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British Superbike: Championship Racing In Scotland This Weekend

David Swarts
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British Superbike: Championship Racing In Scotland This Weekend

The wait is over. Knockhill is next and ten points cover the top five in Bennetts BSB title fight

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship returns this weekend (June 16/17/18) and just a narrow ten points separate the top five in the title fight after the opening three rounds as the series reaches Knockhill in Scotland.

Seven different riders have celebrated podium success from the opening nine races, with five of those securing race wins, but ahead of this weekend, it is Tommy Bridewell leading the standings for BeerMonster Ducati.

Bridewell surged to the top of the points after the previous round at Donington Park, moving three points ahead of his teammate Glenn Irwin, with the pair both already race winners in 2023 Bennetts BSB.

Double champion Josh Brookes heads to Scotland holding third in the title race; the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad rider is a double winner this season and just two points adrift of Irwin, but also knows that he only holds a slender four-point edge over another previous champion, Leon Haslam and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad team in fourth place.

Reigning champions LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha currently hold fifth place in the standings with Kyle Ryde who bounced back from a crash at his home round of Donington Park to move to within ten points of Bridewell at the top.

Meanwhile both Yamaha and Kawasaki are targeting a fightback at Knockhill; McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran and Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki’s Lee Jackson are equal on points in sixth overall with the pair keen to repeat their previous success at the Scottish circuit. O’Halloran became the fifth different race winner of the season last time out, whilst Jackson aims for his first top three finish of 2023.

Reigning Quattro Group British Supersport champion Jack Kennedy and Mar-Train Racing Yamaha currently lie equal on points in eighth with the second LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha of Ryan Vickers, who claimed his first podium finish in Bennetts BSB last time out. However just a single point puts them ahead of Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Christian Iddon, who in turn holds a one point advantage over the second FHO Racing BMW Motorrad contender, Peter Hickman.

There will however be several riders hoping that the fast and frantic dynamic of Knockhill can play to their advantage this weekend, including Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda), Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing), Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki), Tom Neave (Honda Racing UK) and Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW).

Meanwhile championship rookies Max Cook (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki), Bradley Perie (Lee Hardy Racing Kawasaki) and Jack Scott (Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki) will be eager to impress.

This weekend’s fourth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship will be live on Eurosport 2 with Sunday’s raceday also broadcast live on free-to-air channel Quest.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

  1. Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 119
  2. Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 116
  3. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 114
  4. Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) 110
  5. Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 109
  6. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 70
  7. Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 70
  8. Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 50
  9. Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) 50
  10. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 49

For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Tommy Bridewell

BeerMonster Ducati

“I think for me, Knockhill is crucial to really maximise the potential for one lap in qualifying to put ourselves ideally on the front row and worst case, on the second row, then take the race from there.

“I feel that we have good potential there and a good opportunity to do a good weekend, so we just need to let it play out and go from there. The goal is always to extend the championship lead and that is definitely something that I will be looking to do.

“The test that we had at Knockhill was positive and we were bang on the pace. The main thing for us was to get as many laps under our belt so that our side of the team could analyse the data over the break to come back stronger this weekend.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by BeerMonster Ducati:

Bennetts BSB Leaders BeerMonster Ducati Head For Knockhill

The picturesque circuit of Knockhill in Fife is the destination for round four of the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship with Lake District-based BeerMonster Ducati hoping to continue their  recent good form.

Arriving at the Scottish track which overlooks the Firth of Forth, Paul Bird’s riders Tommy Bridewell and Glenn Irwin occupy first and second place in the standings aboard their factory supported BeerMonster Ducati F23s.

After a four-week break, Wiltshire-based Bridewell heads the title chase by just three points ahead of Irwin, from County Antrim, with Tommy winning a race at Oulton Park and following it up with five additional podiums. Glenn, meanwhile, has won two races so far at Silverstone and Oulton Park, and has four podium finishes to his name out of the nine races held so far.

But neither rider can rest on their laurels as the chasing pack is ready to pounce, with just ten points separating the top five riders ahead of the three races this weekend around the tight and twisty 1.27-mile circuit.

Neither Bridewell nor Irwin has won a Bennetts BSB race at Knockhill although the PBM team have had plenty of success over the years at what is effectively one of their local tracks, being located just over the border in Cumbria.

Tommy Bridewell: “It’s been good to have a little bit of a break since the last round and I’ve enjoyed a holiday and recharged my batteries. That said, we had a great one-day test at Knockhill during the break which gave us some good data to work with. That has given the team some time to work on settings ahead of the weekend. Because of the nature of the circuit, qualifying is crucial as it’s difficult to make passes in the races, so a good set-up is vital from the start. Arriving as championship leader, the idea is to consolidate that position, but I know it’s not going to be easy.”

Glenn Irwin: “It will be great to visit Scotland as it’s as near as I get to a home round, and I always have lots of support which I enjoy. We had a good test at Knockhill a couple of weeks ago and worked through what we needed to and made some good  improvements. So, we arrive a little further ahead than we would be with a new bike so we’ll see what that brings. But we know the weekend will present us with some challenges, so both me and the team need to be 100% and we should be fine. Hopefully, the weather holds, and we can enjoy another successful meeting.”

For further information on BeerMonster please visit https://beermonster.com and the new PBM website, www.pbmuk.net. For all details on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, please visit www.britishsuperbike.com.

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued y Honda Racing UK:

It’s back to British Superbikes for round 4 at Knockhill

Fresh from the fantastic Isle of Man TT races, the Honda Racing team now get back to business in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Knockhill Racing Circuit for round four.

After putting in a fighting ride at Donington Park GP in the previous round and breaking into the top ten to secure his best-ever finish in the championship series to date, Tom Neave will be hoping to continue his breakthrough form to maintain his charge up the championship standings. He heads to the 1.27-mile Scottish circuit with a previous-best finish aboard a Fireblade of fourth in the Pirelli National Superstock series during his championship-winning year in 2021.

Tom will be the sole entrant for the Honda Racing team at this upcoming round as teammate Andrew Irwin continues to recover from the injuries sustained as a result of his crash during private testing at the same circuit on 30th May.

Honda will be hoping to continue its dominant form in the Pirelli National Superstock series. In the hands of various riders and teams, the current model Fireblade has now occupied every podium position, bar a single third-place finish, in all of the races this year. Cementing the potential of this current model.

Free practice fires into life at 13.00 on Friday 16th ahead of the initial BikeSocial Sprint race on Saturday. To see a full weekend timetable click here.

#68 Tom Neave

After completing my first proper UK test this year at Knockhill recently, I can go into the round feeling like I can pick up from where we left it in that test and kick on straight away in FP1. This will stand me in good stead for the weekend, and hopefully give me a bit of a head start on those who missed the test.

I really like Knockhill, it is a proper rider’s track, you’ve got to get your elbows out and I’ve gone really well there in previous years in some of the other classes. In my championship year for Honda, I managed to get a fourth and a fifth there too after coming back from a knee injury.

I’m hoping to continue the momentum that I’ve built over the previous rounds into this one and get some more top-tens. My confidence is growing and we are taking steps, they might be baby steps but it’s coming.

It’s a shame that Andrew isn’t going to be here with us, I hope his recovery is going well and I wish him all the best. I hope that he gets back to it soon.

Australian Superbike: Championship Heading To Hidden Valley Raceway

David Swarts
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Australian Superbike: Championship Heading To Hidden Valley Raceway

Herfoss in Hot Pursuit as Championship Fight Heats up in Darwin

When it comes to Charles Darwin, most people can easily quote his famous phrase, “Survival of the fittest.” This resonates strongly in Darwin, NT, as round four of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) takes place.

While the June weather in the NT is generally pleasant and ludicrously lovely, it still remains hot and unforgiving which comes as a rude shock to Alpinestars Superbike competitors from southern Australia. Riders employ various methods to keep cool, including ice jackets, ice baths, oscillating fans, and even unconventional approaches like using kiddie wading pools and wheelie bins.

Josh Waters (McMartin Racing) entered round three at Queensland Raceway with a sizeable lead but saw it narrow due to outstanding performances by Penrite Honda’s Troy Herfoss, who displayed his champion-like indefatigability. Waters anticipated difficulties at QLD and focused on minimising losses, with the current points leader doing so with two respectable fourth-place finishes.

Nevertheless, finishing fourth wasn’t desirable, especially with all the main championship contenders ahead of him. Herfoss secured the maximum 51 points while Waters settled for 34, allowing Herfoss to cut the gap in half and firmly putting the pressure back on the #21 ahead of the upcoming round.

However, as a seasoned professional, Waters will put that behind him as the championship heads to Darwin for the winter leg of the competition. Waters boasts an impressive track record in Darwin, having secured a total of seven race wins at the Hidden Valley Raceway previously, with Herfoss and Jones being the closest contenders with two wins each.

Waters, aboard the Ducati, will enjoy the favourable conditions and track, particularly the 1.1KM long main straight and overall layout and will expect domination in the manner of the Sydney Motorsport Park and Phillip Island rounds. Furthermore, the heat shouldn’t bother him much, given his background as a lad from Mildura, and the Ducati has proven its excellence in hot conditions, although fuel economy must be carefully managed.

This round consists of three races with a maximum of 76 championship-affirming points up for grabs. Last year, former McMartin Racing rider Wayne Maxwell missed out on round victory and subsequently lost any chance of securing another championship due to a combination of rider errors and team issues. Valuable lessons were learned, and it is unlikely we will witness a repeat of those problems.

Among the riders likely to challenge Waters,  Yamaha’s Mike Jones will be at the forefront. Jones trails Waters by 56 points and lags 38 points behind Herfoss, making it crucial for him to start closing the gap. Fellow Yamaha man Cru Halliday excels on faster circuits and has experienced a resurgence in 2023, so he won’t go down without putting up a fight. Herfoss, who returned to the podium in Darwin last year, can confidently put to rest any doubts about the circuit being a jinx. With his self-assured demeanour and belief, the Honda rider poses a significant threat.

