American Racing is thrilled to announce Joe Roberts’ return to the team for 2024.
Having produced his most successful Moto2 season to date with American Racing where he took three pole positions and one podium as well as seventh in the championship, both Joe and the team are eager to rekindle their partnership.
The American makes his return to the team after three seasons with Italtrans which saw him take a dramatic first Grand Prix victory in rainy Portugal.
Eitan Butbul – Team Co-Owner
I’m very, very excited to have Joe back with American Racing for the 2024 season.
Our journey started together in 2019 when we first acquired the team and then continued to 2020, where Joe had a great year resulting in the best season the team has had to date. We both feel that we have unfinished business and it’s time to get together and fight for the 2024 championship!
I know that Joe is in the best shape of his career, and it feels great to see him coming back home to the team. With this combination, we believe we can make America great again!
Joe Roberts – Rider #16
I’m excited to be back with American Racing. We had a great season together in 2020 and feel we can bring that magic back again next season so I’m looking forward to continuing what Eitan, John, Avner, and I started.
SSR Motorsports’ founder William Li has announced that Greg Blackwell has been hired as the company’s new vice president of sales and marketing. Blackwell has over 30 years of experience in the powersports industry, including positions with Hisun Motors USA, KTM North America, LeMans Corp./Parts Unlimited and Metzeler Motorcycle Tire North America.
“Greg brings exceptional knowledge and powersports experience to this important leadership role based on his strong dealer and interpersonal relationships, and the fact that he is, at his core, a true powersports enthusiast,” said Li. “With his experience, he’ll hit the ground running and have an immediate impact.”
SSR’s founder William Li (left) and new Vice President Greg Blackwell (right). Photo courtesy SSR Motorsports.
SSR values its partnerships with its national dealer network, and Blackwell has invested countless hours and miles, visiting dealers in nearly all 50 states. Blackwell’s passion for nurturing mutually beneficial relationships with the dealer network is key to supporting the growth of SSR dealers and the company’s family of consumers.
Blackwell will be responsible for leading the national team of district sales managers and marketing staff. Support of the current dealer network will be complemented with new dealer appointments in open markets. SSR has boosted its marketing efforts with the production of numerous advertisements on both wholesale and retail levels promoting the SSR motorcycles, QJ motorcycles, and SSR’s Bison UTVs.
SSR is committed to its mission statement:
“Provide quality powersports products at an affordable price with premier customer service.”
SSR Motorsports was established in 2002 to import and distribute powersports products in the United States. We provide products that are fun to ride, with cutting-edge design, superior engineering and well-managed quality control. We believe every enthusiast should be able to afford a brand-new powersport product that is backed by a manufacturer warranty, comprehensive dealer network, premier customer service and a West Coast distribution center stocked with readily available replacement parts. For more information, go to: http://www.ssrmotorsports.com/
More, from another press release issued by SSR Motorsports.
SSR MOTORSPORTS CHOSEN AS U.S. DISTRIBUTOR FOR QJMOTOR
SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA (August 30, 2023)
SSR Motorsports has taken on the role of distributor for QJMotor products in the United States. Zhejiang Qianjiang Motorcycle Co., Ltd. (QJMotor) — the parent company of Benelli Motorcycles — is a global leader in motorcycle design, engineering and manufacturing that produces a comprehensive line of street models. QJ models, which have been available in the U.S. since the spring, complement SSR’s popular line of on-road motorcycles, off-road motorcycles and SXS’s.
“QJMotor has models that are right for the U.S. market and hit some key price points and model segments” says Greg Blackwell, SSR’s vice president of sales and marketing.
The initial QJ lineup features 11 models, from the SRF135 street mini to the mighty SRT750X adventure bike.
“Dealers are signing up with SSR to sell QJ because we can supply dealer demand; we have the inventory ready to ship,” Blackwell said. “We’ll also help the dealers promote QJ in their own market.
“QJ models look great and perform even better.”
SSR is adding new QJ dealerships each week as the network — and product offerings — grow.
Along with its well-known off-road and on-road models, SSR is embracing QJ’s international marketing strategy by focusing on the QJMOTOR brand while still selling Benelli models, with special pricing available.
True to the SSR way, current Benelli riders can count on us for any necessary warranty work, and we continue to stock replacement parts through our national network of SSR dealers.
Watch for announcements about SSR’s many models — whether for fun or mobility — including off-highway, street and EV motorcycles, Bison (SxS) utility and recreational vehicles and pedal-assist EV bicycles.
We are committed to providing our dealers with the highest-quality products at a competitive price, as well as premier customer service.
After missing the first day of action, six-time Champion Jonathan Rea stormed to the top of the timesheets by less than a tenth
The final day of MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship testing concluded at MotorLand Aragon with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) topping the times despite missing the first day. The #65 tested only on Wednesday but he was straight up to speed as he joined Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), who topped the morning session, in going under the existing race lap record.
SPLIT PROGRAMME FOR KAWASAKI: one eye on the present, one on the future
Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK’s race riders, Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes, only rode for one day at Aragon but they made use of it with Rea leading Lowes in a 1-3 in the afternoon session, and a 1-5 overall. The pair had a split programme for their sole test day with the #22 focusing on future developments and the 2024 season, while Rea was looking at the present as he looked to prepare best for the final four rounds of 2023. Rea was fastest in the afternoon as he set a 1’49.101s, which was good enough for top spot overall as he went under the race lap record, while Lowes posted a 1’49.791s for fifth. Lowes was the busiest rider on track, completing 130 laps; including 82 in the afternoon alone.
EVENLY MATCHED: Petrucci, Bautista set same lap time as Ducati try new items
Petrucci used the SCQ tyre to set his best time of 1’49.168s to finish the morning session on top, and joint second overall. The #9 spent the afternoon doing some comparison work between brake disks as he looked to find time in this part of the cornering phase to maximise his lap time. The WorldSBK rookie also had some electronic setups to try with engine braking as well as small adjustments to the triple clamp. In total, he completed 47 laps after ending his testing programme early on Wednesday.
At the factory team, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) got his hands on a new front fork that’s been designed with 2024 in mind, while the #1 also worked on some setup ideas they have in mind if the feeling improved compared to yesterday. He finished the day with the exact same lap time as Petrucci, a 1’49.168s, as he added 97 laps to his total. However, at the very end of the day, Bautista crashed at Turn 14. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi finished the day in seventh with 72 laps under his belt.
HONDA’S RAPID PACE CONTINUES: Lecuona surges into the top four
Honda continued to have three riders on track at Aragon with Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) the fastest of the trio. He completed 58 laps, all in the morning as he opted not to go out in the afternoon and set a 1’49.466s to secure fourth overall, with teammate Xavi Vierge in sixth as he put another 87 laps in on Wednesday. Tetsuta Nagashima was also on track as part of the test team and rounded out the WorldSBK field but did add a valuable 80 laps to Honda’s test programme, with the Japanese rider improving his time, like the majority of the field, in the closing stages of the test.
VAN DER MARK ON TOP AT BMW: nothing to separate the quartet of BMW riders
Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) led the four BMW riders between eighth and 11th place. The Dutchman completed 79 laps as he continued gaining fitness following his return from injury while he also tried some new brake ducts. His best time, a 1’50.362s, put him two tenths clear of Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) in ninth with Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK) completing the top ten with a 1’50.655s. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) lost a chunk of running time in the afternoon when he had a mechanical issue but was still able to add 73 laps to his tally and finish in 11th.
BULEGA ON TOP AGAIN: Championship leader fastest in WorldSSP
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) continued to be the faster of the two WorldSSP riders on track ahead of Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team). The #11’s best time of 1’53.941s was set in the morning session and he racked up 37 laps while Mackenzie lapped around three seconds slower. He completed 31 laps on day two.
Full results from day two at Aragon:
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’49.101s, 68 laps
2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’49.168, 97 laps
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’49.168, 47 laps
4. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) 1’49.466s, 58 laps
5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’49.791, 130 laps
6. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) 1’49.984, 87 laps
7. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’50.094, 72 laps
8. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’50.362, 79 laps
9. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’50.557, 83 laps
10. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’50.655, 81 laps
11. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’50.935, 73 laps
12. Tetsuta Nagashima (Team HRC) 1’51.026, 80 laps
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
Team HRC returns to work with testing at Aragón
Just over a week before the 2023 Superbike World Championship resumes at the Magny-Cours circuit in France, Team HRC has been busy testing at Motorland Aragón in Spain with factory riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge.
Although there has been no Superbike racing for a month, Vierge and Lecuona have had little time to rest, with Xavi competing in – and winning – the Suzuka 8 Hours as part of a three-rider team, and Iker taking part in both the British, Austrian and, this coming weekend, the Catalan MotoGP rounds as a substitute rider. Focused on the final WorldSBK rounds, Team HRC has made good use of this week’s track time in Spain, working hard to prepare its factory CBR1000RR-R for the upcoming events, which include a round at Aragón itself on 22-24 September.
Despite some strong winds affecting the session, the generally hot and sunny conditions allowed team and riders to complete a good part of the planned work. Having already tested at Motorland earlier in the year, both Iker and Xavi feel confident in their preparations for the races at this particular track and are also pleased with what has been achieved with a view to the remaining 2023 championship rounds.
Team HRC will be back on track for round nine of the WorldSBK championship, set to take place at Magny-Cours, France, over the weekend of 8-10 September.
Iker Lecuona (7). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Iker Lecuona 7
“It felt good to get back on my CBR after one month and two stints in MotoGP, and I’m very pleased that I was immediately fast after just a couple of laps, re-adapting my riding style to the Superbike quite quickly. The MotoGP feeling is definitely different of course, but useful as well, because I feel that I changed something in my style over the last couple of weeks that might also help me in SBK. In the end, every racing experience helps and allows you to keep learning and improving as a rider. As for this test, we consider it a very good session and we worked a lot even if conditions were difficult due to the wind. That prevented us from testing several things because it would have been hard to get a real feel for them with those gusts of wind. So, we mainly worked on the setup of the bike and on my riding position. We changed a few details here and there and made a step forward, I think. On day two, with less wind, we tested those modifications again in the morning and they again worked well, so that’s positive. A few new items also helped us to improve a little but when the wind picked up again after lunch on day 2, we decided to finish earlier. We nevertheless leave here in a good mood.”
Xavi Vierge (97). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Xavi Vierge 97
“I’m happy to be back riding my bike after the summer break, a short summer break in our case! The test has been good except for the weather conditions, which were tricky in terms of the wind. On the first morning the track was also a bit dirty, so we weren’t able to test so many new things. I mainly focused on myself and on making some adjustments to the bike setup for this track, which is one I struggled at last time I was here. It also took me some time to regain my feeling with the tyres on the back of my experience at Suzuka. So, the test has allowed me to gradually rebuild my confidence. We’ve focused on acceleration, one of our weak points, as this track is good for that kind of test because the grip is not the best. We gathered a great deal of information for the engineers to analyse and are ready for the second part of the season, when we will visit tracks that I think suit us better, so we’ll try to exploit that factor.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:
Motorland Test Wrapped Up For KRT
Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes took part in one day of testing at Motorland Aragon in Spain, alongside many of their WorldSBK rivals, on Wednesday 30 August 2023. Rea was the fastest overall and Lowes fifth quickest.
