PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association just wrapped up two days of close competition, championship-deciding battles, and memorable moments across more than 20 classes under cool, overcast skies.
The weekend’s featured Formula Ultra races highlighted the championship fight as Kevin Pinkstaff claimed Saturday’s victory before Brian Pinkstaff answered with a win on Sunday. Sawyer Lafayette completed the podium in both races, continuing his impressive season as the Northwest’s premier young rider.
The Superbike classes delivered some of the weekend’s biggest excitement. Oliver Jervis swept the 600 Superbike races, while Brian Pinkstaff earned the Open Superbike victory after an unforgettable battle with brother Kevin. Kevin suffered a spectacular near-high side exiting Turn 9, somehow saving the motorcycle before crossing the finish line just behind Brian in one of the season’s most remarkable displays of bike control. Kevin also claimed top honors in Open Supersport, while Sawyer Lafayette captured the 600 Supersport victory.
Competition remained fierce throughout the remaining divisions. Paxton Gray and Hannah Johnson split victories in Middleweight Superbike and Jon Campbell taking home both victories in the Middleweight Supersport, while Michael McIntosh and Troy McCrae each stood atop the podium in Middleweight GP. Andy Halbert dominated the lightweight categories with victories in Ultra-Lightweight Supersport, while Austin McCabe added a win in Ultra-Lightweight GP.
The fan-favorite Le Mans-style start returned for the 250 Ninja Cup and Vintage races, with Sawyer Layfette taking the Ninja Cup victory and Daric Cheshire for the 160 Vintage Race.
Sunday’s Kelly Johnson #303 Memorial Pit Bike Race brought the OMRRA family together to honor the memory of a beloved racer, reminding everyone that the organization is built as much on community as it is competition.
OMRRA’s next event takes place at The Ridge Motorsports Park on August 29 & 30, with a final event at Pacific Raceways on September 12 & 13, in Kent, WA.
About OMRRA:
OMRRA, incorporated in 1972 as a non-profit, volunteer run organization, has members ranging in age from 12 to over 70, racing motorcycles of many brands, sizes and ages. OMRRA operates at Portland International Raceway, a city park and world class track. For more information, visit www.omrra.com and join us at www.facebook.com/omrra.racing and @omrra.pdx on social media.
CTMP Preview: Young looks to add to legacy, Casas aims for third Supersport crown.
Hamilton, ON – The final round of the 2026 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season is upon us, with three national champions already crowned and four more titles to be decided at this weekend’s marquee event in Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, August 6-9.
One rider who has already clinched the feature GP Bikes Pro Superbike class is Ben Young, the now six-time champion having secured his fifth Canada Cup in a row at the most recent round in Grand Bend.
Young has been near-perfect in 2026, winning seven of eight races and only settling for a narrow runner-up finish to Jordan Szoke in Calabogie to score 195 of a possible 200 points so far this season.
The Van Dolder’s Home Team Honda rider will have nothing left to prove at the CTMP finale – usually one of his strongest circuits – but that doesn’t mean he can’t add to his already incredible resumé, having cemented himself on CSBK’s all-time “Mount Rushmore” this season.
Young currently sits second all-time to Szoke in victories (30) and podiums (73) and can tie Steve Crevier for second on the pole positions list with his 23rd on Friday, having already tied Crevier for second on the championship order with six titles.
The 33-year-old has admitted it’s a borderline insurmountable gap to Szoke at the top, but that doesn’t mean Young has nothing left to race for at CTMP, especially with a large travelling fanbase usually behind him at “Old Mosport.”
After all, it may have been difficult to convince a 25-year-old Young that his first career victory (scored at CTMP) would kickstart this incredible run, eventually surpassing a once-untouchable mark of 26 career wins for Crevier.
Adding a pair of wins at the finale may prove to be substantial for Young’s legacy one day – though he maintains there are sometimes more important things than winning to preserve a “legacy” – especially with a hungry group of young stars now awaiting their first victory, ironically at the same venue where Young claimed his.
Leading the group is Andrew Van Winkle, who has smashed all expectations in 2026 to put himself third in the championship in his first Superbike campaign.
The Mountainview Motorsports Honda rider has taken four podiums as a 19-year-old, threatening Young on a few occasions and matching himself against the more experienced Szoke and David MacKay despite still learning his CBR-1000RR-R.
Van Winkle had a disastrous weekend at CTMP last season in the Supersport ranks but has shown it’s foolish to underestimate him, and a win to end the year would firmly swing the momentum in his favour as CSBK’s long-term “face of the series.”
That may be underestimating MacKay, however, as the more experienced Snow City Cycle Honda star has shown even more pace than Van Winkle this season, even if the standings don’t reflect it.
MacKay finds himself a more distant fourth overall thanks to two crashes in 2026, but both were while leading – and one rather comfortably at his home track in Grand Bend, a race many felt he would have won from a first career pole position.
They won’t be the only Honda’s vying for a breakthrough result, though, as Young will bring a bit of goodwill to the grid as well, partnering with Supersport star Cole Alexander to help him make his Superbike debut this weekend.
The 19-year-old hasn’t looked out of place at all as a Supersport rookie this year, securing three podiums and fighting for the lead on multiple occasions to sit fourth in the overall championship.
Young emphasized that there’s “no pressure” on Alexander and that he simply “wanted to help a young guy out,” but that doesn’t mean the reigning Amateur champion should be discounted as he hops aboard last year’s Van Dolder’s Home Team Honda machine.
Zoltan Frast – the only other rider to taste Superbike champagne in 2026 – will also be back in action at CTMP, as he tries to build on his sensational second-place breakthrough at Grand Bend aboard his Frast Racing BMW.
Joining him amongst the darkhorses is new Canadian Kawasaki Motors flag-bearer Alex Michel, who has put in a quietly solid first full Superbike campaign and will now be returning to the venue where he made his class debut with a strong finale in 2025.
Tomas Casas (18) leads the Pro Supersport championship by 13 points over Sebastien Tremblay (24) heading into the final round of the season this weekend at CTMP. Photo by Rob O’Brien.
Casas looks to complete epic Supersport comeback
While the #1 plate has already been secured in Superbike, the biggest title still up for grabs remains in the OPP Racing Pro Supersport division, where Tomas Casas has one hand on the title heading into his home circuit.
The two-time champion has turned a round one wildcard into a dominant championship charge in 2026, winning five of six races despite a loaded field behind him to stretch a 13-point lead over Sebastien Tremblay.
A crash in his lone defeat has left that margin closer than Casas would like, but the FAST Riding School Suzuki star has looked practically untouchable at times this season with an average margin-of-victory of nearly five seconds.
The 27-year-old will have even more confidence knowing that he’s entering one of his strongest tracks, having won twice at CTMP and finished on the podium in ten consecutive Supersport races there during his career.
However, Casas will also know that the circuit can deliver very unpredictable results, and there will be little margin for error with a group that includes Tremblay, Alexander, and Matt Simpson behind him.
Tremblay is his closest challenger to the middleweight crown, having finished on the podium in every race this season to keep his own quest for a third career crown alive.
The S.T. Motosport Suzuki rider is no slouch at CTMP either, winning eight times at the venue including the finale there last season, but that remains Tremblay’s only victory in the last 15 races.
The veteran will likely need to beat Casas one way or another on Saturday to give himself a realistic shot in race two on Sunday, perhaps forcing the two former rivals to get their elbows out once again.
While there is a much bigger gap back to the duo of Simpson and Alexander – currently tied at 34 points behind Casas – neither rider is truly out of the equation given their strong form in 2026 and history of success at CTMP.
Simpson’s only pro victory came at his home track in 2022, and a repeat success will be just what the Blackstock Motorsports Suzuki rider needs to claw his way back into the title fight, perhaps capitalizing on a preoccupied duo of Casas and Tremblay.
There’s no counting out Alexander, however, who scored a crucial victory at this circuit last season to help win the Amateur Supersport crown and has checked every box as a pro thus far in 2026.
The teenager may feel some effects of doing double-duty in the Superbike ranks, but that will also mean additional track time for the French Glass Co. Suzuki star as he tries to get on terms with his more experienced counterparts.
The weekend will officially get underway with a Bridgestone CSBK Test Day on Thursday, August 6 at the circuit just an hour east of Toronto, Ontario, before qualifying on Friday and a doubleheader finale of racing on Saturday and Sunday, August 8-9.
Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider Maverick Viñales will be replaced by Pol Espargaró for the upcoming British Grand Prix, as he continues to manage the effects of an injury sustained at the Sachsenring in 2025.
Viñales has faced a challenging period since the incident, with several setbacks impacting his return to competition. Following surgery earlier this year, he has continued to work closely with medical specialists, Tech3 and KTM on his rehabilitation programme.
After further consultation during the summer break, and a recent visit to the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre (APC), Viñales will withdraw from racing this weekend and focus on his continued recovery. As a result, Espargaró will step in for Round 12 of the MotoGP™ World Championship at Silverstone.
KTM reserve rider Espargaró is a familiar face within the Tech3 garage, having made his premier class debut with the team in 2014 and gone on to contest 70 MotoGP races for the French outfit. The 2013 Moto2 World Champion also deputised for fellow Spaniard Viñales during his earlier injury absence in 2025.
Maverick Viñales (12) at Balaton Park. Photo courtesy Tech3.
Maverick Viñales said: “During the summer break, we kept looking for the reason why I wasn’t getting the strength back in external rotation in my left arm, while the internal rotation had a significant improvement over the last few months.
“Further medical tests showed that, although my supraspinatus has fully healed, I also have a small tear in the infraspinatus that we didn’t realise until last week. We’re now working on the best recovery plan.
“It’s not the best news, as the second part of the season starts now. I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but I will put everything as always into this recovery.”
