After surgery to repair the broken first metacarpal in his right hand, Marc Marquez will miss the second round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.
Upon returning to Spain for further checks, Marc Marquez was diagnosed with a displaced intrarticular fracture of the base of the first metacarpal of the thumb of the right hand. The #93 immediately underwent surgery at the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid with Dr. Ignacio Roger de Oña leading a team consisting of Dr. Samuel Antuña and Dr. Andrea Garcia Villanueva.
The surgery consisted of a closed reduction of the fracture and internal fixation of the same with two screws and passed without incident.
Marc Marquez and the Repsol Honda Team have elected for the eight-time World Champion to miss the next round of the World Championship to fully focus on recovery and arrive at the forthcoming rounds in the best possible condition.
Early in the MotoGP race Sunday at Algarve International Circuit, Marc Marquez lost control of his Honda and rammed into Miguel Oliveira from behind, causing both riders to crash out of the battle for the lead.
According to Oliveira, he suffered extensive bruising on his right side, where Marquez hit him.
“Today was a shame, obviously to end my home Grand Prix in just two laps was not something I expected,” said Oliveira. “However, we can still be proud on the progress we made throughout this week. We had a difficult day on Friday and then to do Qualifying like how we did it yesterday and to almost have the podium in hand on the last lap in the Sprint Race was amazing. We had a good start today, to lead and then coming second, I think there was a clear opportunity for us to score a podium. I’m still very bruised on the right side of my hip from the crash, hopefully I can do everything I can [to] be fully fit for Argentina next weekend.”
Marquez, who may have broken a bone in his right hand in the incident, explained himself in a statement that read: “First of all I want to say that I am very sorry to Oliveira, his team and the Portuguese fans because it was his race. I did a really big mistake today, of course it was not my intention to have this happen, my intention was not even to overtake Martin at that point, but I had a massive lock with the front. Maybe the hard front was not fully up to temperature, I released the brakes and the bike went inside. I avoided Martin but made contact with Oliveira. I straight away went over to Miguel and then in the medical centre I went to check on him – fortunately it looks like he is OK and this is the most important thing. On my side I have some pain in my right hand and with my knee but this is not so important at the minute. I fully accept and respect the penalty of the double long-lap during the Argentina GP because I did a mistake.”
For his actions, Marquez received a double-long-lap penalty to be served in his next Grand Prix.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia kept his cool in the opening chaotic laps of the MotoGP race, kept his nerve with Maverick Vinales stalking him the entire race and kept his perfect record intact by winning his second race in a row in Portugal.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (1) led Maverick Vinales (12) and Marco Bezzecchi (72) across the finish line after a fraught MotoGP race saw several of the front-runners on the ground and out of the race. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Bagnaia added the Sunday race win to his equally measured victory in Saturday’s sprint race and came away from the weekend with a perfect 37 points.
Surprise sprint race podium finisher Marc Marquez clipped Jorge Martin and plowed into local hero Miguel Oliveira, taking himself and Oliveira out of the race. Marquez suffered a suspected broken metacarpal bone, was given a double long lap penalty at the next round, and was jeered by Portuguese fans with extended middle fingers and boos as he got a scooter ride back to the pits. Oliveira was diagnosed with a contusion to his leg. Martin dropped several positions and later crashed.
Maverick Vinales took a close second for the Aprilia factory team, with Marco Bezzecchi claiming his second MotoGP podium on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Desmosedici. Johann Zarco took fourth on the Prima Pramac satellite Ducati, while Alex Marquez finished fifth after running near the front for much of the weekend.
(Above) Pedro Acosta (37) took the lead on the second lap and was never headed as he pulled away from Aron Canet for a clean win in the Moto2 race in Portugal. Photo by Michael Gougis.
(Above) American Sean Dylan Kelly (4) battled throughout the Moto2 race in Portugal, finishing 20th. Photo by Michael Gougis.
(Above) American Joe Roberts (16) finished 14th in the Moto2 race on his Italtrans Kalex. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Pedro Acosta took a clean win in the Moto2 race, Daniel Holgado held off the field to take the Moto3 victory and Angel Piqueras won both Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup races.
(Above) Daniel Holgado (96) led Ayumu Sasaki (71) and Ivan Ortola (48) at the beginning of the Moto3 race in Portugal. Holgado won, with Sasaki sixth and Ortola a lap down. Photo by Michael Gougis.(Above) Rookies Cup: Máximo Quiles (28) leads eventual race winner Angel Piqueras (18) in the second Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race in Portugal. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia used his Ducati to beat Maverick Vinales and his Aprilia and won the MotoGP race at Portimao by 0.687-second. Marco Bezzecchi finished third on another Ducati, followed by Johann Zarco and Alex Marquez, making it four Ducati riders in the top five!
KTM’s Brad Binder and Jack Miller finished sixth and seventh with Yamaha’s Fabio Qartararo eighth, the first rider on a Japanese machine. Aleix Espargaro was ninth on his Aprilia and Alex Rins was 10th on his Honda.
Mark Marquez crashed his Honda and knocked down home-country hero Miguel Oliveira and his Aprilia early-on, taking both of them out of the race; Marquez broke a bone in one hand and was also handed a long-lap penalty to be served in the next round.
Eli Tomac Takes Seattle Supercross Win and Ties Up Points Standings
Jett Lawrence Takes Fourth 250SX Class Victory in 2023
Seattle, Wash. – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac won Round 11 of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season and reached the record book milestone of tying for second most 450SX Class wins with 50.
Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb earned a second place finish to the cheers of 58,261 Seattle fans at Lumen Field. And Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia rounded out the podium, earning points for both the Supercross season and the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. The Western Regional 250SX Class returned to racing with Round five after a five-week break and Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence grabbed his fourth win of the season.
