Japanese Manufacturers Collaborating On Hydrogen-Fueled Engines

David Swarts

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May 17, 2023

Japanese Manufacturers Collaborating On Hydrogen-Fueled Engines

Ministerial Approval Granted to Form Research Body “HySE” for Development of Hydrogen Small Mobility Engines to Help Build Decarbonized Society

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Yamaha Motor”), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Honda”), Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. (hereinafter “Kawasaki Motors”) and Suzuki Motor Corporation (hereinafter “Suzuki”) jointly announced today that they have received approval from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to form a technological research association called HySE (Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology) for developing hydrogen-powered engines for small mobility.*

To realize a decarbonized society, a multi-pathway strategy to address various issues in the mobility sector is necessary, rather than focusing on a single energy source. Against this backdrop, research and development targeted at commercialization of mobility with engines powered by hydrogen－deemed a next-generation energy source－is gaining momentum.

However, the use of hydrogen poses technical challenges, including fast flame speed and a large region of ignition, which often result in unstable combustion, and the limited fuel tank capacity in case of use in small mobility vehicles. In addressing these issues, the members of HySE are committed to conducting fundamental research, capitalizing on their wealth of expertise and technologies in developing gasoline-powered engines, and aim to work together with the joint mission of establishing a design standard for small mobility’s hydrogen-powered engine, and of advancing the fundamental research endeavors in this area.

The members of HySE will continue to deepen their collaborative relations in order to provide a variety of small mobility options to users and meet their diverse needs, thereby contributing to the realization of a decarbonized society.

Kenji Komatsu, Chairman nominee of HySE and Executive Officer of Technical Research & Development Center, Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd., comments, “We are extremely pleased to announce the planned formation of the association. There are many challenges in the development of hydrogen-powered engines, but we hope to see the association’s activities advance the fundamental research in order to meet those challenges. We are committed to this endeavor with a sense of mission to preserve the use of internal combustion engines, which epitomize the long-time efforts that our predecessors have invested.”

Main research and development areas, and the role of each company:

Research on hydrogen-powered engines

Research on the model-based development of hydrogen-powered engines (Honda)
Element study on functionality, performance, and reliability of the hydrogen-powered engines (Suzuki)

Hands-on research using real hydrogen-powered engines on their functionality, performance, and reliability (Yamaha Motor, Kawasaki Motors)

Study on hydrogen refueling system

Studying the requirements for a hydrogen refueling system and hydrogen tanks for small mobility (Yamaha)

Study on fuel supply system

Studying the auxiliary equipment required for a fuel supply system and tanks, and the equipment installed between the fuel tank and the injector (Kawasaki Motors)

In addition to the full members (the four aforementioned motorcycle manufacturers), Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (hereinafter “Kawasaki Heavy Industries”) and Toyota Motor Corporation (hereinafter “Toyota”) support the association as special members. Kawasaki Heavy Industries, being one of the main organizers of the “CO2-free Hydrogen Energy Supply-chain Technology Research Association” (hereinafter “HySTRA”), will drive forward HySE’s activities, based on the knowledge gained from its activities for HySTRA. Toyota, on the other hand, will assume the role of leveraging HySE’s research results to the maximum benefit for the development of hydrogen-powered engines, utilizing its know-how on experiments, analyses, and the designing of large hydrogen-fueled power units for four-wheel vehicles.

*Small mobility: motorcycles, Japan-originated mini-vehicles, small marine vessels, construction equipment, drones, etc.

American Matsudaira On The Moto4 Podium At Valencia

David Swarts

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May 17, 2023

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American Matsudaira On The Moto4 Podium At Valencia

American Kensei Matsudaira Masters Mixed Conditions to Take Podium in Valencia, Spain for ESBK Moto4 Championship Round 3

On Saturday [May 13], 12-year-old American Kensei Matsudaira scored a second-place finish at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, his first official podium in the RFME ESBK (Campeonato de España de Superbike) Moto4 Championship.

Starting from 10th on the grid, Kensei worked his way forward as rain started falling on the second lap. Even as the rain grew stronger and other riders crashed out, by lap five Kensei had moved into third position and began closing in on the lead rider. By lap eight, Kensei had moved into second position and closed the gap to the top from over six seconds to just two seconds, but the race was red-flagged after the eighth lap due to worsening weather conditions and the race was called, securing Kensei’s second place finish in the race.

Sunday saw clear skies and for Race Two, Kensei started from second on the grid. During the opening two laps he was pushed down the order to 10th position, losing touch with the top group but from there he mounted a strong comeback, breaking free from the second group in the final two laps and catching the top group, setting the fastest Moto4 lap time of the entire weekend and crossing the finish line in seventh, just 0.5 seconds behind the winner.

“I’m super happy to get my first official podium in the ESBK Moto4 championship, and to do it at me and my team’s home race was extra special,” Kensei said, after the first race. After the race on Sunday he added, “It was a bittersweet end to my race weekend in Valencia. I’m glad I was able to have a strong pace finally, but I can’t be happy with the result knowing I could have fought at the very front if I had managed the first laps better. Learning and improving every step of the way though, I will return stronger at the next round in Estoril!”

Round 4 of the RFME ESBK championship will be held at Circuito Estoril in Portugal on June 10-11, 2023.

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

Results - ESBK Moto4 Round 3 Valencia

MotoAmerica: First “Extended” Supersport Race Scheduled At Barber

David Swarts

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May 17, 2023

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MotoAmerica: First “Extended” Supersport Race Scheduled At Barber

Bring On Barber And The First Extended Supersport Race

Supersport Goes Long, And Fores, Beaubier And Dreher Try To Stay Perfect As MotoAmerica Invades Barber Motorsports Park For Round Two

IRVINE, CA (May 17, 2023) – MotoAmerica’s Supersport class will feature an “extended” race (and pit stops) for the first time this coming weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, May 19-21, while the riders atop the championship point standings in all the classes after the Road Atlanta round are hoping for status quo. For three of them, that means sweeping to victories for a second time on the season. For the other, it means keeping a four-race podium streak and large points lead intact.

Supersport – It’s “Extended” Race Time

Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores showed that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the Supersport class as he won both races in his series debut at Road Atlanta on the ex-Josh Herrin championship-winning Panigale V2.

With the first taste of MotoAmerica racing under his belt, Fores and the rest of the Supersport gang get to try something completely new at Barber Motorsports Park as the first “extended” Supersport race (and mandatory pit stop) is scheduled for 37 laps around the 2.266-mile track.

That new twist will test not just the rider and his/her team, but will make things interesting in a class that already garnered lots of interest based on the opening round at Road Atlanta.

Fores, and his 17-point lead after a perfect weekend in Georgia, will make his debut at Barber and it’s a track his competition knows well. The Spaniard also has an impressive World Endurance racing resume, so the length of the races and the pit stops won’t unnerve him. At the top of the list of those out to gain ground on Fores in the title chase are the two men who are tied for second after their fourth/second place and second/fourth place finishes in the two races at Road Atlanta – Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa and Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott.

Fourth in the title chase, and just a point behind Mesa and Scott, is four-time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes and his Squid Hunter Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Hayes had two third-place finishes in the opening round as he continues to hunt down that elusive 87th victory that will move him out of a tie with Miguel Duhamel to the top of AMA’s all-time win list across all classes.