Pol Espargaró said: “I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I feel sad, it’s never nice to jump on the bike in this situation, when a rider is injured and can’t race, especially when it’s Maverick. That’s a real shame. On the other hand, racing is in my blood. I’ve been racing all my life, and I miss it so much, so this is a great opportunity for me too. I’ve been with Tech3 my whole career and I feel part of the family, so I always feel comfortable when I go back to this garage.
“I’ll need a bit of time to adapt back to the category, since I’ve mostly been testing the RC16 for the new project and haven’t been on the 1000cc bike in a while, but after a couple of sessions, I’ll be ready. I’m looking forward to racing and doing my best to get Tech3 some good results.”
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager, said: “It’s obviously not the news we wanted to be announcing after the summer break, and the whole team feel very sad for Maverick, but Pol has been part of the Tech3 family for a long time and is for sure the right substitute under these circumstances. We wish Maverick a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on the bike at the next race in Aragon.”
Two kids, one who is 29-years-old, the other 71, are racing this Saturday at Virgina International Raceway (VIR), as Team Passive Aggressive.
The 2025 runner-up in the B.T.R Royal Enfield championship, Miranda Cain, and her grand-uncle, former WERA National Endurance racer, Peter Jones, are racing an Aprilia RS 457 in the Two-Hour Ultra-Light Endurance Race sanctioned by N2RA, at VIR, August 7-8. Yes, this weekend!
This shared project is about family, friends, and how motorcycles build community. Video and a feature in RoadRUNNER magazine will follow. Spectating live, in person, at VIR is free.
Miranda Cain. Photo by Lowside Media
Cain earned second place in the 2025 B.T.R. Royal Enfield championship, setting a class lap record at VIR, and is now racing in Europe in the six-event WEC series. She earned her expert license with the Central Roadracing Association (CRA), of which she is now President.
Jones is cofounder of Team Swine Dudes/Team Pearls Suzuki, winners of three class championships in the 1990s WERA National Endurance series, twice earning second overall, during the golden age of grassroots road racing. Jones has 30+ years as a moto-journalist, today regularly contributing to RoadRUNNER Touring & Travel magazine as “Teller of Tales”.
More information about the race weekend can be found here: n2td.org/endurance/
This family endurance project is supported by Aprilia, Woodcraft Technologies, Andreani USA, Motovation USA/SC Project, Dunlop, Accossato, Robem Engineering, LS2 Helmets, Bison, Moon Motorsports, Vanson Leathers, Alpinestars, and Chris Parr.
Tied for Third in Supersport with Suzuki, Alexander will make full blown 1000cc racer debut at final 2026 Bridgestone CSBK Round.
Newly confirmed 2026 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Champion Ben Young of Collingwood, ON, will have a team-mate this weekend at the final 2026 National at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.Rising star Cole Alexander, currently tied for third in the OPP Racing Pro Supersport middleweight division, will ride Young’s second Van Dolder’s Home Team Honda CBR1000RR-RR at “old Mosport.”
Based in Amaranth, near Orangeville, ON, 19-year-old Alexander is a rising star on the National tour, riding a Suzuki GSX-R750 in the premier support class.That series is headed by two-time class Champ “T.V. Tommy” Casas with 125 points, followed by former Champ Seb Tremblay at a total 112.Tied for third are veteran Matt Simspon (Sousa Suzuki) and Alexander, both with 91 points.
With over 50 points available at the double header finale, all four Pro riders are still in contention for the middleweight crown.
“Cole will be riding last year’s “A” bike under our team’s canopy,” explained Young about his plan to place Cole on yet another front running red Honda Superbike.“We’ll help him as much as we can.
“I asked him, he didn’t approach me,” explained Young of this attention grabbing late 2026 Superbike category development.“I Know there are obvious questions, who else I might have asked (to ride the Honda), but I really wanted to help a young guy out.This way a class newcomer gets to ride a Superbike that has already won at C.T.M.P.
“I met their family three years ago when they were racing in Lightweight, and they have a family cottage up in Collingwood, and the family had seen me at our local Mountain Bike races.
“I got to know them, and they are a great family.It reminds me of me and my Dad,” continues Young, who recently ran well at the Suzuka Eight-Hour World Endurance Championship round, joined in his pit box by Father Scott.
“I was never given an opportunity like this,” continued the six-time Canadian Number One in the Feature class.“Of course, he will still race his Suzuki in Supersport, you never know what could happen.
“I’m in a positive position, and grateful to have this year’s Championship wrapped up – otherwise, I couldn’t help Cole out. He’s super pumped, it is a really big opportunity.
“There could well be all Hondas up at the front,” continued Young, who is followed in the points standings by fellow CBR racers, class rookie Andrew Van Winkle of Chilliwack, B.C. third with Hamilton, ON’s David McKay fourth overall.
“There is no pressure for Cole to produce a result; we have no requirements expect to have fun, and I think it will help him with the 750 too – it should make him more comfortable with the higher speeds at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.”
Qualifying for the two GPBikes supported Superbike Feature races at the legendary Grand Prix ten turn, 4-kilometer-long venue takes place on Friday afternoon, August 7, with 18 lap races on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, August 8 and 9.
Complete race results from the 2026 AHRMA Road Racing Series presented by VIB-ISO event held August 1-2 at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, IL.
Fermín Aldeguer will not compete at Silverstone for the 12th round of the MotoGP World Championship.
The Spanish rider will remain on the sidelines as a precaution. However, he has received medical clearance to resume training from August 15, with Team Gresini set to welcome him back at Aragón in around a month’s time.
A welcome return to the Gresini family for Iker Lecuona, who, after standing in for Alex Márquez in Hungary, will take on the challenge of riding Fermín’s Ducati this weekend at Silverstone.
Scholtz First to Four In Abbreviated Quad Lock Superbike Sunday.
Mathew Scholtz piloted his Strack Racing Yamaha to a hard-fought victory on Sunday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, emerging triumphant in a dramatic MotoAmerica Quad Lock Superbike Race 2, securing his fourth win of the 2026 season. Halted twice by red flags, Scholtz crossed the line a mere 0.177 seconds ahead of OrangeCat Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly, with Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong securing third place as the race was called.
The afternoon was defined by high-stakes drama from the outset. Pole-sitter Benjamin Smith saw his hopes of a first victory evaporate on the opening lap. Smith suffered a significant crash that sent his Warhorse HSBK Ducati Flo4Law motorcycle across the track, creating a hazardous situation that forced an immediate red flag and a full restart.
Benjamin Smith (#78) lost control in the opening lap of the initial Race 2 start, drawing a red flag. The polesitter was unable to rejoin for the restart. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Following the cleanup, the field was reset for an abbreviated race distance. The restart showed Saturday’s Race 1 winner SDK take advantage of the leading grid position, following Smith’s crash, while a familiar field with Fong and Scholtz giving chase, as M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante found himself in fourth.
One of the most notable storylines of the race involved PJ Jacobsen (Rahal Ducati Moto with XPEL), who made a charge that would see him setting an unmatched pace and a position as high as third. Jacobsen crossed the finish line with the fastest lap of the race (1:25.009) before the rider crashed out, causing the action to be interrupted a second time as it drew a red flag.
Mathew Scholtz (Strack Racing), found the front in a dramatic Race 2, with Sean Dylan Kelly (OrangeCat Racing), PJ Jacobsen (Rahal Ducati Moto with XPEL), and Bobby Fong (Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing) in tow. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
With nine laps completed at the time, official rules forced an early end, where results were awarded based on the standings at the time of stoppage. Under these conditions, Scholtz secured the win over SDK in second, while Fong was awarded third, the position Jacobsen was currently in, after the Ducati rider’s position received its appropriate time adjustment from the Race Stewards. Jacobsen dropped to 17th in the final classification.
Loris Baz, who topped the Sunday morning warm-up session with a time of 1:25.362, brought his Warhorse HSBK Ducati home in fourth place. He was followed by Wrench Motorcycles’ Cameron Petersen, who rounded out the top five. Jayson Uribe (OrangeCat Racing) and Brandon Paasch (M4 ECSTAR Suzuki) finished sixth and seventh, respectively.
Several top contenders faced a difficult Sunday, with Richie Escalante and Hayden Gillim both failing to finish (DNF) after starting from the front two rows of the grid but crashing out in the duration of the second race restart. Despite the chaotic nature of the day, the battle at the front remained fierce, with the top four riders separated by less than two seconds at the final tally.
With three rounds remaining, which include two triple-headers on the 2026 calendar, a maximum of 150 points remains available in the tightly contested Quad Lock Superbike and Superbike Cup championships as they head to Virginia International Raceway.
Superbike Cup – Real Deal with Real Steel Honda
In the Superbike Cup, Andrew Lee delivered a standout performance, finishing 10th overall to claim the top spot on the Cup podium. Riding his Real Steel Honda, Lee navigated the abbreviated race distance to cross the line ahead of the Cup collective, in a championship that continues to add points to his already favorable lead.
Kaleb De Keyrel followed closely to secure second in the Cup class and 11th overall on his OrangeCat Racing BMW’s debut weekend, while Deion Campbell rounded out the category podium with a 12th-place overall finish aboard his BPR Racing Yamaha.
Andrew Lee (#14) continues his winning ways in Superbike Cup, as he leads Ashton Yates (#46), fellow Cup competitor, Kaleb DeKeyrel (#51), and Deion Campbell (#194). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
The following quote is from Quad Lock Superbike Race 2 Winner Mathew Scholtz:
“Obviously, I want to win. I did get lucky there. I definitely felt like the front was really starting to drop off on me, but sometimes it works for you, and it definitely did today. Yesterday’s race was terrible for us. We kind of dropped off early on. So, we took a gamble today. Completely changed the bike upside-down, different way the software works. It definitely paid off. Those first couple laps behind Bobby and Sean, I definitely figured a few things out. The goal was once I got out to the front, just to make myself as wide as I possibly can. I was definitely ready for that fight. Thankful to be up here. Thank you to the Strack Racing Team. We pulled that one out of the bag. Thank you.”