Eli Tomac (1) took his 50th career Supercross win, pulling him into a tie for second for most race wins in the 450SX Class. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Tank Masters Red Line Oil Next Level KTM’s Kevin Moranz grabbed the 450SX Class Main Event Holeshot and held the lead ahead of Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton, Eli Tomac, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, and Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen. Roczen was on the move early and got by Tomac for third place just as Sexton took Moranz wide in a bowl turn. Moranz went over the berm, got hung up on Tuff Blox, and was well behind the pack before he got back onto the track.
With Sexton out in the lead, Tomac pressured Roczen to earn back second place. But two minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race it was Cianciarulo who made a move happen. Tomac gave up the spot to Cianciarulo, then lost another position when Cooper Webb got by him. Tomac found himself in fifth place and going the wrong direction down the leader board. He wasted no time re-grouping and striking back; within thirty seconds Tomac had the spot back from Webb and 30 more seconds later broke free of Webb’s re-pass attempts.
Sexton bobbled up front and Roczen closed the gap to under one second. The top five racers were still tightly bunched together. Four minutes into the race Tomac took back third and within two more laps was into second. Roczen momentarily took back the spot, but Tomac got around him again and set his sights on Sexton nearly three seconds up the track. Barcia was then the rider making headway, passing into fifth place and looking very fast on what was his 31st birthday.
Just before the race’s midpoint Sexton washed his front end entering a corner. When the front wheel caught on a rut Sexton’s off-balance momentum threw him off the bike. Tomac took over the lead with Roczen and Webb still close behind. With 9:45 showing on the race clock Webb got around Roczen for second and sat 2.3 seconds back from Tomac. In a race that did not start out well for Tomac and Webb, they’d each put themselves into position to win the night.
With 8:00 left on the race clock Barcia took over third. Sexton claimed fourth shortly after, and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson snatched fifth with 5:30 on the clock. In the final few laps the top three, Tomac, Webb, and Barcia, pulled clear of the rest of the racers but never got close enough to one another to challenge for the position. Anderson earned fourth before the checkers flew. Tomac and Webb’s finishes brought the season’s points standing to a tie for the lead. So after a rare weekend-off from racing, Tomac and Webb will face off again with both the #1 Yamaha and #2 KTM running the red number plate that signifies the season’s points leader. Interestingly, Tomac’s milestone 50th Supercross win comes in the year Supercross celebrates its 50th year of racing since the inception of the sport.
Jett Lawrence (18) took his fourth win of the season and stretched his points lead to 23. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
In Western Regional 250SX Class racing, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Stilez Robertson grabbed the Holeshot and led the aggressive pack of 250cc racers. Partzilla PR-MX Racing’s Hunter Yoder held second with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire, Jett Lawrence, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo and Smartop MotoConcepts Racing Honda’s Mitchell Oldenburg right behind. Just one minute into the 15-minute plus one lap race Lawrence was into second and started to reel in Robertson. One lap later Lawrence was in position to replicate his pass move and take the lead, but Robertson held strong. As Robertson commanded the race through speed and defensive lines, McAdoo reached third ahead of Hampshire. Soon McAdoo was up to the leaders and it looked like it would be a three-rider race for the win.
With 10:30 on the race clock Lawrence got around Robertson and into the lead. A half lap later Robertson crashed hard exiting the whoops and was out of the race. Hampshire attacked McAdoo and took over second with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen close in fourth place. From there Hampshire and McAdoo battled and traded the second place spot. As the top three weaved through lappers the gap to Lawrence close at times but the lead was never in jeopardy. Hampshire got the final pass for the second place spot with the white flag in sight. At the checkered flag Lawrence took the win with Hampshire in second, McAdoo third, and Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Enzo Lopes reaching fourth place.
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross series takes a rare break next weekend when the racers face off again inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on April 8th. The event will mark Round 12 of the 17-round Supercross series as well as Round 12 of the brand-new 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. The new SuperMotocross League encompasses every Monster Energy AMA Supercross round and every AMA Pro Motocross round and culminates with two Playoff rounds and a Final all held at landmark sports venues in September. The SuperMotocross League pays a cool $1,000,000 to the 450 class champion and $500,000 to the 250 class champion.
All 31-rounds of the SuperMotocross World Championship are streamed live on Peacock with select rounds also broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. Race fans outside of the U.S. can find coverage at SuperMotocross.tv. For the full schedule, video highlights, ticket sales, and more please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
450SX Class podium (racers from left) Cooper Webb, Eli Tomac, and Justin Barcia. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
450SX Class Results
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
2. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
3. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS
4. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
5. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
6. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Ger., Suzuki
7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM
8. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki
9. Christian Craig, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
10. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (248)
2. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (248)
3. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (226)
4. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Ger., Suzuki (199)
5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (199)
6. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (195)
7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (180)
8. Christian Craig, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna (150)
9. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (122)
10. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (116)
250SX Class podium (racers from left) RJ Hampshire, Jett Lawrence, and Cameron McAdoo. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Western Regional 250SX Class Results
1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Aus., Honda
2. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna
3. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki
4. Enzo Lopes, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Yamaha
5. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM
6. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha
7. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS
8. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki
9. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda
10. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ont., Yamaha
Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Aus., Honda (127)
2. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (104)
3. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki (101)
4. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda (83)
5. Enzo Lopes, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Yamaha (82)
Piqueras takes split second Rookies Portimão double
Angel Piqueras took an incredible second Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup win by just 0.002 seconds over fellow Spaniard Marcos Ruda in a blanket Portimão finish. Malaysian Hakim Danish was 0.015 seconds back in third 0.001 ahead of Ireland’s Casey O’Gorman.
Saturday’s winner Piqueras was only 4th through the final flat-out downhill left-hander but the 16-year-old pulled out of the 3 KTM slipstream to flash across the line a tyre’s width ahead.
Ruda led through that final turn but the 18-year-old had 15-year-old O’Gorman on his tail and looking the likely winner after a fabulous 14 laps.
