could kind of hold it pretty easy. I just pushed and pushed and went and started opening up the gap a little bit. This was a good weekend. I needed this weekend. Atlanta was a pretty big shock to my confidence and everything. I didn’t know if it was me or the bikes. I didn’t know what was going on. So being able to come out here and do this, I knew this track was going to be good for us. It was a great weekend. I’m happy to get up here twice for the team, for myself, and bring home the big trophy.”
Rocco Landers rode his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660 to another victory in MotoAmerica REV’IT! Twins Cup Race Two on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park. Not only was it Landers’ second win of the weekend, it was his third straight win on the season.
Defending Champion Blake Davis came from behind to score second place on his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7. Davis passed The Wagbar MP13 Racing Yamaha’s Kayla Yaakov on lap seven, but Yaakov challenged Davis to end before having to settle for a very close third.
The race for the lead also involved Landers’ teammate Gus Rodio and Team Iso Yamaha’s Dominic Doyle, but Doyle made contact with Rodio during a pass attempt late in the race and both crashed. Both riders were seen walking away from the incident.
Hayden Gillim completed a sweep of the weekend by winning MotoAmerica Steel Commander Race Two Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Unlike in Race One, when he led from the start lights to the checkered flag, Gillim had to fend off Ezra Beaubier for two laps before he could break free. Once in front, Gillim pulled away on his Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000R to win the 14-lap race by over five seconds.
Kaleb De Keyrel passed his Orange Cat Racing BMW teammate Beaubier on the final lap to steal the runner-up spot, while Beaubier had to settle for third and a podium-perfect start to his 2023 season.
American Julian Correa (40) fought for the lead in both British Talent Cup races at Donington Park. Here, the Floridian chases teammate Harrison Dessoy (55), who won Race Two. Correa was a close fourth. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Mounsey & Dessoy split the spoils as Donington serves up two final corner deciders
The two share the wins and the luck in Round 2, with Belford taking over the points lead
Monday, 22 May 2023
Sullivan Mounsey (Wilson Racing/Maddison Media) is now an R&G British Talent Cup race winner! The first showdown at Donington saw the number 4 come out on top in a final corner classic, pinching the win from Evan Belford (City Lifting/RS Racing) with a perfectly-judged move up the inside at Goddards. Huge drama hit at the same time and place as Harley McCabe (McCabe Racing) high-sided out of contention right at the end of the race, trying to head up the inside of Lucas Brown (Amphibian Scaffolding/SP125 Racing) but overcooking it – leaving Brown unopposed to take fantastic first podium in third.
Ryan Frost (Talentum Motorsport by Azure Notions) took the holeshot before duelling it out with Mounsey, with Belford initially dropping a few positions from pole. Meanwhile Harrison Dessoy (Microlise Cresswell Racing/Eastern Garage Racing) slotted into third, but drama hit on Lap 2 as Frost made contact with Dessoy and the number 55 slid straight off onto the grass, rider ok but left gesticulating from the sidelines. There would be consequences for Frost’s weekend too as he was judged to be at fault, and he was given both a Long Lap for Race 1 and, with penalty points added and that taking his total to six, a back of the grid start for Race 2.
At the front that left a seven-rider group battling it out: Mounsey, Frost, Julian Correa (Microlise Cresswell Racing), Belford, McCabe, Brown and Alexander Rowan (Mortimer Racing Victoria House Academy). With Frost serving his penalty, it became a group of six, and by the final five laps it was a group of five as Rowan faded slightly from the podium fight.
It remained a group of five right to the final lap as Mounsey led the way over the line, with Belford then just about muscling his way past. Brown then took a two-for-one at McLeans, demoting both Mounsey and McCabe to take over in second. But Mounsey immediately hit back and tagged onto the rear wheel of Belford, attacking at the Melbourne loop and then two then exiting side-by-side with their elbows out. The number 4 then sliced up the inside into Goddards and pulled up to perfection, heading over the line to take his first win by just over a tenth, with Belford forced to settle for second.
Behind though, there was drama as a final corner highside for McCabe – rider ok – saw him crash out between Brown and Correa. Brown was left free to cross the line for his first podium, but Correa was forced onto the grass on his way to the flag, that seeing him get pipped by both Frost, who had stormed back past Rowan, and Rowan too.
Ollie Walker (Wright Morgan/SP125 Racing) escaped the second group battle to take seventh, ahead of Filip Surowiak (FS75 Racing / FAB Racing), Charlie Huntingford (Opteven Mototechniks) and Josh Bannister (Dunsley Heat Racing) completing the top ten.
After the bad luck of Race 1, Harrison Dessoy hit back on Sunday as the second contest of the weekend likewise went down to the final corner. The number 55 pitched it to perfection as the drama unfolded right behind him, taking his second win of the season as Harley McCabe came through to take second and also reverse his fortunes on Sunday. Evan Belford, after leading down in to the final corner, gathered it back up to take third and another podium, holding on to his lead in the Championship.
Julian Correa took the holeshot from pole, with Belford right on his tail and not waiting long to take over at the front. As ever, however, it was a group fight from the off – with Ryan Frost on a charge from the back of the grid after that penalty and up into P16 at the end of Lap 1.
Correa was able to get back past Belford and Dessoy had made his own impressive leap up the order from 10th on the grid to second, making the initial group Dessoy leading Correa, Race 1 winner Sullivan Mounsey, Belford, Lucas Brown, Alexander Rowan and Ollie Walker.
By Lap 4, Frost was up into the top ten but facing a gap to Charlie Huntingford up ahead, and then another to the group ahead of him. But he was making progress, as was the front group as Walker and Rowan started to lose touch with the top six. Not long after that gap appeared, Frost had caught and passed Huntingford too, up into ninth with the next target on the horizon now that Walker-Rowan duel.
There was no headway into that gap though, and it was a six-rider fight for the win as Mounsey, Dessoy, Belford, Brown, Correa and McCabe tussled it out in the final few laps. Just before the very last lap, however, Brown slid out into the final corner just as Dessoy, Mounsey and Belford made a break for it. At the Melbourne loop Belford then made his move and pulled off a stunning two-for-one, slicing into the lead heading into Goddards.
Just as there had been on Saturday, there was drama on Sunday. Belford headed in too deep, opening the door for Dessoy and Mounsey as both shot through. But Mounsey then suddenly high-sided out of second in a near replay of McCabe’s Race 1 drama, with the number 4 likewise splitting the group.
Dessoy took the win to bounce back from his bad luck on Saturday, with McCabe then able to come through into second as he avoided the aftermath of the Mounsey crash. Belford took third and Correa fourth, with an angry Mounsey left on the sidelines to watch Frost storm through into fifth. Rowan and Walker took sixth and seventh, with Huntingford, Harrison Mackay (Wilson Racing/Super Soco) and Clayton Edmunds (City Lifting/RS Racing) completing the top ten.