Michael Gilbert Racing’s Michael Gilbert sits fifth in the title chase heading to Alabama after carding a pair of fifth-place finishes.

REV’IT! Twins Cup – Rodio Rages On

Although there have been four different winners in the four REV’IT! Twins Cup races thus far in 2023, only one rider has been on the podium in all four races. That rider is Gus Rodio and the result of those four successive podiums is a 26-point lead in the championship as the series heads to Barber Motorsports Park for round three.

Rodio and his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660 have proven to be the best of the field thus far with a tightly knit group giving chase. The best of the rest so far has been Cycle Tech’s Hayden Schultz, who ironically isn’t one of the four winners. Still, he’s the closest to Rodio in the title chase, but 26 points behind.

Just three points behind Schultz is defending REV’IT! Twins Cup Champion Blake Davis with the N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto rider winning race one at Road Atlanta but only mustering up an 11th place finish in race two to mar his points tally. Davis was fourth in both races at Daytona.

Next up is Daytona race two winner Stefano Mesa with the Floridian filling in admirably for the injured Kayla Yaakov on The WagBar MP13 Racing Team. Mesa is seven points behind Davis and is tied for fourth with Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing’s Jackson Blackmon. Blackmon’s Road Atlanta outing was marred by a non-start in race two due to an electrical problem.

Steel Commander Stock 1000 – More Than One Beaubier

If you would have asked 10 people to pick the Steel Commander Stock 1000 Championship points leader after the opening round at Road Atlanta, there probably wouldn’t have been many choosing Ezra Beaubier. And who could blame them as the youngest of the Beaubier brothers had never finished better than fifth in any MotoAmerica class.

Orange Cat Racing’s Beaubier was red hot at Road Atlanta on his BMW M 1000 RR with two convincing victories over Travis Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman in race one and the retiring Geoff May in race two. And the Californian, who will reside in Chicago during the season, arrives in Alabama with a nice little 14-point lead over May and a 17-point margin over Wyman.

Taylor Knapp Racing’s Taylor Knapp notched fifth- and third-place finishes that will likely ensure the Dunlop test rider’s full season in the championship as he sits fourth in the title chase, six behind Wyman and three clear of Beaubier’s teammate Kaleb DeKeyrel. DeKeyrel’s move from the REV’IT! Twins Cup class to Stock 1000 looks to be seamless as only a final-corner mistake cost him second place in race two at Road Atlanta. Still, fourth and fifth in the two races was a solid debut for the Minnesotan.

One of the preseason favorites in the Steel Commander Stock 1000 series, Hayden Gillim, had a wretched beginning to his 2023 campaign on the Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 as a non-finish in race one and a sixth in race two left him with just 10 points to show for his efforts. He is 40 points behind Beaubier heading to Barber, but there’s plenty of racing left and Gillim likely has his worst race behind him.

Round two will also mark the debut in the class of the Steel Commander Racing Team’s Gabriel Da Silva, the Floridian who won the Supersport series finale at Barber back in 2021 but didn’t compete in 2022.

Junior Cup – Dreher Leads ‘Em In

Avery Dreher’s name might appear at the bottom of the entry list with his #99 Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400, but his name is at the very top of the point standings after the opening round (and two races) at Road Atlanta.

Dreher won both races, but neither win came easily. Case in point: Dreher topped SportbikeTrackGear.com’s Max Van in both races by just .612 of a second and .949 of a second, respectively. And the battles at the front on both days featured at least four riders.

With Van finishing second in both races, the final spot in both went to Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese with the Missourian close to the top in both races.

With those three holding down the top three spots – Dreher (50 points), Van (40 points) and Bicknese (32 points) – fourth is held by 3D Motorsports’ Chase Black by virtue of his fifth- and fourth-place finishes. Black, meanwhile, is just three points ahead of Yandel Racing’s Yandel Medina.

Mission Mini Cup By Motul – The Kids Are Alright

The second round of the Mission Mini Cup By Motul series will take place at Barber Motorsports Park on a separate track than the one used by the rest of the MotoAmerica paddock and they will do so on Friday and Saturday afternoon.

The Mini Cuppers opened their season two weeks ago at Carolina Motorsports Park with the introduction of three new Stock classes – Stock 50, Stock 110 and Stock 125 – joining the two-Ohvale classes for the first time.

When the smoke had cleared after two days of racing in South Carolina, it was Cole Peterman, Nathan Bettencourt, Nathan Gouker, Ryder Davis, and Joshua Raymond leaving with the lion’s share of trophies.

Pre-Barber Support Class Notes

For the past two years, the Barber Motorsports Park round of the MotoAmerica Championship was the final round of the season. This year, the popular venue on the outskirts of Birmingham moves from September to May and is round two of the championship.

While the Steel Commander Stock 1000 class, Junior Cup and Supersport will race in their second round of the 2023 season at Barber Motorsports Park, the Alabama event is the third round of the season for the REV’IT! Twins Cup class as they held their opening round in conjunction with the Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway in March. Although the 200 featured Supersport-spec motorcycles, the race did not count toward the 2023 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.

After a difficult opening round at Road Atlanta, Hayden Gillim will be hoping to turn things around and will welcome a return to the site of his doubleheader sweep of the two Steel Commander Stock 1000 races at Barber last year. Gillim won the pair of Stock 1000 races a year ago in the finale to tie Corey Alexander at the top of the championship. Alexander, however, earned the title by virtue of his seven wins to Gillim’s five in the tiebreaker.

Rocco Landers and Josh Herrin split wins in the Supersport class last September with those two finishing first and second in the championship. Herrin is not defending his crown as he moves to the Medallia Superbike class with the same Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team. Landers, meanwhile, has returned to the REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship, which he won in 2021.

Blake Davis and Kaleb De Keyrel split wins in the REV’IT! Twins Cup class in the 2022 Barber round. It was Davis’s third victory of his championship-winning season and the lone win of the year for the defending class champion De Keyrel.

The two victors in last year’s pair of Junior Cup races were Kayla Yaakov and Gus Rodio. Both of those riders have made the move to the REV’IT! Twins Cup class for 2023 with Rodio leading the championship. Yaakov missed both the series opener at Daytona and round two at Road Atlanta with a leg injury.

Entries are high for all the classes competing this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park with 172 attempting to qualify. The biggest class of the weekend is the Steel Commander Stock 1000 class with 42 entries – one more than the REV’IT! Twins Cup class. The Junior Cup class will field 31 riders with 30 set to qualify for the extended Supersport race.

About MotoAmerica

MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.

May 2023

Magazine Issue

Trudy Ulrich

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May 16, 2023

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On the Front Cover: In front of a big crowd at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, Alex Rins became the first Honda rider to win a Moto GP race since 2021. Photo by Gigi Soldano/DPPI Media.

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology is THE definitive source for motorcycle racing, riding, and tech information.