Due to restrictions on the number of testing days each rider can use over a season, Rea and Alex only rode in the second and final day of the Motorland Aragon private tests. The team itself worked on both days, however, as regular test rider Florian Marino and full-time Kawasaki WorldSSP rider for the MTM squad, Adrian Huertas, took part in the first day of testing in Tuesday 29 August.
With just one day on track for Alex and Jonathan it was important to keep to their pre-test plans and schedules, as well as getting up to racing speed after a long summer break that began after the Autodrom Most round at the end of July. The WorldSBK race season restarts relatively soon and there will also be a round at Motorland Aragon itself, near the end of September.
While Rea mostly worked on overall set-up and performance items, Lowes concentrated on some potential new items for next season after Marino had first evaluated them on the opening day. Rea set a best lap of 1’49.101 and Lowes a 1’49.791.
Warm but not fiercely hot track conditions provided a good opportunity for all the riders to make consistent evaluations of their machine set-ups. As this was not an official race weekend the riders were able to have more than one machine in their pit boxes, which helped speed up the process of back-to-back set-up comparisons.
Adrian Huertas rode at Motorland as recognition of his recent performances in WorldSSP and winning the WorldSSP3000 championship on a Kawasaki in 2021. The 20-year-old Spaniard set some strong lap times in his first test on an official KRT Superbike machine. He set a personal best of 1’51.044s, which placed him sixth overall on day one – the only day he was on track on the official Ninja ZX-10RR. Adrian rode for 79 laps in all.
Florian Marino, the team’s regular test rider, continued his valuable on-track development role, setting a personal best lap time of 1’51.689 in the process.
Next up for Rea and Lowes will be the ninth round of the championship itself, to be held at Magny Cours in France between 8 – 10 September.
Jonathan Rea (65). Photo courtesy Kawasaki Racing Team.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been a positive day and I really enjoyed riding the bike again, especially after a long time away. I was surprised how fast I was able to be on the first lap, already inside the 1’50 bracket. That set the tone for the rest of the test as we were able to try some things that we will see for sure in the Motorland Round; some fine tuning. More or less this day was geared towards a performance test, trying to understand our potential. We have been consistently fast with race tyres and also at the end we tried a qualifying tyre. We were quite competitive with our lap times today, both on race rubber and qualifying rubber. I leave the test with optimism that we can have a really positive weekend in Magny Cours. Thanks to the team for all the effort to get here during the summer and it will set us at a good rhythm for the rest of the year.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki Racing Team.
Alex Lowes, stated: “It is really nice to be back on the Ninja ZX-10RR after the summer break. I had a lot on my test schedule. I actually had three bikes in the morning, trying different set ups and a few things for 2024. Some were quite positive and some not so positive – which is completely normal when we are testing new items. It is more mentally tiring than physically tiring, because you are really trying to think about the good points and the bad points. You want to make the right decisions now, so that it can help us next year. I did 91 laps today, which is a decent amount to get me back into the swing of things before Magny Cours. I did a little bit of a run at the end of the test on my 2023 base bike that I will be riding next week at Magny Cours just to get back into the swing of that.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “The plan in this test with Johnny was to find the base set-up we will use for race weekend, which is only a couple of weeks away. We worked calmly and made two different bike set-ups to understand which one to use. We evaluated the differences and we found one direction for the best set-up. This is the job we wanted to do. We also tried a few small new items and collected information about them. In the end Johnny made the fastest lap time which gives us good confidence. We are ready for the races.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “The test was all in favour of next season. We have worked hard over the last couple of months to prepare for this test and we brought some upgrades on the bike. On the first day with Florian we had a shakedown of every single bit. Step-by-step with this new material we improved the bike. Florian was really in the mix and as a test rider he was in between the WorldSBK riders, so this was very pleasing. With Alex we followed more or less the same test plan on day two. A few items we had on the first day list we took off, as with Alex the plan was to make more laps on every single bit to understand not only the initial performance but also the performance over a longer distance. We are pleased with the results and we gathered a lot of information. We have two months before we enter the winter tests so we can make some changes here and there to these upgraded materials, but we are happy with the results of this test and things worked out as we expected. Next week we will be heading to Magny Cours and we are looking forward to it.”
Adrian Huertas. Photo courtesy Kawasaki Racing Team.
Adrian Huertas, stated: “This is a much more powerful bike than the one I am used to riding. It is an awesome bike, an incredible experience and I enjoyed it a lot. It has a lot of power which felt really, really good. That is good for me. It was very different to ride a Superbike but I worked together with the team and they taught me how to improve a little bit. I have also taken some good experience to help me on the 600. I think this will be very helpful and this is like an extra motivation now. I think when I arrive in Magny Cours for WorldSSP I can fight for the victory. I want to thank all the team for this opportunity.”
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
The summer break came to an end at the Morland circuit in Aragon, where Alvaro Bautista and Michael Rinaldi underwent two days of testing ahead of the final phase of the season, scheduled for next week at Magny-Cours (France).
After the first day with sub-optimal track conditions and the tricky wind that prevented the riders from getting the best out of the session, both Alvaro Bautista and Michael Rinaldi were able to ride more consistently today.
Bautista completed 91 laps to close with the second fastest time (1’49.169), 67 thousandths behind Rea (Kawasaki), while Rinaldi (72 laps completed) posted a time of 1’50.094 to finish fifth.
Alvaro Bautista (1). Photo courtesy Aruba.it Racing Ducati.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing #Ducati 1)
“Today the feeling with the bike was definitely better than on the first day, also because the wind was much lower. We did a good job trying new solutions on the front end to improve the bike, especially in braking areas. We gathered some important data, even though maybe our expectations were higher, but it’s clear that the non-optimal track conditions combined with the wind didn’t allow us to express ourselves at our best. Anyway, I am very satisfied with the work we did with the team.
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Aruba.it Racing Ducati.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We did a good job even though the conditions were quite complicated on the first day of testing. I think, however, that we collected data that can be very useful not only for the Aragon Round but also for the end of the season. We focused on the set-up work rather than the fast lap. I am looking forward to Magny-Cours.” WorldSSP
Intense work also for Nicolò Bulega and the Panigale V2 of the Aruba.it Racing team: the rider closes the two days at Aragon with the best time of 1’53.941
Nicolo Bulega (11). Photo courtesy Aruba.it Racing Ducati.
Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WSSP #11)
“In terms of lap-times, I can’t express myself because we didn’t have many references being only two WorldSSP riders riding together with the other WorldSBK riders. Maybe I was expecting something more but we also have to consider that the track conditions were not the best. Anyway, we worked hard to improve for the next rounds and that is what matters.”
More, from a press release issued by PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team:
WorldSSP – Testing at Aragón concludes for the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team
Tarran Mackenzie (95). Photo courtesy PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team.
The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team and its Supersport rider Tarran Mackenzie have completed a two-day test at the Motorland Aragón circuit in Spain with positive results.
Having had time to rest and recharge since the successful eight WorldSSP round in the Czech Republic, and the positive Suzuka 8H experience, the British rider were eager to get back to work this week in preparation for the final events of the 2023 season, participating in this week’s test alongside most of the factory Superbike teams and several privateers.
On track on both Tuesday and Wednesday, Mackenzie took the opportunity to familiarize himself with the Spanish track, considering that round ten will take place at Aragón over the weekend of 22-24 September. Over the two days, the Brit worked hard with his technicians to identify solutions for the CBR600RR that might be of use during the last four rounds of the 2023 Supersport season.
Having won the latest Supersport race at Most in challenging conditions, Tarran and his team are determined to get the very best out of their package, so as to be able to score some solid results also in dry conditions during what remains of this year’s championship.
Tarran Mackenzie
“This test at Aragón has gone well. We were able to test a new engine setup but although it brought some improvement, I think we hoped for a little more. We tried a few different things with the chassis setup too and made a good step there, albeit there’s some room for further improvement also there, I think. I always struggle a little going from riding the Superbike back to the Supersport so it’s been very good to have these two days to adapt back to the 600. Now we’ll head to Magny-Cours, another new one for me, where we can hopefully keep improving. I’m looking forward to it!”
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Intent on Competitive Performance at Catalan GP
Montmeló (Spain), 30th August 2023
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team gear up for a busy two weeks. The team have travelled to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for this weekend‘s Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. The team is extra motivated for Round 11, as they share the title sponsor. The event will be directly followed by the Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini and the Misano MotoGP Official Test.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team are excited to start Round 11 of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship. The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya shares the title sponsor with the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team, making the crew and riders all the more eager to put on a show.
Quartararo ranks 11th in the championship standings and is aiming to up the ante this weekend in Barcelona. The pace he had in Spielberg a fortnight ago gives him high hopes for Montmeló the coming weekend, which is a circuit where he and his Yamaha excel. The Frenchman has had his fair share of success at the Catalan GP. He secured a win there in 2018 in the Moto2 class, followed this up with a second place in the premier class in 2019, and added a MotoGP win in 2020 and 2022. He aims to pay the Montmeló podium another visit this weekend.
Morbidelli holds 12th place in the championship. This weekend he plans on finding a solid base set-up early on, as he is determined to get in strong results in the Practice and qualifying to improve his starting position. The Italian hasn‘t scored a top-3 finish at Catalunya yet in the MotoGP class but came close in 2020, when he finished fourth. Having been able to engage in battles at the previous round in Spielberg, the number-21 rider got a taste for battling with the competition, and he is keen to do it again this weekend.
Work to create the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya began in 1989. Two years later, the track was opened, and it soon became a crowd favourite after hosting its first MotoGP race in 1992. With an exciting 4.6km layout consisting of 14 corners (six left, eight right), the Catalan round is known to produce thrilling races.
Those who want to know the key to doing a fast lap in Montmeló can watch this week‘s MotoGP eSport video.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
Team Director
There‘s a busy two weeks coming up: back-to-back rounds in Montmeló and Misano, which are important rounds for our team, and then the Misano test. But first things first: we need to focus on getting good results here this weekend. We are usually quite competitive in Catalunya. In theory, this track plays more into our strengths. It‘s also a Monster Energy-sponsored GP again, so we have a lot of motivation to get to work.
FABIO QUARTARARO
I rode one of the best races of my life here last year. Barcelona is one of my favourite circuits. I like Montmeló. It‘s usually a good track for me, and I always enjoy riding here. Let‘s see if we can get some good results and bring some smiles to the team and my family.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
I had fun during the previous race weekend because we were engaging in battles. I want to build onto that and keep the momentum going. I felt good during the Austrian GP Race. I was gaining, but I arrived late to the group in front of me. This weekend we will hopefully improve the results on Friday and on Saturday morning so we can start a bit more from towards the front of the grid.