By half distance, Màximo Quiles had broken away into a one-second lead that no one could close. The 15-year-old Spaniard then slid off with just 4 laps to go and could only remount and finish 11th. He had been pushed out of Race 1 on Saturday.
Angel Piqueras winning a mystery
“I don’t know how I won that,” he grinned. “I’ll have to look at the replay. On the last lap, I was 4th and didn’t think it was possible.”
“The track is cold this morning, less grip and that changed things, the lap times were faster than yesterday but that is because we had no wind today.”
“Maximo was pushing a lot, he got away and it was not easy to catch him, I don’t know, I was trying, perhaps we could have caught him over the last laps, I don’t know, we were all trying.”
Marcos Ruda from P19 to P2
“What an amazing race, I have no words to describe it. I was back in 19th on the grid, I got a good start and I just pushed and pushed all the way. Maximo was very fast and he got away from us.”
“I got in front at the end and hoped I had enough to win, I knew it was so close at the line and none of us knew who was first. I have to thank everyone who has supported me because last year in Rookies Cup was a tough first season but now I am so happy.”
Hakim Danish a great start to his Cup career
I am so happy with my first podium in Rookies Cup. In the race I felt really good with the bike, we worked hard this weekend and found a good setting. So thanks to everyone supporting me.”
“I pushed to stay in the front group, In the end, I made some good overtakes and got in position to battle at the front. I was trying to win but on the last lap I made a mistake, the wrong gear in turn 5 and I lost the chance. I had to push hard to get back close to the front and on the podium.”
Casey O’Gorman should have won
“I thought I had it, I put myself in the position to be 2nd and have Ruda’s slipstream out of the last corner, Piqueras and Danish came from nowhere.”
“It was .001 to the podium…. but there is always the next one.”
Rico Salmela missing grip
“At the start of the race I was very strong, but by the end of the race I was struggling a bit with the grip of the rear tyre. It was really difficult to get the drive to get the overtakes on corner exit.”
“Still I’m quite happy… I want more but still, I am happy and we continue learning and go on to Jerez.”
Màximo Quiles fastest but…
“The race was very good, I was fast, I opened up a gap. The only thing was that at 4 laps to go I lost the front in turn 5. I tried to pick up the bike as quick as I could and finished P11.”
“In the last 5 laps, I was talking to myself and telling myself to relax in this corner because I crashed 3 times here. I was talking talking and I think I talked myself into it.”
“Still I am happy because I was the fastest and I will come back in Jerez.”
Sunday-Morning Warm-up Session Notes From Portugal
Alex Marquez Quickest In Morning Warmup: Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez was fastest in the Sunday morning warm-up session with a lap at 1:38.719, ahead of Fabio Quartararo, Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin and Jack Miller.
Alex Marquez (73) topped the Sunday morning warm-up session in Portugal. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Bastianini Injured: Factory Lenovo Ducati rider Enea Bastianini was ruled out of Sunday’s race at Portugal due to a fractured right shoulder blade. Bastianini was taken out during Saturday’s sprint race by fellow Ducati rider Luca Marini, who was trying to out-brake Bastianini going into Turn Five, hit a bump and lost the front. Bastianini may also be out of action in Argentina.
Mir Penalized: Repsol Honda’s Joan Mir was penalized for colliding with Fabio Quartararo on the first lap of Saturday’s sprint race. Quartararo had made a slight error, opening the door for Mir, and they made side-to-side contact, leaving Mir on the ground. Race Directors gave Mir a long-lap penalty for Sunday’s race, and while Honda appealed the penalty, their appeal was rejected.
Rookies: Jakob Rosenthaler (78) crashed out of Sunday morning’s Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race.
Provisional Hooligans Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Shawn Raggio (Har), 12 laps
2. Robert Lewis (Har), -0.390 second
3. Lowell Bronstad (Har), -0.884
4. Kole King (KTM), -1.316 seconds
5. Ethan Rosine (Har), -3.019
6. Josh Young (Har), -3.670
7. Chris Boone (Har), -4.165
8. Trevor Quayle (Har), -4.251
9. Danny Slosser (Har), -4.994
10. Jason Griffin (Duc), -6.645
11. Joseph Houston (Har), -7.013
12. Stace Richmond (KTM), -7.082
13. Sam Cover (KTM), -7.468
14. Charles Holmes (Har), -12.374
15. Erik Hartley (Tri), -13.062
16. Scott Jones (Har), -15.405
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Max Whale (KTM), 22 laps
2. James Ott (Hus), -1.483 seconds
3. Dalton Gauthier (KTM), -2.225
4. Trevor Brunner (Yam), -2.371
5. Kody Kopp (KTM), -2.548
6. Morgen Mischler (Hon), -3.305
7. Trent Lowe (Hon), -3.866
8. Chase Saathoff (Hon), -4.048
9. Shayna Texter-Bauman (KTM), -6.019
10. Chad Cose (Hus), -6.292
11. Dan Bromley (Yam), -7.527
12. Kevin Stollings (Hon), -7.597
13. Tom Drane (Yam), -8.418
14. Tanner Dean (KTM), -8.447
15. Cole Zabala (Hon), -8.941
16. Jordan Jean (Hon), -9.536
17. Travis Petton (KTM), -11.077
18. Tyler Raggio (Yam), -12.058
19. Justin Jones (KTM), -17.101
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Jared Mees (Ind), 35 laps
2. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -0.174 second
3. JD Beach (Yam), -6.563 seconds
4. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -6.694
5. Davis Fisher (Ind), -10.009
6. Jarod Vanderkooi (Ind), -11.012
7. Briar Bauman (KTM), -12.579
8. Bronson Bauman (KTM), -13.224
9. Jesse Janisch (KTM), -13.874
10. Ben Lowe (Ind), -14.191
11. Kolby Carlile (Yam), -14.684
12. Johnny Lewis (Roy), -1 lap
13. Billy Ross (Ind), -1 lap, 2.785 seconds
14. Michael Hill (Kaw), -1 lap, 5.573
15. Jeffery Lowery (Yam), -1 lap, 7.098
16. Mitch Harvat (Kaw), -1 lap, 9.590
17. Ryan Wells (Roy), -1 lap, 12.301
18. Jordan Harris (KTM), -1 lap, 16.852
19. Brandon Newman (Kaw), -9 laps, DNF
More, from a press release issued by American Flat Track:
Mees Tops Daniels in Stunning Senoia Short Track
Jared Mees (1). Photo courtesy AFT.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 25, 2023) – Reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) came out victorious following an epic showdown featuring two of Progressive American Flat Track’s biggest stars in an epic Yamaha Senoia Short Track on Saturday evening at Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia.
The Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle king entered the weekend with the knowledge that his place atop the pecking order was under threat from the fast-rising Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who opened his ‘23 title campaign in dominating fashion at Daytona International Speedway two weeks back.
Following a quiet opener by his standards, Mees was at the top of his game in Senoia, locking down the top of the charts pretty much all day long. He then looked to exploit his prime starting position, planning to dart away early and eliminate any potential challenge before it could materialize.
Daniels saw what the factory Indian ace was up to, however. He stuck a hard pass in on teammate JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to slot into second and then put his head down in hopes of reeling Mees back in.
Daniels ultimately arrived on Mees’ rear wheel and at last took the lead at half-distance, just as the two made their way into lapped traffic. The second half of the contest was relentless, with passes for the lead executed on nearly every lap, all the while slashing their way past slower riders.
Mees reclaimed the lead with twenty seconds remaining on the clock and then leaned on his decades of experience advantage to formulate a way to cling on for the victory, as he held the Estenson Yamaha pilot off at the stripe by 0.174 seconds.
“Man, that was a duel… a battle… a fist fight in a phone booth,” Mees said. “We rode super clean; we didn’t touch – we came really close – but I didn’t want to give that one up. I was fighting tooth-and-nail, and he was rolling so good. I felt if I could get in a rhythm early, I could maybe get a gap, but he hung tough. We want this championship bad. We want to keep the #1 plate. It’s going to be super tough. Dallas is super hungry, and you can see it in his riding.”
While the Mees-Daniels showdown was the headliner (and quite possibly a preview of more to come), the battle for third was nearly as exciting. Beach fell into the clutches of Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), losing the podium position late in the Main, only to snatch the spot back on the race’s final lap.
Meanwhile, Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) earned his second top five of the year, outdueling Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) following an extended tussle of their own.
Seventh went to Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke), who spent the entire Main Event clawing his way forward after an early incident dropped him well down the order.
He was followed home by his younger brother, Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 890 Duke), in eighth, while Jesse Janisch (No. 33 KTM/Haversack/Z-Max 890 Duke) and Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750) rounded out the top ten.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Two-time Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER championship runner-up Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) earned his first victory of the ‘23 season in convincing fashion at Senoia Raceway.
While the field was desperate to slow Whale’s teammate, defending class champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) after his season-opening double victory at the DAYTONA Short Track, the Australian issued a clear reminder that the Red Bull KTM team boasts not one, but two genuine title contenders under its tent with a wire-to-wire run to the checkered flag.
As Whale walked away at the front, a huge scrap played out behind for second. A hugely impressive James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) jumped into the position from pole where he found himself under fire almost immediately from the likes of Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Kopp, and Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), among others.
Drane pulled off a remarkable save of a near highside just to stay upright, but the resultant drama dropped him from podium contention to outside the top ten. Gauthier then started his charge, slicing his way up from seventh to third with relative ease. But try as he might, he was unable to work out a way past Ott and the two ultimately crossed the stripe the final time in second and third, respectively.
Kopp did threaten to overhaul both late. However, he instead saw his bid for a top-three result foiled by a resurgent Brunner, who stole back fourth and then kept the championship leader corralled behind him in fifth to the flag by a 0.177-second margin.
Mischler took sixth just behind, followed by his Turner Honda teammates, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R). Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 450 SX-F) and Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) completed the top ten.
Race winner Whale said, “I needed a good race today. Obviously, as a racer you want to win every time. It feels good to do this coming here from Daytona, where my head was hanging low. You put in all the work before the start of the year, and to finish with a fourth and a ‘937th’ was tough. So to come out today and win? I can’t thank my team enough.”
Next Up:
Progressive AFT will power directly to the first TT of the ‘23 season with next weekend’s ZO CBD Arizona Super TT presented by RideNow Powersports at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona, on Saturday, April 1. Visit https://www.tixr.com/promoters/americanflattrack to secure your tickets today.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FansChoice.tv is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://www.fanschoice.tv.
FOX Sports coverage of the Yamaha Senoia Short Track, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on April 1 at 7:00 a.m. ET (4:00 a.m. PT).
After surgery to repair the broken first metacarpal in his right hand, Marc Marquez will miss the second round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.
Upon returning to Spain for further checks, Marc Marquez was diagnosed with a displaced intrarticular fracture of the base of the first metacarpal of the thumb of the right hand. The #93 immediately underwent surgery at the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid with Dr. Ignacio Roger de Oña leading a team consisting of Dr. Samuel Antuña and Dr. Andrea Garcia Villanueva.
The surgery consisted of a closed reduction of the fracture and internal fixation of the same with two screws and passed without incident.
Marc Marquez and the Repsol Honda Team have elected for the eight-time World Champion to miss the next round of the World Championship to fully focus on recovery and arrive at the forthcoming rounds in the best possible condition.
Miguel Oliveira, after getting taken out by Marc Marquez. Photo courtesy RNF MotoGP Team.