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MAY 2023 ISSUE

FEATURES

Inside Info: Aprilia RS 660 track bike; Ducati sales up; Rossi is a
Yamaha Ambassador; Pirelli renews WSBK spec tire deal…

Historic Racebike Illustrations: 1972 Seeley MK4 Matchless G50

Intro: 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S, Middleweight Streetfighter

MotoGP Analysis: How Physics + AI Have Transformed MotoGP

MotoGP Origins: Dr. Rob Tuluie & The Tul-Aris 800

Collections: Kaming Ko’s Warehouse Full Of Personal Favorites

RACING

MotoGP World Championship: Three Winners In Three Races

MotoAmerica at Road Atlanta: Gagne vs. Beaubier In A Superbike Thriller

MotoAmerica Road Atlanta Inside Info

Superbike World Championship: Bautista Scores Ducati’s 400th Win

COLUMNS

Letters To The Editor: Five Fun Decades, Streaming BSB,
3D Calendar, Andreani USA

10 Years Ago, May 2013: Ducati Panigale R with electronic suspension;
Schwantz’s 1980s Superbike; Beaubier wins Daytona 200…

The Kids’ Page: Jase Dill

New Products: : Shoei X-Fifteen, Monkey Jaws Tube Clamps

The Crash Page: Fabio Quartararo & Miguel Oliveira At Jerez

Racing, School, & Track Day Calendar: Where & When To Ride

Classified Ads/Advertiser Index

High Performance Parts & Services Directory

Chris Ulrich: Adventures Of An Ex-Racer: My Biggest & Dumbest Crashes

MotoAmerica: Superbike War Heading To Barber Motorsports Park

David Swarts

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May 16, 2023

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MotoAmerica: Superbike War Heading To Barber Motorsports Park

Who Is Ready For Barber? The 2023 Medallia Superbike Championship Is Hot, Hot, Hot

The Opening Round Of The Series Showed Us That This Year’s Superbike Title Chase Is Wide Open

IRVINE, CA (May 16, 2023) – In 2021 and 2022, the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship was dominated by Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne. Forty races were held during those two seasons and Gagne won 29 of those. Thus, 72 percent of the time, Gagne got to the checkered flag first. Naturally, he won the title in those two successive years.

But that was then, and this is now. And the now is round two of the 2023 series at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, May 19-21, with the expectations of battles at the front never higher than it is right now – based on what was witnessed in the season opener at Road Atlanta.

Two races do not make a season, but the opening round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship showed that the new year might just be a bit different than the past two as we head to Barber.

For starters, in the two previous seasons there was never really a battle at the front. Gagne either led off the line and dominated the race, or he led off the line and crashed, or he had a mechanical problem that kept him from finishing. For all practical purposes, he never failed to lead unless he had an issue.

On opening day at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, however, Gagne was in a battle for the duration. He got out to an early lead in the opening two laps, and just when it appeared to be business as usual, the impossible started to happen. Gagne was being caught from behind by Cameron Beaubier, the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion back from the wars of the Moto2 World Championship and armed with a fast but arduous to ride Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR. Beaubier forged forward, caught Gagne, battled with Gagne, and ultimately beat the two-time defending champion to the finish line by a scant .340 of a second. And just behind the pair was Josh Herrin, the 2013 AMA Superbike Champion returning to the Superbike class for the same Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team that he partnered with to win last year’s Supersport title.

On Sunday, the fans were treated to an even better Medallia Superbike race with four men at the front in an all-out battle: Gagne, Beaubier, and Herrin and Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz. And it lasted. To the end. On the final lap, based on his ability to brake later than anyone into Road Atlanta’s 10A and 10B chicane, Beaubier looked to have the edge and path to a second victory. On the last lap, however, things got dodgy with Beaubier running wide in the 180-mph kink and nearly pushing Herrin off track. It created havoc on the way into turn 10 as Herrin arrived without brakes and was fortunate and skilled enough to prevent disaster. The beneficiary of all that was Gagne, who split the two and rode to victory, half a second clear of Beaubier. Herrin, meanwhile, ran through the grass, and couldn’t stop Scholtz from passing for third.

Even with the final-lap melee, the top four were separated by just two seconds at the finish line and people were already salivating at the thought of the upcoming round at Barber.

While the two races at Road Atlanta were thrillers, it’s likely that it could get even better at Barber.

For starters, Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen wasn’t at his best in round one. A big crash on Friday left him banged up but he still managed to finish fourth. On Sunday, he likely would have made the fight for the lead a five-rider battle, but his bike suffered a mechanical in the early laps.

There will also likely be some pressure from others on the grid going forward. For starters, the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki of Richie Escalante (sixth and fifth at Road Atlanta) and Toni Elias (seventh and eighth) will likely improve and much is also expected of Beaubier’s teammate PJ Jacobsen (crash and sixth in the opening round).

Corey Alexander, the third member of the Tytlers Cycle Racing team, had a decent start to his first season as a full-time, Superbike-only rider with eighth- and seventh-place finishes at Road Atlanta, which puts him in a tie for sixth in the title chase with Elias.

Disrupt Racing’s Hayden Gillim is another rider hoping to get things going in a better direction at Barber as he wasn’t pleased with a pair of 10th-place finishes in Georgia. Ditto for Wrench Motorcycles’ David Anthony with the Aussie ninth and 12th in the series opener.

Twenty-eight Superbikes will take to the picturesque Barber Motorsports Park track on Friday morning with the first Medallia Superbike practice session at 10:20 a.m.

The pair of Superbike races have the same start time on both Saturday and Sunday with the 20-lappers taking the green light at 3:10 p.m.

Pre-Barber Superbike Notes…

For the past two years, the Barber Motorsports Park round of the MotoAmerica Championship was the final round of the season. This year, the popular venue on the outskirts of Birmingham moves from September to May and is round two of the championship.

Defending two-time Medallia Superbike Champion Jake Gagne broke Cameron Beaubier’s lap record from 2020 during qualifying last year with the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing rider lapping at 1:22.035 to better Beaubier’s 1:22.676. Gagne also holds the race lap record with his 1:22.917 coming in race one last year. The three riders – Gagne, Cameron Petersen, and Mathew Scholtz – on the front row for last year’s two Medallia Superbike races all lapped in the 1:22s in qualifying.

Jake Gagne won the first of two Medallia Superbike races last year by 5.433 seconds over Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz with Danilo Petrucci finishing third, some 19 seconds adrift. In race two, Gagne sat behind his teammate Cameron Petersen for the duration and his runner-up finish earned him his second successive Medallia Superbike Championship. PJ Jacobsen, meanwhile, was third for his second podium finish of the season on the Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.

Jake Gagne’s race-two win in the opening round of the 2023 Medallia Superbike Championship at Road Atlanta was the 30th Superbike win of his career, a mark that puts him sixth all-time and just two wins behind Miguel Duhamel and Toni Elias, with those two tied on 32 wins apiece.

Cameron Beaubier’s race-one victory at Road Atlanta was the 55th of his career and he sits third on the all-time Superbike win list behind Mat Mladin (82) and Josh Hayes (61).

With Miguel Duhamel and Josh Hayes tied on the all-time AMA wins list (across all classes) at 86, focus is on the Supersport races going forward as Hayes’ next victory will be his 87th and will thus put him atop the list. With his Squid Hunter Racing team announcing that they are doing the entire Supersport season, odds are that Hayes will take that tie-breaking victory in 2023. However, most people haven’t noticed that Cameron Beaubier lurks in fourth on the all-time list with 76 wins – 10 behind Duhamel and Hayes – after his victory in race one at Road Atlanta a few weeks ago.

