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The 50th Anniversary Of Yamaha TZ Racebikes, In The March Issue

Featured In the March 2023 issue of Roadracing World:

         “For me, it’s tough to realize that it’s been 50 years since Yamaha introduced the most famous and successful series of over-the-counter racebikes, the TZs! With its various models, the TZ range changed the face of club, National and International road racing for 35 years. If you dig back to Yamaha’s first production road racer, the air-cooled 250cc TD1, the company has supplied racers with competitive for-sale machines for 45 years. While some of us at the time complained of Yamaha domination, we have to acknowledge the company’s dedication to our sport…”

“Historic Racebike Illustrations: The 50th Anniversary of Yamaha TZ Racebikes,” By Mick Ofield

 

There were times when it looked like a Yamaha Cup series on the grids of races around the world, but that simply reflects the company’s commitment to road racing at all levels. Half a century ago, Yamaha introduced its TZ series of customer racebikes—machines that were genuinely competitive at the International and National level, motorcycles that made the dream a reality for generations of aspiring racers. Read about their history—it’s in the latest issue of Roadracing World!

 

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats.

PREVIEW  the March 2023 Issue of Roadracing World!

Click to SUBSCRIBE NOW ! Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

Read the March 2023 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology with your online subscription. Log in HERE

Available at Cycle Gear and other motorcycle retailers.

Visit www.roadracingworld.com daily for breaking news and events.

Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/roadracingworld

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com @roadracingworld

Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com @roadracing_world

Andreani USA Holding Free Public Open House March 18

Public Invitation to Andreani USA Open House

Please Join Us!

Andreani USA would like to invite you to our first open house at our new US distribution facility in Hendersonville, North Carolina on Saturday, March 18.

We’ll have tours of our facility, demonstrations of the products we make to support race teams and Powersports and MTB dealers, free pizza from Tin Can Pizzeria (wood fired Pizza), free soft drinks, great bicycle and motorcycle displays, and live music by the “Baggage Brothers.”

Our founder, Giuseppe Andreani, will do a special toast to our new US operations at noon.

Our neighbor, German motorcycle products distributor Wunderlich America, will also be having an open house that day.

Please join us between 11am and 5pm to help us celebrate at our new facility.

Andreani USA

137 E Central Street

Hendersonville NC, 28792

828-435-0125

Open house 11-5pm March 18

Free pizza from noon to 2pm

American Sanchez Racing In Spain’s RFME ESBK PreMoto3 Championship

American Mikey Lou Sanchez is changing teams and series for 2023.

After taking a race win and finishing sixth in the 2022 RFME ESBK Moto4 National Championship in Spain, the 12-year-old from Texas is moving up to the 2023 RFME ESBK PreMoto3 Spanish National Championship with MRE Talent Team, which won the title last season.

Sanchez will ride a BeOn PreMoto3 racebike, which is powered by a 40-horsepower Yamaha YZ250F engine.

“I’m very excited to race this class,” said Sanchez. “It’s a big step up, but I’m ready, real ready!”

Sanchez is sponsored by Roadway Traffic Control, HJC Helmets, San Marcos Iron Doors, Williams Custom Painting, Texas Motorcycle Academy, Moto Liberty, Harris Hill Flattrackers, 212 Decals, Southern Adrenaline, Corsa Werks, Paul Stamper, Mark Niemi, Ben Fondu, Stacy Pawelek, and Theo Bick.

Isle Of Man TT: Scaysbrook Moving Up To Superbikes

SCAYSBROOK AND REES LINE UP FOR WILSON CRAIG IN 2023

Rennie Scaysbrook will return to the Isle of Man TT Races in 2023, lining up alongside Matthew Rees in a two-man team for the Wilson Craig Racing team.

The Australian, a TT debutante last year, will move up to the 1000cc classes and to ride a Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade in the RST Superbike, RL360 Superstock, and Milwaukee Senior TT Races. Rees will also contest the 1000cc classes as well as the Monster Energy Supersport and Supertwin Races for the team.

2019 winner and outright record holder at the famous 12.42-mile Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Scaysbrook made his TT debut last year riding with the PRF Racing team and although qualifying week was fraught with problems, he more than impressed with an average lap speed of over 117mph.

Although unable to quite replicate that speed in the two, shortened Supersport Races, he successfully completed both races with solid 37th and 44th place finishes and a best lap of 116.048mph.