Jason O’Halloran to join Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki alongside Max Cook for 2024 British Superbike Championship title challenge
Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki are delighted to announce that 26-time race winner Australian Jason O’Halloran will be joining the team for the 2024 season. One of the most experienced and successful riders on the grid, Jason joins the Team Green family with both parties eager to put the Ninja ZX-10RR on the top step of the podium as he and the team compete for their maiden title.
Having challenged for the Bennetts British Superbike Championship title over the past few seasons, finishing runner up in 2020, Jason brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Coventry-based Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki team. Using Jason’s insights, the team is eager to get off to a flying start when testing gets underway with the aim of further developing the race-winning Ninja ZX-10RR into a genuine Championship contender.
The team’s highly regarded rookie, Max Cook, will be continuing with the team for 2024 alongside the experienced Australian. Making his debut in the ultra-competitive superbike class this year, the 20-year-old youngster has already impressed the paddock, particularly at Thruxton, where he missed out on his maiden podium by fractions of a second.
Kawasaki UK would like to take this opportunity to thank Lee Jackson, who is departing the team on good terms. His hard work, results, and support over the past six years has helped develop Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki into the BSB stalwarts that they are today, and we wish him the best for the next chapter in his career.
Nigel Snook, Team Owner, Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki
“We are excited to have Jason joining us for the 2024 season and must thank Alan Boyden from AJN Steelstock for his help in supporting Jason’s move to our team. We all know that Jason is one of the strongest and most successful riders on the grid. We believe the combination of Jason and a further improved Ninja ZX-10RR will put us in a strong position to be fighting for race wins and the British Superbike Championship crown.
‘’Of course, while we are looking forward to Jason joining us, it does mean that sadly we are parting company with Lee Jackson. Lee has been part of the FS-3 family for six years, and we have shared many high points together, from Superstock podiums and wins through to his first BSB wins at Oulton Park last year. We wish Lee all the best for 2024 and beyond and will be giving him our full support until the final chequered flag falls at Brands Hatch in October.”
Jason O’Halloran
‘’To have a 2024 contract signed in August is a great feeling, but it’s an even better feeling knowing I will be joining FS-3 Racing and Kawasaki. With my current team coming to a close at the end of 2023, it was always going to mean finding a new home for next season.
‘’When I first met with Nigel, Darren and the team at FS-3, I immediately had a good feeling. I already knew from the years competing against them of the level they operate at, but once I visited the team workshop and sat down with the guys, I knew that it was a place I could continue to push myself and further my career in BSB. With the support of Alan Boyden from AJN Steelstock, we are all going to be in a position to push onto a new level and chase success in the 2024 BSB championship. I’d like to thank Nigel and Darren from FS-3, Ross from Kawasaki UK and Alan from AJN Steelstock for making this possible. I’m excited about the future’’.
Max Cook (left) and Jason O’Halloran (right). Photo courtesy Kawasaki UK.
Max Cook
‘’I’m so happy to be staying with the team for 2024. This year has been a huge learning curve for me, but I think I’ve adapted well, and things have really come together over the past few rounds. I’m confident that I will be up at the sharp end next year and being alongside Jason is a great incentive. I think I’ve shocked some people this year, including myself, as to how quickly I’ve learnt to ride a superbike. I can’t thank Nigel enough for always having faith in me and I’m already looking forward to next year’’.
Ross Burridge, Head of Marketing & Racing Department, Kawasaki UK
“It is fantastic to be welcoming a rider of Jason’s calibre to the Team Green family. His credentials and success in BSB speak for themselves. The combination of Jason with the proven Ninja ZX-10RR gives us real confidence that the Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki team will be battling for race wins from the start of the season!
‘’It’s also great to be continuing with Max, who has already proven himself to be a star of tomorrow. Sharing a garage with Jason next year will only help him to take the next step and regularly challenge for podiums”.
MARCO BEZZECCHI AND MOONEY VR46 RACING TEAM TOGETHER IN 2024
Agreement signed for the next season: Marco will race with the Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Tavullia Team
Tavullia (Italy), Wednesday August 30th 2023 – Marco Bezzecchi will race with the Mooney VR46 Racing Team in 2024 on a Ducati Desmosedici GP. The rider from Rimini, currently third in the overall standings with 183 points, and author of two wins and three podiums (four podiums in the Sprint) in the current season, will be a rider of the Tavullia Team for the fifth consecutive year (debut in Moto2 in 2020).
A path of progressive growth that leads him first to touch the Championship podium in Moto2 in 2020 (P4), a goal he then achieved in 2021 with the third place and sealed with his MotoGP debut in 2022. A season in which Marco impresses by conquering the title of Rookie of the Year, a podium (P2 at Dutch GP) and a pole position (Thai GP).
A natural choice and a proof of continuity to count on a working group – and on the support of Ducati – again next year. A crucial aspect for Marco that allows him to conquer the first win in the Top class (Argentina GP) of his career and in the ten-year history of the Team and thus show his talent and being a real protagonist of the 2023 Championship.
MARCO BEZZECCHI – 72
“I am really happy to confirm that in 2024 I will be on track with the Mooney VR46 Racing Team. This Team has been crucial to my career until now and into the future. I arrived here in 2020, in Moto2, we then landed together in 2022 in MotoGP and this year we had an incredible season so far. Continuing to grow in this working group, with the support of Ducati, is the most natural choice for me. 2024 brings with it many expectations, but right now I want to focus on this season. We are currently fighting for the podium in the Championship, we have the Team Title open with Luca and I am sure that everyone in the Team will give their all, even more than they have done so far, to achieve these goals. Thanks to Vale, Uccio, Pablo, the VR46 Riders Academy and all those who made this possible. Remaining in the Vale Team is a great motivation as well as a pride”.
ALESSIO SALUCCI, TEAM DIRECTOR
“I cannot hide the satisfaction of having signed this agreement with Marco. Not only because he represents a bet won within a long growth path in our Team from Moto2, but for the entire working group and also for all our partners, whom we thank for their support, and the fans who follow us. It was essential to be able to continue another year and I have to thank all those who collaborate with the management of the Team, Vale and Pablo for the collective work that has led us to achieve this goal. I’m happy because I know how much means for Marco to stay here in our Family. As a Team, together with Ducati, we will give him all the resources and commitment available to continue working with the same serenity and Team spirit that has allowed us to achieve extraordinary goals this season”.
PABLO NIETO, TEAM MANAGER
“As a Team Manager, the human aspect of a working group that spends most of the year away from home has always been a crucial aspect to take into consideration. Reason that pushed us to do our best to reach this agreement to extend the contract for another year with Marco. A rider who has really impressed from all points of view since his debut in the Top class in 2022. The signing of this contract is a source of great pride for me to share with all the people who work in the Team, with Vale, Uccio, Ducati, who will support us as best they can, and our partners who make this possible. We continue to work and stay focused: we have two important goals to achieve this season before thinking about 2024″.
Hendry Wins Again, Rizzo Clinches Race of the Rockies GTU Class Championship
Byers, CO, August 27th, 2023 – The sixth race of the 2023 MRA Championship Series took place at High Plains Raceway over the weekend of August 26-27th on their 1.86-mile North Course configuration. The weather this weekend made for ideal racing conditions as temperature hovered around the mid 80’s and the wind was almost nonexistent, a rarity at High Plains.
The Race of the Rockies (RoR) Qualifying on Sunday went off without a hitch. Ray Thornton, continuing his excellent form, broke the all-time RoR qualifying record for North Course with a time of (1:12.608) and secured pole position. The previous record of (1:12.762) by Ryan Burke had stood since 2017. Brad Hendry qualified second with a time of (1:13.247) followed by James Wilkerson (1:13.277).
The start of RoR saw Hendry, Wilkerson, and Mike Applegate get excellent starts, and going into Turn One nobody wanted to give an inch. Thornton didn’t get the start he hoped for and quickly found himself in fourth place by the time the pack reached the back straight. Hendry, staying true to his form from the last round, easily made his way to the front to take the lead after lap one. Once out in front, Hendry quickly dropped his times down into the 1:12’s and started to pull a gap on the rest of the field. Wilkerson and Applegate were dicing it up for second and third position and by lap three Applegate made a clean pass on Wilkerson. By this point Hendry had opened a 1.5 second lead and it was clear he had the best pace of the field. Applegate fought hard for the remainder of the race but was never able to get within striking distance of the leader. Hendy maintained the lead for the entirety of the race finishing seven seconds ahead of Applegate in second. Wilkerson rounded out the podium in third place. With one round remaining in the 2023 season, Thornton maintains his RoR championship lead by just six points over Applegate.
In Race of the Rockies GTU, Salvatore Rizzo got an excellent start to lead going into Turn One followed closely by Justen Behmer and Kevin Caputo. By the end of the first lap, Dennis Stowers had carved his way from last on the grid to overtake Caputo for third position. Rizzo, Behmer, and Stowers quickly grouped up and proceeded to break away from the rest of the field. For the remainder of the race, the leading trio stayed within half a second of one another. Stowers was unable to find a way around Behmer and neither one could get close enough to Rizzo to make a clean pass. Rizzo secured his second RoR GTU win of the season and clinched the 2023 RoR GTU Class Championship. Behmer finished in second and Stowers in third.
Next up, the MRA heads back to High Plains Raceway in Byers, CO for Round 7 on September 23-24 for a full weekend of racing including the SuperStreet event on Saturday afternoon. SuperStreet gives street riders the opportunity to experience motorcycle road racing with minimal cost and preparation. See https://www.mra-racing.org/superstreet/superstreet-information for details.
The MRA welcomes racers from other clubs across the nation. If you’re a currently licensed racer, we have several reciprocity agreements in place along with very competitive pricing on license & entries to our 28 classes. Click here for MRA membership & entry information.
The Motorcycle Roadracing Association is dedicated to promoting safe and competitive motorcycle road racing events for enthusiasts in Colorado and the surrounding area. For more information go to http://www.mra-racing.org/.
Showdown at Springfield to Decide 2023 Grand National Championship
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 29, 2023) – It all comes down to this. One of most competitive and engaging championship battles in the history of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, has been waged over 16 rounds with its two leading protagonists producing a combined 28 podiums and 13 wins. And yet, with just the series’ crown jewel event – the Mission Springfield Mile I & II presented by Drag Specialties – remaining to determine the victor, the separation at the top is a single point.
While 2023 has witnessed two of the greatest single-season performances in the 70-year history of the Grand National Championship, only one rider will be crowned the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion this Labor Day weekend when the season wraps up with a decisive doubleheader at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, on Saturday September 2, and Sunday, September 3.