We cannot forget the likes of Glenn Allerton (GT Racing BMW) and Bryan Staring (MotoGo Yamaha), who in recent years have shown glimpses of race winning speed and strategy, only to narrowly miss out. Allerton stood on the podium once last year while Staring did twice, they’ll be looking to have their BMW M1000RR and Yamaha R1 M in the mix come the chequered flag.

However, the Ducati, under the expert guidance of Craig McMartin, has evolved to its full potential, while 36-year-old Josh Waters, at the peak of his abilities and maturity, makes the McMartin Panigale V4 R an irresistible force.

Indigenous Round

A number of ASBK teams have joined the Indigenous Round theme for this year once again with striking new looks. Penrite Honda, DesmoSport Ducati and MotoGo Yamaha all unveiled their liveries during the week, with more teams to showcase a new look in the coming days, stay tuned to the ASBK social media channels for more.

A proud Western Australian, Bryan Staring and MotoGo Yamaha have teamed up with Perth Artist, Xavier and Marlee Resources to create their livery.

When speaking about the design and it’s significance to him, Staring said, “The design incorporates Kings Park, Swan River and the people in the community. I think that’s a good showcase for Western Australia, but also for the company that’s behind it and the people that were responsible for bringing the artwork together, including Xavier (the artist), it’s a real honour to represent it. It’s close to my heart as I’m a proud Boorloo boy. “

The DesmoSport Ducati squad have also connected with their local region to develop their livery. Telling stories from the Yugambeh Language region (Gold Coast), they have partnered with indigenous artist, Luther Cora to continue telling stories of Aboriginal culture local to the team, and embracing with awe, the oldest living culture in the world.

Once again incorporating artwork from Lorraine White and partnering with the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS) for a charitable cause, the Penrite Honda crew unveiled the Fireblade alongside the Penrite Racing Supercars team in North Melbourne.

“I’m really excited about our indigenous livery this year, it’s always great to unveil a new livery and our team love getting behind the indigenous round,” said Herfoss. “Working with the Penrite Racing Supercars team and having matching liveries is a lot of fun and it’s great to incorporate artwork from Lorraine again this year to produce the liveries, as well as partner again with MITS to raise money for the kids. I think our Fireblade will be the best looking bike on track and I can’t wait to see it out there.”

In partnering with MITS, several auction items will be up for grabs to continue to support its mission, with Honda Australia generously donating a CRF50 stickered up as a Penrite Honda, Herfoss replica. You can find the auction site here.

MotoGP: Bagnaia Returns To Sachsenring In Much Different Position

David Swarts
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MotoGP: Bagnaia Returns To Sachsenring In Much Different Position

Bagnaia and Bastianini back on track this weekend for the German GP at the Sachsenring

After a perfect weekend at Mugello that saw Pecco Bagnaia taking victory, pole position, setting the fastest race lap and winning Saturday’s Sprint, the Ducati Lenovo Team is now ready to take to the track again for the German GP. Hosting the seventh round of the 2023 MotoGP season will be the Sachsenring circuit, located in the north of the country a few kilometres from the town of Chemnitz.

Bagnaia, who last year reached his biggest deficit in the Championship at the Sachsenring following a crash (-91 points), arrives this year at the German GP as Championship leader with a 21-point lead over second-placed Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Racing Team). The reigning World Champion will also try to maintain his momentum in Germany.

On the other side of the garage, teammate Bastianini is 20th in the Championship after he took part in his first race this year in the last Italian GP. The rider from Rimini, who is still not 100% fit, managed to close both the Sprint and the Sunday GP in the top ten, a result which was above expectations considering the long absence he took from racing after the injury in Portimão in mid-March. On the Sachsenring track, which is physically less demanding than Mugello, Bastianini aims to be more competitive.

Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st (131 points)

“The weekend at Mugello was really perfect and gave me the right energy to face this race weekend in Germany as well. I know the Tuscan track very well; I’ve lapped there a lot, and that helped me, but the feeling with my Desmosedici allowed me to make a difference. I hope to be able to find these feelings again right away at Sachsenring: the goal will always be the same. To work well from the first sessions and arrive as ready as possible for the Sprint and Sunday’s race.”

Enea Bastianiani (#23, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 20th (8 points)

“I’m glad to be able to get right back on track. The weekend at Mugello turned out to be positive, and even though I struggled a lot in the race, I managed to get a result that I never expected at first. It still takes time to be 100 per cent, but Sachsenring will be less physically demanding than the circuit we raced on last weekend, so I hope to do even better in the German GP.”

Ducati Lenovo Team riders will take to the track for Practice 1 at the Sachsenring track on Friday, 16th June, at 10:45am local time. The Sprint will run over a 15-lap distance on Saturday at 3:00pm, while the German GP will kick off on Sunday at 2:00pm over a distance of 30 laps.

The Loudon Classic: A Pillar Of American Road Racing

David Swarts
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The Loudon Classic: A Pillar Of American Road Racing

Motorcycle races come and go. Grand Prix racing in the United States, for example, has taken place since World War II in four different locations – Daytona, Laguna, Indianapolis and Austin – with gaps as long as 23 years between Grand Prix events.

Through it all, the Loudon Classic has been there. Since the time of World War I, when motorcycles were barely more than motorized bicycles and paved roads were a novelty, motorcyclists have descended on the New Hampshire Lakes Region for rallies, recreation and racing.

The actual beginning of the race that would become known as the Loudon Classic is shrouded in the mists of history. The first rally in the area took place in 1916, and was (according to Wikipedia) officially recognized in 1923 by the Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM), an organization later to become the American Motorcyclists Association. Part of what the FAM called its Gypsy Tour, the rally was a destination event to promote motorcycling. Now known as Laconia Motorcycle Week, the event “included races, shows and a motorcycle hill climb competition,” Wikipedia states.

Now, one must be clear that the modern concept of an organized race is very, very different than what was happening back then. According to the book Laconia Motorcycle Week, edited by Charlie St. Clair and Jennifer Anderson, “The unorganized motorcycle hill climbs took place on Tower Street off of Lakeside Avenue, while other races took place anywhere they could be managed.” It is easy to see why reliable information about these early races is difficult to come by.

Things got more organized in the 1930s. In 1933, the AMA introduced a new category of racing for street machines, and in 1934 organizers held a 200-mile race on a 3.3-mile track in Swanzey, New Hampshire. The first race to be called the Laconia Classic, the event was won by Babe Tancrede on a Harley-Davidson.

 

Motorcycles parked in the lot at the old Bryar Motorsports Park during the 1986 Loudon National. Photo by Larry Lawrence.
Motorcycles parked in the lot at the old Bryar Motorsports Park during the 1986 Loudon National. Photo by Larry Lawrence.

 

The race was held for a year at Old Orchard Beach, Main, then moved to the Belknap Recreational Area near Laconia in New Hampshire. It was held there until 1963, and during that time the rally grew to become the largest gathering of motorcyclists in the U.S. until its popularity was overtaken by the Sturgis rally in the 1970s.

When the Belknap circuit was closed after the 1963 race, another circuit was created in Loudon, approximately 20 miles away. The Bryar Motorsports Park circuit featured 11 turns in 1.6 miles, and was known for its spectator-friendliness – a fan in the stands could see pretty much the whole circuit. It was during this period that the event became known as the Loudon Classic. It was also known for the, um, unruly behavior of some of those in attendance.

American motorcycling historian Larry Lawrence wrote in a recent article: “Loudon gained a reputation for the wild atmosphere that encompassed the event. Riders camped in the woods surrounding the track, and when the sun went down the craziness began. One particular area of the camping grounds surrounding the track known as ‘Animal Hill’ gained notoriety for its wild happenings, such as car and motorcycle burnings, dirt hill motorcycle drag races, and fireworks fights, sometimes all at once.”

After the 1989 event – won by AMA Superbike Champion Jamie James – the track was closed and the New Hampshire Motor Speedway constructed at the location. It features an oval/road course, but unusually, the road course section of the circuit snakes outside of the oval. Increasing speeds and a lack of runoff room led to the race being removed from the AMA Pro Road Racing calendar – it’s noteworthy that the Classic is run with middleweight machines. Eric Bostrom won the final AMA Superbike race at the facility in 2001.

 

Nicky Richichi (25) leads Randy Renfrow (96) and Rich Schlachter (93) at the Loudon National in 1984. Photo by Larry Lawrence.
Nicky Richichi (25) leads Randy Renfrow (96) and Rich Schlachter (93) at the Loudon National in 1984. Photo by Larry Lawrence.

 

MotoGP: Dorna Previews The Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland

David Swarts
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MotoGP: Dorna Previews The Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland

Get in the ring! MotoGP™ gears up for a showdown in Germany

The King of the Ring. The reigning Champion on a roll. Binder looking to make up ground… and Martin making his presence felt. Here comes part two of the triple header!

Wednesday, 14 June 2023

Here we go! We’ve packed up and headed north for the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, and what a race weekend we have ahead. There are few venues more different to each other than Mugello and the Sachsenring, and there are few riders who have a record like one does on this turf. But King of the Ring Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), with 11 wins at the track across all classes, arrives from a crash out in Italy that left him frustrated, and with no points yet scored in a Grand Prix race in 2023. His speed, however… we’ve still seen plenty of that. So we have to start there.

THE RETURN OF THE KING?