Originally from Sydney but now residing in the USA where he’s Road Test Editor at Cycle News Magazine, Scaysbrook will now add the 1000cc races to his schedule, riding for the team who can count Guy Martin, Cameron Donald and William Dunlop amongst its former riders.

Immediately recognisable in their traditional and familiar red and silver colours, the bikes and team are now in the hands of former racer Darren Gilpin and with Scaysbrook and Rees in the fold for 2023, hopes are high for some strong performances across all of the races.

Rennie Scaysbrook: “I’m really looking forward to getting back to the Island. What started out as an idea to be a journalist-turned-racer at Pikes Peak and the TT has certainly escalated, and it’s fair to say I’ve got the TT bug now! Last year was good for me and I’m pleased with how I rode and how I prepared myself, but there were issues with the bike throughout the two weeks so I feel like I’ve got some unfinished business.”

“That being said, moving up from Supersport to Superbike means I’ll pretty much be learning the Course again – new braking markers, new riding style, jumps in places that weren’t jumps on the 600, all that sort of stuff. But it’s exciting, and it’s pretty amazing to already be riding with a team with such a good history, and I have to say a big thanks to Davo [Johnson] for putting in a good word for me with the team!”

Darren Gilpin, Wilson Craig Racing Team Owner: “Rennie’s story is great. He’s clearly a really talented racer given his success at Pikes Peak and how well he did in his debut year despite the issues he had, and so I’m excited to see how we can help him progress this year.”

“In Matthew, we’ve got a young but experienced guy who I think we’ve yet to see the best of. I know he’s had his fair share of bike issues, particularly on the 1000cc bikes, over the years, which means we’ve not seen his true potential. We’ll be putting a great set of bikes together for him, pre-season testing has been good so far, so we’re excited to get going.”

MotoGP: Ralf Schumacher To Demo BMW F1 Car At Season-Opener

Ralf Schumacher to demo BMW Williams F1 car at Portimao

Two sporting worlds come together as MotoGP™ prepares for its biggest season yet, with the season opener set to feature a very special guest appearance

Friday, 17 March 2023

At the 2023 MotoGP™ season opener, a new era is set to begin and the weekend is already guaranteed to go down in MotoGP™ history. There’s an action-packed programme as the sport takes back to the track for the biggest season yet, and that will include a very special VIP appearance during the event – not once, but twice!

By special invitation, multiple F1 race winner Ralf Schumacher will do demo laps in his 2003 BMW Williams Formula 1 car, with one stint on Saturday at 11:45 and another on Sunday between the Moto2™ race and the MotoGP™ race. The car is the chassis driven by Schumacher to victory at the Nürburgring and Magny-Cours in 2003, one of the most successful seasons of his decade long career in the top flight of four-wheeled motorsport.
The Williams FW25 is part of the VES Formula 1 collection and is the original chassis with a rebuilt original 2003 BMW V10 P83 engine. Reaching up to 19,300 RPM and producing over 900 horsepower, the car will only add to the spectacle as MotoGP™ prepares to showcase our own 22 heroes set to do battle in 2023.

If you feel the need for speed, make sure to tune in for the Grande Premio TISSOT de Portugal from the 24th to the 26th of March, with more MotoGP™ than ever – and some very special guests!

Sponsorship Opportunity: KYT Americas

KYT AMERICAS SUPPORT FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN ROAD RACING CONTINUES BEYOND NATC SERIES

As the North America Talent Cup series spec helmet, KYT Americas will continue to offer helmet sponsorship for competitors that were accepted into the 2023 cohort and race beyond the NATC.

SEATTLE, WA – After a successful first year, sadly the North America Talent Cup (NATC) series will not continue for 2023. The cancelation of the series is an unfortunate event for youth development road racing in the United States. The organizers of the series worked until the very end to provide a platform for young racers to compete.

KYT Americas’ commitment to youth development will continue, regardless of the status of the NATC series. Racers who were accepted into the 2023 cohort are eligible for KYT helmet sponsorship in any series they choose to compete.

“KYT Americas is proud to invest in young racers. We know that the future of the sport relies on developing riders,” commented Nathan Fitzgerald, KYT Americas National Sales Manager. “As a company and a brand, we have to choose what we value more than the bottom line. Offering sponsorship to young racers who are giving 110 percent on and off track is the least we can do for them and their families. Youth development is something we highly value. Without a growing class of young racers, our industry will age out.”