Early in the MotoGP race Sunday at Algarve International Circuit, Marc Marquez lost control of his Honda and rammed into Miguel Oliveira from behind, causing both riders to crash out of the battle for the lead.
According to Oliveira, he suffered extensive bruising on his right side, where Marquez hit him.
“Today was a shame, obviously to end my home Grand Prix in just two laps was not something I expected,” said Oliveira. “However, we can still be proud on the progress we made throughout this week. We had a difficult day on Friday and then to do Qualifying like how we did it yesterday and to almost have the podium in hand on the last lap in the Sprint Race was amazing. We had a good start today, to lead and then coming second, I think there was a clear opportunity for us to score a podium. I’m still very bruised on the right side of my hip from the crash, hopefully I can do everything I can [to] be fully fit for Argentina next weekend.”
Marquez, who may have broken a bone in his right hand in the incident, explained himself in a statement that read: “First of all I want to say that I am very sorry to Oliveira, his team and the Portuguese fans because it was his race. I did a really big mistake today, of course it was not my intention to have this happen, my intention was not even to overtake Martin at that point, but I had a massive lock with the front. Maybe the hard front was not fully up to temperature, I released the brakes and the bike went inside. I avoided Martin but made contact with Oliveira. I straight away went over to Miguel and then in the medical centre I went to check on him – fortunately it looks like he is OK and this is the most important thing. On my side I have some pain in my right hand and with my knee but this is not so important at the minute. I fully accept and respect the penalty of the double long-lap during the Argentina GP because I did a mistake.”
For his actions, Marquez received a double-long-lap penalty to be served in his next Grand Prix.
Autodromo Internacional do Algarve (a.k.a. Algarve International Circuit) in Portimão, Portugal. Photo courtesy Dorna.
More From MotoGP In Portugal
By Michael Gougis
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia kept his cool in the opening chaotic laps of the MotoGP race, kept his nerve with Maverick Vinales stalking him the entire race and kept his perfect record intact by winning his second race in a row in Portugal.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia (1) led Maverick Vinales (12) and Marco Bezzecchi (72) across the finish line after a fraught MotoGP race saw several of the front-runners on the ground and out of the race. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Bagnaia added the Sunday race win to his equally measured victory in Saturday’s sprint race and came away from the weekend with a perfect 37 points.
Surprise sprint race podium finisher Marc Marquez clipped Jorge Martin and plowed into local hero Miguel Oliveira, taking himself and Oliveira out of the race. Marquez suffered a suspected broken metacarpal bone, was given a double long lap penalty at the next round, and was jeered by Portuguese fans with extended middle fingers and boos as he got a scooter ride back to the pits. Oliveira was diagnosed with a contusion to his leg. Martin dropped several positions and later crashed.
Maverick Vinales took a close second for the Aprilia factory team, with Marco Bezzecchi claiming his second MotoGP podium on his Mooney VR46 Racing Team Desmosedici. Johann Zarco took fourth on the Prima Pramac satellite Ducati, while Alex Marquez finished fifth after running near the front for much of the weekend.
(Above) Pedro Acosta (37) took the lead on the second lap and was never headed as he pulled away from Aron Canet for a clean win in the Moto2 race in Portugal. Photo by Michael Gougis.
(Above) American Sean Dylan Kelly (4) battled throughout the Moto2 race in Portugal, finishing 20th. Photo by Michael Gougis.
(Above) American Joe Roberts (16) finished 14th in the Moto2 race on his Italtrans Kalex. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Pedro Acosta took a clean win in the Moto2 race, Daniel Holgado held off the field to take the Moto3 victory and Angel Piqueras won both Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup races.
(Above) Daniel Holgado (96) led Ayumu Sasaki (71) and Ivan Ortola (48) at the beginning of the Moto3 race in Portugal. Holgado won, with Sasaki sixth and Ortola a lap down. Photo by Michael Gougis.(Above) Rookies Cup: Máximo Quiles (28) leads eventual race winner Angel Piqueras (18) in the second Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race in Portugal. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Autodromo Internacional do Algarve (a.k.a. Algarve International Circuit) in Portimão, Portugal. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia used his Ducati to beat Maverick Vinales and his Aprilia and won the MotoGP race at Portimao by 0.687-second. Marco Bezzecchi finished third on another Ducati, followed by Johann Zarco and Alex Marquez, making it four Ducati riders in the top five!
KTM’s Brad Binder and Jack Miller finished sixth and seventh with Yamaha’s Fabio Qartararo eighth, the first rider on a Japanese machine. Aleix Espargaro was ninth on his Aprilia and Alex Rins was 10th on his Honda.
Mark Marquez crashed his Honda and knocked down home-country hero Miguel Oliveira and his Aprilia early-on, taking both of them out of the race; Marquez broke a bone in one hand and was also handed a long-lap penalty to be served in the next round.
Lumen Field brought clear skies and intense racing to the Seattle race fans. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Eli Tomac Takes Seattle Supercross Win and Ties Up Points Standings
Jett Lawrence Takes Fourth 250SX Class Victory in 2023
Seattle, Wash. – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac won Round 11 of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season and reached the record book milestone of tying for second most 450SX Class wins with 50.
Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb earned a second place finish to the cheers of 58,261 Seattle fans at Lumen Field. And Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia rounded out the podium, earning points for both the Supercross season and the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. The Western Regional 250SX Class returned to racing with Round five after a five-week break and Team Honda HRC’s Jett Lawrence grabbed his fourth win of the season.
Eli Tomac (1) took his 50th career Supercross win, pulling him into a tie for second for most race wins in the 450SX Class. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Tank Masters Red Line Oil Next Level KTM’s Kevin Moranz grabbed the 450SX Class Main Event Holeshot and held the lead ahead of Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton, Eli Tomac, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, and Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen. Roczen was on the move early and got by Tomac for third place just as Sexton took Moranz wide in a bowl turn. Moranz went over the berm, got hung up on Tuff Blox, and was well behind the pack before he got back onto the track.