On pole in Portugal, just missing out at Le Mans and then again in Mugello, with plenty of on-track discussions with his rivals along the way, is some record considering the last few weeks, months and years of Marc Marquez’ life. And he was on the podium in the first ever Tissot Sprint. Does that, and his undefeated record every time he’s raced at the Sachsenring since he won the 125cc race in 2010 by 17 seconds, say the most? Or is the mountain just a little too high in 2023 as we watch both a legendary rider and, crucially, factory pushing to get back to the top? We’re about to find out, and with more than just a sneak peek in the Sprint on Saturday. His “first” comeback saw him take back this crown. His second sees him as ready as ever to put his elbows out and try to repeat the feat.

THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION

12 months on, it’s quite something to look at Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) then and now. Pecco arrives in Germany with a 21-point lead in 2023, having just reigned his home Grand Prix, which is a far, far cry from that record 91-point deficit he faced on Sunday evening at the Sacshenring last season. Then, he crashed out and Quartararo won… and it remains the Frenchman’s most recent victory as 2023 proves a tough season. Can this venue start some sparks of a turnaround for him and Yamaha? And what of teammate Franco Morbidelli, who had some Sunday sass of his own, as he beat El Diablo at Mugello?

But back to Bagnaia. It was some performance on home turf and he added another full house weekend – pole, Sprint win and GP win – to create that gap at the top. Can that form continue at the Sachsenring, a venue with some very different characteristics and, in the era before this, a tougher track for Ducati?

MORE, MORE, MORE

Some left Mugello wanting a whole lot more, and no one more so than Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). It wasn’t a terrible weekend, with a Sprint podium in second, but it was an expensive one in the standings as he’s now 20 points further back after a tougher Sunday. But despite not quite being able to get in the battle, he kept it calm for some points that may well prove valuable. Can he come out swinging at the Sachsenring?

Meanwhile at KTM, it was a mixed bag at Mugello but the Austrian factory left with some solid points. The kind of points that, in pre-season, looked dreamy, and now seem a little disappointing as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) gets stuck in near the top of the standings and new teammate Jack Miller continues to show some serious speed only six races in on the RC16. So what have they got for Germany? KTM have a podium at the track and Miller too on different machinery, and he and Binder have solid records here… all of which says they’ll likely be in contention again.

ON THE MOVE

Some big winners at Mugello, even if they might not have quite made it to the top step, were Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco. Both on the GP podium and Martin also visiting the Sprint rostrum, it was a good haul of points and an impressive show of speed. Having also previously been a tough track for Martin, the turnaround is notable – and it’s bumped him up to third in the standings. Zarco, meanwhile, is the only MotoGP™ rider not called Marc Marquez to have started from pole in Germany when the number 93 was on the grid. So that’s a feather in the cap of the Frenchman as he continues gaining some momentum this season too.

Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) also impressed at Mugello. Despite his injured hand, he held on for a solid Sprint result and fought Zarco nearly to the end of the GP race for that podium on Sunday. With a few more days to recover, can he stay in that fight? And it’s a similar question for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) as he rode through the pain barrier to a more than solid sixth place, and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) as he returned from injury but is still on the road to full fitness. Still, he was straight back into the top ten.

LOOKING FOR SOME MOMENTUM

Top of the pile here must surely be Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). He crashed out in the Sprint in a controversial clash with Binder and probably made the biggest splash with that needle-threading Turn 1 encounter on Sunday, but the number 73 actually also deserves a better headline: he’s the only rider who matched Bagnaia on speed as the two set identical fastest laps. The story of Alex Marquez’s year so far is serious pace, a couple of mistakes and a large dash of bad luck, but the latter two don’t cancel out the first and he can’t be counted out of the fight at the front.

Next up? Someone who fought for the podium at the Sachsenring last year: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). He just missed out on Q2 on Friday in Italy and it didn’t get better from there, but it most definitely has the potential to. Then there’s Miguel Oliveira (CryptoData RNF MotoGP™ Team), who crashed out in Mugello and will want some solid points despite that shoulder still bothering him, and teammate Raul Fernandez wants to find that Friday form after a tougher time once the lights went out.

Rookie Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) retains his record of points every Sunday alongside only Quartararo and Morbidelli, but after that fourth in France, P15 wasn’t the aim in Mugello so he’ll want more. So too will Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who slipped backwards a little last time out.

Meanwhile, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) took some points on Sunday but only had Marquez as a reference at Honda, and that will continue in Germany – no mean benchmark. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) will sit the race weekend out and won’t be replaced, and Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) will be sidelined for some time after breaking his leg. LCR also won’t replace him. Jonas Folger, meanwhile, will continue on duty for GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 at the venue where he took his premier class podium.

So that’s the grid. Bagnaia is in the hot seat, Bezzecchi and Binder want to gain some ground back, Martin is on a roll… and still, when you’ve won 11 times at the track and have eight World Championships, Marc Marquez is there to steal a huge chunk of the headlines as we head to the Sachsenring. Previously, the number 93’s longest win drought was the 581 days between Valencia in 2019 and the 2021 German Grand Prix. Since his most recent win in Emilia-Romagna in 2021, it will now be 602. You don’t want to miss this.

SHOWTIME

Friday’s practice sessions decide the automatic entrants to Q2, before the MotoGP™ grid qualify on Saturday morning. The Tissot Sprint is set for lights out at 15:00 on Saturday as ever, and the Grand Prix gets going at 14:00 CEST!

Tissot Sprint: Saturday 15:00 (GMT +2)

Grand Prix Race: Sunday 14:00 (GMT +2)

Moto2™: Arbolino vs Acosta arrives in Germany

If France was one twist, Mugello was another as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) hit back in style to dominate the Italian GP. But Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), despite a difficult weekend, found more than just a step on race day to take second and a valuable 20 points. That leaves him with a healthy gap at the top of the Championship in tact, so what will Germany bring?

Behind that duo, Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) was back on the podium and says it’s that first part of the race where he’s got to focus on taking a step forward, and that was true in a different way of another perennial threat at the front: Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp). He had a coming together with Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), went off on his first Long Lap attempt and then had to do another… but managed quite a comeback thereafter. Can he iron out that drama in Germany? And can Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) find something more on race day?

Find out on Sunday at 12:15 (GMT +2)!

Moto3™: Can anyone stop Holgado?

Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) put in a convincing performance at Mugello, as if the same hadn’t already been true. But in a five-way fight for the win, the number 96 came out on top once again… so can anyone stop him at the Sachsenring?

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) definitely tops the list of those looking to try. He missed out on that win at Mugello by almost nothing and was out-dragged on the straight, a challenge that should be a little smaller for the now-taller rider in Germany. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), now on a consistent run at the front and on the podium in Italy, will also want to threaten, as will Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) as he lost out. Rookie sensation David Alonso (Valresa GASGAS Aspar) will want to keep impressing too, and those who had back of the grid penalties in Germany will be back in the mix…

Tune in for more Moto3™ on Sunday at 11:00 (GMT+2)!

Canadian Superbike: More From Grand Bend Motorplex

David Swarts
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Canadian Superbike: More From Grand Bend Motorplex

Mixed Results for Young at Grand Bend

Another challenging end to the weekend for Ben Young with mixed results at round two of the Canadian Superbike Championship. Young dominated almost every session across the weekend, taking pole position on Friday, finishing race one with a comfortable lead, and topping all practice sessions. Unfortunately, Young crossed the line in 11th in Sunday’s race after oil on the track caused a crash which took him out of contention for the win.

Young has always proved a strong racer at Grand Bend, and the weekend was no exception. The team (including Steve Weir who had been unable to join them at the track since 2019) got the brand new BMW M 1000 RR absolutely perfect, despite its first visit at the track, and Young put in consistent 1.02s laps, ultimately taking Pole by finishing over half a second faster than the nearest competition.

Saturday brought perfect weather for race one of the weekend. Title rival Dumas got the holeshot but Young passed immediately on the brakes at the end of the back straight on the opening lap to take the lead. He put his head down, completing consistently low 1.03s laps, and taking the new race record with a blistering 1.02.83. Young looked and felt great aboard the Van Dolder Home Team BMW and cruised to a comfortable race win, collecting maximum points for the win and for laps lead.

Drama ensued on Sunday with a sky that threatened rain. Right before the race was due to start, the heavens opened. On the out lap of the delayed race, Young hit oil and crashed out. For the second weekend in a row, he was forced to take a pit stop, this time switching bikes. He rolled back onto the track 3 laps down, put his head down and finished in 11th position. Young continues to show the resilience and grit found in only the best racers.

Young said: “I was lapping the same times as the race winner, and feel confident we’d have had the win in the bag if it weren’t for the oil which put me out along with many other riders throughout the day. Looking onwards to the next race though – there’s a lot of season left.”

The next race will be held at Atlantic Motorsports Park, Shubenacadie, NS on July 20-23rd.

Young’s partners for his 2022 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season include; BMW Motorrad Canada, Van Dolder’s Home Team, Scot-build Developments Inc, Parts Canada, HJC Helmets, Alpinestars, Hindle Exhaust, Clearlite, Primitive Patterns, DP Brakes, alphaRacing, Vass Performance Cycle, Cartier Racing and Bickle Racing.

To keep up-to-date on Ben Young throughout the year visit; www.BenYoungRacing.com, www.facebook.com/BenYoungRacing and on Twitter and Instagram: @benyoung_86.

OMRRA: Round Two Race Report From PIR

David Swarts
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OMRRA: Round Two Race Report From PIR

Ideal weather conditions led to fast times and lap records as the Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association (OMRRA) teamed up with the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association (WMRRA) for round 2 of road racing in the Pacific Northwest June 10-11 at Portland International Raceway.

The Money Well Lending Title Championship Open class podium positions were contested by Andy DiBrino, Kevin Pinkstaff, David Kohlstaedt, and Brian Pinkstaff, with DiBrino taking three wins and Pinkstaff one win. Jayson Uribe also made his OMRRA debut and made sure no easy trophies were handed out.