Riders who qualify for the KYT sponsorship will be offered the FIM homologated NZ Race. With a lightweight tri-fiber composite shell, premium interior quality, the latest ECE certification and leading aerodynamics, the NZ Race is a direct descendent of KYT’s MotoGP™ experience.

Qualifying riders should reach out to KYT Americas for full information.

[email protected]

 

About KYT Americas

At KYT, we incorporate over two decades of experience in world-class competition into sleek, race-engineered helmets designed to protect and perform. Our designs offer optimal ventilation and aerodynamics while maintaining the highest level of crash protection. Since 1998, KYT’s intense focus on the competitive environment allows us to produce a helmet with quality and function designed to perform at the highest level of motorsports and performance. KYT America now brings its industry leading safety, style, and service to one of the most innovative motorcycle markets in the world.

Learn more at www.kytamericas.com

 

MotoAmerica Racebike Test: Tyler O’Hara’s Indian Challenger Bagger, In The March Issue

Featured In the March 2023 issue of Roadracing World:

          It took less than two seasons for Bagger racing to go from an exhibition to full-factory-racing insanity. That madness is being fueled by a fierce rivalry between Harley-Davidson and Indian that started generations ago, lay dormant for decades, and has been reborn, first in dirt track and now spilling onto the paved road courses of the MotoAmerica Superbike Series in a big way. In this case, “fierce rivalry” isn’t really strong enough to describe what has turned into an all-out battle for dominance
in the Mission Foods King of The Baggers and the RSD Super Hooligan
National Championships, and things are only going to get more intense
now that the Harley-Davidson Pan America model has been allowed in the
Super Hooligan Series.

         The war has powered development leading to a seven-second lap time
improvement from the first Bagger exhibition race at Laguna Seca in 2020
to Laguna Seca in 2022…

        “Tyler O’Hara’s Indian Challenger Bagger: Heavy Intensity!” by Chris Ulrich

 

Love them or hate them, the economics of Bagger racing are good for professional motorcycle racing in the United States. And it’s damn entertaining to watch. So says Racing Editor Chris Ulrich, who track-tested Tyler O’Hara’s Indian Challenger Bagger at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. Read his impressions in the latest issue of Roadracing World!

 

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats.

PREVIEW  the March 2023 Issue of Roadracing World!

Click to SUBSCRIBE NOW ! Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

Read the March 2023 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology with your online subscription. Log in HERE

Available at Cycle Gear and other motorcycle retailers.

Visit www.roadracingworld.com daily for breaking news and events.

Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/roadracingworld

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com @roadracingworld

Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com @roadracing_world

Pipe Dreams Podcast (and Video): Episode Three – Kayla Yaakov

Episode 3: Kayla Yaakov

The 15-Year-Old Future of Road Racing

March 16th, 2023 – Desert Center, California – MotoAmerica / American Flat Track racers Corey Alexander and James Rispoli are pleased to release Episode 3 of their Pipe Dreams Podcast featuring 15-year-old road racing phenom Kayla Yaakov.

In this episode, Kayla talks us through her future in racing as she progresses into the MotoAmerica Twins Cup class where she will join a female-led effort aboard the MP13  Racing Yamaha R7, working with Melissa Paris and Josh Hayes. Kayla also shares her experience as an emerging female star in a male-dominated sport, what it’s been like racing in Europe, and her story thus far in what is destined to be a successful career.

Kayla is incredibly professional, well spoken, and insightful well beyond her years.

We hope her story inspires you!

Available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Video of the episode can be viewed on Spotify and YouTube.

About Pipe Dreams Podcast:

Pipe Dreams Podcast launched in 2023 by MotoAmerica and American Flat Track riders Corey Alexander and James Rispoli in an effort to share the stories of fellow racers and motorsport professionals around the world. The podcast releases twice per month for streaming on all major platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Production and editing is curated by videographer Sam Thurman. Follow @pipedreams_pod on social media or visit https://anchor.fm/pipe-dreams to listen now.

 

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Complete Pre-Season Test In Portugal

Future stars ready for Rookies Cup better Portimão record

Two record-breaking days of testing in perfect conditions at Portimão have prepared 26 of the world’s fastest teenagers for the 17th season of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

Aerodynamic updates on the KTM RC 250 Rs, taking details pioneered in the KTM MotoGP program and developed for the Moto3 World Championship bikes, perhaps helped the fastest of the Rookies break the lap record.