The following quote is from Superbike Cup Race 2 Winner Andrew Lee:
“We went 1-1 this weekend. Really happy with the end results. We tried a lot on the bike this weekend and it was productive to collect the data. VIR next, another great opportunity to keep the learning and progress going!”
For the full 2026 MotoAmerica schedule, and to purchase tickets for MotoAmerica events, CLICK HERE
For information on how to watch the MotoAmerica series, CLICK HERE
More from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
Champions Rise At Mid-Ohio: Gillim Extends Baggers Lead As MotoAmerica Closes Out The Weekend.
Sunday’s Feature Class program at the Permco Superbikes at Mid-Ohio event gave MotoAmerica fans a spectacular show: a heartstopping finish in Supersport, a stablemate showdown that sealed a Mission King Of The Baggers sweep, a razor-thin margin of victory in Twins Cup, a new track record in Mission Super Hooligan National Championship racing and a championship-finale in Build.Train.Race. With the season winding toward its final rounds, five different points battles tightened on the 2.4-mile road course.
Supersport
Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse Ducati’s Darryn Binder completed a Mid-Ohio double victory over championship rival Rahal Ducati Moto with Desnuda Organic Tequila’s Josh Herrin in a shortened Supersport Race 2.
Darryn Binder (#53) and Josh Herrin (#2) put on another wild show for the fans in Supersport Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
On the opening lap, Liberty Yamaha Racing’s Dominic Doyle and Ducati Pittsburgh/Mosites Motorsports’ Ryder Davis collided in Turn 1 and tumbled through the gravel. With riders and machines left in unsafe positions, race control halted the session to clear debris and escort competitors off the circuit. As a result of the stoppage, race distance was trimmed to 16 laps.
After the restart, Josh Herrin jumped out to the early lead before teammate Rahal Ducati Moto with Droplight’s Kayla Yaakov swept past to lead the opening lap of the 16-lap contest. Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse Ducati’s Darryn Binder and BPR Racing Yamaha’s Josh Hayes rounded out a fast-forming lead group, 1.2 seconds clear of M4 ECSTAR Suzuki rider Tyler Scott in fifth.
On lap two, Yaakov slipped from first to fourth after a bobble in the Keyhole. Binder, who had worked past Herrin in P2 just before, inherited the lead and began to pull away with Californian’s Ducati in tow.
Herrin answered with a decisive pass back on the 28-year-old South African but ran wide at the exit of Turn 6, handing the position right back. The pair briefly broke away from Hayes and Yaakov, though the group had regrouped into a tight foursome by the race’s midpoint.
Herrin again passed Binder at Turn 6 with four laps to go, with Hayes still glued to the front group.
With two laps remaining, Binder made his move at the favored Turn 6 under heavy braking and rode a defensive final lap, covering every inside line. Out of the final corner, Herrin launched a thrilling attempt around the outside but came up 0.039 of a second short.
Yaakov worked past Hayes on the final lap to claim the last podium spot — her eighth podium of the season.
Binder now leads Herrin by 19 points in the championship standings and holds a 102-point advantage over Yaakov in third with three rounds and 150 points remaining.
The following quote is from Supersport Race 2 Winner Darryn Binder:
“Today was quite different compared to yesterday. I don’t know if it had anything to do with the red flag at the beginning and stopping and starting again, but the grip just wasn’t quite there. Every time I got a bit of clean air, I just didn’t feel as good as yesterday. Just kept playing the game. At the end, I had to come up with something to try and stay in the lead. Managed to make it happen and get the double this weekend. Super, super happy and I can’t thank all the Celtic Economy Lube HSBK. Thank you guys so much for everything this weekend. Looking forward to the next one.”
Mission King Of The Baggers
J&P Cycles/Motul/Vance & Hines Factory Indian rider Hayden Gillim capped a weekend sweep in King Of The Baggers competition at Mid-Ohio, charging from P6 to win Race 2 by 0.25 of a second over teammate Troy Herfoss. Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing’s Bradley Smith completed the podium in third.
Hayden Gillim (#69) rallied past his teammate Troy Herfoss (#17) to take the Race 2 victory. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Gillim, who started from pole, slipped to sixth after a poor start.Fellow Indian rider Herfoss jumped to the early lead, looking to capitalize on Gillim’s hiccup. Harley-Davidson teammates Wyman and Smith slotted into second and third, with SDI Racing’s Tyler O’Hara and Big Diehl x Harley-Davidson Factory Racing’s James Rispoli rounding out the top five.
By lap three of the nine-lap contest, Gillim had worked his way past Rispoli and O’Hara to sit just behind Smith in third. He then charged past both Harley-Davidson riders to close in on leader Herfoss with four laps to go.
The Aussie tried to hold off the Kentucky native at his home track, but Gillim’s charge could not be denied. The points leader took the lead in Turn 1 with three laps to go and held on to the finish, extending his championship lead to 23 points over Herfoss. Smith holds third, 54 points behind the leader.
With two rounds and 100 points remaining this season, any rider trailing the leader by 99 points or fewer retains a mathematical shot at the title, though it would take significant luck. The championship battle looks set to come down to the Indian stablemates in the closing rounds.
The following quote is from Mission King Of The Baggers Race 2 Winner Hayden Gillim:
“I’m sitting here talking about needing to get a good start. I don’t know. But that was tough. Luckily I could kind of put this thing where I wanted those first few laps and I was able to make all my passes over there in the keyhole. Just really, really happy with this. Troy rode an awesome race. He deserved this one. After my crash in superbike, I was riding a little angry and was able to make it happen. Once I got in front though, I was kind of shot. I knew Troy was going to be coming at me. Just so happy for the J&P Cycles Motul Vance and Hines Indian team. This is good.”
Twins Cup
Robem Engineering’s Hank Vossberg and championship rival Mathew Chapin (M4 ECSTAR Suzuki) thrilled the Mid-Ohio crowd with a close, one-on-one battle to the line in Twins Cup Race 2. The pair traded the lead twice before Vossberg came out on top at the line by just 0.25 seconds.
Hank Vossberg (#31) came back in Race 2 to capture the victory over Mathew Chapin (#95). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Vossberg led the opening six laps with Chapin in tow before the two swapped positions in Turn 6. The duo pulled 4.5 seconds clear of a three-way fight for the final podium spot involving Chapin’s teammate Bodie Paige, Sam Drane and Isaac Woodworth.
Vossberg studied the leader’s lines before retaking the position with a clean pass at the end of the back straightaway with three laps to go. Chapin briefly retook the lead from Vossberg at the same corner one lap later. The two began the final lap nose-to-tail with Chapin in front, before points leader Vossberg made another clean pass at Turn 6, withstanding a challenge from Chapin to take the win at the line.
The podium was capped off by Chapin’s teammate, Bodie Paige while Vossberg extended his points advantage to 63 over Chapin in P2, and 70 over Paige in P3 with two rounds remaining.
The following quote is from Twins Cup Race 2 Winner Hank Vossberg:
“That race was wild. I’m just happy it was dry out today. Could finally put our pace in. I knew Matthew would stick on me right in the race. He was pushing me the whole time. Yesterday I didn’t get the draft move that I wanted to and tried to make sure I capitalized on that today. Can’t give it up to the team enough for giving me such an amazing 2026 Aprilia RS 660. Thank you to Famous Style Racing and Containers 411.”
Mission Super Hooligan National Championship
BPR Racing Yamaha continued its dominance of the Mission Super Hooligan class at Mid-Ohio, as the top two finishers from Saturday’s Race 1 swapped positions in Race 2. Andy DiBrino took the win over boss and teammate Bryce Kornbau, with Rodio Racing’s Gus Rodio — third in points — completing the podium.
Andy DiBrino (leading rider) and Bryce Kornbau (second rider) have swapped Race 1 and Race 2 wins at the past two rounds. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
DiBrino, starting second on the grid, grabbed the early lead with Kornbau right behind, Saddlemen Race Development’s Jake Lewis in third and Corey Alexander, aboard ARCH Motorcycle Racing’s bespoke 2s-R machine, in fourth. Rodio opened the race in fifth.
As the Yamahas broke away to a lead of more than five seconds, Kornbau moved past his employee DiBrino into P1 while the trailing riders jockeyed for the final podium spot, with Rodio coming out on top. Alexander brought it home in fourth for the ARCH Motorcycle Racing team, with Saddlemen Race Development’s James Rispoli making a late charge to pass teammate Lewis for fifth.
Kornbau held the lead until the final lap, when DiBrino lined up a pass in the esses and carried it to the line for the win by 0.216 of a second over his teammate. Though he settled for second, Kornbau smashed his own lap and race records set a day earlier, establishing a new outright Hooligan track record of 1:28.072. Rodio held on for third, 5.5 seconds behind the leaders.
DiBrino now leads the points chase by five over Kornbau in second and by 19 over Rodio in third. With one round and two points-paying races remaining in the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship, only the top three riders remain mathematically eligible for the title — defending champion James Rispoli sits fourth, 53 points behind with just 50 points left to award.
The following quote is from Mission Super Hooligan National Championship Race 2 Winner Andy DiBrino:
“Man, this is insane. I feel like I’ve been dreaming ever since the Ridge and I just don’t want to wake up. It’s unreal. I just got to give everything, I owe everything to Bryce. I can’t believe he’s so generous to everybody. He helps out so many people. A year ago I thought I was done. I was just having a hard time doing my own program. He gave me an opportunity and I’m just taking the most of it. I’ve got such a good group of people around me and people encouraging me and believing in me. I’m just so thankful. That felt unreal. I’m speechless.”
Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race.
The final race of the 2026 Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. season saw Bryanna Everitt lead the field into Turn 1, with Brianna Cutler following in second and newly crowned class champion Jasmine Noelle in third.
Bryanna Everitt took the final B.T.R. victory of 2026 ahead of Brianna Cutler (#35), Tati Paze (#55), Jasmine Noelle (#711) and the rest of the field in Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Everitt built a small gap in the opening laps as a three-rider battle developed behind her for the final podium spot, with Brazil’s Tati Paze working past champion Noelle for third. The trio closed on Everitt but could not catch the Columbia, South Carolina, native, who pulled away to win by 0.7 of a second and close out the 2026 season.
Behind her, the battle for the podium escalated. Paze temporarily dropped to fourth during the final laps but launched a late-race comeback. She charged past both Cutler and the reigning champion to reclaim second place, ultimately demoting Cutler to third and pushing Noelle down to fourth.
The following quote is from Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. Race 2 Winner Bryanna Everitt:
“I had no idea what was happening behind me. After I botched my start yesterday, I was on a mission today. I’m still pinching myself. Once I got ahead after the start, I put my head down. I’m like, clean laps. The last laps with my BTR career have to be the best laps of my life. I had no idea who was behind me, how far they were. I acted as if they were on my tail. I’m so happy to wrap up my BTR career this way. Finally getting my checkered flag win, not with the red flag assist. Thank you, Build Train Race. Thank you, Royal Enfield. Thank you to all of our sponsors. Arai, Alpinestars, Dymag wheels, everyone that makes this possible. It’s been an amazing two years.”
For the full 2026 MotoAmerica schedule, and to purchase tickets for MotoAmerica events, CLICK HERE.
For information on how to watch the MotoAmerica series, CLICK HERE.
Hot headlines: strap in as the closest title fight ever touches down at Silverstone.
MotoGP is back this weekend – and there’s everything to race for at fast, fearless Silverstone.
The wait is finally over and MotoGP is BACK. This weekend, the awesome Silverstone Circuit hosts the most exciting sport on Earth as the closest championship fight ever touches down in the UK to start the second half of the season. So where were we?
Closer than ever: title fight on a knife edge
Five riders sit within 24 points, which is the closest it’s ever been. At the top it’s Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), who has had flashes of unbeatability – like his double in France – but more than that, he’s put in a pretty consistent run. He’s not been the outright fastest since that double, however, so can he turn up the wick as we roll out in the UK? He’ll be expecting stiff competition from many on the grid including from teammate Marco Bezzecchi, however, as ‘Bez’ looks to bounce back from his run of bad luck and trouble.
Flying high to start the season, the #72 is now fourth overall. On the comeback from injury and misadventure, this venue is possibly the best he could have asked for as he looks to rebuild: it’s where he took that first win with Aprilia last season, and somewhere many of his closest rivals haven’t got that wow factor CV either.
Ai Ogura at Assen. Photo courtesy Mat Oxley
Relentless: Marc Marquez and Ogura on the march
One of those is Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team). Now firmly in more than just the championship conversation and very much present in the upper echelons of the standings, he’s third overall. He’s taken doubles as rivals have faltered and rebuilt his campaign alongside increasing his fitness since that dramatic Le Mans crash and extra surgery. For many, there is now Jaws music coming from the #93 box – but that hasn’t traditionally been the case at this venue. Silverstone has had 11 different winners in the last 11 editions, so by definition, Marquez is only one of them.
That Jaws music is also coming from Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and not only on track as his late-race pace often sees the gap ahead suddenly start to shrink in the final few laps. Two podiums in Brno, beaten only by riders with MotoGP World Championships, prefaced his first win in Assen. Another second place came in Germany, behind the now-ten-time winner at the venue. The Japanese star may be the frontrunner for that claim on becoming winner number 12 at Silverstone and at only 14 points off the top, is even in not-so-distant reach of the Championship lead. Since Jerez, he’s scored the most points of anyone, 157, with Marc Marquez taking the second most – 145. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) is third by that metric with 134 since the Spanish GP.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) and Franco Morbidelli (21) at Assen. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.
Closest on the chase: Diggia leads the charge
Diggia is one of those riders locked in the closest title fight ever, fifth and 24 off Martin. He’s won this year already, in Barcelona, and until Germany had only finished a GP outside the top five since Thailand once, in Hungary, where he was embroiled in the Lap 1 drama through no fault of his own. Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) has known a little back luck too and he’ll be looking to reel in those ahead – having won Sprints in 2026 but no GP since his maiden win in Australia last year. He’s 49 points off the top. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) isn’t far off him either despite his own rollercoaster season since winning the dramatic Thailand Sprint, 60 points off the top and not content to let that remain so. Then there’s Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), 65 points off. He’s one of those 11 winners at Silverstone, taking the spoils in 2022, and is looking to regain the form of those title-winning years. He won the Brno Sprint during a run of four GP podiums in a row too, but he’ll want more.
Marc Marquez (93) leading Alex Marquez (73) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) during the MotoGP Sprint race at Sachsenring. Photo courtesy Mat Oxley.
Second half kickstart: looking for more
Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was last year’s Sprint winner at Silverstone and could fancy his chances as GP winner number 12 in 12 years here. With summer break to recover from a bruising run he’ll be reloaded and eager to get back into at least the podium fight. His teammate for the weekend will be Iker Lecuona, stepping over from WorldSBK to replace the injured Fermin Aldeguer, and he’ll be an interesting watch at a new beast of a venue after impressing at the more familiar Balaton. Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) is another previous Silverstone winner and will want to kick start his second half, as will Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) just behind him in the points. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3), the 2016 winner, remains on the hunt for more form after his injury struggles from 2025.
Cal Crutchlow (35) at Sachsenring. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Don’t doubt me: Crutchlow confirmed for home GP
After a summer break spent on his luxury yacht in the Isle of Man, tanned and shirtless (check out his Instagram post), Cal Crutchlow (Castrol Honda LCR) will indeed be back on track for his home GP as Johann Zarco’s recovery continues. A crowd favourite since he debuted, the first British MotoGP winner since Barry Sheene is actually making some pretty impressive progress on the timesheets on his mini-return. What’s he got in the locker for Silverstone? On the other end of the veteran timeline, teammate Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) is also impressing in his rookie season, with Q2 appearances and plenty of airtime as top Honda. But that’s often in earlier laps, with the Brazilian rookie now looking to keep himself in the mix over longer race distances to get the points reward too as he hovers two points ahead of Franco Morbidelli(Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in the standings. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) also wants those points as the #36 suffers a run of DNFs from pretty solid positions, whereas Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) remains that consistent banker looking to fight for more and more of those points, the only rider to score in every GP so far.
Luca Marini (10), Toprak Razgatlioglu (07), Brad Binder (33), Enea Bastianini (23), Maverick Viñales (12), Diogo Moreira (11), Alex Rins (42) and Cal Crutchlow (35) during the MotoGP race at Sachsenring. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM.
Destination: top ten
Another rider quietly building quite a run is Toprak Razgatlioglu (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP). From riding around at the back in pre-season to taking a P11 at Balaton, knocking on the door to the top ten, the Turkish rider is impressing. He has been top Yamaha twice, the same number as veteran teammate Jack Miller. Miller is close to another home hero at Silverstone too, an honourary one for the weekend and looking to put on another show.
Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) has shown flashes of more but will want more than that, and then there’s Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Last season will live long in the memory for the #20, his fans and his garage, as he lost out on the win with that tech problem. With the all-new V4 seemingly not quite ready to push for podiums, with a best result of P5 so far, Quartararo is unlikely to be able to repeat that pace but he’ll be looking to stamp authority on the claim of top Yamaha, which he remains more often than not, and he’s the only Iwata marque machine to score in Sprints so far in 2026.
Once an airfield and now one of the true behemoths in motorsport, Silverstone awaits. It’s never been closer than this and there’s room for it to get even tighter as we go out to race for another 37 points, so strap in for takeoff at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Great Britain.
Join us at Outernet as MotoGP descends on central London
Some of MotoGP’s biggest stars are set to descend on London’s iconic Outernet on Thursday 6 August, bringing the speed, excitement and drama of the world’s premier motorcycle racing championship to the heart of the capital just days before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The full line-up of riders can now be confirmed, with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), home hero Cal Crutchlow (Castrol Honda LCR), Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) ready to take to the stage. Read more HERE and get in touch to attend.
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Superbike, King Of The Baggers, & Supersport Race 1 Press Conferences
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Twins Cup Race 2
King of the Baggers Race 2
Super Hooligan Race 2
Superbike, King Of The Baggers, & Supersport Race 2 Press Conferences
Kevin Pinkstaff (1) and Brian Pinkstaff (121) at Portland International Raceway. Photo by Louis Stevenson / StevensonFoto.com
PORTLAND, Ore. – Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association just wrapped up two days of close competition, championship-deciding battles, and memorable moments across more than 20 classes under cool, overcast skies.
The weekend’s featured Formula Ultra races highlighted the championship fight as Kevin Pinkstaff claimed Saturday’s victory before Brian Pinkstaff answered with a win on Sunday. Sawyer Lafayette completed the podium in both races, continuing his impressive season as the Northwest’s premier young rider.
The Superbike classes delivered some of the weekend’s biggest excitement. Oliver Jervis swept the 600 Superbike races, while Brian Pinkstaff earned the Open Superbike victory after an unforgettable battle with brother Kevin. Kevin suffered a spectacular near-high side exiting Turn 9, somehow saving the motorcycle before crossing the finish line just behind Brian in one of the season’s most remarkable displays of bike control. Kevin also claimed top honors in Open Supersport, while Sawyer Lafayette captured the 600 Supersport victory.