Kohlstaedt and DiBrino also joined in the 600SBK categories as well, with Kohlstaedt taking two wins on a Kawasaki ZX-6R over DiBrino on a KTM 890 Duke, as Alex Taylor came off a recent injury to win both 600 SS races on his Yamaha R6.

Nathan Aldrich, Hannah Johnson, Oliver Jervis, and Jon Campbell all took victories in OMRRA’s fiercely competitive Middle Weight classes, which pits competitors against each other on a wide variety of machinery including Aprilia RS 660s, 690 Kramers, 600s with destroked or disabled cylinders, and Suzuki SV650s. Jervis lowered the Middleweight Superbike chicane lap record to 1:20.491 on the Zlock Racing Kawasaki ZX-6/5R.

Lightweight Twins were shared between Adam Faussett and Todd Eugene on Kawasaki Ninja 400s and Austin McCabe on a KTM RC 390, with McCabe and Faussett under the lap record, eventually settling on a 1:27.284 chicane configuration lap record by Faussett.

McCabe also dominated the ULW category on his Gray Area Racing KTM RC 390, winning all four races and setting the ULWSS chicane lap record at 1:27.763 and 1:27.387 for ULWSS. He shared the podium positions with Nate Abel and Jason Iverson, also on RC 390s.

McCabe used these wins to extend his lead in the MotoCorsa Clubman championship as he races for the 2023 1c plate.

Ryan Henry and Don Williams battled fiercely in Ninja Cup all weekend with very close finishes between the two.

Theis Corneliussen on his Yamaha TZ350 took victory over Perry Lund on a Honda CB750 in the Langlitz Leathers Vintage Cup.

OMRRA wastes no time heading to the next round on June 16-18th at Ridge Motorsports Park hosted by WMRRA.

OMRRA, incorporated in 1972 as a non-profit, volunteer run organization, has members ranging in age from 12 to over 70, racing motorcycles of many brands, sizes and ages. OMRRA operates at Portland International Raceway, a city park and world class track. For more information, visit www.omrra.com and join us at www.facebook.com/omrra.racing and @omrra.pdx on social media.

 

June 10-11 2023 OMRRA Round 2 Results.xlsx - Sheet1

MotoGP: Folger Still Subbing For Pol Espargaro In Germany

David Swarts
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MotoGP: Folger Still Subbing For Pol Espargaro In Germany

GASGAS FACTORY RACING TECH3 IS ALL SET FOR SACHSENRING WITH HOMEBOY JONAS FOLGER

Are you ready to turn left? GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 for sure is, and is already setting up at the Sachsenring in Germany for the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, the second round of June’s MotoGP™ triple-header. Following a rather tricky weekend in Mugello last week, rookie Augusto Fernandez will be keen to travel to a new circuit this week, and will be joined for the fifth time by German Jonas Folger, who will have the biggest pleasure to race again in front of his home crowd at the Sachsenring.

Mugello was not an easy weekend for rookie Augusto Fernandez, but he still managed to be in the points with his fifteenth place on Sunday, meaning that he remains amongst the very few riders of the grid to have scored points in each round this season. The 3.671 km-long layout and its numerous tight corners (ten left and three right) make it one of the slowest tracks of the calendar, and is one circuit from which the GASGAS Tech3 rider will have found memories from, having won the edition in Moto2™ last season with a 7.704 seconds gap on runner-up Pedro Acosta.

Alongside him, Jonas Folger will step in again for GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 with Pol Espargaro still waiting for the green lights from the doctors to return to racing. Jonas will be pleased to be given the opportunity to race again on his home turf, a great honour for the German who will have found memories from the Germany layout, where he took his maiden podium in MotoGP™ in his rookie season back in 2017, taking the second position just 3.310 seconds behind Sachsenring king Marc Marquez.

You are in for a threat again for the second week in a row, with Fernandez aiming to continue his progression and Folger returning to his home turf at the German Grand Prix. The action will start on Friday with Practice 1 at 10:45 local time (GMT+2) for forty-five minutes, which will be followed in the afternoon with Practice 2 at 15:00, for an hour. The first highlights of the week not to miss will be on Saturday with the qualifying sessions starting at 10:50, just shortly after the usual Free Practice. If races at the short Sachsenring are entertaining to watch, wait for the Tissot Sprint at 15:00 on Saturday afternoon, it could be one not to miss out on! Finally, after ten minutes of warm up in the morning, Sunday will see the main race start at 14:00 local time. Let’s get on the gas team!

 

 

Augusto Fernandez

Championship: 14th

Points: 31

“I am looking forward to starting the race week at the Sachsenring, it is a track where I have really good memories from. I won last season in Moto2, and it was one of my best races of the year. For these reasons, I hope that we will have a better time than in Mugello, because it was not an easy weekend. I can’t wait to go there, and continue working with the team.”

 

Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.

Jonas Folger
 

Championship: 21st

Points: 7

“I am really happy to be able to take part to the German Grand Prix. It is a very special place for me, and I hold a very special memory at the Sachsenring with Tech3, because we achieved together the best result of my career in 2017. I think that it will bring me some emotions, but we are fully motivated for this weekend. I am really looking forward to it.”

Nicolas Goyon

Team Manager

“We are now heading to Germany for the second race of June triple-header. Sachsenring is the smallest and the tightest layout of the championship, and is one of the few left hand-side circuits. Having won the race last year in Moto2 with a decent gap, it will be a good circuit for Augusto Fernandez who will have good memories from there. I am sure that he will look forward to adapting with the MotoGP, to show his speed and his ability to learn a new circuit in the category. Pol Espargaro had a medical check on Tuesday, but unfortunately he did not get the green lights from the doctors and still needs a little bit of time to fully recover. The team is a bit sad, because we really hoped that the German GP would be the one, and I know that this is a huge disappointment for him, because he has worked so hard over the last months to be ready. All we can do is continue waiting, and keep supporting him as he sees again his MotoGP comeback being postponed. Jonas Folger will once again join us this weekend, and we really want to thank him for being available to us. He is happy to come back racing in Germany, and he has very good memories here from his 2017 season, so I hope that we have a good weekend together.”

Texan Sanchez Fifth In ESBK PreMoto3 At Estoril

David Swarts
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Texan Sanchez Fifth In ESBK PreMoto3 At Estoril

American Mikey Lou Sanchez finishes 5th in ESBK PreMoto3 at Estoril.

Heading into practice at the fourth round of the ESBK PreMoto3 Championship, 13-year-old Mikey Lou Sanchez saw some rain and mixed conditions at the Estoril Circuit, but the forecast called for dry conditions for Saturday’s qualifying and Race One as well as Sunday’s Race Two. In spite of the forecast, Mikey Lou and the team decided to mount up and ride in a wet session just in case the weather forecasters were wrong. The session went well and Mikey Lou was near the top.

Saturday had clear skies and qualifying was hectic with 32 riders looking to make it to the front of the grid. Mikey Lou improved his times throughout the 25-minute session and ended up ninth on the grid.

In Race One he broke away with the lead group of nine riders. The pace was quick and faster than he qualified with some riders crashing and bringing out a red flag on lap nine of 12. With the race being two thirds completed it was declared a finish with Mikey Lou getting sixth.

In ESBK, the top nine finishers from Race One use their finishing positions as their grid spots for Race Two. So, Mikey Lou started sixth and began charging when the lights went out. During that race, he put in some excellent laps and on lap 11 of 12 he did his fastest lap catching the leaders. On the last lap, he came out of the last turn in fourth position and got drafted at the line and finished a very strong fifth.

“It was a great race and thanks to my team and my guy Caco for all the work and helping me,” said Mikey Lou. “We are going to get ready to improve at Navarra in three months.”

“I’m really proud of this kid. The last couple of laps…the way he charged… I like it. I’m proud,” said Michael Sanchez, Mikey’s father.

The next ESBK round will be on September 16-17 at the Circuito de Navarra.

We would like to thank our sponsors: Roadway Traffic Control, HJC Helmets, Texas Motorcycle Academy, Williams Custom Painting, San Marcos Iron Doors, Moto Liberty, 212 Decals, Southern Adrenaline, Corsa Werks, Shawn Knoche, Ben Fondu, Fred & Maggie Beck, Mark Niemi, Theo Bick, Paul Stamper, Stacy Pawelek

Moto2: Tatay Replaces Skinner For Two Rounds

David Swarts
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Moto2: Tatay Replaces Skinner For Two Rounds

Rory Skinner will miss the German and Dutch Grands Prix due to injury with Carlos Tatay taking his place.

After being collected by another rider during FP3 in Mugello, Rory will miss the remaining two races of this triple header after subsequent scans in Italy revealed a fracture to the talus bone in his right foot.

European Moto2 race winner and Moto3 podium finisher Carlos Tatay will replace him whilst the Scot recovers with the intention of coming back for his home round at Silverstone.

Rory Skinner #33

I’m obviously gutted to be missing the next two rounds but unfortunately, it’s out of my control. I’m taking all the right steps, moving forward and I’ll be seen by a specialist on Wednesday once I’m home so hopefully, I’ll be back on the right route and on the road to recovery.
 

Carlos Tatay #99

I’m really excited to be back in the World Championship. It’s not the best situation to replace an injured rider, but it’s a really good opportunity for me to keep growing in myself and improving my riding in Moto2. What I need is the KMs on the bike and some hours so being in the World Championship with the best riders in Moto2 is something really good as I can take this experience to my European Moto2 championship this year which is my main goal.

My expectation for these GPs is to keep growing and keep learning. I don’t want to say any position or goal because, in the end, I want to keep improving and enjoying being on track with some really fast riders. It’s really exciting to be back but I need to keep calm for myself because I think I can learn more if I’m like this and keep myself under control.