It was not just the returning gladiators who were on the pace, scotching any notion that there is any predictability about who will be battling for this year’s Cup. That will be decided over 14 races, starting at the Portuguese Grand Prix on March 25th.

Auinger impressed

“I must be getting old,” laughed rider coach Gustl Auinger. “I am just so impressed with these guys. It was wonderful to have a Selection Event again last year after we missed a couple of years. I was hopeful that we had seen some fast riders but I was sure it would take a few races before they got up to speed.”

“In the first session yesterday you could pick out the newcomers but by the second session, they were right there, looking as strong and running as fast as the second and third-year Rookies. Then at the end of the day, they are kicking a soccer ball around together and you know we’ve got another cool group of kids.”

 

American Alexander Enriquez (25) in action in Portugal. Photo courtesy Red Bull.
American Alexander Enriquez (25) in action in Portugal. Photo courtesy Red Bull.

 

Ribalta sees improvement

“I’m very pleased with the test,” stated rider coach Dani Ribalta. “Firstly I am impressed that we got here, the technical staff did an amazing job preparing all the bikes, completely overhauled, refreshed engines, new mapping with a stronger bottom-end and the riders can feel the improvement.”

“Several are under the lap record and some of the new guys are already very fast. We have been a lot luckier than we were last year with the dry weather and lack of wind. It gives us a great start to the season.”

Quiles as fast as last year

Màximo Quiles was 3rd in last year’s Cup and the highest-placed rider to return. “It’s great to be back on the KTM, I really enjoy it. You can feel that the bike is a little stronger than last year, the way it pulls over the hills here and wheelies out of the corners.”

“I took it easy at the start yesterday, got used to the bike again and pushed a bit harder today with new tyres. There are a lot of fast riders, it’s always the same in Rookies Cup.”

 

Races

1&2 March 25-26 – Portimão (Portugal)

3&4 April 29-30 – Jerez (Spain)

5&6 May 13-14 – Le Mans (France)

7&8 June 10-11 – Mugello (Italy)

9&10 June 24-25 – Assen (Netherlands)

11&12 August 19-20 – Spielberg (Austria)

13&14 September 9-10 – Misano (Italy)

 

Entry List

2 Amaury Mizera (France)

5 Leo Rammerstorfer (Austria)

8 Eddie O‘Shea (Great Britain)

11 Ruché Moodley (South Africa)

12 Jacob Roulstone (Australia)

13 Hakim Danish (Malaysia)

14 Cormac Buchanan (New Zealand)

18 Angel Piqueras (Spain)

23 Rhys Stephenson (Great Britain)

25 Alexander Enriquez (United States)

27 Rico Salmela (Finland)

28 Máximo Quiles (Spain)

47 Edoardo Boggio (Italy)

50 Carter Thompson (Australia)

54 Alberto Ferrandez (Spain)

56 Kevin Farkas (Hungary)

57 Danial Shahril (Malaysia)

67 Casey O’Gorman (Ireland)

69 Marcos Ruda (Spain)

78 Jakob Rosenthaler (Austria)

81 Lorenz Luciano (Belgium)

83 Alvaro Carpe (Spain)

88 Shinya Ezawa (Japan)

93 Arbi Aditama (Indonesia)

94 Guido Pini (Italy)

95 Marco Chincolla (Argentina)

The 50th Anniversary Of Yamaha TZ Racebikes, In The March Issue

The 1972 YZ634, a factory pre-production prototype of the TZ350A. With the exception of the style of steering damper, lightweight magnesium front hub, rough-cast cylinder block, fabricated radiator mount tabs, lightweight plastic screw-on carburetor tops, absent upper rear engine mount plates and non-folding footpegs, the production versions were very similar. Photo courtesy Ferry Brouwer.
The 1972 YZ634, a factory pre-production prototype of the TZ350A. With the exception of the style of steering damper, lightweight magnesium front hub, rough-cast cylinder block, fabricated radiator mount tabs, lightweight plastic screw-on carburetor tops, absent upper rear engine mount plates and non-folding footpegs, the production versions were very similar. Photo courtesy Ferry Brouwer.