Australian Mat Mladin has won more Superbike races at Barber Motorsports Park than any other racer with nine victories from 2004 to 2009. Josh Hayes is second on the Barber win list with seven Superbike wins – all in a row from 2012 to 2015. Cameron Beaubier has won five Superbike races in Alabama and will be out to better that number this year. The very first Superbike races held at Barber were in 2003 with Aaron Yates winning race one and Kurtis Roberts taking victory in race two.

About MotoAmerica

MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.

Canadian Superbike: Young Starting Title Defense At Shannonville (Includes Video)

David Swarts

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May 16, 2023

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Canadian Superbike: Young Starting Title Defense At Shannonville (Includes Video)

Young defends title for first time as wide-open series returns to SMP this weekend

Toronto, ON – After months of speculation surrounding a vastly different and unpredictable 2023 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike season, our first answer will finally be delivered this weekend at Shannonville Motorsport Park, May 18-21.

Much has changed since the last time we saw the feature GP Bikes Pro Superbike championship at CTMP in August 2022, and that different feeling will be on full display at historic SMP – a venue not seen on the CSBK calendar since 2019.

With the new era of Bridgestone tires fully underway, a return to a historic circuit for the first time in four years, and an influx of both purse money and new talent into the feature class, it will likely be a season full of unfamiliarity.

One thing that will feel familiar, however, is Ben Young being the man to beat.

Watch the exclusive round one video preview here:

The reigning national champion for the second time in his career, Young will be sporting the #1 plate for the first time after sitting out the 2020 season (winning in 2019), but it almost seems fitting as the 2022 version of Young was unlike anything we saw before.

Winning five of nine races and finishing inside the top-two in every single one of them, Young took home 225 of a possible 250 points to defeat rival and then-champion Alex Dumas by 29.5 points (the last race awarding half-points due to a red flag).

More impressively, Young completely obliterated the notion from earlier in his career that he was “too safe,” winning races six and seven in aggressive and dramatic fashion over Dumas to seal the Canada Cup for the Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW program.

Combine all of this with the memory that Young is the most recent victor at SMP – winning round one in 2019 en route to his first championship – and it would be fair to assume that no one will touch him this weekend.

That couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Dumas will have plenty to say about being the “underdog” entering 2023, having won eight times in 16 races since moving north to his home country and missing the podium only once – his infamous crash out of the lead in race five at AMP a year ago.

The Purple Skull Brewing/Liqui Moly Suzuki rider also won’t have the narrative of track inexperience against him this time around, after losing 44 points to Young across the two tracks he visited for the first time in 2022 (Grand Bend and AMP).

While he’s yet to race nationally at SMP, the 20-year-old is an instructor at the FAST School located right within the venue, and he showcased that track knowledge by topping the Super Series regional opener this weekend, just 1.8 seconds off the outright lap record.

Alex Dumas (23) will be sporting a new Purple Skull Brewing Suzuki when he kicks off his title challenge this weekend at SMP. Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK. — Alex Dumas (23) will be sporting a new Purple Skull Brewing Suzuki when he kicks off his title challenge this weekend at SMP. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.

When it comes to track knowledge, however, no one will have more around practically any venue in Canada than 14-time champion Jordan Szoke, who is aiming to make his long-awaited return to the Bridgestone CSBK paddock at the same place where he captured his first Superbike crown in 1998.

Szoke’s recovery from a brutal crash last offseason appeared to be behind him, topping the Winter Test in his first appearance back on board the LDS Consultants Kawasaki, but another recent health scare has put that in jeopardy – though he will surely be a threat to win should he manage to turn up.

He won’t be the only threat in the LDS Consultants Kawasaki garage, however, as his new rookie teammate, Trevor Dion, proved one year ago. Making his first and thus far only Superbike appearance, Dion came out of nowhere to steal pole position and a third-place finish in last year’s Grand Bend opener, before choosing to focus on his eventual Liqui Moly Pro Sport Bike championship-winning season.

Now fully focused on his Superbike career, Dion will lead off the group of riders that are next in line for their first career victories, finishing second to Dumas at the Super Series regional, but he’ll have another Trevor to deal with in the form of OneSpeed Suzuki’s Trevor Daley.

A podium challenger everywhere he goes, Daley struggled in his last appearance at SMP in 2019 but finished fourth the year prior, and will hope a fresh start at the venue can help him finally capture his elusive first career feature victory.

Also worth mentioning in the podium mix will be a pair of fan favourites in Sam Guerin and Tomas Casas, the former making his first ever national appearance at historic Shannonville. The EFC Group BMW rider went just marginally slower than Dion in his recent regional action, adjusting quickly to a number of new variables as he also broke in a new machine at the circuit.

As for Casas, an injury-riddled 2022 season prevented the Parts Canada Yamaha rider from taking the next step in the feature category, but the former two-time Sport Bike champion reminded everyone of his potential by finishing fourth at CTMP a year ago.

Ben Young (86) is the most recent Superbike race winner at Shannonville, narrowly fending off Kenny Riedmann (42), Jordan Szoke (1), Tomas Casas (18), and Jeff Williams (7) in 2019. Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK. — Ben Young (86) is the most recent Superbike race winner at Shannonville, narrowly fending off Kenny Riedmann (42), Jordan Szoke (1), Tomas Casas (18), and Jeff Williams (7) in 2019. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.

Outside of the individual rider battles on-track, there will also be a pair of other key awards to watch out for at SMP in the Constructors Championship and the Brooklin Cycle Racing Pro Rookie of the Year fight.

BMW will enter as the defending Constructors winners after stealing the trophy from inaugural champs Suzuki, thanks in large part to the efforts of Young and Guerin, but the one-on-one rivalry may be broken up in 2023 by the revamped effort of Kawasaki and the steady progress of Ducati and Yamaha, amongst others.

As for the Rookie of the Year battle, it’s anyone’s guess who will be the closest challenger to Dion in a deep and wide-open freshman class, though Pierre Simard likely snatched the honour after his breakout performance at the Winter Test.

The D1C Suzuki rider went fourth-fastest in Florida to only Szoke, Young, and Dumas, as he prepares to take a second crack at his rookie season, retaining his status after an early injury derailed his 2022 campaign.

However, the top duo will have fellow Suzuki teenager John Fraser and reigning AIM Insurance Amateur Superbike champion Julien Lafortune (Kawasaki) to contend with, amongst many other talented rookies.

The full schedule for the opening round of the feature GP Bikes Pro Superbike class, as well as the other six support classes, can be found on the series’ official website.

Moto2: American SDK Makes More Progress At Le Mans

David Swarts

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May 16, 2023

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Moto2: American SDK Makes More Progress At Le Mans

A tough end to the French Grand Prix for the American Racing Team as Sean Dylan Kelly narrowly missed out on his first points of the season whilst Rory Skinner crashed out from 20th.

It was a mixed start to Sean’s weekend as he climbed into the top 10 early in FP1 before a crash at Turn Three 15 minutes into the session. The American was able to re-join for the final 10 minutes but a second crash at Turn Seven prematurely ended his morning in 25th. Sean significantly improved in the afternoon session, cutting 1.3s off his best time from practice one and narrowly missing out on a direct spot in Q2 by a mere 0.19s.

Overnight rain left the circuit soaked as Sean hit the track for the final practice session. As the track conditions continued to evolve, Sean boosted himself into third on the timings in the final few minutes but was unable to improve on his combined timings position.