That’s it from a dramatic Round 2, with Dessoy bouncing back from bad luck, Belford’s consistency putting him top of the table and Mounsey taking a first win before that late race heartbreak on Sunday. He’ll be keen to bounce back as the R&G British Talent Cup returns next time out at Knockhill… and they’ll also have Amanuel Brinton (Kovara Projects/RS Racing) back in the chase as the former points lead and double podium finisher returns from ETC duty! Join us for more from the 16th to the 18th of June!
The start of the French Grand Prix in Le Mans, France, where 280,000 fans came out to watch MotoGP in person. Photo courtesy Dorna.
MotoGP™ audiences enjoy record surge in 2023
The world’s most exciting motorsport? Audiences agree as key markets show huge growth
Monday, 22 May 2023
On the heels of a record crowd that saw nearly 280,000 fans descend on the French Grand Prix last weekend, the broadcast audience figures are now in for the first quarter of the blockbuster 2023 MotoGP™ season – and they’re just as impressive. With notable growth across many of MotoGP™’s largest markets, the increase in weekend TV audiences is a sizeable 27%.
The Tissot Sprint has landed
The new sporting format is designed to create the best show possible, giving fans more MotoGP™ than ever and adding a new spectacle at every Grand Prix. The audience data so far confirms the success and popularity of the new-look weekend, with audiences increasing by an average of 51% on Saturdays as fans tune in to enjoy both the shootout for pole position and the Sprint.
What’s more, the overall increase in viewership is not solely attributed to the introduction of the Sprint on super Saturday. Viewing figures for the Grand Prix race on Sunday are up by nearly a fifth across key markets, showing the new format is not only garnering its own audience, but also driving interest and viewership for the sport overall.
The fans in the stands
The trend has also continued in the grandstands, with the first part of 2023 marking a notable surge in weekend attendance. On average across the first five races, the available data shows a 40% increase in fans coming to enjoy the world’s fastest motorcycle racing Championship at the track. Most notably, MotoGP™ also broke its all-time weekend attendance record at the Shark Grand Prix de France as well over a quarter of a million fans flocked through the gates at Le Mans – an achievement befitting the 1000th FIM Grand Prix.
Now the sport is ready to make more history across a tantalising triple-header, getting in gear with Mugello and the Gran Premio d’Italia Oakley from the 9th to the 11th of June. Then it’s the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland as the Sachsenring puts more history on the table, before the Motul TT Assen stages a third showdown in three weeks. Tune in for more as the 2023 season continues to break records – on track and off!
Dan Rossomondo, Chief Commercial Officer, Dorna Sports: “We are very excited to reveal these audience increases for the first part of the season. The new weekend format and the introduction of the Tissot Sprint were designed to create a better show across the board, and we are encouraged by the initial performance. These numbers are a fantastic foundation, and we intend to keep building on it.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad Motorsport.
Toprak Razgatlioglu to compete for BMW Motorrad Motorsport in WorldSBK from 2024.
Toprak Razgatlioglu will join the BMW Motorrad factory riders family in the FIM Superbike World Championship in 2024.
The 2021 World Champion will compete for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.
Dr. Markus Schramm: “This is a forward-looking step for our project and a strong commitment of BMW Motorrad Motorsport in World Superbike.”
Marc Bongers: “We are convinced that Toprak will settle into the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family very quickly.”
Munich. The BMW Motorrad Motorsport family in the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) will have a new member from next season. From 2024, Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) will join the BMW Motorrad Motorsport WorldSBK factory squad. The 2021 World Champion will compete on the BMW M 1000 RR of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team in the coming year. The other rider-team allocations will be announced at a later date.
26-year old Razgatlioglu, has been competing in WorldSBK since 2018. Already in his debut season he has celebrated his first podium finishes. In the 168 WorldSBK races the Turkish rider has contested in his successful career so far, he has notched up 33 wins and a total of 93 podiums. In the 2021 season he celebrated his greatest success to date when he was crowned Superbike World Champion.
“Welcome to the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family, Toprak Razgatlioglu,” said Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad. “We are delighted to welcome him to our WorldSBK factory squad from next season on. I am very proud that Toprak has opted to join BMW Motorrad. This is a forward-looking step for our project and a strong commitment of BMW Motorrad Motorsport in World Superbike.”
Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “Toprak is undoubtedly one of the best riders in the field at the moment, which he proved by winning the 2021 World Championship title. He’s not just a fast motorcycle racer, he’s also a great personality off the track. We are convinced that Toprak will settle into the BMW Motorrad Motorsport family very quickly. We are looking forward to our collaboration and to our future together.”
More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:
Yamaha and Razgatlıoğlu to Part Ways at End of 2023 WorldSBK Season
Toprak Razgatlioglu (54). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
The 2021 Superbike World Champion, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu, will leave the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team at the end of the 2023 season as he and Yamaha amicably end their successful four-year relationship together, with the Turkish rider seeking a new challenge for 2024.
Razgatlıoğlu’s potential on two wheels was clear from a young age. He won several national Turkish Motocross Championship titles as a child before being crowned European Superstock 600 Champion on his first attempt in 2015. Moving up to the Superbike World Championship in 2018, he became the first Turkish rider to score a podium and record a win in the class before signing with Yamaha for the 2020 season.
Razgatlıoğlu got his Yamaha career off to a stunning start, winning on his debut at Phillip Island in 2020, before taking two more convincing victories in Estoril at the end of the year on his way to fourth in the championship standings.
The 2021 season bore witness to one of the greatest title battles in WorldSBK history, with Razgatlıoğlu facing off with Jonathan Rea for the world championship crown. Ultimately, the Turkish rider reigned supreme, taking 13 victories, 29 podiums and three pole positions to lift the 2021 Superbike World Championship, ending Rea’s six-year reign as champion and securing Yamaha’s first title in the class since Ben Spies in 2009.
In 2022, the Turkish star was again locked in a fierce championship battle alongside Rea and Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista. Razgatlıoğlu missed out on a second consecutive title but ended the season with more wins (14) than in 2021, as well as 29 podiums, and four pole positions. He also became Yamaha’s most successful rider in WorldSBK history with 30 victories, surpassing the previous record held by Noriyuki Haga.
The 2023 season has seen the Turkish rider show incredible consistency and pace, with the 26-year-old currently second in the overall standings, having secured one victory and ten further podiums in the first 12 races.
However, after four seasons, one world title, 31 race wins, and 47 other appearances on the podium with Yamaha in WorldSBK, Razgatlıoğlu has decided to take on a new challenge in 2024 and will exit the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team at the end of this season. At the same time, both Yamaha and Razgatlıoğlu remain fully committed to fighting for the 2023 WorldSBK title.