Featured In the March 2023 issue of Roadracing World:

         “For me, it’s tough to realize that it’s been 50 years since Yamaha introduced the most famous and successful series of over-the-counter racebikes, the TZs! With its various models, the TZ range changed the face of club, National and International road racing for 35 years. If you dig back to Yamaha’s first production road racer, the air-cooled 250cc TD1, the company has supplied racers with competitive for-sale machines for 45 years. While some of us at the time complained of Yamaha domination, we have to acknowledge the company’s dedication to our sport…”

“Historic Racebike Illustrations: The 50th Anniversary of Yamaha TZ Racebikes,” By Mick Ofield

 

There were times when it looked like a Yamaha Cup series on the grids of races around the world, but that simply reflects the company’s commitment to road racing at all levels. Half a century ago, Yamaha introduced its TZ series of customer racebikes—machines that were genuinely competitive at the International and National level, motorcycles that made the dream a reality for generations of aspiring racers. Read about their history—it’s in the latest issue of Roadracing World!

 

Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats.

PREVIEW  the March 2023 Issue of Roadracing World!

Click to SUBSCRIBE NOW ! Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

Read the March 2023 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology with your online subscription. Log in HERE

Available at Cycle Gear and other motorcycle retailers.

Visit www.roadracingworld.com daily for breaking news and events.

Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/roadracingworld

Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com @roadracingworld

Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com @roadracing_world

Andreani USA Holding Free Public Open House March 18

The new Andreani USA distribution center in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Photo courtesy Andreani USA.
The Andreani USA distribution and suspension service training center in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Photo courtesy Andreani USA.

Public Invitation to Andreani USA Open House

Please Join Us!

Andreani USA would like to invite you to our first open house at our new US distribution facility in Hendersonville, North Carolina on Saturday, March 18.

We’ll have tours of our facility, demonstrations of the products we make to support race teams and Powersports and MTB dealers, free pizza from Tin Can Pizzeria (wood fired Pizza), free soft drinks, great bicycle and motorcycle displays, and live music by the “Baggage Brothers.”

Our founder, Giuseppe Andreani, will do a special toast to our new US operations at noon.

Our neighbor, German motorcycle products distributor Wunderlich America, will also be having an open house that day.

Please join us between 11am and 5pm to help us celebrate at our new facility.

Andreani USA

137 E Central Street

Hendersonville NC, 28792

828-435-0125

Open house 11-5pm March 18

Free pizza from noon to 2pm

American Sanchez Racing In Spain’s RFME ESBK PreMoto3 Championship

American Mikey Lou Sanchez and his new MRE Talent Team Beon PreMoto3 racebike. Photo courtesy Sanchez Racing.
American Mikey Lou Sanchez and his new MRE Talent Team BeOn PreMoto3 racebike. Photo courtesy Sanchez Racing.

American Mikey Lou Sanchez is changing teams and series for 2023.

After taking a race win and finishing sixth in the 2022 RFME ESBK Moto4 National Championship in Spain, the 12-year-old from Texas is moving up to the 2023 RFME ESBK PreMoto3 Spanish National Championship with MRE Talent Team, which won the title last season.

Sanchez will ride a BeOn PreMoto3 racebike, which is powered by a 40-horsepower Yamaha YZ250F engine.

“I’m very excited to race this class,” said Sanchez. “It’s a big step up, but I’m ready, real ready!”

Sanchez is sponsored by Roadway Traffic Control, HJC Helmets, San Marcos Iron Doors, Williams Custom Painting, Texas Motorcycle Academy, Moto Liberty, Harris Hill Flattrackers, 212 Decals, Southern Adrenaline, Corsa Werks, Paul Stamper, Mark Niemi, Ben Fondu, Stacy Pawelek, and Theo Bick.

Isle Of Man TT: Scaysbrook Moving Up To Superbikes

Rennie Scaysbrook (38) in action at the 2022 Isle of Man TT. Photo courtesy Rennie Scaysbrook.
Rennie Scaysbrook (38) in action at the 2022 Isle of Man TT. Photo courtesy Rennie Scaysbrook.

SCAYSBROOK AND REES LINE UP FOR WILSON CRAIG IN 2023

Rennie Scaysbrook will return to the Isle of Man TT Races in 2023, lining up alongside Matthew Rees in a two-man team for the Wilson Craig Racing team.

The Australian, a TT debutante last year, will move up to the 1000cc classes and to ride a Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade in the RST Superbike, RL360 Superstock, and Milwaukee Senior TT Races. Rees will also contest the 1000cc classes as well as the Monster Energy Supersport and Supertwin Races for the team.

2019 winner and outright record holder at the famous 12.42-mile Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Scaysbrook made his TT debut last year riding with the PRF Racing team and although qualifying week was fraught with problems, he more than impressed with an average lap speed of over 117mph.