With a dry track and the sun shining for Qualifying, Sean quickly took himself into P1 with an impressive early lap before being pushed down to the fringes of the top four. Despite putting in his fastest time of the weekend, he narrowly missed out on a Q2 spot by the tiniest margin, 0.028 of a second.

Lining up from 19th position, Sean dropped three positions in the opening lap. A multi-rider crash three laps into the race brought out the red flag, sending all the riders back into the pits.

Once the track was cleared, race distance was reduced to 14 laps with a quick restart procedure implemented.

As the lights went out for a second time, Sean began his fight towards the points positions as he battled with Senna Agius before moving into 15th spot.

Sean maintained the final points place for the majority of the race but was caught by the hard-charging Sam Lowes on the final lap, snatching his first points finish of the season from him as he crossed the finish line in 16th.

Rory’s first visit to the Le Mans circuit in six years got off to an equally tricky start to his teammate as the Scot took an early tumble at Turn Three. Heading back out for the last 10 minutes, Rory suffered his second crash of the session at Turn 13, ending his FP1 in 28th. Rory continued to reacquaint himself with the French circuit in practice two, improving by 1.4s despite suffering from suspected flu to end Friday in 28th place.

Still nursing an illness, Rory joined the damp practice three session to collect some valuable lap time. As the track rapidly dried, the Scot continued to improve, ending the final practice in 15th place ahead of Qualifying.

In the much-improved conditions in Q1, Rory left it until the final moments to put in his best lap time of the weekend to take 26th position.

On race day, Rory maintained his 26th position for the initial three-lap dash before the red flag spotted all action.

Taking to the track for the second time, he made great progress on lap one as he made his way into 20th place and had his sights set on another top-20 finish.

Unfortunately, a highside at Turn Six on lap five ended Rory’s impressive run prematurely.

Sean Dylan Kelly #4

I was just off the points in the race. I’m a little bit disappointed because I was P15 until the very last lap – I just felt like I lacked a little bit of something to be more competitive with the group in front of me, P12 was right ahead, and I was trying really hard, and I was able to keep right behind them, but I didn’t have enough to make some passes. It was a little bit disappointing to not have that extra juice at the end but, looking at the positives, we were in that fight for the points until the very last lap and yesterday we were just off Q2 which is the objective.

Compared to last year when this was one of my absolute worst weekends, I was really far off and I had a really tough time, I think I was able to make a good turnaround to one year later and, even compared to practice one, I was feeling strong but I had two pretty big crashes so the fact I was able to make that step after those was really important for me

Overall, it was an important weekend. I think we made some important steps, and we were fighting in the battle – now it’s time to look at the positives and build on everything else. We have three weeks now before the triple-header so I’m really looking forward to this mini-break and I’m ready to come back stronger.

Rory Skinner #33

The weekend has been very up and down. Obviously starting off the weekend with two crashes wasn’t ideal and I’ve felt quite under the weather for a large majority of the weekend but that is what it is, so I just had to get on with that.

It was good after Qualifying, we made some good steps in it on my own and I felt quite good going into the race in both starts, the original and the restart – I got a good launch off the line in both and got into a good group and was settling in for the race but the crash in the restart wasn’t great as it was a fairly sizeable highside straight to my face – I’ll be feeling that one for a few days – also my wrist is a little sore as I’ve aggravated an old injury.

I’m happy with the progress we’re making, it is coming – I know I’ve said that every weekend, but it is and we’re making steps in the right direction, it’s just taking a little longer than I originally anticipated.

American Flat Track: Tickets On Sale Now For Du Quoin Mile

David Swarts

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May 16, 2023

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American Flat Track: Tickets On Sale Now For Du Quoin Mile

Tickets Now on Sale for Du Quoin Mile

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is pleased to announce that tickets are officially on sale for the series’ epic return to the Du Quoin Mile at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds on June 17 in Du Quoin, Illinois.

The event, promoted by Track Enterprises, is destined to be one of the genuine highlights of the season as the world’s greatest motorcycle dirt trackers will share the spotlight with the future stars of the sport with the 2023 Mission Foods AMA Flat Track Grand Championship, sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association, determining this year’s amateur national champions at the venue from June 14-20.

The “Magic Mile” has lived up to its moniker time and time again, playing witness to some of the most memorable races in the history of the Grand National Championship. That was certainly true the last time the heroes of the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle did battle in a Main Event at the famously fast venue. On that day in 2015, three of the best-ever Milers went bar-to-bar to the checkered flag, with “Mile Master” Bryan Smith getting the nod in a 0.000-second photo finish ahead of current champion Jared Mees with AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Kenny Coolbeth just 0.013 seconds back.

This year’s edition promises similar excitement and star power with the next generation of Progressive AFT heroes in attendance and taking notes.

“I can’t imagine a better way to spend Father’s Day weekend,” said Bob Sargent, President of Track Enterprises. “The Du Quoin Mile is an amazing spectacle, and one that can be enjoyed in a family-friendly environment. This ranks as among the series’ most celebrated races with a history that stretches all the way back to 1955. It’s our pleasure to bring the eyes of the motorsports’ world back to the Magic Mile.”

General Admission tickets are just $30 (kids 12 and under free with a paid adult GA ticket) if purchased in advance, $40 on the day of the race. Reserved Grandstand tickets, which provide spacious seating accommodations on the top two sections of the covered grandstands, are $40 if purchased in advance, $45 on race day.

Pit Pass Upgrades are also available for purchase for $40 ($20 for kids 12 and under), which provide all-day access to the pits where fans can scope out the world’s fastest dirt track motorcycles and get up close and personal with the stars of the sport.

Visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/trackenterprises/events/duquoin-mile-70363 to reserve your seats today.

For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FansChoice.tv is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://www.fanschoice.tv.

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com.

About Progressive American Flat Track

Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is the world’s premier dirt track motorcycle racing series and one of the longest-running championships in the history of motorsports. Sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing in Daytona Beach, Fla., the series is highly regarded as the most competitive form of dirt track motorcycle racing on the globe. For more information on Progressive American Flat Track, please visit us on the web, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, check us out on Instagram and catch all the Progressive American Flat Track racing action on FOX Sports.

Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast: Le Mans 2023 – Bringing A Spoon To A Knife Fight

David Swarts

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May 16, 2023

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Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast: Le Mans 2023 – Bringing A Spoon To A Knife Fight

Roadracing World MotoGP Editor and Isle of Man TT winner Mat Oxley and two-time World Championship-winning Crew Chief Peter Bom have started “The Oxley Bom MotoGP Podcast,” which will be focused on the FIM MotoGP World Championship.

In Episode Two: “It’s a wild weekend at the MotoGP in Le Mans, France, as Mat and Peter talk crashes, close calls and some good old fashioned chaos. Cheers!”

The original podcast can be found on BuzzSprout.com or listened to via other places you get podcasts.

KTM’s 450 SMR Gets New Color Scheme

David Swarts

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May 16, 2023

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STILL UNBEATABLE, STILL UNDENIABLE: RULE THE TRACK WITH THE 2024 KTM 450 SMR

The KTM 450 SMR is the bar of reference for Supermoto. For riders seeking an escape from the limits of the road, for dirt bikers that want to feel an exhilarating drift (but on the asphalt), for those that want the ideal training tool or Supermoto racers craving to lead the pack, it is the only choice.