With Sexton out in the lead, Tomac pressured Roczen to earn back second place. But two minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race it was Cianciarulo who made a move happen. Tomac gave up the spot to Cianciarulo, then lost another position when Cooper Webb got by him. Tomac found himself in fifth place and going the wrong direction down the leader board. He wasted no time re-grouping and striking back; within thirty seconds Tomac had the spot back from Webb and 30 more seconds later broke free of Webb’s re-pass attempts.
Sexton bobbled up front and Roczen closed the gap to under one second. The top five racers were still tightly bunched together. Four minutes into the race Tomac took back third and within two more laps was into second. Roczen momentarily took back the spot, but Tomac got around him again and set his sights on Sexton nearly three seconds up the track. Barcia was then the rider making headway, passing into fifth place and looking very fast on what was his 31st birthday.
Just before the race’s midpoint Sexton washed his front end entering a corner. When the front wheel caught on a rut Sexton’s off-balance momentum threw him off the bike. Tomac took over the lead with Roczen and Webb still close behind. With 9:45 showing on the race clock Webb got around Roczen for second and sat 2.3 seconds back from Tomac. In a race that did not start out well for Tomac and Webb, they’d each put themselves into position to win the night.
With 8:00 left on the race clock Barcia took over third. Sexton claimed fourth shortly after, and Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson snatched fifth with 5:30 on the clock. In the final few laps the top three, Tomac, Webb, and Barcia, pulled clear of the rest of the racers but never got close enough to one another to challenge for the position. Anderson earned fourth before the checkers flew. Tomac and Webb’s finishes brought the season’s points standing to a tie for the lead. So after a rare weekend-off from racing, Tomac and Webb will face off again with both the #1 Yamaha and #2 KTM running the red number plate that signifies the season’s points leader. Interestingly, Tomac’s milestone 50th Supercross win comes in the year Supercross celebrates its 50th year of racing since the inception of the sport.
Jett Lawrence (18) took his fourth win of the season and stretched his points lead to 23. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
In Western Regional 250SX Class racing, Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Stilez Robertson grabbed the Holeshot and led the aggressive pack of 250cc racers. Partzilla PR-MX Racing’s Hunter Yoder held second with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s RJ Hampshire, Jett Lawrence, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Cameron McAdoo and Smartop MotoConcepts Racing Honda’s Mitchell Oldenburg right behind. Just one minute into the 15-minute plus one lap race Lawrence was into second and started to reel in Robertson. One lap later Lawrence was in position to replicate his pass move and take the lead, but Robertson held strong. As Robertson commanded the race through speed and defensive lines, McAdoo reached third ahead of Hampshire. Soon McAdoo was up to the leaders and it looked like it would be a three-rider race for the win.
With 10:30 on the race clock Lawrence got around Robertson and into the lead. A half lap later Robertson crashed hard exiting the whoops and was out of the race. Hampshire attacked McAdoo and took over second with Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Levi Kitchen close in fourth place. From there Hampshire and McAdoo battled and traded the second place spot. As the top three weaved through lappers the gap to Lawrence close at times but the lead was never in jeopardy. Hampshire got the final pass for the second place spot with the white flag in sight. At the checkered flag Lawrence took the win with Hampshire in second, McAdoo third, and Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Enzo Lopes reaching fourth place.
The Monster Energy AMA Supercross series takes a rare break next weekend when the racers face off again inside State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on April 8th. The event will mark Round 12 of the 17-round Supercross series as well as Round 12 of the brand-new 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship. The new SuperMotocross League encompasses every Monster Energy AMA Supercross round and every AMA Pro Motocross round and culminates with two Playoff rounds and a Final all held at landmark sports venues in September. The SuperMotocross League pays a cool $1,000,000 to the 450 class champion and $500,000 to the 250 class champion.
All 31-rounds of the SuperMotocross World Championship are streamed live on Peacock with select rounds also broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. Race fans outside of the U.S. can find coverage at SuperMotocross.tv. For the full schedule, video highlights, ticket sales, and more please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
450SX Class podium (racers from left) Cooper Webb, Eli Tomac, and Justin Barcia. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
450SX Class Results
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
2. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
3. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS
4. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
5. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
6. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Ger., Suzuki
7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM
8. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki
9. Christian Craig, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
10. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (248)
2. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (248)
3. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (226)
4. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Ger., Suzuki (199)
5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (199)
6. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (195)
7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (180)
8. Christian Craig, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna (150)
9. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (122)
10. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM (116)
250SX Class podium (racers from left) RJ Hampshire, Jett Lawrence, and Cameron McAdoo. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Western Regional 250SX Class Results
1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Aus., Honda
2. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna
3. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki
4. Enzo Lopes, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Yamaha
5. Max Vohland, Granite Bay, Calif., KTM
6. Levi Kitchen, Washougal, Wash., Yamaha
7. Pierce Brown, Sandy, Utah, GASGAS
8. Carson Mumford, Simi Valley, Calif., Kawasaki
9. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda
10. Cole Thompson, Brigden, Ont., Yamaha
Western Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
1. Jett Lawrence, Landsborough, Aus., Honda (127)
2. RJ Hampshire, Minneola, Fla., Husqvarna (104)
3. Cameron McAdoo, Sioux City, Iowa, Kawasaki (101)
4. Mitchell Oldenburg, Godley, Tex., Honda (83)
5. Enzo Lopes, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, Yamaha (82)
Piqueras takes split second Rookies Portimão double
Angel Piqueras took an incredible second Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup win by just 0.002 seconds over fellow Spaniard Marcos Ruda in a blanket Portimão finish. Malaysian Hakim Danish was 0.015 seconds back in third 0.001 ahead of Ireland’s Casey O’Gorman.