Although unable to quite replicate that speed in the two, shortened Supersport Races, he successfully completed both races with solid 37th and 44th place finishes and a best lap of 116.048mph.

Originally from Sydney but now residing in the USA where he’s Road Test Editor at Cycle News Magazine, Scaysbrook will now add the 1000cc races to his schedule, riding for the team who can count Guy Martin, Cameron Donald and William Dunlop amongst its former riders.

Immediately recognisable in their traditional and familiar red and silver colours, the bikes and team are now in the hands of former racer Darren Gilpin and with Scaysbrook and Rees in the fold for 2023, hopes are high for some strong performances across all of the races.

Rennie Scaysbrook: “I’m really looking forward to getting back to the Island. What started out as an idea to be a journalist-turned-racer at Pikes Peak and the TT has certainly escalated, and it’s fair to say I’ve got the TT bug now! Last year was good for me and I’m pleased with how I rode and how I prepared myself, but there were issues with the bike throughout the two weeks so I feel like I’ve got some unfinished business.”

“That being said, moving up from Supersport to Superbike means I’ll pretty much be learning the Course again – new braking markers, new riding style, jumps in places that weren’t jumps on the 600, all that sort of stuff. But it’s exciting, and it’s pretty amazing to already be riding with a team with such a good history, and I have to say a big thanks to Davo [Johnson] for putting in a good word for me with the team!”

Darren Gilpin, Wilson Craig Racing Team Owner: “Rennie’s story is great. He’s clearly a really talented racer given his success at Pikes Peak and how well he did in his debut year despite the issues he had, and so I’m excited to see how we can help him progress this year.”

“In Matthew, we’ve got a young but experienced guy who I think we’ve yet to see the best of. I know he’s had his fair share of bike issues, particularly on the 1000cc bikes, over the years, which means we’ve not seen his true potential. We’ll be putting a great set of bikes together for him, pre-season testing has been good so far, so we’re excited to get going.”

MotoGP: Ralf Schumacher To Demo BMW F1 Car At Season-Opener

Ralf Schumacher will do demonstration laps in his 2003 Williams BMW Formula One race car during the 2023 MotoGP season-opener at Algarve International Circuit, in Portugal. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Ralf Schumacher will do demonstration laps in his 2003 Williams BMW Formula One race car during the 2023 MotoGP season-opener at Algarve International Circuit, in Portugal. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Ralf Schumacher to demo BMW Williams F1 car at Portimao

Two sporting worlds come together as MotoGP™ prepares for its biggest season yet, with the season opener set to feature a very special guest appearance

Friday, 17 March 2023

At the 2023 MotoGP™ season opener, a new era is set to begin and the weekend is already guaranteed to go down in MotoGP™ history. There’s an action-packed programme as the sport takes back to the track for the biggest season yet, and that will include a very special VIP appearance during the event – not once, but twice!

By special invitation, multiple F1 race winner Ralf Schumacher will do demo laps in his 2003 BMW Williams Formula 1 car, with one stint on Saturday at 11:45 and another on Sunday between the Moto2™ race and the MotoGP™ race. The car is the chassis driven by Schumacher to victory at the Nürburgring and Magny-Cours in 2003, one of the most successful seasons of his decade long career in the top flight of four-wheeled motorsport.
The Williams FW25 is part of the VES Formula 1 collection and is the original chassis with a rebuilt original 2003 BMW V10 P83 engine. Reaching up to 19,300 RPM and producing over 900 horsepower, the car will only add to the spectacle as MotoGP™ prepares to showcase our own 22 heroes set to do battle in 2023.

If you feel the need for speed, make sure to tune in for the Grande Premio TISSOT de Portugal from the 24th to the 26th of March, with more MotoGP™ than ever – and some very special guests!

Sponsorship Opportunity: KYT Americas

Jesse James Shedden (99). Photo by CaliPhotography.com, courtesy KYT Americas.
Jesse James Shedden (99). Photo by CaliPhotography.com, courtesy KYT Americas.

KYT AMERICAS SUPPORT FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN ROAD RACING CONTINUES BEYOND NATC SERIES

As the North America Talent Cup series spec helmet, KYT Americas will continue to offer helmet sponsorship for competitors that were accepted into the 2023 cohort and race beyond the NATC.

SEATTLE, WA – After a successful first year, sadly the North America Talent Cup (NATC) series will not continue for 2023. The cancelation of the series is an unfortunate event for youth development road racing in the United States. The organizers of the series worked until the very end to provide a platform for young racers to compete.