Austria’s own Lukas Höllbacher took his KTM 450 SMR to the 2022 AMA Supermoto title and fought until the last moments for the FIM World Championship. Höllbacher’s track feats and feedback rolled into the serial production version of KTM’s latest and best Supermoto racer. In 2023, he will again be on the attack with the 2024 KTM 450 SMR, and riders can now get their hands on the same model. The 2024 incarnation has a fresh new splash of color using in-mold technology for the bodywork. KTM orange, white, and black create an attractive blur at speed, but there is also the distinctive streak of purple, inspired by 1990 KTM bikes barreling around international racetracks.

A 2024 KTM 450 SMR at rest. Photo by Fotografie Mitterbauer, courtesy KTM.

Surge forward with the 450 cc SOHC engine that fires out massive power with long service intervals. At less than 59.5 lb (27 kg), the powerplant is a masterpiece of power-to-weight engineering. A 44 mm Keihin throttle body brings in the fun and gauges the right response, while the SUTER slipper clutch adds another important way to modulate lap-time speed.

Ultimate handling comes thanks to centralization of the motor and chassis within the hydro-formed, laser-cut and robot-welded frame. The compact construction has just the right amount of longitudinal rigidity and flex to provide superb feedback, energy absorption and straight-line stability. The reinforced aluminum subframe was generated from computational dynamic studies: sensitivity, robustness and reliability were the parameters. The hollow, die-cast aluminum swingarm is another remarkable contributor to the 2024 KTM 450 SMR’s performance, along with a NEKEN aluminum handlebar and CNC machined triple clamps (rubber damped for less vibration) to put every single vital meter of the racetrack right into the rider’s hands.

Pivot on a dime with dependable suspension. 48 mm WP XACT split front forks have AER technology for progressive and consistent damping, especially in the last 40 mm of travel. Count on quick access click adjusters for compression and rebound. The WP XACT shock is small, light, and fixed with the frame geometry for better ground clearance of the linkage system. The XACT unit is one of the most advanced pieces of hardware to emerge from the WP Suspension factory lines. Like the fork, the shock’s compression and rebound can be configured without the need for tools.

The left-front view of a 2024 KTM 450 SMR. Photo by Fotografie Mitterbauer, courtesy KTM.

Easy life for the racer, thanks to specialist features such as the electric start, the tool-less air filter for simple replacement, a performance-designed airbox, a flat and high seat (with a high-grip cover) to accommodate control at any angle and a large polythene 1.9-gallon (7.2-liter) fuel tank, meaning more miles at speed. Carefully engineered footpegs with a larger surface area – but revised integration into the frame – are optimized for tarmac and the varying conditions of the terrain.

Run to the limit of the corners with heavy-duty Brembo brakes. The 4-piston radial caliper will clamp the 310 mm front disc at the merest stroke of the lever, while a single piston unit grabs the 220 mm rear disc to set off those time-saving drifts.

Own the track with a raft of special race-orientated details such as two selectable engine maps, launch control, traction control and the Quickshifter, all administered by a Keihin engine management system. An LED hour meter, Fuel Injection status and a Roll Over Sensor are included. The ROS detects the position of the bike in the event of a crash and automatically kills the engine in a nod towards improved safety.

Tire tech that won’t let you down. Metzeler Racetec SM K1 Supermoto rubber heats up quickly and boasts a large performance scale in terms of temperature range and different states of asphalt. The tires are fitted to high strength but light ALPINA alloy rims with CNC machined hubs.

2024 KTM 450 SMR Technical Highlights

// Purposeful orange, black, white and purple race trim livery with black coated frame and menacing black wheels

// SOHC engine package weighing less than 59.9 lb (27 kg) and prioritizing centralization thanks to altered positioning in the frame. Easily serviceable

// Two engine map options, launch control, traction control and Quickshifter as well as SUTER slipper clutch for maximum control

// Compact, light and innovative chassis for the best feeling, traction and handling

// First class WP XACT fork with AER technology and XACT shock: small, condensed and fully adjustable hardware to quickly refine track set-up

// High-quality Brembo brakes with 4-piston radially mounted caliper and 310 mm front and 220 mm rear discs for potent stopping power

// READY TO RACE details for a pure track-based machine: 16.5/17” wheels, Metzeler tires, ODI lock-on grips, tool-less air filter access, light and optimized footpegs

// Unbeatable ergonomics that place all the stability and poise of the 2024 KTM 450 SMR at the rider’s fingertips for both front-end grip and rear-end confidence

The 2024 KTM 450 SMR will be sliding through Authorized KTM dealer showrooms from May 2023 onward.

Japanese Manufacturers Collaborating On Hydrogen-Fueled Engines

May 17, 2023

A hydrogen-fueled Kawasaki H2 prototype sportbike. Photo courtesy Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.

Ministerial Approval Granted to Form Research Body “HySE” for Development of Hydrogen Small Mobility Engines to Help Build Decarbonized Society

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Yamaha Motor”), Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “Honda”), Kawasaki Motors, Ltd. (hereinafter “Kawasaki Motors”) and Suzuki Motor Corporation (hereinafter “Suzuki”) jointly announced today that they have received approval from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to form a technological research association called HySE (Hydrogen Small mobility & Engine technology) for developing hydrogen-powered engines for small mobility.*

To realize a decarbonized society, a multi-pathway strategy to address various issues in the mobility sector is necessary, rather than focusing on a single energy source. Against this backdrop, research and development targeted at commercialization of mobility with engines powered by hydrogen－deemed a next-generation energy source－is gaining momentum.

However, the use of hydrogen poses technical challenges, including fast flame speed and a large region of ignition, which often result in unstable combustion, and the limited fuel tank capacity in case of use in small mobility vehicles. In addressing these issues, the members of HySE are committed to conducting fundamental research, capitalizing on their wealth of expertise and technologies in developing gasoline-powered engines, and aim to work together with the joint mission of establishing a design standard for small mobility’s hydrogen-powered engine, and of advancing the fundamental research endeavors in this area.

The members of HySE will continue to deepen their collaborative relations in order to provide a variety of small mobility options to users and meet their diverse needs, thereby contributing to the realization of a decarbonized society.

Kenji Komatsu, Chairman nominee of HySE and Executive Officer of Technical Research & Development Center, Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd., comments, “We are extremely pleased to announce the planned formation of the association. There are many challenges in the development of hydrogen-powered engines, but we hope to see the association’s activities advance the fundamental research in order to meet those challenges. We are committed to this endeavor with a sense of mission to preserve the use of internal combustion engines, which epitomize the long-time efforts that our predecessors have invested.”