Competition remained fierce throughout the remaining divisions. Paxton Gray and Hannah Johnson split victories in Middleweight Superbike and Jon Campbell taking home both victories in the Middleweight Supersport, while Michael McIntosh and Troy McCrae each stood atop the podium in Middleweight GP. Andy Halbert dominated the lightweight categories with victories in Ultra-Lightweight Supersport, while Austin McCabe added a win in Ultra-Lightweight GP.
The fan-favorite Le Mans-style start returned for the 250 Ninja Cup and Vintage races, with Sawyer Layfette taking the Ninja Cup victory and Daric Cheshire for the 160 Vintage Race.
Sunday’s Kelly Johnson #303 Memorial Pit Bike Race brought the OMRRA family together to honor the memory of a beloved racer, reminding everyone that the organization is built as much on community as it is competition.
OMRRA’s next event takes place at The Ridge Motorsports Park on August 29 & 30, with a final event at Pacific Raceways on September 12 & 13, in Kent, WA.
About OMRRA:
OMRRA, incorporated in 1972 as a non-profit, volunteer run organization, has members ranging in age from 12 to over 70, racing motorcycles of many brands, sizes and ages. OMRRA operates at Portland International Raceway, a city park and world class track. For more information, visit www.omrra.com and join us at www.facebook.com/omrra.racing and @omrra.pdx on social media.
Ben Young will be looking to add to his race wins this weekend at CTMP during the CSBK season finale, after the Honda rider clinched the 2026 Pro Superbike championship at the previous round. Photo by Rob O'Brien.
CTMP Preview: Young looks to add to legacy, Casas aims for third Supersport crown.
Hamilton, ON – The final round of the 2026 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season is upon us, with three national champions already crowned and four more titles to be decided at this weekend’s marquee event in Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, August 6-9.
One rider who has already clinched the feature GP Bikes Pro Superbike class is Ben Young, the now six-time champion having secured his fifth Canada Cup in a row at the most recent round in Grand Bend.
Young has been near-perfect in 2026, winning seven of eight races and only settling for a narrow runner-up finish to Jordan Szoke in Calabogie to score 195 of a possible 200 points so far this season.
The Van Dolder’s Home Team Honda rider will have nothing left to prove at the CTMP finale – usually one of his strongest circuits – but that doesn’t mean he can’t add to his already incredible resumé, having cemented himself on CSBK’s all-time “Mount Rushmore” this season.
Young currently sits second all-time to Szoke in victories (30) and podiums (73) and can tie Steve Crevier for second on the pole positions list with his 23rd on Friday, having already tied Crevier for second on the championship order with six titles.
The 33-year-old has admitted it’s a borderline insurmountable gap to Szoke at the top, but that doesn’t mean Young has nothing left to race for at CTMP, especially with a large travelling fanbase usually behind him at “Old Mosport.”
After all, it may have been difficult to convince a 25-year-old Young that his first career victory (scored at CTMP) would kickstart this incredible run, eventually surpassing a once-untouchable mark of 26 career wins for Crevier.
Adding a pair of wins at the finale may prove to be substantial for Young’s legacy one day – though he maintains there are sometimes more important things than winning to preserve a “legacy” – especially with a hungry group of young stars now awaiting their first victory, ironically at the same venue where Young claimed his.
Leading the group is Andrew Van Winkle, who has smashed all expectations in 2026 to put himself third in the championship in his first Superbike campaign.
The Mountainview Motorsports Honda rider has taken four podiums as a 19-year-old, threatening Young on a few occasions and matching himself against the more experienced Szoke and David MacKay despite still learning his CBR-1000RR-R.
Van Winkle had a disastrous weekend at CTMP last season in the Supersport ranks but has shown it’s foolish to underestimate him, and a win to end the year would firmly swing the momentum in his favour as CSBK’s long-term “face of the series.”
That may be underestimating MacKay, however, as the more experienced Snow City Cycle Honda star has shown even more pace than Van Winkle this season, even if the standings don’t reflect it.
MacKay finds himself a more distant fourth overall thanks to two crashes in 2026, but both were while leading – and one rather comfortably at his home track in Grand Bend, a race many felt he would have won from a first career pole position.
They won’t be the only Honda’s vying for a breakthrough result, though, as Young will bring a bit of goodwill to the grid as well, partnering with Supersport star Cole Alexander to help him make his Superbike debut this weekend.
The 19-year-old hasn’t looked out of place at all as a Supersport rookie this year, securing three podiums and fighting for the lead on multiple occasions to sit fourth in the overall championship.
Young emphasized that there’s “no pressure” on Alexander and that he simply “wanted to help a young guy out,” but that doesn’t mean the reigning Amateur champion should be discounted as he hops aboard last year’s Van Dolder’s Home Team Honda machine.
Zoltan Frast – the only other rider to taste Superbike champagne in 2026 – will also be back in action at CTMP, as he tries to build on his sensational second-place breakthrough at Grand Bend aboard his Frast Racing BMW.
Joining him amongst the darkhorses is new Canadian Kawasaki Motors flag-bearer Alex Michel, who has put in a quietly solid first full Superbike campaign and will now be returning to the venue where he made his class debut with a strong finale in 2025.
Tomas Casas (18) leads the Pro Supersport championship by 13 points over Sebastien Tremblay (24) heading into the final round of the season this weekend at CTMP. Photo by Rob O’Brien.
Casas looks to complete epic Supersport comeback
While the #1 plate has already been secured in Superbike, the biggest title still up for grabs remains in the OPP Racing Pro Supersport division, where Tomas Casas has one hand on the title heading into his home circuit.
The two-time champion has turned a round one wildcard into a dominant championship charge in 2026, winning five of six races despite a loaded field behind him to stretch a 13-point lead over Sebastien Tremblay.
A crash in his lone defeat has left that margin closer than Casas would like, but the FAST Riding School Suzuki star has looked practically untouchable at times this season with an average margin-of-victory of nearly five seconds.
The 27-year-old will have even more confidence knowing that he’s entering one of his strongest tracks, having won twice at CTMP and finished on the podium in ten consecutive Supersport races there during his career.
However, Casas will also know that the circuit can deliver very unpredictable results, and there will be little margin for error with a group that includes Tremblay, Alexander, and Matt Simpson behind him.
Tremblay is his closest challenger to the middleweight crown, having finished on the podium in every race this season to keep his own quest for a third career crown alive.
The S.T. Motosport Suzuki rider is no slouch at CTMP either, winning eight times at the venue including the finale there last season, but that remains Tremblay’s only victory in the last 15 races.
The veteran will likely need to beat Casas one way or another on Saturday to give himself a realistic shot in race two on Sunday, perhaps forcing the two former rivals to get their elbows out once again.
While there is a much bigger gap back to the duo of Simpson and Alexander – currently tied at 34 points behind Casas – neither rider is truly out of the equation given their strong form in 2026 and history of success at CTMP.
Simpson’s only pro victory came at his home track in 2022, and a repeat success will be just what the Blackstock Motorsports Suzuki rider needs to claw his way back into the title fight, perhaps capitalizing on a preoccupied duo of Casas and Tremblay.
There’s no counting out Alexander, however, who scored a crucial victory at this circuit last season to help win the Amateur Supersport crown and has checked every box as a pro thus far in 2026.
The teenager may feel some effects of doing double-duty in the Superbike ranks, but that will also mean additional track time for the French Glass Co. Suzuki star as he tries to get on terms with his more experienced counterparts.
The weekend will officially get underway with a Bridgestone CSBK Test Day on Thursday, August 6 at the circuit just an hour east of Toronto, Ontario, before qualifying on Friday and a doubleheader finale of racing on Saturday and Sunday, August 8-9.
Red Bull KTM Tech3 rider Maverick Viñales will be replaced by Pol Espargaró for the upcoming British Grand Prix, as he continues to manage the effects of an injury sustained at the Sachsenring in 2025.
Viñales has faced a challenging period since the incident, with several setbacks impacting his return to competition. Following surgery earlier this year, he has continued to work closely with medical specialists, Tech3 and KTM on his rehabilitation programme.
After further consultation during the summer break, and a recent visit to the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre (APC), Viñales will withdraw from racing this weekend and focus on his continued recovery. As a result, Espargaró will step in for Round 12 of the MotoGP™ World Championship at Silverstone.
KTM reserve rider Espargaró is a familiar face within the Tech3 garage, having made his premier class debut with the team in 2014 and gone on to contest 70 MotoGP races for the French outfit. The 2013 Moto2 World Champion also deputised for fellow Spaniard Viñales during his earlier injury absence in 2025.
Maverick Viñales (12) at Balaton Park. Photo courtesy Tech3.
Maverick Viñales said: “During the summer break, we kept looking for the reason why I wasn’t getting the strength back in external rotation in my left arm, while the internal rotation had a significant improvement over the last few months.
“Further medical tests showed that, although my supraspinatus has fully healed, I also have a small tear in the infraspinatus that we didn’t realise until last week. We’re now working on the best recovery plan.
“It’s not the best news, as the second part of the season starts now. I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but I will put everything as always into this recovery.”
Pol Espargaró said: “I have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I feel sad, it’s never nice to jump on the bike in this situation, when a rider is injured and can’t race, especially when it’s Maverick. That’s a real shame. On the other hand, racing is in my blood. I’ve been racing all my life, and I miss it so much, so this is a great opportunity for me too. I’ve been with Tech3 my whole career and I feel part of the family, so I always feel comfortable when I go back to this garage.
“I’ll need a bit of time to adapt back to the category, since I’ve mostly been testing the RC16 for the new project and haven’t been on the 1000cc bike in a while, but after a couple of sessions, I’ll be ready. I’m looking forward to racing and doing my best to get Tech3 some good results.”