Yamaha would like to thank Razgatlıoğlu for his immense contribution to Yamaha’s sporting success in WorldSBK and to take this opportunity to wish him the best of luck in his future endeavours.
Andrea Dosoli: Road Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe
“We will be sorry to see Toprak leave Yamaha at the end of this season. We wanted to continue what has been an incredibly successful partnership, with the obvious highlight being the triple crown of rider, manufacturer, and team world titles that we won together in 2021. We made what we felt was an offer that properly reflected Toprak’s value as a rider and an ambassador for Yamaha, as well as the competitiveness of our racing package and our racing strategy within the WorldSBK platform. However, as the negotiations progressed it became apparent to both parties that Toprak is motivated to embrace a new challenge in 2024 and we respect his decision. Although our paths will diverge at the end of the year, we are now fully focused on the battle for the 2023 WorldSBK title, which resumes shortly in Misano. Finally, I would like to thank Toprak on behalf of Yamaha but also personally, for his invaluable contribution to our WorldSBK project. His first World Championship title in 2021 was a just reward for him but also for all the people who, since we returned to WorldSBK in 2016, have worked so hard to make this project a success. It is a memory that everyone at Yamaha will cherish. We wish Toprak every success for the future but, for now, we have a job to finish.”
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu: Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team
“I want to say to the whole Yamaha family a very big thank you for the love and respect they have shown me. To win the world championship was my dream when I signed with Yamaha, and we reached that goal together. For next season I feel I need a new challenge and while there was an opportunity in MotoGP, I didn’t feel the same connection with the MotoGP bike that I have with the superbike. But if I am to stay in WorldSBK then I need a new target, a new ambition. I am sorry to leave Yamaha, both the brand and the people, as we have a very good relationship, but change is part of any sport and normal for any professional. So, a big thank you to Yamaha Motor Company, Yamaha Motor Europe, Yamaha Motor Turkiye, the Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team and especially to my crew, who have all worked so hard for me.”
Angel Piqueras (18) leads the start of FIM JuniorGP World Championship Race Two at Valencia. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Editorial Notes: Canadian Torin Collins, riding his AGR Team KTM, finished 20th in JuniorGP Race One and 15th in Race Two. American Max Toth, riding his MMR Kalex, DNF the sole Moto2 race. American Kristian Daniel Jr., riding his MRE Talent Honda, finished 12th in European Talent Cup Race One but DNF Race Two.
Six of the best… thrilling Round 2 for JuniorGP™ in Valencia with title twists aplenty
From rookie revelations to a new winner at long last and one of the greatest comebacks seen, Sunday delivered the goods in the 2023 Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship paddock
It was a stunning second round of the 2023 Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain. It was a mighty display with first-time winners and rookie revelations headlining throughout a packed day of action. In the JuniorGP™ class, Angel Piqueras (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) finally took victory and doubled up, whilst in the Moto2™ European Championship, honours went to Senna Agius (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team), making it three from three. In a day of domination, Maximo Quiles (Aspar Junior Team) checked out in both European Talent Cup races in emphatic fashion and Daniel Muñoz (SP57 Racing Team) took a second Stock™ European Championship win of 2023.
Angel Piqueras (18) won both FIM JuniorGP races at Valencia. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Starting with the JuniorGP™ races, it really was a master vs the apprentice feel, with Race 1 being a battle between the rookie exuberance of Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team) from a career-first pole, whilst Angel Piqueras’ seasoned experience saw him right in the mix. Championship leader Nico Carraro (Aspar Junior Team) was right in the mix too but due to exceeding track limits, was forced to take a Long Lap Penalty and the battle for fourth soon became a battle for third. Onto the last lap, Piqueras hit the front at Turn 1 and got ahead of Esteban, who couldn’t retaliate. Piqueras took a first victory of his JuniorGP™ career and thus became the 50th different winner since 2012. Esteban was second, whilst taking a hard-earned podium, Luca Lunetta (AC Racing Team) denied Jacob Roulstone (Aspar Junior Team). On the last lap at Turn 8, a collision between David Almansa (Finetwork Mir Racing Team) saw both end up in the gravel.
After a short delay to Race 2 for a technical fault, the action was back underway and for the majority of the action, it was a five-rider fight with Piqueras, Esteban, Roulstone, Carraro and Elia Bartolini (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0). A technical issue saw Esteban out in the second half of the race as he slowed up on the front straight, with a four-rider group doing battle through to the last lap. Going onto the final 4km of the race, a brave pass saw Piqueras go from third to first at Turn 11, sitting up Roulstone and Carraro ahead of him. Carraro was wide and Bartolini saw an opportunity, but collided with his fellow countryman and both crashed. Piqueras was left to double up whilst Roulstone fought through the drama for a first podium. Alvaro Carpe (STV Laglisse Racing) took a mighty third, with plenty of reason to celebrate on the podium. Eddie O’Shea (British Talent Team) was top talent team rider in sixth, whereas Carraro remounted for 12th. Piqueras is the new Championship leader heading to Jerez.
With just one race on the billing for the Moto2™ ECh, Senna Agius never looked threatened as he once again swept the field away to take a fine victory, his third of the season. In second place after a strong ride and resisting a late challenge from behind, it was a career-best result for Italian star Mattia Rato (AGR Team), who returned his team to the podium and likewise moved up in the Championship standings to second. Completing the podium after a scary start, where he got away much slower than his rivals, Carlos Tatay (Pertamina SAG Racing Team) fought back to finish third, denying Roberto Garcia what would have been a first podium in the category. Elsewhere, Harrison Voight’s (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike Racing Team) front row start wasn’t converted as he had a Long Lap Penalty to serve, then outbraked himself at Turn 8 before crashing out all together at Turn 6; he was thankfully OK. Agius remains the Championship leader with a perfect 75 points achieved.
The ETC races were absolutely electric; in Race 1, one of the greatest comebacks through the field that we’ve ever seen was accomplished, as Maximo Quiles – who was scheduled to start from pole – had to go from 25th on the grid on row nine due to riding slowly in all sectors during qualifying; he also had a Long Lap Penalty to serve. In the early laps, defending title winner Guido Pini (AC Racing Team), Alberto Ferrandez (Finetwork Mir Racing Team), standings leader Brian Uriarte (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) and Dodo Boggio (Aspar Junior Team) to name all but a few, battled it out in classic ETC fashion, but before half-race distance, it was Quiles who came on through and hit the front at Turn 1, before clearing off into the distance for a stunning first win of 2023. Casey O’Gorman (VisionTrack Racing Team) was in the mix behind, along with Jesus Rios (MRE Talent), but the latter crashed with Ferrandez and O’Gorman at the final corner on the last lap. Pini took second, whilst Rico Salmela (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) came through for P3. Quiles’ win from P25 sets a new record for a win from the lowest grid slot, a record that stood since Matteo Patacca won from P17 in Valencia, 2018.