KYT Americas’ commitment to youth development will continue, regardless of the status of the NATC series. Racers who were accepted into the 2023 cohort are eligible for KYT helmet sponsorship in any series they choose to compete.

“KYT Americas is proud to invest in young racers. We know that the future of the sport relies on developing riders,” commented Nathan Fitzgerald, KYT Americas National Sales Manager. “As a company and a brand, we have to choose what we value more than the bottom line. Offering sponsorship to young racers who are giving 110 percent on and off track is the least we can do for them and their families. Youth development is something we highly value. Without a growing class of young racers, our industry will age out.”

Riders who qualify for the KYT sponsorship will be offered the FIM homologated NZ Race. With a lightweight tri-fiber composite shell, premium interior quality, the latest ECE certification and leading aerodynamics, the NZ Race is a direct descendent of KYT’s MotoGP™ experience.

Qualifying riders should reach out to KYT Americas for full information.

[email protected]

 

About KYT Americas

At KYT, we incorporate over two decades of experience in world-class competition into sleek, race-engineered helmets designed to protect and perform. Our designs offer optimal ventilation and aerodynamics while maintaining the highest level of crash protection. Since 1998, KYT’s intense focus on the competitive environment allows us to produce a helmet with quality and function designed to perform at the highest level of motorsports and performance. KYT America now brings its industry leading safety, style, and service to one of the most innovative motorcycle markets in the world.

Learn more at www.kytamericas.com

 

MotoAmerica Racebike Test: Tyler O’Hara’s Indian Challenger Bagger, In The March Issue

Heavy Intensity: Chris Ulrich, test-riding the Indian Challenger Bagger on the racetrack at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway: "Baggers are extreme bikes with extreme dimensions, and the Indian is no exception."
Heavy Intensity: Chris Ulrich, test-riding the Indian Challenger Bagger on the racetrack at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway: "Baggers are extreme bikes with extreme dimensions, and the Indian is no exception."

Featured In the March 2023 issue of Roadracing World:

          It took less than two seasons for Bagger racing to go from an exhibition to full-factory-racing insanity. That madness is being fueled by a fierce rivalry between Harley-Davidson and Indian that started generations ago, lay dormant for decades, and has been reborn, first in dirt track and now spilling onto the paved road courses of the MotoAmerica Superbike Series in a big way. In this case, “fierce rivalry” isn’t really strong enough to describe what has turned into an all-out battle for dominance
in the Mission Foods King of The Baggers and the RSD Super Hooligan
National Championships, and things are only going to get more intense
now that the Harley-Davidson Pan America model has been allowed in the
Super Hooligan Series.

         The war has powered development leading to a seven-second lap time
improvement from the first Bagger exhibition race at Laguna Seca in 2020
to Laguna Seca in 2022…

        “Tyler O’Hara’s Indian Challenger Bagger: Heavy Intensity!” by Chris Ulrich

 

Love them or hate them, the economics of Bagger racing are good for professional motorcycle racing in the United States. And it’s damn entertaining to watch. So says Racing Editor Chris Ulrich, who track-tested Tyler O’Hara’s Indian Challenger Bagger at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. Read his impressions in the latest issue of Roadracing World!

 

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Pipe Dreams Podcast (and Video): Episode Three – Kayla Yaakov

Kayla Yaakov, after winning MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race Two at Ridge Motorsports Park in 2022. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Kayla Yaakov, after winning MotoAmerica Junior Cup Race Two at Ridge Motorsports Park in 2022. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Episode 3: Kayla Yaakov

The 15-Year-Old Future of Road Racing

March 16th, 2023 – Desert Center, California – MotoAmerica / American Flat Track racers Corey Alexander and James Rispoli are pleased to release Episode 3 of their Pipe Dreams Podcast featuring 15-year-old road racing phenom Kayla Yaakov.

In this episode, Kayla talks us through her future in racing as she progresses into the MotoAmerica Twins Cup class where she will join a female-led effort aboard the MP13  Racing Yamaha R7, working with Melissa Paris and Josh Hayes. Kayla also shares her experience as an emerging female star in a male-dominated sport, what it’s been like racing in Europe, and her story thus far in what is destined to be a successful career.

Kayla is incredibly professional, well spoken, and insightful well beyond her years.

We hope her story inspires you!