Nicolas Goyon, Team Manager, said: “It’s obviously not the news we wanted to be announcing after the summer break, and the whole team feel very sad for Maverick, but Pol has been part of the Tech3 family for a long time and is for sure the right substitute under these circumstances. We wish Maverick a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on the bike at the next race in Aragon.”
Miranda Cain (186) in action. Photo by Lowside Media.
Two kids, one who is 29-years-old, the other 71, are racing this Saturday at Virgina International Raceway (VIR), as Team Passive Aggressive.
The 2025 runner-up in the B.T.R Royal Enfield championship, Miranda Cain, and her grand-uncle, former WERA National Endurance racer, Peter Jones, are racing an Aprilia RS 457 in the Two-Hour Ultra-Light Endurance Race sanctioned by N2RA, at VIR, August 7-8. Yes, this weekend!
This shared project is about family, friends, and how motorcycles build community. Video and a feature in RoadRUNNER magazine will follow. Spectating live, in person, at VIR is free.
Miranda Cain. Photo by Lowside Media
Cain earned second place in the 2025 B.T.R. Royal Enfield championship, setting a class lap record at VIR, and is now racing in Europe in the six-event WEC series. She earned her expert license with the Central Roadracing Association (CRA), of which she is now President.
Jones is cofounder of Team Swine Dudes/Team Pearls Suzuki, winners of three class championships in the 1990s WERA National Endurance series, twice earning second overall, during the golden age of grassroots road racing. Jones has 30+ years as a moto-journalist, today regularly contributing to RoadRUNNER Touring & Travel magazine as “Teller of Tales”.
More information about the race weekend can be found here: n2td.org/endurance/
This family endurance project is supported by Aprilia, Woodcraft Technologies, Andreani USA, Motovation USA/SC Project, Dunlop, Accossato, Robem Engineering, LS2 Helmets, Bison, Moon Motorsports, Vanson Leathers, Alpinestars, and Chris Parr.
Cole Alexander with Young's Team Van Dolder's Home Team Honda Canada CBR1000RR-R. Photo by Colin Fraser.
Tied for Third in Supersport with Suzuki, Alexander will make full blown 1000cc racer debut at final 2026 Bridgestone CSBK Round.
Newly confirmed 2026 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Champion Ben Young of Collingwood, ON, will have a team-mate this weekend at the final 2026 National at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.Rising star Cole Alexander, currently tied for third in the OPP Racing Pro Supersport middleweight division, will ride Young’s second Van Dolder’s Home Team Honda CBR1000RR-RR at “old Mosport.”
Based in Amaranth, near Orangeville, ON, 19-year-old Alexander is a rising star on the National tour, riding a Suzuki GSX-R750 in the premier support class.That series is headed by two-time class Champ “T.V. Tommy” Casas with 125 points, followed by former Champ Seb Tremblay at a total 112.Tied for third are veteran Matt Simspon (Sousa Suzuki) and Alexander, both with 91 points.
With over 50 points available at the double header finale, all four Pro riders are still in contention for the middleweight crown.
“Cole will be riding last year’s “A” bike under our team’s canopy,” explained Young about his plan to place Cole on yet another front running red Honda Superbike.“We’ll help him as much as we can.
“I asked him, he didn’t approach me,” explained Young of this attention grabbing late 2026 Superbike category development.“I Know there are obvious questions, who else I might have asked (to ride the Honda), but I really wanted to help a young guy out.This way a class newcomer gets to ride a Superbike that has already won at C.T.M.P.
“I met their family three years ago when they were racing in Lightweight, and they have a family cottage up in Collingwood, and the family had seen me at our local Mountain Bike races.
“I got to know them, and they are a great family.It reminds me of me and my Dad,” continues Young, who recently ran well at the Suzuka Eight-Hour World Endurance Championship round, joined in his pit box by Father Scott.
“I was never given an opportunity like this,” continued the six-time Canadian Number One in the Feature class.“Of course, he will still race his Suzuki in Supersport, you never know what could happen.
“I’m in a positive position, and grateful to have this year’s Championship wrapped up – otherwise, I couldn’t help Cole out. He’s super pumped, it is a really big opportunity.
“There could well be all Hondas up at the front,” continued Young, who is followed in the points standings by fellow CBR racers, class rookie Andrew Van Winkle of Chilliwack, B.C. third with Hamilton, ON’s David McKay fourth overall.
“There is no pressure for Cole to produce a result; we have no requirements expect to have fun, and I think it will help him with the 750 too – it should make him more comfortable with the higher speeds at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park.”
Qualifying for the two GPBikes supported Superbike Feature races at the legendary Grand Prix ten turn, 4-kilometer-long venue takes place on Friday afternoon, August 7, with 18 lap races on Saturday and Sunday afternoon, August 8 and 9.
Brian Rammer (46X), Chris Marlowe (171), Michael Dixon (839), Markus Esterline (927) during the Sportsman 750 Race, Sunday. Photo by Craig Chawla.
Complete race results from the 2026 AHRMA Road Racing Series presented by VIB-ISO event held August 1-2 at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit, IL.
Iker Lecuona to Replace Fermin Aldeguer at Silverstone. Photo courtesy Gresini.
Fermín Aldeguer will not compete at Silverstone for the 12th round of the MotoGP World Championship.
The Spanish rider will remain on the sidelines as a precaution. However, he has received medical clearance to resume training from August 15, with Team Gresini set to welcome him back at Aragón in around a month’s time.
A welcome return to the Gresini family for Iker Lecuona, who, after standing in for Alex Márquez in Hungary, will take on the challenge of riding Fermín’s Ducati this weekend at Silverstone.
Saturday’s Race 1 winner, Sean Dylan Kelly (#40), took advantage of the lead position on restart to push the pace ahead of Bobby Fong (#50), Richie Escalante (#54), PJ Jacobsen (#15) and the rest of the Quad Lock Superbike field. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Scholtz First to Four In Abbreviated Quad Lock Superbike Sunday.
Mathew Scholtz piloted his Strack Racing Yamaha to a hard-fought victory on Sunday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, emerging triumphant in a dramatic MotoAmerica Quad Lock Superbike Race 2, securing his fourth win of the 2026 season. Halted twice by red flags, Scholtz crossed the line a mere 0.177 seconds ahead of OrangeCat Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly, with Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Bobby Fong securing third place as the race was called.
The afternoon was defined by high-stakes drama from the outset. Pole-sitter Benjamin Smith saw his hopes of a first victory evaporate on the opening lap. Smith suffered a significant crash that sent his Warhorse HSBK Ducati Flo4Law motorcycle across the track, creating a hazardous situation that forced an immediate red flag and a full restart.
Benjamin Smith (#78) lost control in the opening lap of the initial Race 2 start, drawing a red flag. The polesitter was unable to rejoin for the restart. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Following the cleanup, the field was reset for an abbreviated race distance. The restart showed Saturday’s Race 1 winner SDK take advantage of the leading grid position, following Smith’s crash, while a familiar field with Fong and Scholtz giving chase, as M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante found himself in fourth.
One of the most notable storylines of the race involved PJ Jacobsen (Rahal Ducati Moto with XPEL), who made a charge that would see him setting an unmatched pace and a position as high as third. Jacobsen crossed the finish line with the fastest lap of the race (1:25.009) before the rider crashed out, causing the action to be interrupted a second time as it drew a red flag.
Mathew Scholtz (Strack Racing), found the front in a dramatic Race 2, with Sean Dylan Kelly (OrangeCat Racing), PJ Jacobsen (Rahal Ducati Moto with XPEL), and Bobby Fong (Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing) in tow. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
With nine laps completed at the time, official rules forced an early end, where results were awarded based on the standings at the time of stoppage. Under these conditions, Scholtz secured the win over SDK in second, while Fong was awarded third, the position Jacobsen was currently in, after the Ducati rider’s position received its appropriate time adjustment from the Race Stewards. Jacobsen dropped to 17th in the final classification.
Loris Baz, who topped the Sunday morning warm-up session with a time of 1:25.362, brought his Warhorse HSBK Ducati home in fourth place. He was followed by Wrench Motorcycles’ Cameron Petersen, who rounded out the top five. Jayson Uribe (OrangeCat Racing) and Brandon Paasch (M4 ECSTAR Suzuki) finished sixth and seventh, respectively.
Several top contenders faced a difficult Sunday, with Richie Escalante and Hayden Gillim both failing to finish (DNF) after starting from the front two rows of the grid but crashing out in the duration of the second race restart. Despite the chaotic nature of the day, the battle at the front remained fierce, with the top four riders separated by less than two seconds at the final tally.
With three rounds remaining, which include two triple-headers on the 2026 calendar, a maximum of 150 points remains available in the tightly contested Quad Lock Superbike and Superbike Cup championships as they head to Virginia International Raceway.
Superbike Cup – Real Deal with Real Steel Honda
In the Superbike Cup, Andrew Lee delivered a standout performance, finishing 10th overall to claim the top spot on the Cup podium. Riding his Real Steel Honda, Lee navigated the abbreviated race distance to cross the line ahead of the Cup collective, in a championship that continues to add points to his already favorable lead.
Kaleb De Keyrel followed closely to secure second in the Cup class and 11th overall on his OrangeCat Racing BMW’s debut weekend, while Deion Campbell rounded out the category podium with a 12th-place overall finish aboard his BPR Racing Yamaha.
Andrew Lee (#14) continues his winning ways in Superbike Cup, as he leads Ashton Yates (#46), fellow Cup competitor, Kaleb DeKeyrel (#51), and Deion Campbell (#194). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
The following quote is from Quad Lock Superbike Race 2 Winner Mathew Scholtz:
“Obviously, I want to win. I did get lucky there. I definitely felt like the front was really starting to drop off on me, but sometimes it works for you, and it definitely did today. Yesterday’s race was terrible for us. We kind of dropped off early on. So, we took a gamble today. Completely changed the bike upside-down, different way the software works. It definitely paid off. Those first couple laps behind Bobby and Sean, I definitely figured a few things out. The goal was once I got out to the front, just to make myself as wide as I possibly can. I was definitely ready for that fight. Thankful to be up here. Thank you to the Strack Racing Team. We pulled that one out of the bag. Thank you.”