O’Gorman was out injured in Race 2 as his luckless start to 2023 season continued; going from pole and grabbing the holeshot on his way to a dominant double, Quiles was unrivalled at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit as he made it two wins, with three podiums from the first four races of 2023. The battle was fierce behind though and it was once again a final lap showdown. After looking for P2, Pini had to serve a Long Lap Penalty in the closing stages for exceeding track limits, which saw Uriarte and Ferrandez capitalise to complete the podium. Dodo Boggio (Aspar Junior Team) took fourth, but the day belonged to Quiles, who is the standings leader leaving Valencia by five points over Uriarte.
Concluding the day of action, the Stock™ class. However, there was a red flag on Lap 2 after Daniel Brooks’ (Yamaha GV Stratos) bike expired, leaving his teammate Mihail Florov and Eric Fernandez (FAU55 TEY Racing) on the floor. After a delay as the track was cleared up, a new 12-lap race distance was set and it was a tense stand-off from Estoril winner and polesitter Daniel Muñoz and Fernandez, who remounted his bike and made the restart. Fernandez was quicker in the second half of the lap but it was a strong first half of the lap that gave Muñoz a crucial advantage in the overtaking hotspots, limiting his vulnerability to attack from behind to hold for a second win of the year. Fernandez took second, whilst Dino Iozzo (IUM Motorsports) was a strong third. Muñoz is unbeaten in 2023, thus remains the Championship leader.
You can also find all the results, videos, photos and information regarding the championship on the official website: www.fimjuniorgp.com
First lap Superbike action from Race Two Sunday at SMP with race winner Alex Dumas (23) leading over Sam Guerin (2), Jordan Szoke (101), Ben Young (1), Tomas Casas (18), Trevor Daley (9), and the rest. Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK.
Dumas dominates race two at SMP, stretches out huge title lead
Shannonville, ON – It may only be one round into the five-round Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season, but Alex Dumas cracked the series wide open on Sunday with another victory at Shannonville Motorsport Park.
It was Sam Guerin who grabbed the holeshot for a second day in a row, but Dumas was far less patient his second time following the BMW rider, taking over the lead late on the opening lap. Guerin initially managed to hang with the race one winner, but it was only a matter of time as Dumas stretched out an insurmountable lead, cruising to perhaps the most dominant victory of his GP Bikes Pro Superbike career.
The result turned out even better for the Purple Skull Brewing/Liqui Moly Suzuki team, as rival and defending champion Ben Young saw his early title hopes unravel beneath him.
After charging through to second on lap four, Young curiously sped into the pit lane, revealing a loose tail-section that the Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW mechanics had to rip off the machine. The bodywork issue left him stranded in ninth, facing an impossible comeback as Dumas torched the rest of the field.
Young would manage his way to sixth, but the damage was done as Dumas leaves Shannonville with a comfortable 23-point lead.
“It’s an awesome start to the season. Once I got some clear track, I just wanted to put my head down and stretch out a lead,” Dumas said. “It sucks what happened to Ben, but it’s good for our championship. Now we’re really looking forward to round two.”
Alex Dumas (23) stretched out a big early championship lead on Sunday, winning Race Two comfortably his Purple Skull Brewing/Liqui Moly Suzuki. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.
Salvaging BMW’s hopes was Guerin, who redeemed himself from his Saturday crash out of the lead to finish second. It was hardly a straightforward race for the EFC Group BMW rider, however, as he faded back to fourth before returning to second in an epic battle with Jordan Szoke.
The result was long-overdue for Guerin, who stepped back onto the podium for the first time since his rookie season in 2020.
“I thought yesterday was my time, but I ended up on my butt,” he joked. “It was a fun battle with Jordan – hats off to him – but it’s good to be back.”
Szoke was the real hero of the day, fighting through injuries and poor health to score his 118th career podium, and first since returning from the frightening injuries that nearly ended his career.
The LDS Consultants Kawasaki rider – who his team confirmed was close to not racing on Sunday as he recovers from a recent infection and a rare Saturday crash – could barely stand as he mounted the podium, though the 14-time champion was likely uplifted by the (very deserved) praise from the fans for his effort.
“I don’t even know what to say. I only got a few laps in this morning…I’m in a lot of pain, but it feels good to be back up here,” Szoke said. “I saw something happened to Ben, so I was aiming for a podium. It was a good battle with Sam. I thought I could get him in the esses on the last lap, but he held me off.”
Jordan Szoke (101) put his LDS Consultants Kawasaki back on the podium Sunday for the first time since his career-altering injuries in 2022. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.
Finishing fourth was Trevor Daley, mounting a late comeback on the OneSpeed Suzuki machine as he began to reel in the battle for the final podium places. Daley’s effort was also crucial for Suzuki given the issues for Young, as he helps put the 2021 champions 16 points clear of the reigning winners entering round two.
Completing the top-five was Tomas Casas, who ran as high as third after finishing there on Saturday before arm pump issues relegated him behind the quicker Daley. Still, the pair of top-five finishes will place the Parts Canada Yamaha rider third overall in the championship, the highest he’s ever ranked in his GP Bikes Pro Superbike career.
Young’s comeback to sixth would at least earn him the FAST Riding School Hard Charger Award and a $500 prize, though he was understandably frustrated as he leaves round one with just 34 of a possible 58 points.
“Unfortunately, on the first lap the tail-section came loose, but it was okay for three or four laps so I thought it might be okay,” Young said. “After that it just got too sketchy, and I didn’t want it to affect anyone behind me. I tried to make the gentleman move and just rip it off, but obviously it limited us quite a bit – but the season’s far from over.”
Just behind Young was lBEW BMW’s Jordan Royds, who broke free of a battle with fellow BMW-mounted rider Philip Leckie on the SCM/TanIans machine, the pair finishing seventh and eighth in the final order to put four BMW’s in that group.
Alberta’s Paul Macdonell was the top rookie in ninth, putting his Acme Motorsports Yamaha atop the Brooklin Cycle Racing Pro Rookie of the Year standings and keeping Yamaha ahead of Kawasaki for third in the Constructors Standings.
Full results can be found on the series’ official website.
More, from a press release issued by Ben Young Racing:
The opening round of the Canadian Superbike Championship was a bumpy ride for reigning champion Ben Young in more ways than one. A mixed bag of results after a challenging weekend saw Young leave Shannonville Motorsports Park with points for pole position, a second place, and a hard-fought 6th place finish after being forced to detour through the pit lane to remove a broken tail seat.