Main research and development areas, and the role of each company:

Research on hydrogen-powered engines

Research on the model-based development of hydrogen-powered engines (Honda)
Element study on functionality, performance, and reliability of the hydrogen-powered engines (Suzuki)

Hands-on research using real hydrogen-powered engines on their functionality, performance, and reliability (Yamaha Motor, Kawasaki Motors)

Study on hydrogen refueling system

Studying the requirements for a hydrogen refueling system and hydrogen tanks for small mobility (Yamaha)

Study on fuel supply system

Studying the auxiliary equipment required for a fuel supply system and tanks, and the equipment installed between the fuel tank and the injector (Kawasaki Motors)

In addition to the full members (the four aforementioned motorcycle manufacturers), Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. (hereinafter “Kawasaki Heavy Industries”) and Toyota Motor Corporation (hereinafter “Toyota”) support the association as special members. Kawasaki Heavy Industries, being one of the main organizers of the “CO2-free Hydrogen Energy Supply-chain Technology Research Association” (hereinafter “HySTRA”), will drive forward HySE’s activities, based on the knowledge gained from its activities for HySTRA. Toyota, on the other hand, will assume the role of leveraging HySE’s research results to the maximum benefit for the development of hydrogen-powered engines, utilizing its know-how on experiments, analyses, and the designing of large hydrogen-fueled power units for four-wheel vehicles.

*Small mobility: motorcycles, Japan-originated mini-vehicles, small marine vessels, construction equipment, drones, etc.

American Matsudaira On The Moto4 Podium At Valencia

May 17, 2023

2023-05-16_kensei-matsudaira-1 — American Kensei Matsudaira (center) on the RFME ESBK Moto4 podium at Valencia. Photo by Benaisa Photography, courtesy Evike.com.

American Kensei Matsudaira Masters Mixed Conditions to Take Podium in Valencia, Spain for ESBK Moto4 Championship Round 3

On Saturday [May 13], 12-year-old American Kensei Matsudaira scored a second-place finish at Circuit Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain, his first official podium in the RFME ESBK (Campeonato de España de Superbike) Moto4 Championship.

Starting from 10th on the grid, Kensei worked his way forward as rain started falling on the second lap. Even as the rain grew stronger and other riders crashed out, by lap five Kensei had moved into third position and began closing in on the lead rider. By lap eight, Kensei had moved into second position and closed the gap to the top from over six seconds to just two seconds, but the race was red-flagged after the eighth lap due to worsening weather conditions and the race was called, securing Kensei’s second place finish in the race.

Sunday saw clear skies and for Race Two, Kensei started from second on the grid. During the opening two laps he was pushed down the order to 10th position, losing touch with the top group but from there he mounted a strong comeback, breaking free from the second group in the final two laps and catching the top group, setting the fastest Moto4 lap time of the entire weekend and crossing the finish line in seventh, just 0.5 seconds behind the winner.

“I’m super happy to get my first official podium in the ESBK Moto4 championship, and to do it at me and my team’s home race was extra special,” Kensei said, after the first race. After the race on Sunday he added, “It was a bittersweet end to my race weekend in Valencia. I’m glad I was able to have a strong pace finally, but I can’t be happy with the result knowing I could have fought at the very front if I had managed the first laps better. Learning and improving every step of the way though, I will return stronger at the next round in Estoril!”

Round 4 of the RFME ESBK championship will be held at Circuito Estoril in Portugal on June 10-11, 2023.

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

Results - ESBK Moto4 Round 3 Valencia

MotoAmerica: First “Extended” Supersport Race Scheduled At Barber

May 17, 2023

The "extended" MotoAmerica Supersport races require mandatory pit stops, like at the Daytona 200. Photo by David Swarts.

Bring On Barber And The First Extended Supersport Race

Supersport Goes Long, And Fores, Beaubier And Dreher Try To Stay Perfect As MotoAmerica Invades Barber Motorsports Park For Round Two

IRVINE, CA (May 17, 2023) – MotoAmerica’s Supersport class will feature an “extended” race (and pit stops) for the first time this coming weekend at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, May 19-21, while the riders atop the championship point standings in all the classes after the Road Atlanta round are hoping for status quo. For three of them, that means sweeping to victories for a second time on the season. For the other, it means keeping a four-race podium streak and large points lead intact.

Supersport – It’s “Extended” Race Time

Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati’s Xavi Fores showed that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the Supersport class as he won both races in his series debut at Road Atlanta on the ex-Josh Herrin championship-winning Panigale V2.

With the first taste of MotoAmerica racing under his belt, Fores and the rest of the Supersport gang get to try something completely new at Barber Motorsports Park as the first “extended” Supersport race (and mandatory pit stop) is scheduled for 37 laps around the 2.266-mile track.

That new twist will test not just the rider and his/her team, but will make things interesting in a class that already garnered lots of interest based on the opening round at Road Atlanta.

Fores, and his 17-point lead after a perfect weekend in Georgia, will make his debut at Barber and it’s a track his competition knows well. The Spaniard also has an impressive World Endurance racing resume, so the length of the races and the pit stops won’t unnerve him. At the top of the list of those out to gain ground on Fores in the title chase are the two men who are tied for second after their fourth/second place and second/fourth place finishes in the two races at Road Atlanta – Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Stefano Mesa and Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott.

Fourth in the title chase, and just a point behind Mesa and Scott, is four-time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes and his Squid Hunter Racing Yamaha YZF-R6. Hayes had two third-place finishes in the opening round as he continues to hunt down that elusive 87th victory that will move him out of a tie with Miguel Duhamel to the top of AMA’s all-time win list across all classes.

Michael Gilbert Racing’s Michael Gilbert sits fifth in the title chase heading to Alabama after carding a pair of fifth-place finishes.

REV’IT! Twins Cup – Rodio Rages On

Although there have been four different winners in the four REV’IT! Twins Cup races thus far in 2023, only one rider has been on the podium in all four races. That rider is Gus Rodio and the result of those four successive podiums is a 26-point lead in the championship as the series heads to Barber Motorsports Park for round three.

Rodio and his Rodio Racing – Powered by Robem Engineering Aprilia RS 660 have proven to be the best of the field thus far with a tightly knit group giving chase. The best of the rest so far has been Cycle Tech’s Hayden Schultz, who ironically isn’t one of the four winners. Still, he’s the closest to Rodio in the title chase, but 26 points behind.

Just three points behind Schultz is defending REV’IT! Twins Cup Champion Blake Davis with the N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto rider winning race one at Road Atlanta but only mustering up an 11th place finish in race two to mar his points tally. Davis was fourth in both races at Daytona.

Next up is Daytona race two winner Stefano Mesa with the Floridian filling in admirably for the injured Kayla Yaakov on The WagBar MP13 Racing Team. Mesa is seven points behind Davis and is tied for fourth with Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing’s Jackson Blackmon. Blackmon’s Road Atlanta outing was marred by a non-start in race two due to an electrical problem.

Steel Commander Stock 1000 – More Than One Beaubier

If you would have asked 10 people to pick the Steel Commander Stock 1000 Championship points leader after the opening round at Road Atlanta, there probably wouldn’t have been many choosing Ezra Beaubier. And who could blame them as the youngest of the Beaubier brothers had never finished better than fifth in any MotoAmerica class.

Orange Cat Racing’s Beaubier was red hot at Road Atlanta on his BMW M 1000 RR with two convincing victories over Travis Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman in race one and the retiring Geoff May in race two. And the Californian, who will reside in Chicago during the season, arrives in Alabama with a nice little 14-point lead over May and a 17-point margin over Wyman.

Taylor Knapp Racing’s Taylor Knapp notched fifth- and third-place finishes that will likely ensure the Dunlop test rider’s full season in the championship as he sits fourth in the title chase, six behind Wyman and three clear of Beaubier’s teammate Kaleb DeKeyrel. DeKeyrel’s move from the REV’IT! Twins Cup class to Stock 1000 looks to be seamless as only a final-corner mistake cost him second place in race two at Road Atlanta. Still, fourth and fifth in the two races was a solid debut for the Minnesotan.