Available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. Video of the episode can be viewed on Spotify and YouTube.

About Pipe Dreams Podcast:

Pipe Dreams Podcast launched in 2023 by MotoAmerica and American Flat Track riders Corey Alexander and James Rispoli in an effort to share the stories of fellow racers and motorsport professionals around the world. The podcast releases twice per month for streaming on all major platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Production and editing is curated by videographer Sam Thurman. Follow @pipedreams_pod on social media or visit https://anchor.fm/pipe-dreams to listen now.

 

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Complete Pre-Season Test In Portugal

Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup participants testing at Algarve International Circuit, in Portugal. Photo courtesy Red Bull.
2023 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup participants testing at Algarve International Circuit, in Portugal. Photo courtesy Red Bull.

Future stars ready for Rookies Cup better Portimão record

Two record-breaking days of testing in perfect conditions at Portimão have prepared 26 of the world’s fastest teenagers for the 17th season of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup.

Aerodynamic updates on the KTM RC 250 Rs, taking details pioneered in the KTM MotoGP program and developed for the Moto3 World Championship bikes, perhaps helped the fastest of the Rookies break the lap record.

It was not just the returning gladiators who were on the pace, scotching any notion that there is any predictability about who will be battling for this year’s Cup. That will be decided over 14 races, starting at the Portuguese Grand Prix on March 25th.

Auinger impressed

“I must be getting old,” laughed rider coach Gustl Auinger. “I am just so impressed with these guys. It was wonderful to have a Selection Event again last year after we missed a couple of years. I was hopeful that we had seen some fast riders but I was sure it would take a few races before they got up to speed.”

“In the first session yesterday you could pick out the newcomers but by the second session, they were right there, looking as strong and running as fast as the second and third-year Rookies. Then at the end of the day, they are kicking a soccer ball around together and you know we’ve got another cool group of kids.”

 

American Alexander Enriquez (25) in action in Portugal. Photo courtesy Red Bull.
American Alexander Enriquez (25) in action in Portugal. Photo courtesy Red Bull.

 

Ribalta sees improvement

“I’m very pleased with the test,” stated rider coach Dani Ribalta. “Firstly I am impressed that we got here, the technical staff did an amazing job preparing all the bikes, completely overhauled, refreshed engines, new mapping with a stronger bottom-end and the riders can feel the improvement.”

“Several are under the lap record and some of the new guys are already very fast. We have been a lot luckier than we were last year with the dry weather and lack of wind. It gives us a great start to the season.”

Quiles as fast as last year

Màximo Quiles was 3rd in last year’s Cup and the highest-placed rider to return. “It’s great to be back on the KTM, I really enjoy it. You can feel that the bike is a little stronger than last year, the way it pulls over the hills here and wheelies out of the corners.”

“I took it easy at the start yesterday, got used to the bike again and pushed a bit harder today with new tyres. There are a lot of fast riders, it’s always the same in Rookies Cup.”

 

Races

1&2 March 25-26 – Portimão (Portugal)

3&4 April 29-30 – Jerez (Spain)

5&6 May 13-14 – Le Mans (France)

7&8 June 10-11 – Mugello (Italy)

9&10 June 24-25 – Assen (Netherlands)

11&12 August 19-20 – Spielberg (Austria)

13&14 September 9-10 – Misano (Italy)

 

Entry List

2 Amaury Mizera (France)

5 Leo Rammerstorfer (Austria)

8 Eddie O‘Shea (Great Britain)

11 Ruché Moodley (South Africa)

12 Jacob Roulstone (Australia)

13 Hakim Danish (Malaysia)

14 Cormac Buchanan (New Zealand)

18 Angel Piqueras (Spain)

23 Rhys Stephenson (Great Britain)

25 Alexander Enriquez (United States)

27 Rico Salmela (Finland)

28 Máximo Quiles (Spain)

47 Edoardo Boggio (Italy)

50 Carter Thompson (Australia)

54 Alberto Ferrandez (Spain)

56 Kevin Farkas (Hungary)

57 Danial Shahril (Malaysia)

67 Casey O’Gorman (Ireland)

69 Marcos Ruda (Spain)

78 Jakob Rosenthaler (Austria)

81 Lorenz Luciano (Belgium)

83 Alvaro Carpe (Spain)

88 Shinya Ezawa (Japan)

93 Arbi Aditama (Indonesia)

94 Guido Pini (Italy)

95 Marco Chincolla (Argentina)

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