After setting a blistering pace during the Superpole session on Friday, Young was poised for a successful weekend. Aboard his Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW M1, Young put in a time of 1:04.749 which no one could come near.
A very rainy Saturday ushered in the first race of the season. Young didn’t feel overly comfortable given the conditions of the rain-soaked track. It’s a long season, and he played a smart race by cruising to a solid 2nd place, gaining valuable championship points.
Ben Young (1). Photo by Damian Pereira, courtesy Ben Young Racing.
A sunnier, albeit cool Sunday started off well for Young who would lead the morning’s practice session, feeling very at home on the BMW M1. After a poor start to race two, Young found himself in 5th position. On the first lap, the fiberglass seat under him collapsed. He fought back to 2nd position, but the seat was completely broken and was unsafe for himself and other riders. He was forced to detour into pit lane, where the team tore the seat off and Young rejoined the race in a distant 9th position. After an extremely uncomfortable ride perched atop the subframe and bike battery, Young still managed to fight back to 6th position.
Of the weekend Young said: “Obviously the weekend didn’t go how we’d planned. The 6th position isn’t ideal for the championship, but it’s better than no points. It’s a long season ahead and hopefully, that’s all the bad luck out the way”.
The next race will be held at Grand Bend Motorplex, Lake Huron, ON on June 8th-11th.
Young’s partners for his 2022 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season include; BMW Motorrad Canada, Van Dolder’s Home Team, Scot-build Developments Inc, Parts Canada, HJC Helmets, Alpinestars, Hindle Exhaust, Clearlite, Primitive Patterns, DP Brakes, alphaRacing, Vass Performance Cycle, Cartier Racing and Bickle Racing.
To keep up-to-date on Ben Young throughout the year visit; www.BenYoungRacing.com, www.facebook.com/BenYoungRacing and on Twitter and Instagram: @benyoung_86.
Two-time and defending Champion Jake Gagne rode his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha to victory in MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham, Alabama. Gagne led from start to finish and won the 20-lap race by 2.935 seconds. It was his third straight win.
Mathew Scholtz and Cameron Beaubier raced for second place most of the way, and Westby Racing Yamaha’s Scholtz was able to hold off Beaubier and his Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW by 0.161 second at the finish line.
Richie Escalante finished fourth, 5.7 seconds behind Beaubier, on his Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R1000R.
Beaubier’s teammate PJ Jacobsen passed Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC’s Josh Herrin with seven laps to go to secure fifth place.
Gagne Perfect With Doubleheader Sweep Of Medallia Superbike Races At Barber
Two Races, Two Wins For Jake Gagne In Alabama
Jake Gagne (1) leads Cameron Petersen (45) into Turn Five on the opening lap of the Medallia Superbike race. Petersen would crash seconds later and Gagne would race away to victory on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
BIRMINGHAM, AL (May 21, 2023) – Other than surviving one of the scariest moments of his racing career midway through the Medallia Superbike race at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday, Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne had the perfect weekend in Alabama. The two-time defending Medallia Superbike Champion started from pole position and led every lap en route to a clean sweep of the two races.
Sunday’s victory was Gagne’s third in a row, and it increased his lead in the championship to 24 points over Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier, 95-71. The win was also the 32nd AMA Superbike victory for Gagne and it moved him into a tie for fourth overall with Miguel Duhamel and Toni Elias on the all-time AMA Superbike win list.
Gagne’s only scare was when he lost control of his Yamaha YZF-R1, ran on to the grass and dirt on the inside of turn three, somehow saved it and carried on to win the 20-lap race by 2.9 seconds.
“It could have been bad. I got lucky,” Gagne said of his near crash after the race.
Other than that, Gagne’s 32nd win was like the other 31. Get a great start and don’t let anyone else get near you, much less past you.
Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz was second on his Yamaha YZF-R1 with the South African getting the better of Beaubier after a near race-long battle for the position. Their race came down to a last-lap brawl with the pair crossing the finish line just .161 of a second apart and almost hitting as Scholtz unknowingly swerved into Beaubier’s path.
Beaubier, who was fourth on Saturday with the harder-compound Dunlop R5s, switched to the softer R3 Dunlop for race two on Sunday and it paid dividends as he was a fighting third.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante had his best Superbike weekend to date, and he ended it in style with an impressive fourth-place finish on Sunday. Escalante was 5.7 seconds behind Beaubier and some six seconds clear of fifth-placed PJ Jacobsen with the New Yorker getting the better of Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Josh Herrin, who struggled with tire-wear woes.
With Herrin sixth, seventh went to Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Corey Alexander, who was less than a second ahead of Aftercare Scheibe Racing’s Ashton Yates.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Toni Elias was ninth with Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim rounding out the top 10.
The most notable of the non-finishers was Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen with the South African crashing out of second on the opening lap while trying to keep pace with Gagne.
Superbike Race 2
Jake Gagne (Yamaha)
Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha)
Cameron Beaubier (BMW)
Richie Escalante (Suzuki)
PJ Jacobsen (BMW)
Josh Herrin (Ducati)
Corey Alexander (BMW)
Ashton Yates (BMW)
Toni Elias (Suzuki)
Hayden Gillim (Suzuki)
Superbike Quotes Jake Gagne – Winner
“I got off to another good start. There was some chaos on the grid. I pulled up to the grid last and I got off to a sweet start, luckily. I heard Cam (Petersen) went down in five. I was surprised on my gap. Even on the first lap I think I had a half second on my board, or something. So, I think that kind of gave me that little bit of a separation in the beginning. Put my head down. I was surprised to see 22.4 (a 1:22.4 lap), honestly. Really surprised. So, those first couple laps gave me a good break. We made some improvements on the bike. It was a little easier for me to ride. It was turning a little better than it was yesterday. But I think halfway through out of turn two, I had a moment that I haven’t had in years. Totally sideways, almost highsided. Ran off the inside grass, up over the curb, into the grass up over turn three. It was gnarly. I don’t even know. I think I only lost like a second somehow. I was expecting to lose a lot more than that. So, I got really lucky that I even kept it. After that, I’m like, I got to bring this thing home. I know these guys could – I had enough of a gap, they could reel me in a bit. I just needed to bring it home. Good weekend. This is obviously a track that really, really suits the Yamaha. So, I wanted to come in here and take advantage of that. Next up, Road America. I think all these boys are going to be in the hunt. It’s not going to be easy to get a win there, but we’ll just keep doing our job. Again, hats off to the team. I’m glad we got two dry races in here, because the weather was looking kind of gnarly. Good weekend.”