This year’s title fight has it all. The #1 plate has been vigorously defended by one of the most decorated riders of all time in Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750), who is looking to add to his slam dunk Hall of Fame résumé. By contrast, an incredible campaign has been mounted by one of the most promising riders to emerge in decades, Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who is in contention to secure the first of what could one day prove to be multiple premier-class championships.
The championship fight is equally compelling from team and equipment standpoints with the factory Indian Motorcycle squad and its purpose-built FTR750 racer in position to earn a seventh consecutive title. Meanwhile, Estenson Racing is aiming to deliver Yamaha its first undivided Grand National Championship in nearly half a century with its production-based MT-07 DT.
Another feature this showdown boasts in no short supply is a list of potential spoilers, anyone of whom could tip the balance in either direction.
That possibility is only magnified by the venue, which tends to produce extremely close and unpredictable racing; In the most recent ten Springfield Miles, eight have been decided by less than a second. Of those eight, six have featured at least three riders within a second of victory, four with four or more, two with seven or more, and one with a full ten racers taking the checkered flag within a second of the winner.
Spearheading the spoilers are two-time Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) and two-time Springfield Mile winner Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750).
And like Bauman and Robinson, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) have each stood upon a Mile podium at least once in the past two seasons and rank inside this season’s championship top six.
Seventh-ranked Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Wally Brown Racing/JMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) and eighth-ranked Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke) also merit special attention. Due to an injury suffered by Jesse Janisch, Vanderkooi will compete aboard the WBR KTM Duke that debuted with a podium on a Mile a season ago. Meanwhile, the younger Bauman has previously finished on the podium at the Springfield Mile, coming within 0.149 seconds of victory in the aforementioned epic 2019 contest in which ten riders were still in contention for the win as they exited the final corner.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Reigning class champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) enters this weekend’s finale in a commanding position and the heavy favorite to successfully defend his Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER crown.
Kopp boasts a 35-points advantage built upon seven race wins with just 50 points left in play. That puts him within striking distance of not only joining Dallas Daniels as just the second rider to claim back-to-back titles in the class, but both match and surpass Daniels’ single-season wins record with a weekend sweep.
Kopp has already eliminated the title hopes of all his challengers save the Estenson Racing duo of Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha). While Brunner and Drane would need plenty of skill and luck to catch the leader, they also need to remain cognizant of how the standings stack up behind them.
Six riders are still in the mix for championship runner-up honors, with Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) also maintaining at least mathematical possibilities of finishing second overall.
Among that grouping, Drane and Lowe split the wins in the season’s prior three Miles. Meanwhile, Saathoff finished second twice and third once, while Whale, Gauthier, and Brunner racked up a combined four top fives.
Several other gifted pilots will look to end their seasons on a high note, including regular frontrunners Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450).
There will be plenty to keep fans entertained at the track, including the Kids Zone, a CAT heavy equipment simulator, expansive food and beverage options, and free motorcycle parking. And following Saturday’s Main Events, fans are invited to attend the Springfield Mile Post-Race Party presents by Progressive featuring the high-energy live music of the Brandy Kristin Band.
Angela Savage will serve as the weekend’s Grand Marshal. Savage is the daughter of the late David “Swede” Savage, a former Grand National Championship competitor who lost his life 50 years ago in a crash suffered while battling for the lead in the 1973 Indy 500.
General Admission Bleacher tickets are just $30 (kids 12 and under free), and there are a variety of upgraded ticket options to select from, including the VIP Ticket, which includes a reserved seat in the grandstand of choice, food, beverage, and pit pass for $150.
Pit Pass Upgrades are also available for purchase for non-VIP tickets, which provide all-day access to the pits where fans can scope out the world’s fastest dirt track motorcycles and get up close and personal with the stars of the sport.
Fans who purchase Saturday and Sunday tickets will receive a $5 discount at checkout. To reserve your tickets today, visit:
Gates will open for fans at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 p.m. PT) both days with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT).
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 Mission Springfield Mile I & II presented by Drag Specialties featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere back-to-back on FS1 on Sunday, September 10, starting at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT).
Hunting for a home boost – Marquez and Mir prepare for Catalan GP
The second half of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship is set to come in thick and fast, the Catalan GP starting a run of ten races in 13 weeks.
Round 11 arrives at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a special round for the Repsol Honda Team and both its riders. The 4.66-kilometre-long track has been a mainstay of the MotoGP calendar since the early 90s and has seen Honda take a total of 23 wins across all classes, including ten in the premier class with the most recent coming in 2019.
Marc Marquez was author to this 2019 victory on his way to the World Championship that year, one of two wins he has achieved at the track just a few hours from his hometown. The weekend for the eight-time World Champion will follow a similar structure to the previous two, Marquez working with the Repsol Honda Team and HRC engineers in a calm and defined manner to make further progress. This approach was rewarded with a return to the points last time out in Austria.
The Barcelona weekend is also the home round for Joan Mir, hailing from Palma just off the coast. It’s a circuit which has seen the #36 achieve some of his most consistent results in the premier class with two fourths, a second place and a worst finish of sixth. Mir’s final results in Austria did not reflect the work and progress he achieved during the weekend, able to consistently fight for top Honda honours but running foul of bad luck in the race. Continuing along this path will be crucial for the 2020 MotoGP World Champion as he aims to put on a strong showing for his home fans.
After the weekend, the Repsol Honda Team will head directly to Italy for the San Marino Grand Prix – the penultimate European race and a final in-season test.
Marc Marquez
“The weekend in Barcelona is always a special one, seeing all of the stands full of people and as my home race I love to see all the fans there. No matter what, the objective is to put on a great show for everyone there and give them an enjoyable and memorable weekend. From our side, there’s work to do and we need to keep the calm approach we have had in the past few weekends. In Austria we saw that this way of working let us get through the weekend and gather good data for the project. We go again and begin a busy end to the year.”
Joan Mir
“I am looking forward to the weekend in Montmelo, my home GP. Of course I want to produce a good result in front of the local fans but we need to keep on working. In Austria we had an overall good weekend that unfortunately ended in not the best way. I am confident that we can have another weekend where we are fighting to be the top Honda.”
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
Irwin double closes down Bridewell as 16 riders remain in title fight ahead of the Showdown
Glenn Irwin. Photo courtesy MSVR.
Glenn Irwin completed a winning double in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship round at Cadwell Park to almost half his BeerMonster Ducati teammate’s advantage at the top of the standings with 16 riders remaining in mathematical title contention ahead of the Showdown.
Irwin came into the final round of the Main Season trailing Bridewell by 26.5 points and after a dominant double and a second place, he heads to Oulton Park in Cheshire with just a 14.5-point deficit. However, with the points’ value now increasing across the Showdown, the top 16 riders in the standings, completed by rookie Max Cook, remain in contention with a maximum of 255 points available across the final three rounds.
The annual August Bank Holiday round in Lincolnshire produced three intense races, and whilst the BeerMonster Ducati pairing were victorious, six riders celebrated podium finishes across the weekend for four different teams.
Irwin had got his weekend off to a flying start with his first Cadwell Park race win in the BikeSocial Sprint race yesterday, holding off the LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha pairing of Kyle Ryde and Ryan Vickers to celebrate in style his 200th Bennetts BSB race start.
In race two, Irwin was focused on a repeat performance and after running eighth in the early stages, he was into second by the final lap. He then made a move on Ryde at Coppice to take the lead, which he held to the chequered flag with his LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha rival, and McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran completing the podium line up.
Tommy Bridewell (46) leads Glenn Irwin (2) Leon Haslam (91), and Kyle Ryde (77) at Cadwell Park. Photo courtesy MSVR.
In the final race of the Main Season, Ryde and Irwin were again fighting for the lead in the early stages of the race, but the final eight laps became a freight train of five riders who ended the race covered by less than a second.
Bridewell took the lead from Irwin with three laps remaining and was able to deny his teammate the treble, and there were celebrations for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team who completed the podium with Leon Haslam. Ryde, Lee Jackson and O’Halloran just missed out, as the top five ended the race separated by 0.947s.
Bridewell and Irwin remain at the top of the standings, with Ryde, O’Halloran and Haslam the leading five contenders ahead of Oulton Park as four teams feature in the top five ahead of the opening round of the Showdown on September 15/16/17.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Race 2 result:
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati)
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.468s
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.770s
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) +1.175s
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) +1.722s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +2.485s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +7.318s
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +7.611s
Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki) +7.904s
Tom Neave (Honda Racing UK) +12.923s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Race 3 result:
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati)
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +0.057s
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) +0.491s
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.715s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +0.947s
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +1.651s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +5.588s
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +7.117s
Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki) +7.721s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +19.749s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 303
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 288.5
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 252
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 248.5
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) 227
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 216.5
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 202
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 189
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 186
Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) 116
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Glenn Irwin
BeerMonster Ducati
“I’ve had a good feeling throughout the whole year. I was looking forward to coming here and we worked very well as a team throughout the whole weekend, the guys were fantastic so thanks to them and the crowd for their support.
“The last couple of laps of that last race were all in! The fans got treated to a typical BSB race, we were all flat out! I lost the front a good few times, I lost it in the Mountain on the last lap as well, Tommy was pretty much the same over at the Gooseneck. I thought I had him lined up at the chicane but the bike got a little snap.
“All in all, we look at it as a weekend, as part of a journey; one race doesn’t define a weekend, to bring the gap down to 14.5 was what we needed.
“The championship is very much set up. I think BSB has been an absolute treat so far this year and I think the fans are in for an absolutely fantastic last three rounds. Let’s get big crowds like we’ve had all year as it’s been great.
“I’m going to enjoy it, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and keep working hard. I’ve got a very good feeling the trophy’s going to come to Northern Ireland for the very first time.”
American Joe Roberts (16) in action during the 2020 Moto2 World Championship. Photo courtesy of American Racing Team.
American Racing is thrilled to announce Joe Roberts’ return to the team for 2024.
Having produced his most successful Moto2 season to date with American Racing where he took three pole positions and one podium as well as seventh in the championship, both Joe and the team are eager to rekindle their partnership.
The American makes his return to the team after three seasons with Italtrans which saw him take a dramatic first Grand Prix victory in rainy Portugal.
Eitan Butbul – Team Co-Owner
I’m very, very excited to have Joe back with American Racing for the 2024 season.
Our journey started together in 2019 when we first acquired the team and then continued to 2020, where Joe had a great year resulting in the best season the team has had to date. We both feel that we have unfinished business and it’s time to get together and fight for the 2024 championship!
I know that Joe is in the best shape of his career, and it feels great to see him coming back home to the team. With this combination, we believe we can make America great again!
Joe Roberts – Rider #16
I’m excited to be back with American Racing. We had a great season together in 2020 and feel we can bring that magic back again next season so I’m looking forward to continuing what Eitan, John, Avner, and I started.