I want to send my best wishes to Rory for a speedy recovery. I’d end thanks to the American Racing Team for giving me this opportunity as well as Edu and the Pertamina Mandalika SAG Racing Team for believing in me and letting me go to another team for these two races in the World Championship.

British Superbike: Championship Racing In Scotland This Weekend

Tommy Bridewell (46). Photo courtesy BeerMonster Ducati.
Tommy Bridewell (46). Photo courtesy BeerMonster Ducati.

The wait is over. Knockhill is next and ten points cover the top five in Bennetts BSB title fight

The Bennetts British Superbike Championship returns this weekend (June 16/17/18) and just a narrow ten points separate the top five in the title fight after the opening three rounds as the series reaches Knockhill in Scotland.

Seven different riders have celebrated podium success from the opening nine races, with five of those securing race wins, but ahead of this weekend, it is Tommy Bridewell leading the standings for BeerMonster Ducati.

Bridewell surged to the top of the points after the previous round at Donington Park, moving three points ahead of his teammate Glenn Irwin, with the pair both already race winners in 2023 Bennetts BSB.

Double champion Josh Brookes heads to Scotland holding third in the title race; the FHO Racing BMW Motorrad rider is a double winner this season and just two points adrift of Irwin, but also knows that he only holds a slender four-point edge over another previous champion, Leon Haslam and the ROKiT BMW Motorrad team in fourth place.

Reigning champions LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha currently hold fifth place in the standings with Kyle Ryde who bounced back from a crash at his home round of Donington Park to move to within ten points of Bridewell at the top.

Meanwhile both Yamaha and Kawasaki are targeting a fightback at Knockhill; McAMS Yamaha’s Jason O’Halloran and Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki’s Lee Jackson are equal on points in sixth overall with the pair keen to repeat their previous success at the Scottish circuit. O’Halloran became the fifth different race winner of the season last time out, whilst Jackson aims for his first top three finish of 2023.

Reigning Quattro Group British Supersport champion Jack Kennedy and Mar-Train Racing Yamaha currently lie equal on points in eighth with the second LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha of Ryan Vickers, who claimed his first podium finish in Bennetts BSB last time out. However just a single point puts them ahead of Oxford Products Racing Ducati’s Christian Iddon, who in turn holds a one point advantage over the second FHO Racing BMW Motorrad contender, Peter Hickman.

There will however be several riders hoping that the fast and frantic dynamic of Knockhill can play to their advantage this weekend, including Danny Kent (Lovell Kent Racing Honda), Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda by Hawk Racing), Storm Stacey (Starline Racing Kawasaki), Tom Neave (Honda Racing UK) and Danny Buchan (SYNETIQ BMW).

Meanwhile championship rookies Max Cook (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki), Bradley Perie (Lee Hardy Racing Kawasaki) and Jack Scott (Rapid CDH Racing Kawasaki) will be eager to impress.

This weekend’s fourth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship will be live on Eurosport 2 with Sunday’s raceday also broadcast live on free-to-air channel Quest.

Bennetts British Superbike Championship standings:

  1. Tommy Bridewell (BeerMonster Ducati) 119
  2. Glenn Irwin (BeerMonster Ducati) 116
  3. Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad Team) 114
  4. Leon Haslam (ROKiT BMW Motorrad) 110
  5. Kyle Ryde (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 109
  6. Jason O’Halloran (McAMS Yamaha) 70
  7. Lee Jackson (Cheshire Mouldings Kawasaki) 70
  8. Ryan Vickers (LAMI OMG Racing Yamaha) 50
  9. Jack Kennedy (Mar-Train Racing Yamaha) 50
  10. Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 49

For more information on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship visit www.britishsuperbike.com

Tommy Bridewell

BeerMonster Ducati

“I think for me, Knockhill is crucial to really maximise the potential for one lap in qualifying to put ourselves ideally on the front row and worst case, on the second row, then take the race from there.

“I feel that we have good potential there and a good opportunity to do a good weekend, so we just need to let it play out and go from there. The goal is always to extend the championship lead and that is definitely something that I will be looking to do.

“The test that we had at Knockhill was positive and we were bang on the pace. The main thing for us was to get as many laps under our belt so that our side of the team could analyse the data over the break to come back stronger this weekend.”

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued by BeerMonster Ducati:

Bennetts BSB Leaders BeerMonster Ducati Head For Knockhill

The picturesque circuit of Knockhill in Fife is the destination for round four of the 2023 Bennetts British Superbike Championship with Lake District-based BeerMonster Ducati hoping to continue their  recent good form.

Arriving at the Scottish track which overlooks the Firth of Forth, Paul Bird’s riders Tommy Bridewell and Glenn Irwin occupy first and second place in the standings aboard their factory supported BeerMonster Ducati F23s.

After a four-week break, Wiltshire-based Bridewell heads the title chase by just three points ahead of Irwin, from County Antrim, with Tommy winning a race at Oulton Park and following it up with five additional podiums. Glenn, meanwhile, has won two races so far at Silverstone and Oulton Park, and has four podium finishes to his name out of the nine races held so far.

But neither rider can rest on their laurels as the chasing pack is ready to pounce, with just ten points separating the top five riders ahead of the three races this weekend around the tight and twisty 1.27-mile circuit.

Neither Bridewell nor Irwin has won a Bennetts BSB race at Knockhill although the PBM team have had plenty of success over the years at what is effectively one of their local tracks, being located just over the border in Cumbria.

Tommy Bridewell: “It’s been good to have a little bit of a break since the last round and I’ve enjoyed a holiday and recharged my batteries. That said, we had a great one-day test at Knockhill during the break which gave us some good data to work with. That has given the team some time to work on settings ahead of the weekend. Because of the nature of the circuit, qualifying is crucial as it’s difficult to make passes in the races, so a good set-up is vital from the start. Arriving as championship leader, the idea is to consolidate that position, but I know it’s not going to be easy.”

Glenn Irwin: “It will be great to visit Scotland as it’s as near as I get to a home round, and I always have lots of support which I enjoy. We had a good test at Knockhill a couple of weeks ago and worked through what we needed to and made some good  improvements. So, we arrive a little further ahead than we would be with a new bike so we’ll see what that brings. But we know the weekend will present us with some challenges, so both me and the team need to be 100% and we should be fine. Hopefully, the weather holds, and we can enjoy another successful meeting.”

For further information on BeerMonster please visit https://beermonster.com and the new PBM website, www.pbmuk.net. For all details on the Bennetts British Superbike Championship, please visit www.britishsuperbike.com.

 

 

 

More, from a press release issued y Honda Racing UK:

It’s back to British Superbikes for round 4 at Knockhill

Fresh from the fantastic Isle of Man TT races, the Honda Racing team now get back to business in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Knockhill Racing Circuit for round four.

After putting in a fighting ride at Donington Park GP in the previous round and breaking into the top ten to secure his best-ever finish in the championship series to date, Tom Neave will be hoping to continue his breakthrough form to maintain his charge up the championship standings. He heads to the 1.27-mile Scottish circuit with a previous-best finish aboard a Fireblade of fourth in the Pirelli National Superstock series during his championship-winning year in 2021.

Tom will be the sole entrant for the Honda Racing team at this upcoming round as teammate Andrew Irwin continues to recover from the injuries sustained as a result of his crash during private testing at the same circuit on 30th May.

Honda will be hoping to continue its dominant form in the Pirelli National Superstock series. In the hands of various riders and teams, the current model Fireblade has now occupied every podium position, bar a single third-place finish, in all of the races this year. Cementing the potential of this current model.

Free practice fires into life at 13.00 on Friday 16th ahead of the initial BikeSocial Sprint race on Saturday. To see a full weekend timetable click here.

#68 Tom Neave

After completing my first proper UK test this year at Knockhill recently, I can go into the round feeling like I can pick up from where we left it in that test and kick on straight away in FP1. This will stand me in good stead for the weekend, and hopefully give me a bit of a head start on those who missed the test.

I really like Knockhill, it is a proper rider’s track, you’ve got to get your elbows out and I’ve gone really well there in previous years in some of the other classes. In my championship year for Honda, I managed to get a fourth and a fifth there too after coming back from a knee injury.

I’m hoping to continue the momentum that I’ve built over the previous rounds into this one and get some more top-tens. My confidence is growing and we are taking steps, they might be baby steps but it’s coming.

It’s a shame that Andrew isn’t going to be here with us, I hope his recovery is going well and I wish him all the best. I hope that he gets back to it soon.

Australian Superbike: Championship Heading To Hidden Valley Raceway

Glenn Allerton (14), Troy Herfoss (behind Allerton), and Bryan Staring (67) in action at a previous Australian Superbike round. Photo courtesy ASBK.
Glenn Allerton (14), Troy Herfoss (behind Allerton), and Bryan Staring (67) in action at a previous Australian Superbike round. Photo courtesy ASBK.

Herfoss in Hot Pursuit as Championship Fight Heats up in Darwin

When it comes to Charles Darwin, most people can easily quote his famous phrase, “Survival of the fittest.” This resonates strongly in Darwin, NT, as round four of the mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) takes place.

While the June weather in the NT is generally pleasant and ludicrously lovely, it still remains hot and unforgiving which comes as a rude shock to Alpinestars Superbike competitors from southern Australia. Riders employ various methods to keep cool, including ice jackets, ice baths, oscillating fans, and even unconventional approaches like using kiddie wading pools and wheelie bins.

Josh Waters (McMartin Racing) entered round three at Queensland Raceway with a sizeable lead but saw it narrow due to outstanding performances by Penrite Honda’s Troy Herfoss, who displayed his champion-like indefatigability. Waters anticipated difficulties at QLD and focused on minimising losses, with the current points leader doing so with two respectable fourth-place finishes.