Mathew Scholtz – Second Place
“I think I pulled a little bit of a gap and Cameron (Beaubier) closed me down. I kind of knew from I think maybe lap six or seven that Cam had a couple tenths on me. So, I didn’t really try to push as hard as I could on the limits and use too much tire. Once he passed me, I just made sure I made a couple good laps down that he didn’t pull a gap. There were a couple sectors on the track that he was definitely quicker, a couple sectors I was a little bit faster. On the final lap, I knew Charlotte’s Web was one of the main points that you could pass someone, so I went in there really, really deep. Then ruined the drive coming out. Cameron got up next to me going into corner seven. I brake-passed him there and it was a pretty hard pass. So, I kind of thought that I had a couple bike lengths and going into the final corner I tried to focus on driving out hard. Pushed the front and I just kind of had to close the line a little bit, because I know Cameron was obviously right there and driving off the corner well. Obviously, I don’t mean to try to cut somebody off, but I’m just happy to be sitting up here in second place. Obviously watching Cam ride Moto2 for the last two years, it feels awesome to be up here battling with him. So, well done to Jake (Gagne). He spanked us one more time. Hopefully ,in two weeks’ time we can give him something.”
Cameron Beaubier – Third Place
“This morning I was super happy with how I was riding. I was super happy with the step we made this morning. We made a couple tweaks to the bike overnight and threw the soft tire in. I’ve been struggling pretty much ever since I got on this bike to make a good time on the soft tire. I think part of it is I’m just not trusting the TC, I’m not trusting the bike. I felt just really good first from as soon as I rode out of pit lane. I was just trusting the thing. I was really riding the bike. I felt like I made a good step this morning on it. So, we just decided to race on the R3 soft rear, and it was a lot better than yesterday. I had really good grip there at the beginning. I just got stuck behind Josh (Herrin). He was really good on the brakes. Obviously, the Ducati has some speed on the straight. So, that was a little tough, but I put my head down after I was able to get by him and was able to reel in Matty (Scholtz). Matty had a really good pace going, and so did I at the beginning. I saw low 23s for a while on my dash. I was able to pass Matty and just kept my head down. Then I started running into tire problems. Even my front was pushing around. The rear was coming around here and there. Then I just kind of lost my roll speed around the track. Ended up almost losing it down into five, into Charlotte’s Web. Matty got by. I just tried to do everything I could to stick on Matty’s wheel because he had a really good pace going. He was high 23s, low 24s. I tried to do something with him on the last lap. Like I said, I was struggling just to hang there. I came into the last lap. I was going to try to line him up going into Charlotte’s Web. I wasn’t close enough. Then he pushed the front in the last corner, and I snuck up the inside of him. I thought I was going to beat him to the line, but he got me with a sneaky little swerve. I don’t think he realized I was as close as I was. Hats off to him. He was riding so good. Obviously, Jake (Gagne) rode incredible all weekend. It’s going to be tough to close the gap to that guy, but just happy to get out of here with a podium and move on with the season.”
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Mathew Scholtz Is Runner-Up In MotoAmerica Superbike Race Two At Barber Motorsports Park
Mathew Scholtz (11) held off Cameron Beaubier (6) to take second in Race Two. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Birmingham, AL – May 21, 2023 – On Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, Mathew Scholtz, rider of the #11 Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike, showed once again, that he is a world-class rider. He finished second in the weekend’s race after a nearly race-long battle with five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and former Moto2 World Championship contender Cameron Beaubier.
Taking his grid position on the front row, Mathew got off to a much better start than in Saturday’s race, and that enabled him to set and maintain a good pace, which kept him closer to the front.
He was pursued by Beaubier in third, who did manage to overtake Mathew for second place as the laps wound down. Undaunted by the move, however, Mathew put his head down and retook the position. Beaubier made one more attempt to overtake Mathew on the final run to the checkered flag, but a defensive move by Mathew to break Beaubier’s draft thwarted his effort and ensured Mathew’s runner-up finish while fellow Yamaha rider Jake Gagne took the win.
“I think I pulled a little bit of a gap and Cameron (Beaubier) closed me down,” Mathew said. “I kind of knew from, I think, maybe lap six or seven, that Cam had a couple tenths on me. So, I didn’t really try to push as hard as I could on the limits and use too much tire. Once he passed me, I just made sure I made a couple good laps and that he didn’t pull a gap. There were a couple of sectors on the track where he was definitely quicker, and a couple sectors where I was a little bit faster. On the final lap, I knew ‘Charlotte’s Web’ was one of the main points that you could pass someone, so I went in there really, really deep. Then, I ruined the drive coming out. Cameron got up next to me going into corner seven. I brake-passed him there, and it was a pretty hard pass. So, I kind of thought that I had a couple bike lengths on him.
“Going into the final corner, I tried to focus on driving out hard. I pushed the front, and I just kind of had to close the line a little bit, because I knew Cameron was right there and driving off the corner well. Obviously, I don’t mean to try to cut somebody off, but I’m just happy to be sitting up here in second place. After watching Cam ride in Moto2 for the past two years, it feels awesome to be up here battling with him. Well-done to Jake. He spanked us one more time. Hopefully, in two weeks’ time, we can give him something.”
The Westby Racing team will be back in action on June 3 through 5 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, for round three of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
MotoAmerica Superbike Standings
1. Jake Gagne – Yamaha – 95
2. Cameron Beaubier – BMW – 71
3. Mathew Scholtz – Yamaha – 59
4. Cameron Petersen – Yamaha – 53
5. Josh Herrin – Ducati – 49
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit http://www.WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Forés Wins MotoAmerica Supersport “Extended” Race as Herrin Battles on in Alabama
Sunnyvale, Calif., May 21, 2023 — The second round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama saw the two Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC protagonists fighting at the front of their respective fields. However, Xavi Forés was particularly impressive in the first-ever MotoAmerica Supersport “Extended” race.
The Spanish ace made it look easy on the #12 Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V2, dealing with multiple red flags better than the chasing pack and leading into the mandatory pit stop.
Forés emerged at half race distance in the lead ahead of Kawasaki’s Stefano Mesa, a position he would not relinquish as he took the third straight checkered flag of his MotoAmerica Supersport campaign. Forés, thanks to this “Extended” race being a double-points event, now holds a thoroughly commanding 27-point lead in the championship over Mesa with Yamaha’s Josh Hayes 46 points in arrears in third.
Xavi Fores (12) leads the “extended” Supersport race in tricky conditions Saturday at Barber. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Herrin’s weekend in the Heart of Dixie state saw the 2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion take a pair of sixth place finishes aboard the factory Ducati Panigale V4 R. Citing continual tire issues that plagued the majority of the Superbike grid, Herrin showed his mettle and refused to give in, his 20-point haul for the weekend cementing him in fifth place so far in the championship on 49 points.