A Benelli Leoncino at speed. Benelli is one of several brands distributed in the U.S. by SSR Motorsports. Photo courtesy SSR Motorsports. Motorcycles USA.
SSR IS POWERING UP WITH NEW VP!
SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA (August 30, 2023)
SSR Motorsports’ founder William Li has announced that Greg Blackwell has been hired as the company’s new vice president of sales and marketing. Blackwell has over 30 years of experience in the powersports industry, including positions with Hisun Motors USA, KTM North America, LeMans Corp./Parts Unlimited and Metzeler Motorcycle Tire North America.
“Greg brings exceptional knowledge and powersports experience to this important leadership role based on his strong dealer and interpersonal relationships, and the fact that he is, at his core, a true powersports enthusiast,” said Li. “With his experience, he’ll hit the ground running and have an immediate impact.”
SSR’s founder William Li (left) and new Vice President Greg Blackwell (right). Photo courtesy SSR Motorsports.
SSR values its partnerships with its national dealer network, and Blackwell has invested countless hours and miles, visiting dealers in nearly all 50 states. Blackwell’s passion for nurturing mutually beneficial relationships with the dealer network is key to supporting the growth of SSR dealers and the company’s family of consumers.
Blackwell will be responsible for leading the national team of district sales managers and marketing staff. Support of the current dealer network will be complemented with new dealer appointments in open markets. SSR has boosted its marketing efforts with the production of numerous advertisements on both wholesale and retail levels promoting the SSR motorcycles, QJ motorcycles, and SSR’s Bison UTVs.
SSR is committed to its mission statement:
“Provide quality powersports products at an affordable price with premier customer service.”
SSR Motorsports was established in 2002 to import and distribute powersports products in the United States. We provide products that are fun to ride, with cutting-edge design, superior engineering and well-managed quality control. We believe every enthusiast should be able to afford a brand-new powersport product that is backed by a manufacturer warranty, comprehensive dealer network, premier customer service and a West Coast distribution center stocked with readily available replacement parts. For more information, go to: http://www.ssrmotorsports.com/
More, from another press release issued by SSR Motorsports.
SSR MOTORSPORTS CHOSEN AS U.S. DISTRIBUTOR FOR QJMOTOR
SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA (August 30, 2023)
SSR Motorsports has taken on the role of distributor for QJMotor products in the United States. Zhejiang Qianjiang Motorcycle Co., Ltd. (QJMotor) — the parent company of Benelli Motorcycles — is a global leader in motorcycle design, engineering and manufacturing that produces a comprehensive line of street models. QJ models, which have been available in the U.S. since the spring, complement SSR’s popular line of on-road motorcycles, off-road motorcycles and SXS’s.
“QJMotor has models that are right for the U.S. market and hit some key price points and model segments” says Greg Blackwell, SSR’s vice president of sales and marketing.
The initial QJ lineup features 11 models, from the SRF135 street mini to the mighty SRT750X adventure bike.
“Dealers are signing up with SSR to sell QJ because we can supply dealer demand; we have the inventory ready to ship,” Blackwell said. “We’ll also help the dealers promote QJ in their own market.
“QJ models look great and perform even better.”
SSR is adding new QJ dealerships each week as the network — and product offerings — grow.
Along with its well-known off-road and on-road models, SSR is embracing QJ’s international marketing strategy by focusing on the QJMOTOR brand while still selling Benelli models, with special pricing available.
True to the SSR way, current Benelli riders can count on us for any necessary warranty work, and we continue to stock replacement parts through our national network of SSR dealers.
Watch for announcements about SSR’s many models — whether for fun or mobility — including off-highway, street and EV motorcycles, Bison (SxS) utility and recreational vehicles and pedal-assist EV bicycles.
We are committed to providing our dealers with the highest-quality products at a competitive price, as well as premier customer service.
Jonathan Rea (65). Photo courtesy Kawasaki Racing Team.
After missing the first day of action, six-time Champion Jonathan Rea stormed to the top of the timesheets by less than a tenth
The final day of MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship testing concluded at MotorLand Aragon with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) topping the times despite missing the first day. The #65 tested only on Wednesday but he was straight up to speed as he joined Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), who topped the morning session, in going under the existing race lap record.
SPLIT PROGRAMME FOR KAWASAKI: one eye on the present, one on the future
Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK’s race riders, Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes, only rode for one day at Aragon but they made use of it with Rea leading Lowes in a 1-3 in the afternoon session, and a 1-5 overall. The pair had a split programme for their sole test day with the #22 focusing on future developments and the 2024 season, while Rea was looking at the present as he looked to prepare best for the final four rounds of 2023. Rea was fastest in the afternoon as he set a 1’49.101s, which was good enough for top spot overall as he went under the race lap record, while Lowes posted a 1’49.791s for fifth. Lowes was the busiest rider on track, completing 130 laps; including 82 in the afternoon alone.
EVENLY MATCHED: Petrucci, Bautista set same lap time as Ducati try new items
Petrucci used the SCQ tyre to set his best time of 1’49.168s to finish the morning session on top, and joint second overall. The #9 spent the afternoon doing some comparison work between brake disks as he looked to find time in this part of the cornering phase to maximise his lap time. The WorldSBK rookie also had some electronic setups to try with engine braking as well as small adjustments to the triple clamp. In total, he completed 47 laps after ending his testing programme early on Wednesday.
At the factory team, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) got his hands on a new front fork that’s been designed with 2024 in mind, while the #1 also worked on some setup ideas they have in mind if the feeling improved compared to yesterday. He finished the day with the exact same lap time as Petrucci, a 1’49.168s, as he added 97 laps to his total. However, at the very end of the day, Bautista crashed at Turn 14. Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi finished the day in seventh with 72 laps under his belt.
HONDA’S RAPID PACE CONTINUES: Lecuona surges into the top four
Honda continued to have three riders on track at Aragon with Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) the fastest of the trio. He completed 58 laps, all in the morning as he opted not to go out in the afternoon and set a 1’49.466s to secure fourth overall, with teammate Xavi Vierge in sixth as he put another 87 laps in on Wednesday. Tetsuta Nagashima was also on track as part of the test team and rounded out the WorldSBK field but did add a valuable 80 laps to Honda’s test programme, with the Japanese rider improving his time, like the majority of the field, in the closing stages of the test.
VAN DER MARK ON TOP AT BMW: nothing to separate the quartet of BMW riders
Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) led the four BMW riders between eighth and 11th place. The Dutchman completed 79 laps as he continued gaining fitness following his return from injury while he also tried some new brake ducts. His best time, a 1’50.362s, put him two tenths clear of Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) in ninth with Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK) completing the top ten with a 1’50.655s. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) lost a chunk of running time in the afternoon when he had a mechanical issue but was still able to add 73 laps to his tally and finish in 11th.
BULEGA ON TOP AGAIN: Championship leader fastest in WorldSSP
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) continued to be the faster of the two WorldSSP riders on track ahead of Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team). The #11’s best time of 1’53.941s was set in the morning session and he racked up 37 laps while Mackenzie lapped around three seconds slower. He completed 31 laps on day two.
Full results from day two at Aragon:
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’49.101s, 68 laps
2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’49.168, 97 laps
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’49.168, 47 laps
4. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) 1’49.466s, 58 laps
5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’49.791, 130 laps
6. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) 1’49.984, 87 laps
7. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’50.094, 72 laps
8. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’50.362, 79 laps
9. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’50.557, 83 laps
10. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’50.655, 81 laps
11. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) 1’50.935, 73 laps
12. Tetsuta Nagashima (Team HRC) 1’51.026, 80 laps
More, from a press release issued by Team HRC:
Team HRC returns to work with testing at Aragón
Just over a week before the 2023 Superbike World Championship resumes at the Magny-Cours circuit in France, Team HRC has been busy testing at Motorland Aragón in Spain with factory riders Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge.
Although there has been no Superbike racing for a month, Vierge and Lecuona have had little time to rest, with Xavi competing in – and winning – the Suzuka 8 Hours as part of a three-rider team, and Iker taking part in both the British, Austrian and, this coming weekend, the Catalan MotoGP rounds as a substitute rider. Focused on the final WorldSBK rounds, Team HRC has made good use of this week’s track time in Spain, working hard to prepare its factory CBR1000RR-R for the upcoming events, which include a round at Aragón itself on 22-24 September.
Despite some strong winds affecting the session, the generally hot and sunny conditions allowed team and riders to complete a good part of the planned work. Having already tested at Motorland earlier in the year, both Iker and Xavi feel confident in their preparations for the races at this particular track and are also pleased with what has been achieved with a view to the remaining 2023 championship rounds.
Team HRC will be back on track for round nine of the WorldSBK championship, set to take place at Magny-Cours, France, over the weekend of 8-10 September.
Iker Lecuona (7). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Iker Lecuona 7
“It felt good to get back on my CBR after one month and two stints in MotoGP, and I’m very pleased that I was immediately fast after just a couple of laps, re-adapting my riding style to the Superbike quite quickly. The MotoGP feeling is definitely different of course, but useful as well, because I feel that I changed something in my style over the last couple of weeks that might also help me in SBK. In the end, every racing experience helps and allows you to keep learning and improving as a rider. As for this test, we consider it a very good session and we worked a lot even if conditions were difficult due to the wind. That prevented us from testing several things because it would have been hard to get a real feel for them with those gusts of wind. So, we mainly worked on the setup of the bike and on my riding position. We changed a few details here and there and made a step forward, I think. On day two, with less wind, we tested those modifications again in the morning and they again worked well, so that’s positive. A few new items also helped us to improve a little but when the wind picked up again after lunch on day 2, we decided to finish earlier. We nevertheless leave here in a good mood.”
Xavi Vierge (97). Photo courtesy Team HRC.
Xavi Vierge 97
“I’m happy to be back riding my bike after the summer break, a short summer break in our case! The test has been good except for the weather conditions, which were tricky in terms of the wind. On the first morning the track was also a bit dirty, so we weren’t able to test so many new things. I mainly focused on myself and on making some adjustments to the bike setup for this track, which is one I struggled at last time I was here. It also took me some time to regain my feeling with the tyres on the back of my experience at Suzuka. So, the test has allowed me to gradually rebuild my confidence. We’ve focused on acceleration, one of our weak points, as this track is good for that kind of test because the grip is not the best. We gathered a great deal of information for the engineers to analyse and are ready for the second part of the season, when we will visit tracks that I think suit us better, so we’ll try to exploit that factor.”
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:
Motorland Test Wrapped Up For KRT
Jonathan Rea and Alex Lowes took part in one day of testing at Motorland Aragon in Spain, alongside many of their WorldSBK rivals, on Wednesday 30 August 2023. Rea was the fastest overall and Lowes fifth quickest.
Due to restrictions on the number of testing days each rider can use over a season, Rea and Alex only rode in the second and final day of the Motorland Aragon private tests. The team itself worked on both days, however, as regular test rider Florian Marino and full-time Kawasaki WorldSSP rider for the MTM squad, Adrian Huertas, took part in the first day of testing in Tuesday 29 August.