Nevertheless, finishing fourth wasn’t desirable, especially with all the main championship contenders ahead of him. Herfoss secured the maximum 51 points while Waters settled for 34, allowing Herfoss to cut the gap in half and firmly putting the pressure back on the #21 ahead of the upcoming round.

However, as a seasoned professional, Waters will put that behind him as the championship heads to Darwin for the winter leg of the competition. Waters boasts an impressive track record in Darwin, having secured a total of seven race wins at the Hidden Valley Raceway previously, with Herfoss and Jones being the closest contenders with two wins each.

Waters, aboard the Ducati, will enjoy the favourable conditions and track, particularly the 1.1KM long main straight and overall layout and will expect domination in the manner of the Sydney Motorsport Park and Phillip Island rounds. Furthermore, the heat shouldn’t bother him much, given his background as a lad from Mildura, and the Ducati has proven its excellence in hot conditions, although fuel economy must be carefully managed.

This round consists of three races with a maximum of 76 championship-affirming points up for grabs. Last year, former McMartin Racing rider Wayne Maxwell missed out on round victory and subsequently lost any chance of securing another championship due to a combination of rider errors and team issues. Valuable lessons were learned, and it is unlikely we will witness a repeat of those problems.

Among the riders likely to challenge Waters,  Yamaha’s Mike Jones will be at the forefront. Jones trails Waters by 56 points and lags 38 points behind Herfoss, making it crucial for him to start closing the gap. Fellow Yamaha man Cru Halliday excels on faster circuits and has experienced a resurgence in 2023, so he won’t go down without putting up a fight. Herfoss, who returned to the podium in Darwin last year, can confidently put to rest any doubts about the circuit being a jinx. With his self-assured demeanour and belief, the Honda rider poses a significant threat.

We cannot forget the likes of Glenn Allerton (GT Racing BMW) and Bryan Staring (MotoGo Yamaha), who in recent years have shown glimpses of race winning speed and strategy, only to narrowly miss out. Allerton stood on the podium once last year while Staring did twice, they’ll be looking to have their BMW M1000RR and Yamaha R1 M in the mix come the chequered flag.

However, the Ducati, under the expert guidance of Craig McMartin, has evolved to its full potential, while 36-year-old Josh Waters, at the peak of his abilities and maturity, makes the McMartin Panigale V4 R an irresistible force.

Indigenous Round

A number of ASBK teams have joined the Indigenous Round theme for this year once again with striking new looks. Penrite Honda, DesmoSport Ducati and MotoGo Yamaha all unveiled their liveries during the week, with more teams to showcase a new look in the coming days, stay tuned to the ASBK social media channels for more.

A proud Western Australian, Bryan Staring and MotoGo Yamaha have teamed up with Perth Artist, Xavier and Marlee Resources to create their livery.

When speaking about the design and it’s significance to him, Staring said, “The design incorporates Kings Park, Swan River and the people in the community. I think that’s a good showcase for Western Australia, but also for the company that’s behind it and the people that were responsible for bringing the artwork together, including Xavier (the artist), it’s a real honour to represent it. It’s close to my heart as I’m a proud Boorloo boy. “

The DesmoSport Ducati squad have also connected with their local region to develop their livery. Telling stories from the Yugambeh Language region (Gold Coast), they have partnered with indigenous artist, Luther Cora to continue telling stories of Aboriginal culture local to the team, and embracing with awe, the oldest living culture in the world.

Once again incorporating artwork from Lorraine White and partnering with the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS) for a charitable cause, the Penrite Honda crew unveiled the Fireblade alongside the Penrite Racing Supercars team in North Melbourne.

“I’m really excited about our indigenous livery this year, it’s always great to unveil a new livery and our team love getting behind the indigenous round,” said Herfoss. “Working with the Penrite Racing Supercars team and having matching liveries is a lot of fun and it’s great to incorporate artwork from Lorraine again this year to produce the liveries, as well as partner again with MITS to raise money for the kids. I think our Fireblade will be the best looking bike on track and I can’t wait to see it out there.”

In partnering with MITS, several auction items will be up for grabs to continue to support its mission, with Honda Australia generously donating a CRF50 stickered up as a Penrite Honda, Herfoss replica. You can find the auction site here.

MotoGP: Bagnaia Returns To Sachsenring In Much Different Position

Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia (1). Photo courtesy Ducati.
Francesco "Pecco" Bagnaia (1). Photo courtesy Ducati.

Bagnaia and Bastianini back on track this weekend for the German GP at the Sachsenring

After a perfect weekend at Mugello that saw Pecco Bagnaia taking victory, pole position, setting the fastest race lap and winning Saturday’s Sprint, the Ducati Lenovo Team is now ready to take to the track again for the German GP. Hosting the seventh round of the 2023 MotoGP season will be the Sachsenring circuit, located in the north of the country a few kilometres from the town of Chemnitz.

Bagnaia, who last year reached his biggest deficit in the Championship at the Sachsenring following a crash (-91 points), arrives this year at the German GP as Championship leader with a 21-point lead over second-placed Marco Bezzecchi (VR46 Racing Team). The reigning World Champion will also try to maintain his momentum in Germany.

On the other side of the garage, teammate Bastianini is 20th in the Championship after he took part in his first race this year in the last Italian GP. The rider from Rimini, who is still not 100% fit, managed to close both the Sprint and the Sunday GP in the top ten, a result which was above expectations considering the long absence he took from racing after the injury in Portimão in mid-March. On the Sachsenring track, which is physically less demanding than Mugello, Bastianini aims to be more competitive.

Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 1st (131 points)

“The weekend at Mugello was really perfect and gave me the right energy to face this race weekend in Germany as well. I know the Tuscan track very well; I’ve lapped there a lot, and that helped me, but the feeling with my Desmosedici allowed me to make a difference. I hope to be able to find these feelings again right away at Sachsenring: the goal will always be the same. To work well from the first sessions and arrive as ready as possible for the Sprint and Sunday’s race.”

Enea Bastianiani (#23, Ducati Lenovo Team) – 20th (8 points)

“I’m glad to be able to get right back on track. The weekend at Mugello turned out to be positive, and even though I struggled a lot in the race, I managed to get a result that I never expected at first. It still takes time to be 100 per cent, but Sachsenring will be less physically demanding than the circuit we raced on last weekend, so I hope to do even better in the German GP.”

Ducati Lenovo Team riders will take to the track for Practice 1 at the Sachsenring track on Friday, 16th June, at 10:45am local time. The Sprint will run over a 15-lap distance on Saturday at 3:00pm, while the German GP will kick off on Sunday at 2:00pm over a distance of 30 laps.

The Loudon Classic: A Pillar Of American Road Racing

Bubba Shobert (67) takes the checkered flag ahead of Dale Quarterley (32) at the 1986 Loudon AMA Superbike race. Call them crude, but the hay bales were a significant step forward in rider safety at the time. Photo by Larry Lawrence.
Bubba Shobert (67) takes the checkered flag ahead of Dale Quarterley (32) at the 1986 Loudon AMA Superbike race. Call them crude, but the hay bales were a significant step forward in rider safety at the time. Photo by Larry Lawrence.

Motorcycle races come and go. Grand Prix racing in the United States, for example, has taken place since World War II in four different locations – Daytona, Laguna, Indianapolis and Austin – with gaps as long as 23 years between Grand Prix events.

Through it all, the Loudon Classic has been there. Since the time of World War I, when motorcycles were barely more than motorized bicycles and paved roads were a novelty, motorcyclists have descended on the New Hampshire Lakes Region for rallies, recreation and racing.

The actual beginning of the race that would become known as the Loudon Classic is shrouded in the mists of history. The first rally in the area took place in 1916, and was (according to Wikipedia) officially recognized in 1923 by the Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM), an organization later to become the American Motorcyclists Association. Part of what the FAM called its Gypsy Tour, the rally was a destination event to promote motorcycling. Now known as Laconia Motorcycle Week, the event “included races, shows and a motorcycle hill climb competition,” Wikipedia states.

Now, one must be clear that the modern concept of an organized race is very, very different than what was happening back then. According to the book Laconia Motorcycle Week, edited by Charlie St. Clair and Jennifer Anderson, “The unorganized motorcycle hill climbs took place on Tower Street off of Lakeside Avenue, while other races took place anywhere they could be managed.” It is easy to see why reliable information about these early races is difficult to come by.

Things got more organized in the 1930s. In 1933, the AMA introduced a new category of racing for street machines, and in 1934 organizers held a 200-mile race on a 3.3-mile track in Swanzey, New Hampshire. The first race to be called the Laconia Classic, the event was won by Babe Tancrede on a Harley-Davidson.

 

Motorcycles parked in the lot at the old Bryar Motorsports Park during the 1986 Loudon National. Photo by Larry Lawrence.
Motorcycles parked in the lot at the old Bryar Motorsports Park during the 1986 Loudon National. Photo by Larry Lawrence.

 

The race was held for a year at Old Orchard Beach, Main, then moved to the Belknap Recreational Area near Laconia in New Hampshire. It was held there until 1963, and during that time the rally grew to become the largest gathering of motorcyclists in the U.S. until its popularity was overtaken by the Sturgis rally in the 1970s.

When the Belknap circuit was closed after the 1963 race, another circuit was created in Loudon, approximately 20 miles away. The Bryar Motorsports Park circuit featured 11 turns in 1.6 miles, and was known for its spectator-friendliness – a fan in the stands could see pretty much the whole circuit. It was during this period that the event became known as the Loudon Classic. It was also known for the, um, unruly behavior of some of those in attendance.