Saturday’s winner Piqueras was only 4th through the final flat-out downhill left-hander but the 16-year-old pulled out of the 3 KTM slipstream to flash across the line a tyre’s width ahead.
Ruda led through that final turn but the 18-year-old had 15-year-old O’Gorman on his tail and looking the likely winner after a fabulous 14 laps.
By half distance, Màximo Quiles had broken away into a one-second lead that no one could close. The 15-year-old Spaniard then slid off with just 4 laps to go and could only remount and finish 11th. He had been pushed out of Race 1 on Saturday.
Angel Piqueras winning a mystery
“I don’t know how I won that,” he grinned. “I’ll have to look at the replay. On the last lap, I was 4th and didn’t think it was possible.”
“The track is cold this morning, less grip and that changed things, the lap times were faster than yesterday but that is because we had no wind today.”
“Maximo was pushing a lot, he got away and it was not easy to catch him, I don’t know, I was trying, perhaps we could have caught him over the last laps, I don’t know, we were all trying.”
Marcos Ruda from P19 to P2
“What an amazing race, I have no words to describe it. I was back in 19th on the grid, I got a good start and I just pushed and pushed all the way. Maximo was very fast and he got away from us.”
“I got in front at the end and hoped I had enough to win, I knew it was so close at the line and none of us knew who was first. I have to thank everyone who has supported me because last year in Rookies Cup was a tough first season but now I am so happy.”
Hakim Danish a great start to his Cup career
I am so happy with my first podium in Rookies Cup. In the race I felt really good with the bike, we worked hard this weekend and found a good setting. So thanks to everyone supporting me.”
“I pushed to stay in the front group, In the end, I made some good overtakes and got in position to battle at the front. I was trying to win but on the last lap I made a mistake, the wrong gear in turn 5 and I lost the chance. I had to push hard to get back close to the front and on the podium.”
Casey O’Gorman should have won
“I thought I had it, I put myself in the position to be 2nd and have Ruda’s slipstream out of the last corner, Piqueras and Danish came from nowhere.”
“It was .001 to the podium…. but there is always the next one.”
Rico Salmela missing grip
“At the start of the race I was very strong, but by the end of the race I was struggling a bit with the grip of the rear tyre. It was really difficult to get the drive to get the overtakes on corner exit.”
“Still I’m quite happy… I want more but still, I am happy and we continue learning and go on to Jerez.”
Màximo Quiles fastest but…
“The race was very good, I was fast, I opened up a gap. The only thing was that at 4 laps to go I lost the front in turn 5. I tried to pick up the bike as quick as I could and finished P11.”
“In the last 5 laps, I was talking to myself and telling myself to relax in this corner because I crashed 3 times here. I was talking talking and I think I talked myself into it.”
“Still I am happy because I was the fastest and I will come back in Jerez.”
Autodromo Internacional do Algarve (a.k.a. Algarve International Circuit) in Portimão, Portugal. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday-Morning Warm-up Session Notes From Portugal
Alex Marquez Quickest In Morning Warmup: Gresini Racing’s Alex Marquez was fastest in the Sunday morning warm-up session with a lap at 1:38.719, ahead of Fabio Quartararo, Marc Marquez, Jorge Martin and Jack Miller.
Alex Marquez (73) topped the Sunday morning warm-up session in Portugal. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Bastianini Injured: Factory Lenovo Ducati rider Enea Bastianini was ruled out of Sunday’s race at Portugal due to a fractured right shoulder blade. Bastianini was taken out during Saturday’s sprint race by fellow Ducati rider Luca Marini, who was trying to out-brake Bastianini going into Turn Five, hit a bump and lost the front. Bastianini may also be out of action in Argentina.
Mir Penalized: Repsol Honda’s Joan Mir was penalized for colliding with Fabio Quartararo on the first lap of Saturday’s sprint race. Quartararo had made a slight error, opening the door for Mir, and they made side-to-side contact, leaving Mir on the ground. Race Directors gave Mir a long-lap penalty for Sunday’s race, and while Honda appealed the penalty, their appeal was rejected.
Rookies: Jakob Rosenthaler (78) crashed out of Sunday morning’s Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race.
Provisional Hooligans Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Shawn Raggio (Har), 12 laps
2. Robert Lewis (Har), -0.390 second
3. Lowell Bronstad (Har), -0.884
4. Kole King (KTM), -1.316 seconds
5. Ethan Rosine (Har), -3.019
6. Josh Young (Har), -3.670
7. Chris Boone (Har), -4.165
8. Trevor Quayle (Har), -4.251
9. Danny Slosser (Har), -4.994
10. Jason Griffin (Duc), -6.645
11. Joseph Houston (Har), -7.013
12. Stace Richmond (KTM), -7.082
13. Sam Cover (KTM), -7.468
14. Charles Holmes (Har), -12.374
15. Erik Hartley (Tri), -13.062
16. Scott Jones (Har), -15.405
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Max Whale (KTM), 22 laps
2. James Ott (Hus), -1.483 seconds
3. Dalton Gauthier (KTM), -2.225
4. Trevor Brunner (Yam), -2.371
5. Kody Kopp (KTM), -2.548
6. Morgen Mischler (Hon), -3.305
7. Trent Lowe (Hon), -3.866
8. Chase Saathoff (Hon), -4.048
9. Shayna Texter-Bauman (KTM), -6.019
10. Chad Cose (Hus), -6.292
11. Dan Bromley (Yam), -7.527
12. Kevin Stollings (Hon), -7.597
13. Tom Drane (Yam), -8.418
14. Tanner Dean (KTM), -8.447
15. Cole Zabala (Hon), -8.941
16. Jordan Jean (Hon), -9.536
17. Travis Petton (KTM), -11.077
18. Tyler Raggio (Yam), -12.058
19. Justin Jones (KTM), -17.101
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Jared Mees (Ind), 35 laps
2. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -0.174 second
3. JD Beach (Yam), -6.563 seconds
4. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -6.694
5. Davis Fisher (Ind), -10.009
6. Jarod Vanderkooi (Ind), -11.012
7. Briar Bauman (KTM), -12.579
8. Bronson Bauman (KTM), -13.224
9. Jesse Janisch (KTM), -13.874
10. Ben Lowe (Ind), -14.191
11. Kolby Carlile (Yam), -14.684
12. Johnny Lewis (Roy), -1 lap
13. Billy Ross (Ind), -1 lap, 2.785 seconds
14. Michael Hill (Kaw), -1 lap, 5.573
15. Jeffery Lowery (Yam), -1 lap, 7.098
16. Mitch Harvat (Kaw), -1 lap, 9.590
17. Ryan Wells (Roy), -1 lap, 12.301
18. Jordan Harris (KTM), -1 lap, 16.852
19. Brandon Newman (Kaw), -9 laps, DNF
More, from a press release issued by American Flat Track:
Mees Tops Daniels in Stunning Senoia Short Track
Jared Mees (1). Photo courtesy AFT.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 25, 2023) – Reigning Grand National Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750) came out victorious following an epic showdown featuring two of Progressive American Flat Track’s biggest stars in an epic Yamaha Senoia Short Track on Saturday evening at Senoia Raceway in Senoia, Georgia.
The Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle king entered the weekend with the knowledge that his place atop the pecking order was under threat from the fast-rising Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who opened his ‘23 title campaign in dominating fashion at Daytona International Speedway two weeks back.
Following a quiet opener by his standards, Mees was at the top of his game in Senoia, locking down the top of the charts pretty much all day long. He then looked to exploit his prime starting position, planning to dart away early and eliminate any potential challenge before it could materialize.
Daniels saw what the factory Indian ace was up to, however. He stuck a hard pass in on teammate JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) to slot into second and then put his head down in hopes of reeling Mees back in.
Daniels ultimately arrived on Mees’ rear wheel and at last took the lead at half-distance, just as the two made their way into lapped traffic. The second half of the contest was relentless, with passes for the lead executed on nearly every lap, all the while slashing their way past slower riders.
Mees reclaimed the lead with twenty seconds remaining on the clock and then leaned on his decades of experience advantage to formulate a way to cling on for the victory, as he held the Estenson Yamaha pilot off at the stripe by 0.174 seconds.
“Man, that was a duel… a battle… a fist fight in a phone booth,” Mees said. “We rode super clean; we didn’t touch – we came really close – but I didn’t want to give that one up. I was fighting tooth-and-nail, and he was rolling so good. I felt if I could get in a rhythm early, I could maybe get a gap, but he hung tough. We want this championship bad. We want to keep the #1 plate. It’s going to be super tough. Dallas is super hungry, and you can see it in his riding.”
While the Mees-Daniels showdown was the headliner (and quite possibly a preview of more to come), the battle for third was nearly as exciting. Beach fell into the clutches of Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750), losing the podium position late in the Main, only to snatch the spot back on the race’s final lap.
Meanwhile, Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) earned his second top five of the year, outdueling Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 JMC Motorsports/Fairway Ford Indian FTR750) following an extended tussle of their own.
Seventh went to Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 890 Duke), who spent the entire Main Event clawing his way forward after an early incident dropped him well down the order.
He was followed home by his younger brother, Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 890 Duke), in eighth, while Jesse Janisch (No. 33 KTM/Haversack/Z-Max 890 Duke) and Ben Lowe (No. 25 Rackley Racing/Mission Foods Indian FTR750) rounded out the top ten.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Two-time Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER championship runner-up Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) earned his first victory of the ‘23 season in convincing fashion at Senoia Raceway.
While the field was desperate to slow Whale’s teammate, defending class champ Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) after his season-opening double victory at the DAYTONA Short Track, the Australian issued a clear reminder that the Red Bull KTM team boasts not one, but two genuine title contenders under its tent with a wire-to-wire run to the checkered flag.
As Whale walked away at the front, a huge scrap played out behind for second. A hugely impressive James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) jumped into the position from pole where he found himself under fire almost immediately from the likes of Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F), Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Kopp, and Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), among others.
Drane pulled off a remarkable save of a near highside just to stay upright, but the resultant drama dropped him from podium contention to outside the top ten. Gauthier then started his charge, slicing his way up from seventh to third with relative ease. But try as he might, he was unable to work out a way past Ott and the two ultimately crossed the stripe the final time in second and third, respectively.
Kopp did threaten to overhaul both late. However, he instead saw his bid for a top-three result foiled by a resurgent Brunner, who stole back fourth and then kept the championship leader corralled behind him in fifth to the flag by a 0.177-second margin.
Mischler took sixth just behind, followed by his Turner Honda teammates, Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) and Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R). Shayna Texter-Bauman (No. 52 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 450 SX-F) and Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) completed the top ten.
Race winner Whale said, “I needed a good race today. Obviously, as a racer you want to win every time. It feels good to do this coming here from Daytona, where my head was hanging low. You put in all the work before the start of the year, and to finish with a fourth and a ‘937th’ was tough. So to come out today and win? I can’t thank my team enough.”
Next Up:
Progressive AFT will power directly to the first TT of the ‘23 season with next weekend’s ZO CBD Arizona Super TT presented by RideNow Powersports at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler, Arizona, on Saturday, April 1. Visit https://www.tixr.com/promoters/americanflattrack to secure your tickets today.
For those that can’t catch the live action from the circuit, FansChoice.tv is the live streaming home of Progressive AFT. Sign up now and catch every second of on-track action starting with Practice & Qualifying and ending with the Victory Podium at the end of the night at https://www.fanschoice.tv.
FOX Sports coverage of the Yamaha Senoia Short Track, featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere on FS1 on April 1 at 7:00 a.m. ET (4:00 a.m. PT).
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Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
May 9, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