With just one day on track for Alex and Jonathan it was important to keep to their pre-test plans and schedules, as well as getting up to racing speed after a long summer break that began after the Autodrom Most round at the end of July. The WorldSBK race season restarts relatively soon and there will also be a round at Motorland Aragon itself, near the end of September.
While Rea mostly worked on overall set-up and performance items, Lowes concentrated on some potential new items for next season after Marino had first evaluated them on the opening day. Rea set a best lap of 1’49.101 and Lowes a 1’49.791.
Warm but not fiercely hot track conditions provided a good opportunity for all the riders to make consistent evaluations of their machine set-ups. As this was not an official race weekend the riders were able to have more than one machine in their pit boxes, which helped speed up the process of back-to-back set-up comparisons.
Adrian Huertas rode at Motorland as recognition of his recent performances in WorldSSP and winning the WorldSSP3000 championship on a Kawasaki in 2021. The 20-year-old Spaniard set some strong lap times in his first test on an official KRT Superbike machine. He set a personal best of 1’51.044s, which placed him sixth overall on day one – the only day he was on track on the official Ninja ZX-10RR. Adrian rode for 79 laps in all.
Florian Marino, the team’s regular test rider, continued his valuable on-track development role, setting a personal best lap time of 1’51.689 in the process.
Next up for Rea and Lowes will be the ninth round of the championship itself, to be held at Magny Cours in France between 8 – 10 September.
Jonathan Rea (65). Photo courtesy Kawasaki Racing Team.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It has been a positive day and I really enjoyed riding the bike again, especially after a long time away. I was surprised how fast I was able to be on the first lap, already inside the 1’50 bracket. That set the tone for the rest of the test as we were able to try some things that we will see for sure in the Motorland Round; some fine tuning. More or less this day was geared towards a performance test, trying to understand our potential. We have been consistently fast with race tyres and also at the end we tried a qualifying tyre. We were quite competitive with our lap times today, both on race rubber and qualifying rubber. I leave the test with optimism that we can have a really positive weekend in Magny Cours. Thanks to the team for all the effort to get here during the summer and it will set us at a good rhythm for the rest of the year.”
Alex Lowes (22). Photo courtesy Kawasaki Racing Team.
Alex Lowes, stated: “It is really nice to be back on the Ninja ZX-10RR after the summer break. I had a lot on my test schedule. I actually had three bikes in the morning, trying different set ups and a few things for 2024. Some were quite positive and some not so positive – which is completely normal when we are testing new items. It is more mentally tiring than physically tiring, because you are really trying to think about the good points and the bad points. You want to make the right decisions now, so that it can help us next year. I did 91 laps today, which is a decent amount to get me back into the swing of things before Magny Cours. I did a little bit of a run at the end of the test on my 2023 base bike that I will be riding next week at Magny Cours just to get back into the swing of that.”
Pere Riba, Crew Chief for Jonathan Rea, stated: “The plan in this test with Johnny was to find the base set-up we will use for race weekend, which is only a couple of weeks away. We worked calmly and made two different bike set-ups to understand which one to use. We evaluated the differences and we found one direction for the best set-up. This is the job we wanted to do. We also tried a few small new items and collected information about them. In the end Johnny made the fastest lap time which gives us good confidence. We are ready for the races.”
Marcel Duinker, Crew Chief for Alex Lowes, stated: “The test was all in favour of next season. We have worked hard over the last couple of months to prepare for this test and we brought some upgrades on the bike. On the first day with Florian we had a shakedown of every single bit. Step-by-step with this new material we improved the bike. Florian was really in the mix and as a test rider he was in between the WorldSBK riders, so this was very pleasing. With Alex we followed more or less the same test plan on day two. A few items we had on the first day list we took off, as with Alex the plan was to make more laps on every single bit to understand not only the initial performance but also the performance over a longer distance. We are pleased with the results and we gathered a lot of information. We have two months before we enter the winter tests so we can make some changes here and there to these upgraded materials, but we are happy with the results of this test and things worked out as we expected. Next week we will be heading to Magny Cours and we are looking forward to it.”
Adrian Huertas. Photo courtesy Kawasaki Racing Team.
Adrian Huertas, stated: “This is a much more powerful bike than the one I am used to riding. It is an awesome bike, an incredible experience and I enjoyed it a lot. It has a lot of power which felt really, really good. That is good for me. It was very different to ride a Superbike but I worked together with the team and they taught me how to improve a little bit. I have also taken some good experience to help me on the 600. I think this will be very helpful and this is like an extra motivation now. I think when I arrive in Magny Cours for WorldSSP I can fight for the victory. I want to thank all the team for this opportunity.”
More, from a press release issued by Aruba.it Racing Ducati:
The summer break came to an end at the Morland circuit in Aragon, where Alvaro Bautista and Michael Rinaldi underwent two days of testing ahead of the final phase of the season, scheduled for next week at Magny-Cours (France).
After the first day with sub-optimal track conditions and the tricky wind that prevented the riders from getting the best out of the session, both Alvaro Bautista and Michael Rinaldi were able to ride more consistently today.
Bautista completed 91 laps to close with the second fastest time (1’49.169), 67 thousandths behind Rea (Kawasaki), while Rinaldi (72 laps completed) posted a time of 1’50.094 to finish fifth.
Alvaro Bautista (1). Photo courtesy Aruba.it Racing Ducati.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing #Ducati 1)
“Today the feeling with the bike was definitely better than on the first day, also because the wind was much lower. We did a good job trying new solutions on the front end to improve the bike, especially in braking areas. We gathered some important data, even though maybe our expectations were higher, but it’s clear that the non-optimal track conditions combined with the wind didn’t allow us to express ourselves at our best. Anyway, I am very satisfied with the work we did with the team.
Michael Rinaldi (21). Photo courtesy Aruba.it Racing Ducati.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“We did a good job even though the conditions were quite complicated on the first day of testing. I think, however, that we collected data that can be very useful not only for the Aragon Round but also for the end of the season. We focused on the set-up work rather than the fast lap. I am looking forward to Magny-Cours.” WorldSSP
Intense work also for Nicolò Bulega and the Panigale V2 of the Aruba.it Racing team: the rider closes the two days at Aragon with the best time of 1’53.941
Nicolo Bulega (11). Photo courtesy Aruba.it Racing Ducati.
Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WSSP #11)
“In terms of lap-times, I can’t express myself because we didn’t have many references being only two WorldSSP riders riding together with the other WorldSBK riders. Maybe I was expecting something more but we also have to consider that the track conditions were not the best. Anyway, we worked hard to improve for the next rounds and that is what matters.”
More, from a press release issued by PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team:
WorldSSP – Testing at Aragón concludes for the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team
Tarran Mackenzie (95). Photo courtesy PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team.
The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team and its Supersport rider Tarran Mackenzie have completed a two-day test at the Motorland Aragón circuit in Spain with positive results.
Having had time to rest and recharge since the successful eight WorldSSP round in the Czech Republic, and the positive Suzuka 8H experience, the British rider were eager to get back to work this week in preparation for the final events of the 2023 season, participating in this week’s test alongside most of the factory Superbike teams and several privateers.
On track on both Tuesday and Wednesday, Mackenzie took the opportunity to familiarize himself with the Spanish track, considering that round ten will take place at Aragón over the weekend of 22-24 September. Over the two days, the Brit worked hard with his technicians to identify solutions for the CBR600RR that might be of use during the last four rounds of the 2023 Supersport season.
Having won the latest Supersport race at Most in challenging conditions, Tarran and his team are determined to get the very best out of their package, so as to be able to score some solid results also in dry conditions during what remains of this year’s championship.
Tarran Mackenzie
“This test at Aragón has gone well. We were able to test a new engine setup but although it brought some improvement, I think we hoped for a little more. We tried a few different things with the chassis setup too and made a good step there, albeit there’s some room for further improvement also there, I think. I always struggle a little going from riding the Superbike back to the Supersport so it’s been very good to have these two days to adapt back to the 600. Now we’ll head to Magny-Cours, another new one for me, where we can hopefully keep improving. I’m looking forward to it!”
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Intent on Competitive Performance at Catalan GP
Montmeló (Spain), 30th August 2023
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team gear up for a busy two weeks. The team have travelled to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for this weekend‘s Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya. The team is extra motivated for Round 11, as they share the title sponsor. The event will be directly followed by the Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini and the Misano MotoGP Official Test.
The Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team are excited to start Round 11 of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship. The Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya shares the title sponsor with the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team, making the crew and riders all the more eager to put on a show.
Quartararo ranks 11th in the championship standings and is aiming to up the ante this weekend in Barcelona. The pace he had in Spielberg a fortnight ago gives him high hopes for Montmeló the coming weekend, which is a circuit where he and his Yamaha excel. The Frenchman has had his fair share of success at the Catalan GP. He secured a win there in 2018 in the Moto2 class, followed this up with a second place in the premier class in 2019, and added a MotoGP win in 2020 and 2022. He aims to pay the Montmeló podium another visit this weekend.
Morbidelli holds 12th place in the championship. This weekend he plans on finding a solid base set-up early on, as he is determined to get in strong results in the Practice and qualifying to improve his starting position. The Italian hasn‘t scored a top-3 finish at Catalunya yet in the MotoGP class but came close in 2020, when he finished fourth. Having been able to engage in battles at the previous round in Spielberg, the number-21 rider got a taste for battling with the competition, and he is keen to do it again this weekend.
Work to create the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya began in 1989. Two years later, the track was opened, and it soon became a crowd favourite after hosting its first MotoGP race in 1992. With an exciting 4.6km layout consisting of 14 corners (six left, eight right), the Catalan round is known to produce thrilling races.
Those who want to know the key to doing a fast lap in Montmeló can watch this week‘s MotoGP eSport video.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
Team Director
There‘s a busy two weeks coming up: back-to-back rounds in Montmeló and Misano, which are important rounds for our team, and then the Misano test. But first things first: we need to focus on getting good results here this weekend. We are usually quite competitive in Catalunya. In theory, this track plays more into our strengths. It‘s also a Monster Energy-sponsored GP again, so we have a lot of motivation to get to work.
FABIO QUARTARARO
I rode one of the best races of my life here last year. Barcelona is one of my favourite circuits. I like Montmeló. It‘s usually a good track for me, and I always enjoy riding here. Let‘s see if we can get some good results and bring some smiles to the team and my family.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
I had fun during the previous race weekend because we were engaging in battles. I want to build onto that and keep the momentum going. I felt good during the Austrian GP Race. I was gaining, but I arrived late to the group in front of me. This weekend we will hopefully improve the results on Friday and on Saturday morning so we can start a bit more from towards the front of the grid.