American motorcycling historian Larry Lawrence wrote in a recent article: “Loudon gained a reputation for the wild atmosphere that encompassed the event. Riders camped in the woods surrounding the track, and when the sun went down the craziness began. One particular area of the camping grounds surrounding the track known as ‘Animal Hill’ gained notoriety for its wild happenings, such as car and motorcycle burnings, dirt hill motorcycle drag races, and fireworks fights, sometimes all at once.”

After the 1989 event – won by AMA Superbike Champion Jamie James – the track was closed and the New Hampshire Motor Speedway constructed at the location. It features an oval/road course, but unusually, the road course section of the circuit snakes outside of the oval. Increasing speeds and a lack of runoff room led to the race being removed from the AMA Pro Road Racing calendar – it’s noteworthy that the Classic is run with middleweight machines. Eric Bostrom won the final AMA Superbike race at the facility in 2001.

 

Nicky Richichi (25) leads Randy Renfrow (96) and Rich Schlachter (93) at the Loudon National in 1984. Photo by Larry Lawrence.
Nicky Richichi (25) leads Randy Renfrow (96) and Rich Schlachter (93) at the Loudon National in 1984. Photo by Larry Lawrence.

 

MotoGP: Dorna Previews The Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland

Sachsenring, in Germany. Photo courtesy Michelin.
Sachsenring, in Germany. Photo courtesy Michelin.

Get in the ring! MotoGP™ gears up for a showdown in Germany

The King of the Ring. The reigning Champion on a roll. Binder looking to make up ground… and Martin making his presence felt. Here comes part two of the triple header!

Wednesday, 14 June 2023

Here we go! We’ve packed up and headed north for the Liqui Moly Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, and what a race weekend we have ahead. There are few venues more different to each other than Mugello and the Sachsenring, and there are few riders who have a record like one does on this turf. But King of the Ring Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team), with 11 wins at the track across all classes, arrives from a crash out in Italy that left him frustrated, and with no points yet scored in a Grand Prix race in 2023. His speed, however… we’ve still seen plenty of that. So we have to start there.

THE RETURN OF THE KING?

On pole in Portugal, just missing out at Le Mans and then again in Mugello, with plenty of on-track discussions with his rivals along the way, is some record considering the last few weeks, months and years of Marc Marquez’ life. And he was on the podium in the first ever Tissot Sprint. Does that, and his undefeated record every time he’s raced at the Sachsenring since he won the 125cc race in 2010 by 17 seconds, say the most? Or is the mountain just a little too high in 2023 as we watch both a legendary rider and, crucially, factory pushing to get back to the top? We’re about to find out, and with more than just a sneak peek in the Sprint on Saturday. His “first” comeback saw him take back this crown. His second sees him as ready as ever to put his elbows out and try to repeat the feat.

THE ROAD TO REDEMPTION

12 months on, it’s quite something to look at Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) then and now. Pecco arrives in Germany with a 21-point lead in 2023, having just reigned his home Grand Prix, which is a far, far cry from that record 91-point deficit he faced on Sunday evening at the Sacshenring last season. Then, he crashed out and Quartararo won… and it remains the Frenchman’s most recent victory as 2023 proves a tough season. Can this venue start some sparks of a turnaround for him and Yamaha? And what of teammate Franco Morbidelli, who had some Sunday sass of his own, as he beat El Diablo at Mugello?

But back to Bagnaia. It was some performance on home turf and he added another full house weekend – pole, Sprint win and GP win – to create that gap at the top. Can that form continue at the Sachsenring, a venue with some very different characteristics and, in the era before this, a tougher track for Ducati?

MORE, MORE, MORE

Some left Mugello wanting a whole lot more, and no one more so than Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team). It wasn’t a terrible weekend, with a Sprint podium in second, but it was an expensive one in the standings as he’s now 20 points further back after a tougher Sunday. But despite not quite being able to get in the battle, he kept it calm for some points that may well prove valuable. Can he come out swinging at the Sachsenring?

Meanwhile at KTM, it was a mixed bag at Mugello but the Austrian factory left with some solid points. The kind of points that, in pre-season, looked dreamy, and now seem a little disappointing as Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) gets stuck in near the top of the standings and new teammate Jack Miller continues to show some serious speed only six races in on the RC16. So what have they got for Germany? KTM have a podium at the track and Miller too on different machinery, and he and Binder have solid records here… all of which says they’ll likely be in contention again.

ON THE MOVE

Some big winners at Mugello, even if they might not have quite made it to the top step, were Prima Pramac Racing’s Jorge Martin and Johann Zarco. Both on the GP podium and Martin also visiting the Sprint rostrum, it was a good haul of points and an impressive show of speed. Having also previously been a tough track for Martin, the turnaround is notable – and it’s bumped him up to third in the standings. Zarco, meanwhile, is the only MotoGP™ rider not called Marc Marquez to have started from pole in Germany when the number 93 was on the grid. So that’s a feather in the cap of the Frenchman as he continues gaining some momentum this season too.

Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) also impressed at Mugello. Despite his injured hand, he held on for a solid Sprint result and fought Zarco nearly to the end of the GP race for that podium on Sunday. With a few more days to recover, can he stay in that fight? And it’s a similar question for Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) as he rode through the pain barrier to a more than solid sixth place, and Enea Bastianini (Ducati Lenovo Team) as he returned from injury but is still on the road to full fitness. Still, he was straight back into the top ten.

LOOKING FOR SOME MOMENTUM

Top of the pile here must surely be Alex Marquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP™). He crashed out in the Sprint in a controversial clash with Binder and probably made the biggest splash with that needle-threading Turn 1 encounter on Sunday, but the number 73 actually also deserves a better headline: he’s the only rider who matched Bagnaia on speed as the two set identical fastest laps. The story of Alex Marquez’s year so far is serious pace, a couple of mistakes and a large dash of bad luck, but the latter two don’t cancel out the first and he can’t be counted out of the fight at the front.

Next up? Someone who fought for the podium at the Sachsenring last year: Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing). He just missed out on Q2 on Friday in Italy and it didn’t get better from there, but it most definitely has the potential to. Then there’s Miguel Oliveira (CryptoData RNF MotoGP™ Team), who crashed out in Mugello and will want some solid points despite that shoulder still bothering him, and teammate Raul Fernandez wants to find that Friday form after a tougher time once the lights went out.

Rookie Augusto Fernandez (GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3) retains his record of points every Sunday alongside only Quartararo and Morbidelli, but after that fourth in France, P15 wasn’t the aim in Mugello so he’ll want more. So too will Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), who slipped backwards a little last time out.

Meanwhile, Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) took some points on Sunday but only had Marquez as a reference at Honda, and that will continue in Germany – no mean benchmark. Joan Mir (Repsol Honda Team) will sit the race weekend out and won’t be replaced, and Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) will be sidelined for some time after breaking his leg. LCR also won’t replace him. Jonas Folger, meanwhile, will continue on duty for GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 at the venue where he took his premier class podium.

So that’s the grid. Bagnaia is in the hot seat, Bezzecchi and Binder want to gain some ground back, Martin is on a roll… and still, when you’ve won 11 times at the track and have eight World Championships, Marc Marquez is there to steal a huge chunk of the headlines as we head to the Sachsenring. Previously, the number 93’s longest win drought was the 581 days between Valencia in 2019 and the 2021 German Grand Prix. Since his most recent win in Emilia-Romagna in 2021, it will now be 602. You don’t want to miss this.

SHOWTIME

Friday’s practice sessions decide the automatic entrants to Q2, before the MotoGP™ grid qualify on Saturday morning. The Tissot Sprint is set for lights out at 15:00 on Saturday as ever, and the Grand Prix gets going at 14:00 CEST!

Tissot Sprint: Saturday 15:00 (GMT +2)

Grand Prix Race: Sunday 14:00 (GMT +2)

Moto2™: Arbolino vs Acosta arrives in Germany

If France was one twist, Mugello was another as Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) hit back in style to dominate the Italian GP. But Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), despite a difficult weekend, found more than just a step on race day to take second and a valuable 20 points. That leaves him with a healthy gap at the top of the Championship in tact, so what will Germany bring?

Behind that duo, Jake Dixon (Autosolar GASGAS Aspar Team) was back on the podium and says it’s that first part of the race where he’s got to focus on taking a step forward, and that was true in a different way of another perennial threat at the front: Alonso Lopez (MB Conveyors SpeedUp). He had a coming together with Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team), went off on his first Long Lap attempt and then had to do another… but managed quite a comeback thereafter. Can he iron out that drama in Germany? And can Aron Canet (Pons Wegow Los40) find something more on race day?

Find out on Sunday at 12:15 (GMT +2)!

Moto3™: Can anyone stop Holgado?

Championship leader Daniel Holgado (Red Bull KTM Tech3) put in a convincing performance at Mugello, as if the same hadn’t already been true. But in a five-way fight for the win, the number 96 came out on top once again… so can anyone stop him at the Sachsenring?

Deniz Öncü (Red Bull KTM Ajo) definitely tops the list of those looking to try. He missed out on that win at Mugello by almost nothing and was out-dragged on the straight, a challenge that should be a little smaller for the now-taller rider in Germany. Ayumu Sasaki (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP), now on a consistent run at the front and on the podium in Italy, will also want to threaten, as will Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) as he lost out. Rookie sensation David Alonso (Valresa GASGAS Aspar) will want to keep impressing too, and those who had back of the grid penalties in Germany will be back in the mix…

Tune in for more Moto3™ on Sunday at 11:00 (GMT+2)!

Canadian Superbike: More From Grand Bend Motorplex

No one could come close to Ben Young (1) during Friday afternoon's Superbike qualifying sessions at Grand Bend Motorplex, with the BMW rider half a second clear of the rest of the field. Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK.
Ben Young (1). Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK.