2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Standings After Round Two
P1 – Jake Gagne (Yamaha) 95
P2 – Cameron Beaubier (BMW) 71
P3 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 59
P4 – Cameron Petersen (Yamaha) 53
P5 – Josh Herrin (Ducati) 49
2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Standings After Round Two
P1 – Xavi Forés (Ducati) 100
P2 – Stefano Mesa (Kawasaki) 73
P3 – Josh Hayes (Yamaha) 54
P4 – Tyler Scott (Suzuki) 53
P5 – Michael Gilbert (Suzuki) 48
Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC– #12)
“It was a really tricky race, but a good one for us!” Forés said. “There were a couple of red flags but we managed the pit stops well, as well as choosing the tires correctly. In the end, we used our experience to win the race. Now we have a 27-point lead in the championship and we’re looking forward to Road America which looks like it’ll be a great track for the Ducati Panigale V2.”
Josh Herrin (2). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC– #2)
“This weekend was tough,” Herrin said after race two. “We knew we might struggle here but we battled the tires more than anything. Everyone had issues with the tires but we just couldn’t find the right set-up to make the tires work as they should. It was frustrating, for sure, but we kept it on two wheels and took a pair of sixth places, got some valuable points. We’ll take the positives and move on to Road America.”
Round Three of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport Championship will take place at the iconic Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, over the June 2-4 weekend.
Kyle Ryde won Bennetts British Superbike Race Three Sunday at Donington Park, in England. Riding his LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha, Ryde won the 20-lap race by 1.397 seconds over Tommy Bridewell and his BeerMonster Ducati Panigale V4 R. Bridewell’s teammate Glenn Irwin finished a close third.
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
O’Halloran becomes fifth different victor of 2023 as Ryde rebounds to win race three
Jason O’Halloran (22) won Race Two. Photo courtesy MSVR.
Jason O’Halloran ended his recent run of torrid fortunes by claiming his first victory in the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship to become the fifth different race winner of the season, following a sensational second race at Donington Park.
However, in the final race at the third round, Kyle Ryde rebounded from a race two crash to become the first rider to claim a double victory on a weekend where seven different riders celebrated podium success. Ten points now separate the leading five riders in the standings ahead of Knockhill (June 16/17/18).
Ryde had taken the spoils in yesterday’s BikeSocial Sprint Race and again he launched off the line with an incredible start from the front row with Leon Haslam and O’Halloran in close contention.
A sensational race ensued and whilst Ryde held the advantage, behind him Haslam and O’Halloran were trading blows for second place as Tommy Bridewell was also soon in the lead group pushing for the podium finishes.
In the battle for the win, Ryde was still leading the pack, but he couldn’t bridge the advantage and behind him, Haslam, Bridewell and O’Halloran were continuously swapping positions in their quest for the top three.
It was heartbreak for Ryde though when he crashed out of the lead on lap 12 and with debris from the stricken LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha, the BMW Safety Car was deployed as the Herock Racesafe Marshals cleared the crash damage.
There was then just five laps left to decide the winner when the race resumed and it became a six-way battle initially as Haslam instantly made a move on Bridewell, but O’Halloran made a pass too and that eased the lone BeerMonster Ducati into third. His teammate Glenn Irwin had crashed out at Redgate unhurt.
O’Halloran hit the front of the pack, but Haslam instantly fought back to regain the position, but into Redgate on lap 16 Bridewell made a decisive pass to snatch the advantage with O’Halloran still holding third place. Josh Brookes though had also joined the battle at the front following the BMW Safety Car period.
Bridewell was leading with three laps remaining ahead of O’Halloran and Haslam, but the ROKiT BMW Motorrad rider was back into second place with a move at Redgate, only for his McAMS Yamaha rival to regain the advantage at McLeans.
O’Halloran held the lead, but behind Bridewell was forced to retire the BeerMonster Ducati, relinquishing his lead in the standings. Meanwhile, Ryan Vickers then put himself firmly in the podium fight and was up to second place ahead of Haslam and Brookes.
O’Halloran had the edge at the chequered flag to return to winning ways, just ahead of Vickers who celebrated an emotional debut podium in Bennetts BSB with Brookes completing the podium to move into the championship lead.
In the final race, Ryde again got a fantastic start to lead the pack ahead of his teammate Vickers and Bridewell. The BeerMonster Ducati rider was soon into second place, but Haslam was moving up the order too over the opening laps and he was soon into fourth.
On the same lap, Andrew Irwin’s difficult weekend came to a premature end when he crashed out with Storm Stacey at the Melbourne Loop. Andrew Irwin was penalised with three penalty points and a drop of three grid positions for his next race, following the incident.
Ryde was holding the advantage at the front but Bridewell continued to pile on the pressure and the pair eased out an advantage, but over the final two laps, the home contender had the edge to take his third win of the season.
Bridewell’s second place fired him back ahead in the championship standings, but only by three points as his teammate Glenn Irwin carved his way through the pack from eleventh on the grid to finish third and hold second in the title fight ahead of Knockhill.
Vickers continued his strong weekend with a fourth place finish as he led the next on track pack ahead of a Christian Iddon, who overcame illness to take his best result of the season with fifth for the Oxford Products Racing Ducati team.
Haslam scored the most points across the Oulton Park and Donington Park events to be crowned the winner of the Milwaukee Spring Grand Slam trophy.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 2 result:
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha)
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.347s
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +1.797s
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) +2.517s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +3.927s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing) +5.690s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +6.564s
Tom Neave (Honda Racing UK) +7.408s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +7.790s
Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) +8.153s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Donington Park, Race 3 result:
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha)
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) +1.397s
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +3.588s
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +3.690s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +4.999s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +5.137s
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +5.581s
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) +9.123s
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing) +9.374s
Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW Motorrad) +11.351s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 119
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 116
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 114
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) 110
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 109
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 70
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 70
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 50
Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) 50
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 49
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Jason O’Halloran
McAMS Yamaha
“I’m really chuffed to get our first win of the year, it’s obviously been a bit of a rollercoaster these first three rounds but we know we’ve had the speed, we’ve just had to put it together.
“I settled into the race really well, the safety car came out and then we made the most of the last four or five laps and managed to get our first win of the year.
“I’m disappointed with the last race, I felt like we had good speed and the bike felt good but we had an overheating issue which hurt our straight line speed. I’m sure the guys will get on top of that and fix it for the next one.
“All in all a positive weekend, three finishes, competitive throughout and our first win of the year.”
Kyle Ryde
LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha
“Every track we have been on the podium so far this year and that was my aim but I think Knockhill will be tough!
“It’s been a great weekend in front of the home fans at my favourite track and obviously the weather’s been great to us. Hopefully everyone’s enjoyed the racing this weekend!