Jason O'Halloran. Photo courtesy Kawasaki Motors UK.
Jason O’Halloran to join Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki alongside Max Cook for 2024 British Superbike Championship title challenge
Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki are delighted to announce that 26-time race winner Australian Jason O’Halloran will be joining the team for the 2024 season. One of the most experienced and successful riders on the grid, Jason joins the Team Green family with both parties eager to put the Ninja ZX-10RR on the top step of the podium as he and the team compete for their maiden title.
Having challenged for the Bennetts British Superbike Championship title over the past few seasons, finishing runner up in 2020, Jason brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Coventry-based Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki team. Using Jason’s insights, the team is eager to get off to a flying start when testing gets underway with the aim of further developing the race-winning Ninja ZX-10RR into a genuine Championship contender.
The team’s highly regarded rookie, Max Cook, will be continuing with the team for 2024 alongside the experienced Australian. Making his debut in the ultra-competitive superbike class this year, the 20-year-old youngster has already impressed the paddock, particularly at Thruxton, where he missed out on his maiden podium by fractions of a second.
Kawasaki UK would like to take this opportunity to thank Lee Jackson, who is departing the team on good terms. His hard work, results, and support over the past six years has helped develop Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki into the BSB stalwarts that they are today, and we wish him the best for the next chapter in his career.
Nigel Snook, Team Owner, Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki
“We are excited to have Jason joining us for the 2024 season and must thank Alan Boyden from AJN Steelstock for his help in supporting Jason’s move to our team. We all know that Jason is one of the strongest and most successful riders on the grid. We believe the combination of Jason and a further improved Ninja ZX-10RR will put us in a strong position to be fighting for race wins and the British Superbike Championship crown.
‘’Of course, while we are looking forward to Jason joining us, it does mean that sadly we are parting company with Lee Jackson. Lee has been part of the FS-3 family for six years, and we have shared many high points together, from Superstock podiums and wins through to his first BSB wins at Oulton Park last year. We wish Lee all the best for 2024 and beyond and will be giving him our full support until the final chequered flag falls at Brands Hatch in October.”
Jason O’Halloran
‘’To have a 2024 contract signed in August is a great feeling, but it’s an even better feeling knowing I will be joining FS-3 Racing and Kawasaki. With my current team coming to a close at the end of 2023, it was always going to mean finding a new home for next season.
‘’When I first met with Nigel, Darren and the team at FS-3, I immediately had a good feeling. I already knew from the years competing against them of the level they operate at, but once I visited the team workshop and sat down with the guys, I knew that it was a place I could continue to push myself and further my career in BSB. With the support of Alan Boyden from AJN Steelstock, we are all going to be in a position to push onto a new level and chase success in the 2024 BSB championship. I’d like to thank Nigel and Darren from FS-3, Ross from Kawasaki UK and Alan from AJN Steelstock for making this possible. I’m excited about the future’’.
Max Cook (left) and Jason O’Halloran (right). Photo courtesy Kawasaki UK.
Max Cook
‘’I’m so happy to be staying with the team for 2024. This year has been a huge learning curve for me, but I think I’ve adapted well, and things have really come together over the past few rounds. I’m confident that I will be up at the sharp end next year and being alongside Jason is a great incentive. I think I’ve shocked some people this year, including myself, as to how quickly I’ve learnt to ride a superbike. I can’t thank Nigel enough for always having faith in me and I’m already looking forward to next year’’.
Ross Burridge, Head of Marketing & Racing Department, Kawasaki UK
“It is fantastic to be welcoming a rider of Jason’s calibre to the Team Green family. His credentials and success in BSB speak for themselves. The combination of Jason with the proven Ninja ZX-10RR gives us real confidence that the Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki team will be battling for race wins from the start of the season!
‘’It’s also great to be continuing with Max, who has already proven himself to be a star of tomorrow. Sharing a garage with Jason next year will only help him to take the next step and regularly challenge for podiums”.
Marco Bezzecchi (72). Photo courtesy Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
MARCO BEZZECCHI AND MOONEY VR46 RACING TEAM TOGETHER IN 2024
Agreement signed for the next season: Marco will race with the Ducati Desmosedici GP of the Tavullia Team
Tavullia (Italy), Wednesday August 30th 2023 – Marco Bezzecchi will race with the Mooney VR46 Racing Team in 2024 on a Ducati Desmosedici GP. The rider from Rimini, currently third in the overall standings with 183 points, and author of two wins and three podiums (four podiums in the Sprint) in the current season, will be a rider of the Tavullia Team for the fifth consecutive year (debut in Moto2 in 2020).
A path of progressive growth that leads him first to touch the Championship podium in Moto2 in 2020 (P4), a goal he then achieved in 2021 with the third place and sealed with his MotoGP debut in 2022. A season in which Marco impresses by conquering the title of Rookie of the Year, a podium (P2 at Dutch GP) and a pole position (Thai GP).
A natural choice and a proof of continuity to count on a working group – and on the support of Ducati – again next year. A crucial aspect for Marco that allows him to conquer the first win in the Top class (Argentina GP) of his career and in the ten-year history of the Team and thus show his talent and being a real protagonist of the 2023 Championship.
MARCO BEZZECCHI – 72
“I am really happy to confirm that in 2024 I will be on track with the Mooney VR46 Racing Team. This Team has been crucial to my career until now and into the future. I arrived here in 2020, in Moto2, we then landed together in 2022 in MotoGP and this year we had an incredible season so far. Continuing to grow in this working group, with the support of Ducati, is the most natural choice for me. 2024 brings with it many expectations, but right now I want to focus on this season. We are currently fighting for the podium in the Championship, we have the Team Title open with Luca and I am sure that everyone in the Team will give their all, even more than they have done so far, to achieve these goals. Thanks to Vale, Uccio, Pablo, the VR46 Riders Academy and all those who made this possible. Remaining in the Vale Team is a great motivation as well as a pride”.
ALESSIO SALUCCI, TEAM DIRECTOR
“I cannot hide the satisfaction of having signed this agreement with Marco. Not only because he represents a bet won within a long growth path in our Team from Moto2, but for the entire working group and also for all our partners, whom we thank for their support, and the fans who follow us. It was essential to be able to continue another year and I have to thank all those who collaborate with the management of the Team, Vale and Pablo for the collective work that has led us to achieve this goal. I’m happy because I know how much means for Marco to stay here in our Family. As a Team, together with Ducati, we will give him all the resources and commitment available to continue working with the same serenity and Team spirit that has allowed us to achieve extraordinary goals this season”.
PABLO NIETO, TEAM MANAGER
“As a Team Manager, the human aspect of a working group that spends most of the year away from home has always been a crucial aspect to take into consideration. Reason that pushed us to do our best to reach this agreement to extend the contract for another year with Marco. A rider who has really impressed from all points of view since his debut in the Top class in 2022. The signing of this contract is a source of great pride for me to share with all the people who work in the Team, with Vale, Uccio, Ducati, who will support us as best they can, and our partners who make this possible. We continue to work and stay focused: we have two important goals to achieve this season before thinking about 2024″.
Brad Hendry (616) at High Plains Raceway. Photo by Kelly Vernell, courtesy MRA.
Hendry Wins Again, Rizzo Clinches Race of the Rockies GTU Class Championship
Byers, CO, August 27th, 2023 – The sixth race of the 2023 MRA Championship Series took place at High Plains Raceway over the weekend of August 26-27th on their 1.86-mile North Course configuration. The weather this weekend made for ideal racing conditions as temperature hovered around the mid 80’s and the wind was almost nonexistent, a rarity at High Plains.
The Race of the Rockies (RoR) Qualifying on Sunday went off without a hitch. Ray Thornton, continuing his excellent form, broke the all-time RoR qualifying record for North Course with a time of (1:12.608) and secured pole position. The previous record of (1:12.762) by Ryan Burke had stood since 2017. Brad Hendry qualified second with a time of (1:13.247) followed by James Wilkerson (1:13.277).
The start of RoR saw Hendry, Wilkerson, and Mike Applegate get excellent starts, and going into Turn One nobody wanted to give an inch. Thornton didn’t get the start he hoped for and quickly found himself in fourth place by the time the pack reached the back straight. Hendry, staying true to his form from the last round, easily made his way to the front to take the lead after lap one. Once out in front, Hendry quickly dropped his times down into the 1:12’s and started to pull a gap on the rest of the field. Wilkerson and Applegate were dicing it up for second and third position and by lap three Applegate made a clean pass on Wilkerson. By this point Hendry had opened a 1.5 second lead and it was clear he had the best pace of the field. Applegate fought hard for the remainder of the race but was never able to get within striking distance of the leader. Hendy maintained the lead for the entirety of the race finishing seven seconds ahead of Applegate in second. Wilkerson rounded out the podium in third place. With one round remaining in the 2023 season, Thornton maintains his RoR championship lead by just six points over Applegate.
In Race of the Rockies GTU, Salvatore Rizzo got an excellent start to lead going into Turn One followed closely by Justen Behmer and Kevin Caputo. By the end of the first lap, Dennis Stowers had carved his way from last on the grid to overtake Caputo for third position. Rizzo, Behmer, and Stowers quickly grouped up and proceeded to break away from the rest of the field. For the remainder of the race, the leading trio stayed within half a second of one another. Stowers was unable to find a way around Behmer and neither one could get close enough to Rizzo to make a clean pass. Rizzo secured his second RoR GTU win of the season and clinched the 2023 RoR GTU Class Championship. Behmer finished in second and Stowers in third.
Next up, the MRA heads back to High Plains Raceway in Byers, CO for Round 7 on September 23-24 for a full weekend of racing including the SuperStreet event on Saturday afternoon. SuperStreet gives street riders the opportunity to experience motorcycle road racing with minimal cost and preparation. See https://www.mra-racing.org/superstreet/superstreet-information for details.
The MRA welcomes racers from other clubs across the nation. If you’re a currently licensed racer, we have several reciprocity agreements in place along with very competitive pricing on license & entries to our 28 classes. Click here for MRA membership & entry information.
The Motorcycle Roadracing Association is dedicated to promoting safe and competitive motorcycle road racing events for enthusiasts in Colorado and the surrounding area. For more information go to http://www.mra-racing.org/.
Jared Mees (1), Dallas Daniels (32), Brandon Robinson (44), and JD Beach (95) in action at the Springfield Mile in 2022. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy AFT.
Showdown at Springfield to Decide 2023 Grand National Championship
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (August 29, 2023) – It all comes down to this. One of most competitive and engaging championship battles in the history of Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, has been waged over 16 rounds with its two leading protagonists producing a combined 28 podiums and 13 wins. And yet, with just the series’ crown jewel event – the Mission Springfield Mile I & II presented by Drag Specialties – remaining to determine the victor, the separation at the top is a single point.