The following quote is from Superbike Cup Race 2 Winner Andrew Lee:
“We went 1-1 this weekend. Really happy with the end results. We tried a lot on the bike this weekend and it was productive to collect the data. VIR next, another great opportunity to keep the learning and progress going!”
For the full 2026 MotoAmerica schedule, and to purchase tickets for MotoAmerica events, CLICK HERE
For information on how to watch the MotoAmerica series, CLICK HERE
More from a press release issued by MotoAmerica:
Champions Rise At Mid-Ohio: Gillim Extends Baggers Lead As MotoAmerica Closes Out The Weekend.
Sunday’s Feature Class program at the Permco Superbikes at Mid-Ohio event gave MotoAmerica fans a spectacular show: a heartstopping finish in Supersport, a stablemate showdown that sealed a Mission King Of The Baggers sweep, a razor-thin margin of victory in Twins Cup, a new track record in Mission Super Hooligan National Championship racing and a championship-finale in Build.Train.Race. With the season winding toward its final rounds, five different points battles tightened on the 2.4-mile road course.
Supersport
Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse Ducati’s Darryn Binder completed a Mid-Ohio double victory over championship rival Rahal Ducati Moto with Desnuda Organic Tequila’s Josh Herrin in a shortened Supersport Race 2.
Darryn Binder (#53) and Josh Herrin (#2) put on another wild show for the fans in Supersport Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
On the opening lap, Liberty Yamaha Racing’s Dominic Doyle and Ducati Pittsburgh/Mosites Motorsports’ Ryder Davis collided in Turn 1 and tumbled through the gravel. With riders and machines left in unsafe positions, race control halted the session to clear debris and escort competitors off the circuit. As a result of the stoppage, race distance was trimmed to 16 laps.
After the restart, Josh Herrin jumped out to the early lead before teammate Rahal Ducati Moto with Droplight’s Kayla Yaakov swept past to lead the opening lap of the 16-lap contest. Celtic/Economy Lube + Tire/Warhorse Ducati’s Darryn Binder and BPR Racing Yamaha’s Josh Hayes rounded out a fast-forming lead group, 1.2 seconds clear of M4 ECSTAR Suzuki rider Tyler Scott in fifth.
On lap two, Yaakov slipped from first to fourth after a bobble in the Keyhole. Binder, who had worked past Herrin in P2 just before, inherited the lead and began to pull away with Californian’s Ducati in tow.
Herrin answered with a decisive pass back on the 28-year-old South African but ran wide at the exit of Turn 6, handing the position right back. The pair briefly broke away from Hayes and Yaakov, though the group had regrouped into a tight foursome by the race’s midpoint.
Herrin again passed Binder at Turn 6 with four laps to go, with Hayes still glued to the front group.
With two laps remaining, Binder made his move at the favored Turn 6 under heavy braking and rode a defensive final lap, covering every inside line. Out of the final corner, Herrin launched a thrilling attempt around the outside but came up 0.039 of a second short.
Yaakov worked past Hayes on the final lap to claim the last podium spot — her eighth podium of the season.
Binder now leads Herrin by 19 points in the championship standings and holds a 102-point advantage over Yaakov in third with three rounds and 150 points remaining.
The following quote is from Supersport Race 2 Winner Darryn Binder:
“Today was quite different compared to yesterday. I don’t know if it had anything to do with the red flag at the beginning and stopping and starting again, but the grip just wasn’t quite there. Every time I got a bit of clean air, I just didn’t feel as good as yesterday. Just kept playing the game. At the end, I had to come up with something to try and stay in the lead. Managed to make it happen and get the double this weekend. Super, super happy and I can’t thank all the Celtic Economy Lube HSBK. Thank you guys so much for everything this weekend. Looking forward to the next one.”
Mission King Of The Baggers
J&P Cycles/Motul/Vance & Hines Factory Indian rider Hayden Gillim capped a weekend sweep in King Of The Baggers competition at Mid-Ohio, charging from P6 to win Race 2 by 0.25 of a second over teammate Troy Herfoss. Harley-Davidson x Dynojet Factory Racing’s Bradley Smith completed the podium in third.
Hayden Gillim (#69) rallied past his teammate Troy Herfoss (#17) to take the Race 2 victory. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Gillim, who started from pole, slipped to sixth after a poor start.Fellow Indian rider Herfoss jumped to the early lead, looking to capitalize on Gillim’s hiccup. Harley-Davidson teammates Wyman and Smith slotted into second and third, with SDI Racing’s Tyler O’Hara and Big Diehl x Harley-Davidson Factory Racing’s James Rispoli rounding out the top five.
By lap three of the nine-lap contest, Gillim had worked his way past Rispoli and O’Hara to sit just behind Smith in third. He then charged past both Harley-Davidson riders to close in on leader Herfoss with four laps to go.
The Aussie tried to hold off the Kentucky native at his home track, but Gillim’s charge could not be denied. The points leader took the lead in Turn 1 with three laps to go and held on to the finish, extending his championship lead to 23 points over Herfoss. Smith holds third, 54 points behind the leader.
With two rounds and 100 points remaining this season, any rider trailing the leader by 99 points or fewer retains a mathematical shot at the title, though it would take significant luck. The championship battle looks set to come down to the Indian stablemates in the closing rounds.
The following quote is from Mission King Of The Baggers Race 2 Winner Hayden Gillim:
“I’m sitting here talking about needing to get a good start. I don’t know. But that was tough. Luckily I could kind of put this thing where I wanted those first few laps and I was able to make all my passes over there in the keyhole. Just really, really happy with this. Troy rode an awesome race. He deserved this one. After my crash in superbike, I was riding a little angry and was able to make it happen. Once I got in front though, I was kind of shot. I knew Troy was going to be coming at me. Just so happy for the J&P Cycles Motul Vance and Hines Indian team. This is good.”
Twins Cup
Robem Engineering’s Hank Vossberg and championship rival Mathew Chapin (M4 ECSTAR Suzuki) thrilled the Mid-Ohio crowd with a close, one-on-one battle to the line in Twins Cup Race 2. The pair traded the lead twice before Vossberg came out on top at the line by just 0.25 seconds.
Hank Vossberg (#31) came back in Race 2 to capture the victory over Mathew Chapin (#95). Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Vossberg led the opening six laps with Chapin in tow before the two swapped positions in Turn 6. The duo pulled 4.5 seconds clear of a three-way fight for the final podium spot involving Chapin’s teammate Bodie Paige, Sam Drane and Isaac Woodworth.
Vossberg studied the leader’s lines before retaking the position with a clean pass at the end of the back straightaway with three laps to go. Chapin briefly retook the lead from Vossberg at the same corner one lap later. The two began the final lap nose-to-tail with Chapin in front, before points leader Vossberg made another clean pass at Turn 6, withstanding a challenge from Chapin to take the win at the line.
The podium was capped off by Chapin’s teammate, Bodie Paige while Vossberg extended his points advantage to 63 over Chapin in P2, and 70 over Paige in P3 with two rounds remaining.
The following quote is from Twins Cup Race 2 Winner Hank Vossberg:
“That race was wild. I’m just happy it was dry out today. Could finally put our pace in. I knew Matthew would stick on me right in the race. He was pushing me the whole time. Yesterday I didn’t get the draft move that I wanted to and tried to make sure I capitalized on that today. Can’t give it up to the team enough for giving me such an amazing 2026 Aprilia RS 660. Thank you to Famous Style Racing and Containers 411.”
Mission Super Hooligan National Championship
BPR Racing Yamaha continued its dominance of the Mission Super Hooligan class at Mid-Ohio, as the top two finishers from Saturday’s Race 1 swapped positions in Race 2. Andy DiBrino took the win over boss and teammate Bryce Kornbau, with Rodio Racing’s Gus Rodio — third in points — completing the podium.
Andy DiBrino (leading rider) and Bryce Kornbau (second rider) have swapped Race 1 and Race 2 wins at the past two rounds. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
DiBrino, starting second on the grid, grabbed the early lead with Kornbau right behind, Saddlemen Race Development’s Jake Lewis in third and Corey Alexander, aboard ARCH Motorcycle Racing’s bespoke 2s-R machine, in fourth. Rodio opened the race in fifth.
As the Yamahas broke away to a lead of more than five seconds, Kornbau moved past his employee DiBrino into P1 while the trailing riders jockeyed for the final podium spot, with Rodio coming out on top. Alexander brought it home in fourth for the ARCH Motorcycle Racing team, with Saddlemen Race Development’s James Rispoli making a late charge to pass teammate Lewis for fifth.
Kornbau held the lead until the final lap, when DiBrino lined up a pass in the esses and carried it to the line for the win by 0.216 of a second over his teammate. Though he settled for second, Kornbau smashed his own lap and race records set a day earlier, establishing a new outright Hooligan track record of 1:28.072. Rodio held on for third, 5.5 seconds behind the leaders.
DiBrino now leads the points chase by five over Kornbau in second and by 19 over Rodio in third. With one round and two points-paying races remaining in the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship, only the top three riders remain mathematically eligible for the title — defending champion James Rispoli sits fourth, 53 points behind with just 50 points left to award.
The following quote is from Mission Super Hooligan National Championship Race 2 Winner Andy DiBrino:
“Man, this is insane. I feel like I’ve been dreaming ever since the Ridge and I just don’t want to wake up. It’s unreal. I just got to give everything, I owe everything to Bryce. I can’t believe he’s so generous to everybody. He helps out so many people. A year ago I thought I was done. I was just having a hard time doing my own program. He gave me an opportunity and I’m just taking the most of it. I’ve got such a good group of people around me and people encouraging me and believing in me. I’m just so thankful. That felt unreal. I’m speechless.”
Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race.
The final race of the 2026 Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. season saw Bryanna Everitt lead the field into Turn 1, with Brianna Cutler following in second and newly crowned class champion Jasmine Noelle in third.
Bryanna Everitt took the final B.T.R. victory of 2026 ahead of Brianna Cutler (#35), Tati Paze (#55), Jasmine Noelle (#711) and the rest of the field in Race 2. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Everitt built a small gap in the opening laps as a three-rider battle developed behind her for the final podium spot, with Brazil’s Tati Paze working past champion Noelle for third. The trio closed on Everitt but could not catch the Columbia, South Carolina, native, who pulled away to win by 0.7 of a second and close out the 2026 season.
Behind her, the battle for the podium escalated. Paze temporarily dropped to fourth during the final laps but launched a late-race comeback. She charged past both Cutler and the reigning champion to reclaim second place, ultimately demoting Cutler to third and pushing Noelle down to fourth.
The following quote is from Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. Race 2 Winner Bryanna Everitt:
“I had no idea what was happening behind me. After I botched my start yesterday, I was on a mission today. I’m still pinching myself. Once I got ahead after the start, I put my head down. I’m like, clean laps. The last laps with my BTR career have to be the best laps of my life. I had no idea who was behind me, how far they were. I acted as if they were on my tail. I’m so happy to wrap up my BTR career this way. Finally getting my checkered flag win, not with the red flag assist. Thank you, Build Train Race. Thank you, Royal Enfield. Thank you to all of our sponsors. Arai, Alpinestars, Dymag wheels, everyone that makes this possible. It’s been an amazing two years.”
For the full 2026 MotoAmerica schedule, and to purchase tickets for MotoAmerica events, CLICK HERE.
For information on how to watch the MotoAmerica series, CLICK HERE.
MotoGP Race start in Sachsenring. Photo courtesy Mat Oxley.
Hot headlines: strap in as the closest title fight ever touches down at Silverstone.
MotoGP is back this weekend – and there’s everything to race for at fast, fearless Silverstone.
The wait is finally over and MotoGP is BACK. This weekend, the awesome Silverstone Circuit hosts the most exciting sport on Earth as the closest championship fight ever touches down in the UK to start the second half of the season. So where were we?
Closer than ever: title fight on a knife edge
Five riders sit within 24 points, which is the closest it’s ever been. At the top it’s Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing), who has had flashes of unbeatability – like his double in France – but more than that, he’s put in a pretty consistent run. He’s not been the outright fastest since that double, however, so can he turn up the wick as we roll out in the UK? He’ll be expecting stiff competition from many on the grid including from teammate Marco Bezzecchi, however, as ‘Bez’ looks to bounce back from his run of bad luck and trouble.
Flying high to start the season, the #72 is now fourth overall. On the comeback from injury and misadventure, this venue is possibly the best he could have asked for as he looks to rebuild: it’s where he took that first win with Aprilia last season, and somewhere many of his closest rivals haven’t got that wow factor CV either.
Ai Ogura at Assen. Photo courtesy Mat Oxley
Relentless: Marc Marquez and Ogura on the march
One of those is Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team). Now firmly in more than just the championship conversation and very much present in the upper echelons of the standings, he’s third overall. He’s taken doubles as rivals have faltered and rebuilt his campaign alongside increasing his fitness since that dramatic Le Mans crash and extra surgery. For many, there is now Jaws music coming from the #93 box – but that hasn’t traditionally been the case at this venue. Silverstone has had 11 different winners in the last 11 editions, so by definition, Marquez is only one of them.
That Jaws music is also coming from Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and not only on track as his late-race pace often sees the gap ahead suddenly start to shrink in the final few laps. Two podiums in Brno, beaten only by riders with MotoGP World Championships, prefaced his first win in Assen. Another second place came in Germany, behind the now-ten-time winner at the venue. The Japanese star may be the frontrunner for that claim on becoming winner number 12 at Silverstone and at only 14 points off the top, is even in not-so-distant reach of the Championship lead. Since Jerez, he’s scored the most points of anyone, 157, with Marc Marquez taking the second most – 145. Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) is third by that metric with 134 since the Spanish GP.
Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) and Franco Morbidelli (21) at Assen. Photo courtesy VR46 Team.
Closest on the chase: Diggia leads the charge
Diggia is one of those riders locked in the closest title fight ever, fifth and 24 off Martin. He’s won this year already, in Barcelona, and until Germany had only finished a GP outside the top five since Thailand once, in Hungary, where he was embroiled in the Lap 1 drama through no fault of his own. Raul Fernandez (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) has known a little back luck too and he’ll be looking to reel in those ahead – having won Sprints in 2026 but no GP since his maiden win in Australia last year. He’s 49 points off the top. Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) isn’t far off him either despite his own rollercoaster season since winning the dramatic Thailand Sprint, 60 points off the top and not content to let that remain so. Then there’s Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), 65 points off. He’s one of those 11 winners at Silverstone, taking the spoils in 2022, and is looking to regain the form of those title-winning years. He won the Brno Sprint during a run of four GP podiums in a row too, but he’ll want more.
Marc Marquez (93) leading Alex Marquez (73) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (49) during the MotoGP Sprint race at Sachsenring. Photo courtesy Mat Oxley.
Second half kickstart: looking for more
Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) was last year’s Sprint winner at Silverstone and could fancy his chances as GP winner number 12 in 12 years here. With summer break to recover from a bruising run he’ll be reloaded and eager to get back into at least the podium fight. His teammate for the weekend will be Iker Lecuona, stepping over from WorldSBK to replace the injured Fermin Aldeguer, and he’ll be an interesting watch at a new beast of a venue after impressing at the more familiar Balaton. Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech3) is another previous Silverstone winner and will want to kick start his second half, as will Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) just behind him in the points. Maverick Viñales (Red Bull KTM Tech3), the 2016 winner, remains on the hunt for more form after his injury struggles from 2025.
Cal Crutchlow (35) at Sachsenring. Photo courtesy Honda LCR.
Don’t doubt me: Crutchlow confirmed for home GP
After a summer break spent on his luxury yacht in the Isle of Man, tanned and shirtless (check out his Instagram post), Cal Crutchlow (Castrol Honda LCR) will indeed be back on track for his home GP as Johann Zarco’s recovery continues. A crowd favourite since he debuted, the first British MotoGP winner since Barry Sheene is actually making some pretty impressive progress on the timesheets on his mini-return. What’s he got in the locker for Silverstone? On the other end of the veteran timeline, teammate Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) is also impressing in his rookie season, with Q2 appearances and plenty of airtime as top Honda. But that’s often in earlier laps, with the Brazilian rookie now looking to keep himself in the mix over longer race distances to get the points reward too as he hovers two points ahead of Franco Morbidelli(Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) in the standings. Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) also wants those points as the #36 suffers a run of DNFs from pretty solid positions, whereas Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) remains that consistent banker looking to fight for more and more of those points, the only rider to score in every GP so far.
Luca Marini (10), Toprak Razgatlioglu (07), Brad Binder (33), Enea Bastianini (23), Maverick Viñales (12), Diogo Moreira (11), Alex Rins (42) and Cal Crutchlow (35) during the MotoGP race at Sachsenring. Photo courtesy Red Bull KTM.
Destination: top ten
Another rider quietly building quite a run is Toprak Razgatlioglu (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP). From riding around at the back in pre-season to taking a P11 at Balaton, knocking on the door to the top ten, the Turkish rider is impressing. He has been top Yamaha twice, the same number as veteran teammate Jack Miller. Miller is close to another home hero at Silverstone too, an honourary one for the weekend and looking to put on another show.
Alex Rins (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) has shown flashes of more but will want more than that, and then there’s Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP). Last season will live long in the memory for the #20, his fans and his garage, as he lost out on the win with that tech problem. With the all-new V4 seemingly not quite ready to push for podiums, with a best result of P5 so far, Quartararo is unlikely to be able to repeat that pace but he’ll be looking to stamp authority on the claim of top Yamaha, which he remains more often than not, and he’s the only Iwata marque machine to score in Sprints so far in 2026.
Once an airfield and now one of the true behemoths in motorsport, Silverstone awaits. It’s never been closer than this and there’s room for it to get even tighter as we go out to race for another 37 points, so strap in for takeoff at the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Great Britain.
Join us at Outernet as MotoGP descends on central London
Some of MotoGP’s biggest stars are set to descend on London’s iconic Outernet on Thursday 6 August, bringing the speed, excitement and drama of the world’s premier motorcycle racing championship to the heart of the capital just days before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The full line-up of riders can now be confirmed, with Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing), Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), home hero Cal Crutchlow (Castrol Honda LCR), Ai Ogura (SuperFile Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Diogo Moreira (Pro Honda LCR) ready to take to the stage. Read more HERE and get in touch to attend.
Sean Dylan Kelly (40), Bobby Fong (50), Richie Escalante (54) and JD Beach (95) during Superbike race 2 at Mid-Ohio. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Missed the action at Mid-Ohio? Catch all the race highlights from Superbike, Supersport, Twins Cup, Mission King of the Baggers, and Super Hooligan Races 1 & 2 now!
Superbike Race 1
Supersport Race 1
Twins Cup Race 1
King of the Baggers Race 1
Super Hooligan Race 1
Superbike, King Of The Baggers, & Supersport Race 1 Press Conferences
Superbike Race 2
Supersport Race 2
Twins Cup Race 2
King of the Baggers Race 2
Super Hooligan Race 2
Superbike, King Of The Baggers, & Supersport Race 2 Press Conferences
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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