One of the preseason favorites in the Steel Commander Stock 1000 series, Hayden Gillim, had a wretched beginning to his 2023 campaign on the Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000 as a non-finish in race one and a sixth in race two left him with just 10 points to show for his efforts. He is 40 points behind Beaubier heading to Barber, but there’s plenty of racing left and Gillim likely has his worst race behind him.

Round two will also mark the debut in the class of the Steel Commander Racing Team’s Gabriel Da Silva, the Floridian who won the Supersport series finale at Barber back in 2021 but didn’t compete in 2022.

Junior Cup – Dreher Leads ‘Em In

Avery Dreher’s name might appear at the bottom of the entry list with his #99 Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400, but his name is at the very top of the point standings after the opening round (and two races) at Road Atlanta.

Dreher won both races, but neither win came easily. Case in point: Dreher topped SportbikeTrackGear.com’s Max Van in both races by just .612 of a second and .949 of a second, respectively. And the battles at the front on both days featured at least four riders.

With Van finishing second in both races, the final spot in both went to Bicknese Racing’s Hayden Bicknese with the Missourian close to the top in both races.

With those three holding down the top three spots – Dreher (50 points), Van (40 points) and Bicknese (32 points) – fourth is held by 3D Motorsports’ Chase Black by virtue of his fifth- and fourth-place finishes. Black, meanwhile, is just three points ahead of Yandel Racing’s Yandel Medina.

Mission Mini Cup By Motul – The Kids Are Alright

The second round of the Mission Mini Cup By Motul series will take place at Barber Motorsports Park on a separate track than the one used by the rest of the MotoAmerica paddock and they will do so on Friday and Saturday afternoon.

The Mini Cuppers opened their season two weeks ago at Carolina Motorsports Park with the introduction of three new Stock classes – Stock 50, Stock 110 and Stock 125 – joining the two-Ohvale classes for the first time.

When the smoke had cleared after two days of racing in South Carolina, it was Cole Peterman, Nathan Bettencourt, Nathan Gouker, Ryder Davis, and Joshua Raymond leaving with the lion’s share of trophies.

Pre-Barber Support Class Notes

For the past two years, the Barber Motorsports Park round of the MotoAmerica Championship was the final round of the season. This year, the popular venue on the outskirts of Birmingham moves from September to May and is round two of the championship.

While the Steel Commander Stock 1000 class, Junior Cup and Supersport will race in their second round of the 2023 season at Barber Motorsports Park, the Alabama event is the third round of the season for the REV’IT! Twins Cup class as they held their opening round in conjunction with the Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway in March. Although the 200 featured Supersport-spec motorcycles, the race did not count toward the 2023 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.

After a difficult opening round at Road Atlanta, Hayden Gillim will be hoping to turn things around and will welcome a return to the site of his doubleheader sweep of the two Steel Commander Stock 1000 races at Barber last year. Gillim won the pair of Stock 1000 races a year ago in the finale to tie Corey Alexander at the top of the championship. Alexander, however, earned the title by virtue of his seven wins to Gillim’s five in the tiebreaker.

Rocco Landers and Josh Herrin split wins in the Supersport class last September with those two finishing first and second in the championship. Herrin is not defending his crown as he moves to the Medallia Superbike class with the same Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati team. Landers, meanwhile, has returned to the REV’IT! Twins Cup Championship, which he won in 2021.

Blake Davis and Kaleb De Keyrel split wins in the REV’IT! Twins Cup class in the 2022 Barber round. It was Davis’s third victory of his championship-winning season and the lone win of the year for the defending class champion De Keyrel.

The two victors in last year’s pair of Junior Cup races were Kayla Yaakov and Gus Rodio. Both of those riders have made the move to the REV’IT! Twins Cup class for 2023 with Rodio leading the championship. Yaakov missed both the series opener at Daytona and round two at Road Atlanta with a leg injury.

Entries are high for all the classes competing this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park with 172 attempting to qualify. The biggest class of the weekend is the Steel Commander Stock 1000 class with 42 entries – one more than the REV’IT! Twins Cup class. The Junior Cup class will field 31 riders with 30 set to qualify for the extended Supersport race.

About MotoAmerica

MotoAmerica is North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. Established in 2014, MotoAmerica is home to the AMA Superbike Championship as well as additional classes including Supersport, Stock 1000, Twins Cup, Junior Cup, and King Of The Baggers. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership including three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey; ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland; motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges; and businessman Richard Varner. For more information, please visit www.MotoAmerica.com and follow MotoAmerica on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.

May 2023

May 16, 2023

On the Front Cover: In front of a big crowd at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, Alex Rins became the first Honda rider to win a Moto GP race since 2021. Photo by Gigi Soldano/DPPI Media.

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MAY 2023 ISSUE

FEATURES

Inside Info: Aprilia RS 660 track bike; Ducati sales up; Rossi is a
Yamaha Ambassador; Pirelli renews WSBK spec tire deal…

Historic Racebike Illustrations: 1972 Seeley MK4 Matchless G50

Intro: 2023 Suzuki GSX-8S, Middleweight Streetfighter

MotoGP Analysis: How Physics + AI Have Transformed MotoGP

MotoGP Origins: Dr. Rob Tuluie & The Tul-Aris 800

Collections: Kaming Ko’s Warehouse Full Of Personal Favorites

RACING

MotoGP World Championship: Three Winners In Three Races

MotoAmerica at Road Atlanta: Gagne vs. Beaubier In A Superbike Thriller

MotoAmerica Road Atlanta Inside Info

Superbike World Championship: Bautista Scores Ducati’s 400th Win

COLUMNS

Letters To The Editor: Five Fun Decades, Streaming BSB,
3D Calendar, Andreani USA

10 Years Ago, May 2013: Ducati Panigale R with electronic suspension;
Schwantz’s 1980s Superbike; Beaubier wins Daytona 200…

The Kids’ Page: Jase Dill

New Products: : Shoei X-Fifteen, Monkey Jaws Tube Clamps

The Crash Page: Fabio Quartararo & Miguel Oliveira At Jerez

Racing, School, & Track Day Calendar: Where & When To Ride

Classified Ads/Advertiser Index

High Performance Parts & Services Directory

Chris Ulrich: Adventures Of An Ex-Racer: My Biggest & Dumbest Crashes

MotoAmerica: Superbike War Heading To Barber Motorsports Park

May 16, 2023

Cameron Beaubier (6) leads Jake Gagne (1), Cameron Petersen (45), Josh Herrin (2), Mathew Scholtz (11), Richie Escalante (behind Scholtz), PJ Jacobsen (66), Toni Elias (24), Corey Alexander (23), David Anthony (25), and Ashton Yates (22) during MotoAmerica Superbike Race Two at Road Atlanta. Photo by Brian J. Nelson. — Cameron Beaubier (6) leads Jake Gagne (1), Cameron Petersen (45), Josh Herrin (2), Mathew Scholtz (11), Richie Escalante (behind Scholtz), PJ Jacobsen (66), Toni Elias (24), Corey Alexander (23), David Anthony (25), and Ashton Yates (22) during MotoAmerica Superbike Race Two at Road Atlanta in 2023. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.