While 2023 has witnessed two of the greatest single-season performances in the 70-year history of the Grand National Championship, only one rider will be crowned the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion this Labor Day weekend when the season wraps up with a decisive doubleheader at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, on Saturday September 2, and Sunday, September 3.
This year’s title fight has it all. The #1 plate has been vigorously defended by one of the most decorated riders of all time in Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Rogers Racing/SDI Racing FTR750), who is looking to add to his slam dunk Hall of Fame résumé. By contrast, an incredible campaign has been mounted by one of the most promising riders to emerge in decades, Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT), who is in contention to secure the first of what could one day prove to be multiple premier-class championships.
The championship fight is equally compelling from team and equipment standpoints with the factory Indian Motorcycle squad and its purpose-built FTR750 racer in position to earn a seventh consecutive title. Meanwhile, Estenson Racing is aiming to deliver Yamaha its first undivided Grand National Championship in nearly half a century with its production-based MT-07 DT.
Another feature this showdown boasts in no short supply is a list of potential spoilers, anyone of whom could tip the balance in either direction.
That possibility is only magnified by the venue, which tends to produce extremely close and unpredictable racing; In the most recent ten Springfield Miles, eight have been decided by less than a second. Of those eight, six have featured at least three riders within a second of victory, four with four or more, two with seven or more, and one with a full ten racers taking the checkered flag within a second of the winner.
Spearheading the spoilers are two-time Grand National Champion Briar Bauman (No. 3 Parts Plus/Jacob Companies KTM 790 Duke) and two-time Springfield Mile winner Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750).
And like Bauman and Robinson, JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Rackley Racing/Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) have each stood upon a Mile podium at least once in the past two seasons and rank inside this season’s championship top six.
Seventh-ranked Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Wally Brown Racing/JMC Racing KTM 790 Duke) and eighth-ranked Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Fastrack Racing/2 Wheelz KTM 790 Duke) also merit special attention. Due to an injury suffered by Jesse Janisch, Vanderkooi will compete aboard the WBR KTM Duke that debuted with a podium on a Mile a season ago. Meanwhile, the younger Bauman has previously finished on the podium at the Springfield Mile, coming within 0.149 seconds of victory in the aforementioned epic 2019 contest in which ten riders were still in contention for the win as they exited the final corner.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
Reigning class champion Kody Kopp (No. 1 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F) enters this weekend’s finale in a commanding position and the heavy favorite to successfully defend his Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER crown.
Kopp boasts a 35-points advantage built upon seven race wins with just 50 points left in play. That puts him within striking distance of not only joining Dallas Daniels as just the second rider to claim back-to-back titles in the class, but both match and surpass Daniels’ single-season wins record with a weekend sweep.
Kopp has already eliminated the title hopes of all his challengers save the Estenson Racing duo of Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F) and Tom Drane (No. 59 Estenson Racing Yamaha). While Brunner and Drane would need plenty of skill and luck to catch the leader, they also need to remain cognizant of how the standings stack up behind them.
Six riders are still in the mix for championship runner-up honors, with Chase Saathoff (No. 88 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-F), Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 D&D Racing/Certified KTM 450 SX-F), and Trent Lowe (No. 48 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R) also maintaining at least mathematical possibilities of finishing second overall.
Among that grouping, Drane and Lowe split the wins in the season’s prior three Miles. Meanwhile, Saathoff finished second twice and third once, while Whale, Gauthier, and Brunner racked up a combined four top fives.
Several other gifted pilots will look to end their seasons on a high note, including regular frontrunners Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Mission Foods CRF450R), Chad Cose (No. 49 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450) and James Ott (No. 19 1st Impressions Race Team/Husqvarna Racing FC450).
There will be plenty to keep fans entertained at the track, including the Kids Zone, a CAT heavy equipment simulator, expansive food and beverage options, and free motorcycle parking. And following Saturday’s Main Events, fans are invited to attend the Springfield Mile Post-Race Party presents by Progressive featuring the high-energy live music of the Brandy Kristin Band.
Angela Savage will serve as the weekend’s Grand Marshal. Savage is the daughter of the late David “Swede” Savage, a former Grand National Championship competitor who lost his life 50 years ago in a crash suffered while battling for the lead in the 1973 Indy 500.
General Admission Bleacher tickets are just $30 (kids 12 and under free), and there are a variety of upgraded ticket options to select from, including the VIP Ticket, which includes a reserved seat in the grandstand of choice, food, beverage, and pit pass for $150.
Pit Pass Upgrades are also available for purchase for non-VIP tickets, which provide all-day access to the pits where fans can scope out the world’s fastest dirt track motorcycles and get up close and personal with the stars of the sport.
Fans who purchase Saturday and Sunday tickets will receive a $5 discount at checkout. To reserve your tickets today, visit:
Gates will open for fans at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 p.m. PT) both days with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT).
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 Mission Springfield Mile I & II presented by Drag Specialties featuring in-depth features and thrilling onboard cameras, will premiere back-to-back on FS1 on Sunday, September 10, starting at 10:00 a.m. ET (7:00 a.m. PT).
Marc Marquez (93) and Joan Mir (36) as seen at Red Bull Ring. Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Hunting for a home boost – Marquez and Mir prepare for Catalan GP
The second half of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship is set to come in thick and fast, the Catalan GP starting a run of ten races in 13 weeks.
Round 11 arrives at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a special round for the Repsol Honda Team and both its riders. The 4.66-kilometre-long track has been a mainstay of the MotoGP calendar since the early 90s and has seen Honda take a total of 23 wins across all classes, including ten in the premier class with the most recent coming in 2019.
Marc Marquez was author to this 2019 victory on his way to the World Championship that year, one of two wins he has achieved at the track just a few hours from his hometown. The weekend for the eight-time World Champion will follow a similar structure to the previous two, Marquez working with the Repsol Honda Team and HRC engineers in a calm and defined manner to make further progress. This approach was rewarded with a return to the points last time out in Austria.
The Barcelona weekend is also the home round for Joan Mir, hailing from Palma just off the coast. It’s a circuit which has seen the #36 achieve some of his most consistent results in the premier class with two fourths, a second place and a worst finish of sixth. Mir’s final results in Austria did not reflect the work and progress he achieved during the weekend, able to consistently fight for top Honda honours but running foul of bad luck in the race. Continuing along this path will be crucial for the 2020 MotoGP World Champion as he aims to put on a strong showing for his home fans.
After the weekend, the Repsol Honda Team will head directly to Italy for the San Marino Grand Prix – the penultimate European race and a final in-season test.
Marc Marquez
“The weekend in Barcelona is always a special one, seeing all of the stands full of people and as my home race I love to see all the fans there. No matter what, the objective is to put on a great show for everyone there and give them an enjoyable and memorable weekend. From our side, there’s work to do and we need to keep the calm approach we have had in the past few weekends. In Austria we saw that this way of working let us get through the weekend and gather good data for the project. We go again and begin a busy end to the year.”
Joan Mir
“I am looking forward to the weekend in Montmelo, my home GP. Of course I want to produce a good result in front of the local fans but we need to keep on working. In Austria we had an overall good weekend that unfortunately ended in not the best way. I am confident that we can have another weekend where we are fighting to be the top Honda.”
More, from a press release issued by MotorSport Vision Racing:
Irwin double closes down Bridewell as 16 riders remain in title fight ahead of the Showdown
Glenn Irwin. Photo courtesy MSVR.
Glenn Irwin completed a winning double in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship round at Cadwell Park to almost half his BeerMonster Ducati teammate’s advantage at the top of the standings with 16 riders remaining in mathematical title contention ahead of the Showdown.
Irwin came into the final round of the Main Season trailing Bridewell by 26.5 points and after a dominant double and a second place, he heads to Oulton Park in Cheshire with just a 14.5-point deficit. However, with the points’ value now increasing across the Showdown, the top 16 riders in the standings, completed by rookie Max Cook, remain in contention with a maximum of 255 points available across the final three rounds.
The annual August Bank Holiday round in Lincolnshire produced three intense races, and whilst the BeerMonster Ducati pairing were victorious, six riders celebrated podium finishes across the weekend for four different teams.
Irwin had got his weekend off to a flying start with his first Cadwell Park race win in the BikeSocial Sprint race yesterday, holding off the LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha pairing of Kyle Ryde and Ryan Vickers to celebrate in style his 200th Bennetts BSB race start.
In race two, Irwin was focused on a repeat performance and after running eighth in the early stages, he was into second by the final lap. He then made a move on Ryde at Coppice to take the lead, which he held to the chequered flag with his LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha rival, and McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran completing the podium line up.
Tommy Bridewell (46) leads Glenn Irwin (2) Leon Haslam (91), and Kyle Ryde (77) at Cadwell Park. Photo courtesy MSVR.
In the final race of the Main Season, Ryde and Irwin were again fighting for the lead in the early stages of the race, but the final eight laps became a freight train of five riders who ended the race covered by less than a second.
Bridewell took the lead from Irwin with three laps remaining and was able to deny his teammate the treble, and there were celebrations for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team who completed the podium with Leon Haslam. Ryde, Lee Jackson and O’Halloran just missed out, as the top five ended the race separated by 0.947s.
Bridewell and Irwin remain at the top of the standings, with Ryde, O’Halloran and Haslam the leading five contenders ahead of Oulton Park as four teams feature in the top five ahead of the opening round of the Showdown on September 15/16/17.
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Race 2 result:
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati)
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.468s
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +0.770s
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) +1.175s
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) +1.722s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +2.485s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +7.318s
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +7.611s
Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki) +7.904s
Tom Neave (Honda Racing UK) +12.923s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship, Cadwell Park, Race 3 result:
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati)
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) +0.057s
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) +0.491s
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) +0.715s
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) +0.947s
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) +1.651s
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) +5.588s
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +7.117s
Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki) +7.721s
Peter Hickman (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) +19.749s
Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:
Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 303
Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 288.5
Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 252
Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 248.5
Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad Team) 227
Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 216.5
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 202
Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 189
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 186
Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) 116
For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com
Glenn Irwin
BeerMonster Ducati
“I’ve had a good feeling throughout the whole year. I was looking forward to coming here and we worked very well as a team throughout the whole weekend, the guys were fantastic so thanks to them and the crowd for their support.
“The last couple of laps of that last race were all in! The fans got treated to a typical BSB race, we were all flat out! I lost the front a good few times, I lost it in the Mountain on the last lap as well, Tommy was pretty much the same over at the Gooseneck. I thought I had him lined up at the chicane but the bike got a little snap.
“All in all, we look at it as a weekend, as part of a journey; one race doesn’t define a weekend, to bring the gap down to 14.5 was what we needed.
“The championship is very much set up. I think BSB has been an absolute treat so far this year and I think the fans are in for an absolutely fantastic last three rounds. Let’s get big crowds like we’ve had all year as it’s been great.
“I’m going to enjoy it, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and keep working hard. I’ve got a very good feeling the trophy’s going to come to Northern Ireland for the very first time.”
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