“The crash in race two, I didn’t do anything different. I just had a little crash at turn one. Unfortunately, the bike went end over end and clattered me in the knee so I had a big ice pack on it between the races.
“This track I always have gone well around and I have done what I wanted to do this weekend. I had one tip off and two wins, so I am proud with this weekend.”
“I am sure after 25-minutes home I will celebrate this weekend with my grandad and a beer!”
Belgian rider Levi Badie broke through to take his maiden victory in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race Two Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Hayden Bicknese led out of the last corner, but Badie was able to get a better drive with his Badie Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400 and beat Bicknese to the checkered flag in a photo finish.
Bicknese was not happy to finish second on his Bicknese Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400.
Championship point leader Avery Dreher’s three-race win streak ended with him taking third on his Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki.
Support Class Title Chases Tighten Up At Barber Motorsports Park
Just Two Points Separate Three Riders In REV’IT! Twins Cup
Rocco Landers (97) leads teammate Gus Rodio (96) and Kayla Yaakov (131) in the REV’IT! Twins Cup race on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
BIRMINGHAM, AL (May 21, 2023) – You won’t find a MotoAmerica Championship more closely fought than the one for the REV’IT! Twins Cup title after Sunday’s eventful race at Barber Motorsports Park.
How’s this for close? Defending REV’IT! Twins Cup Champion Blake Davis leads Gus Rodio and Hayden Schultz by just two points after three rounds and six races. And despite not taking part in the two races at Daytona and DNFing the first race at Road Atlanta, Rocco Landers is lurking in fourth just 12 points behind.
Three straight wins will do that for you.
Landers won both races in Alabama and those two wins, combined with two non-finishes by former runaway championship leader Gus Rodio, have flipped the championship upside down.
REV’IT! Twins Cup race two kicked off the feature events on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, and Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia rider Landers completed a perfect weekend where he earned the pole, won race one and was also victorious in race two. Landers’ teammate Rodio didn’t fare as well, unfortunately. He had the points lead coming into the weekend, but a crash in each of the two races moved him down to second in the standings where he is tied with Schultz.
Davis finished second in Sunday’s race aboard his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha and took over first place in the standings by two points over Rodio. The WagBar MP13 Racing’s Kayla Yaakov got her second podium finish in as many days with a third-place finish on Sunday to go with her second-place finish on Saturday. Yaakov missed the Daytona and Road Atlanta rounds of the REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship due to injury, but she came back strong at Barber Motorsports Park in her debut weekend in the class.
“Somehow, I’m like 12 points back now, Landers said. “It’s wild. We missed the first round and then we had a DNF in Atlanta, which was infuriating. I couldn’t give it up to my whole Robem Engineering Rodio Racing team enough, my mechanic Chad works so hard to make the bike perfect for me. Matt Spicer is helping me out so much, Robem. The whole Rodio family. Such a bummer to see that happen to Gus (Rodio). Always nice to get a team one-two, and for Aprilia, as well. Maybe I could talk them into letting me finish the season off for him, because we’re getting kind of close in the championship. It would be nice. But it was a good race, though. I enjoyed it.”
Junior Cup – Badie’s First
In the Junior Cup Championship, Sunday’s race one saw a Belgian rider take the checkered flag for the first time in MotoAmerica history. Badie Racing’s Levi Badie came from behind during the race to beat out Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese by only three milliseconds. Bad Boys Racing’s Avery Dreher, who won Saturday’s race one, had his winning streak snapped at three victories when he finished third on Sunday.
Levi Badie (71) won his first career MotoAmerica Junior Cup race with a .003 of a second victory over Hayden Bicknese (69) on Sunday. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
“I didn’t think I was going to win,” Badie said. “But I saw him (Bicknese) struggling in the last corner. I saw him held in the limiter, or something. So, I was like, ‘Okay, now is the chance. Go full tucked in and just go for it. If it’s second, it’s second.’ I was happy for both of the places. I didn’t think, but I’m first so I’m happy.”
Stock 1000 – Gillim’s Double
Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim had a horrible opening round to the Steel Commander Stock 1000 Championship at Road Atlanta, but he turned that into a distant memory with his second victory of the weekend at Barber Motorsports Park on Sunday.
Hayden Gillim (69) sprinted away from the pursuing pack to win the Steel Commander Stock 1000 class for the second straight day at Barber Motorsports Park. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
Gillim’s efforts were rewarded as he gained 14 points on championship leader Ezra Beaubier, with the Orange Cat Racing-backed Californian finishing third on Sunday behind Gillim and his teammate Kaleb De Keyrel.
Beaubier now leads Gillim and De Keyrel, who are tied for second, by 26 points, 86-60, with Taylor Knapp Racing’s Taylor Knapp (fourth today) fourth with 50 points and Travis Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman (DNF today) fifth with 46 points.
“I tried. Ezra (Beaubier) didn’t make that happen very easy. It was good. He got a good start. I was hoping he would be kind of a little easy in turn one again today, and he drove it off in there. It was a good race. It was fun those first couple laps. There were a couple spots I knew where if I could get a little bit of a gap, I didn’t think he could get up next to me and try any out-braking maneuvers. I just put my head down and tried to go. I knew I had really good pace and I knew I could kind of hold it pretty easy. I just pushed and pushed and went and started opening up the gap a little bit. This was a good weekend. I needed this weekend. Atlanta was a pretty big shock to my confidence and everything. I didn’t know if it was me or the bikes. I didn’t know what was going on. So being able to come out here and do this, I knew this track was going to be good for us. It was a great weekend. I’m happy to get up here twice for the team, for myself, and bring home the big trophy.”
Rocco Landers rode his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660 to another victory in MotoAmerica REV’IT! Twins Cup Race Two on Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park. Not only was it Landers’ second win of the weekend, it was his third straight win on the season.
Defending Champion Blake Davis came from behind to score second place on his N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7. Davis passed The Wagbar MP13 Racing Yamaha’s Kayla Yaakov on lap seven, but Yaakov challenged Davis to end before having to settle for a very close third.
The race for the lead also involved Landers’ teammate Gus Rodio and Team Iso Yamaha’s Dominic Doyle, but Doyle made contact with Rodio during a pass attempt late in the race and both crashed. Both riders were seen walking away from the incident.
Hayden Gillim completed a sweep of the weekend by winning MotoAmerica Steel Commander Race Two Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Unlike in Race One, when he led from the start lights to the checkered flag, Gillim had to fend off Ezra Beaubier for two laps before he could break free. Once in front, Gillim pulled away on his Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000R to win the 14-lap race by over five seconds.
Kaleb De Keyrel passed his Orange Cat Racing BMW teammate Beaubier on the final lap to steal the runner-up spot, while Beaubier had to settle for third and a podium-perfect start to his 2023 season.
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Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
April 21, 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