Mixed Results for Young at Grand Bend

Another challenging end to the weekend for Ben Young with mixed results at round two of the Canadian Superbike Championship. Young dominated almost every session across the weekend, taking pole position on Friday, finishing race one with a comfortable lead, and topping all practice sessions. Unfortunately, Young crossed the line in 11th in Sunday’s race after oil on the track caused a crash which took him out of contention for the win.

Young has always proved a strong racer at Grand Bend, and the weekend was no exception. The team (including Steve Weir who had been unable to join them at the track since 2019) got the brand new BMW M 1000 RR absolutely perfect, despite its first visit at the track, and Young put in consistent 1.02s laps, ultimately taking Pole by finishing over half a second faster than the nearest competition.

Saturday brought perfect weather for race one of the weekend. Title rival Dumas got the holeshot but Young passed immediately on the brakes at the end of the back straight on the opening lap to take the lead. He put his head down, completing consistently low 1.03s laps, and taking the new race record with a blistering 1.02.83. Young looked and felt great aboard the Van Dolder Home Team BMW and cruised to a comfortable race win, collecting maximum points for the win and for laps lead.

Drama ensued on Sunday with a sky that threatened rain. Right before the race was due to start, the heavens opened. On the out lap of the delayed race, Young hit oil and crashed out. For the second weekend in a row, he was forced to take a pit stop, this time switching bikes. He rolled back onto the track 3 laps down, put his head down and finished in 11th position. Young continues to show the resilience and grit found in only the best racers.

Young said: “I was lapping the same times as the race winner, and feel confident we’d have had the win in the bag if it weren’t for the oil which put me out along with many other riders throughout the day. Looking onwards to the next race though – there’s a lot of season left.”

The next race will be held at Atlantic Motorsports Park, Shubenacadie, NS on July 20-23rd.

Young’s partners for his 2022 Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship season include; BMW Motorrad Canada, Van Dolder’s Home Team, Scot-build Developments Inc, Parts Canada, HJC Helmets, Alpinestars, Hindle Exhaust, Clearlite, Primitive Patterns, DP Brakes, alphaRacing, Vass Performance Cycle, Cartier Racing and Bickle Racing.

To keep up-to-date on Ben Young throughout the year visit; www.BenYoungRacing.com, www.facebook.com/BenYoungRacing and on Twitter and Instagram: @benyoung_86.

OMRRA: Round Two Race Report From PIR

Photo by Stevenson Foto, courtesy OMRRA.
Oliver Jervis (125) won a race and set a new class lap record on his Zlock Racing Kawasaki ZX-6/5R. Photo by Stevenson Foto, courtesy OMRRA.

Ideal weather conditions led to fast times and lap records as the Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Association (OMRRA) teamed up with the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association (WMRRA) for round 2 of road racing in the Pacific Northwest June 10-11 at Portland International Raceway.

The Money Well Lending Title Championship Open class podium positions were contested by Andy DiBrino, Kevin Pinkstaff, David Kohlstaedt, and Brian Pinkstaff, with DiBrino taking three wins and Pinkstaff one win. Jayson Uribe also made his OMRRA debut and made sure no easy trophies were handed out.

Kohlstaedt and DiBrino also joined in the 600SBK categories as well, with Kohlstaedt taking two wins on a Kawasaki ZX-6R over DiBrino on a KTM 890 Duke, as Alex Taylor came off a recent injury to win both 600 SS races on his Yamaha R6.

Nathan Aldrich, Hannah Johnson, Oliver Jervis, and Jon Campbell all took victories in OMRRA’s fiercely competitive Middle Weight classes, which pits competitors against each other on a wide variety of machinery including Aprilia RS 660s, 690 Kramers, 600s with destroked or disabled cylinders, and Suzuki SV650s. Jervis lowered the Middleweight Superbike chicane lap record to 1:20.491 on the Zlock Racing Kawasaki ZX-6/5R.

Lightweight Twins were shared between Adam Faussett and Todd Eugene on Kawasaki Ninja 400s and Austin McCabe on a KTM RC 390, with McCabe and Faussett under the lap record, eventually settling on a 1:27.284 chicane configuration lap record by Faussett.

McCabe also dominated the ULW category on his Gray Area Racing KTM RC 390, winning all four races and setting the ULWSS chicane lap record at 1:27.763 and 1:27.387 for ULWSS. He shared the podium positions with Nate Abel and Jason Iverson, also on RC 390s.

McCabe used these wins to extend his lead in the MotoCorsa Clubman championship as he races for the 2023 1c plate.

Ryan Henry and Don Williams battled fiercely in Ninja Cup all weekend with very close finishes between the two.

Theis Corneliussen on his Yamaha TZ350 took victory over Perry Lund on a Honda CB750 in the Langlitz Leathers Vintage Cup.

OMRRA wastes no time heading to the next round on June 16-18th at Ridge Motorsports Park hosted by WMRRA.

OMRRA, incorporated in 1972 as a non-profit, volunteer run organization, has members ranging in age from 12 to over 70, racing motorcycles of many brands, sizes and ages. OMRRA operates at Portland International Raceway, a city park and world class track. For more information, visit www.omrra.com and join us at www.facebook.com/omrra.racing and @omrra.pdx on social media.

 

June 10-11 2023 OMRRA Round 2 Results.xlsx - Sheet1

MotoGP: Folger Still Subbing For Pol Espargaro In Germany

Jonas Folger (94). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Jonas Folger (94). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.

GASGAS FACTORY RACING TECH3 IS ALL SET FOR SACHSENRING WITH HOMEBOY JONAS FOLGER

Are you ready to turn left? GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 for sure is, and is already setting up at the Sachsenring in Germany for the Motorrad Grand Prix Deutschland, the second round of June’s MotoGP™ triple-header. Following a rather tricky weekend in Mugello last week, rookie Augusto Fernandez will be keen to travel to a new circuit this week, and will be joined for the fifth time by German Jonas Folger, who will have the biggest pleasure to race again in front of his home crowd at the Sachsenring.

Mugello was not an easy weekend for rookie Augusto Fernandez, but he still managed to be in the points with his fifteenth place on Sunday, meaning that he remains amongst the very few riders of the grid to have scored points in each round this season. The 3.671 km-long layout and its numerous tight corners (ten left and three right) make it one of the slowest tracks of the calendar, and is one circuit from which the GASGAS Tech3 rider will have found memories from, having won the edition in Moto2™ last season with a 7.704 seconds gap on runner-up Pedro Acosta.

Alongside him, Jonas Folger will step in again for GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 with Pol Espargaro still waiting for the green lights from the doctors to return to racing. Jonas will be pleased to be given the opportunity to race again on his home turf, a great honour for the German who will have found memories from the Germany layout, where he took his maiden podium in MotoGP™ in his rookie season back in 2017, taking the second position just 3.310 seconds behind Sachsenring king Marc Marquez.

You are in for a threat again for the second week in a row, with Fernandez aiming to continue his progression and Folger returning to his home turf at the German Grand Prix. The action will start on Friday with Practice 1 at 10:45 local time (GMT+2) for forty-five minutes, which will be followed in the afternoon with Practice 2 at 15:00, for an hour. The first highlights of the week not to miss will be on Saturday with the qualifying sessions starting at 10:50, just shortly after the usual Free Practice. If races at the short Sachsenring are entertaining to watch, wait for the Tissot Sprint at 15:00 on Saturday afternoon, it could be one not to miss out on! Finally, after ten minutes of warm up in the morning, Sunday will see the main race start at 14:00 local time. Let’s get on the gas team!

 

 

Augusto Fernandez

Championship: 14th

Points: 31

“I am looking forward to starting the race week at the Sachsenring, it is a track where I have really good memories from. I won last season in Moto2, and it was one of my best races of the year. For these reasons, I hope that we will have a better time than in Mugello, because it was not an easy weekend. I can’t wait to go there, and continue working with the team.”

 

Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.

Jonas Folger
 

Championship: 21st

Points: 7

“I am really happy to be able to take part to the German Grand Prix. It is a very special place for me, and I hold a very special memory at the Sachsenring with Tech3, because we achieved together the best result of my career in 2017. I think that it will bring me some emotions, but we are fully motivated for this weekend. I am really looking forward to it.”

Nicolas Goyon

Team Manager

“We are now heading to Germany for the second race of June triple-header. Sachsenring is the smallest and the tightest layout of the championship, and is one of the few left hand-side circuits. Having won the race last year in Moto2 with a decent gap, it will be a good circuit for Augusto Fernandez who will have good memories from there. I am sure that he will look forward to adapting with the MotoGP, to show his speed and his ability to learn a new circuit in the category. Pol Espargaro had a medical check on Tuesday, but unfortunately he did not get the green lights from the doctors and still needs a little bit of time to fully recover. The team is a bit sad, because we really hoped that the German GP would be the one, and I know that this is a huge disappointment for him, because he has worked so hard over the last months to be ready. All we can do is continue waiting, and keep supporting him as he sees again his MotoGP comeback being postponed. Jonas Folger will once again join us this weekend, and we really want to thank him for being available to us. He is happy to come back racing in Germany, and he has very good memories here from his 2017 season, so I hope that we have a good weekend together.”

Texan Sanchez Fifth In ESBK PreMoto3 At Estoril

American Mikey Lou Sanchez (55) in action at Estoril. Photo courtesy Sanchez Racing.
American Mikey Lou Sanchez (55) in action at Estoril. Photo courtesy Sanchez Racing.

American Mikey Lou Sanchez finishes 5th in ESBK PreMoto3 at Estoril.

Heading into practice at the fourth round of the ESBK PreMoto3 Championship, 13-year-old Mikey Lou Sanchez saw some rain and mixed conditions at the Estoril Circuit, but the forecast called for dry conditions for Saturday’s qualifying and Race One as well as Sunday’s Race Two. In spite of the forecast, Mikey Lou and the team decided to mount up and ride in a wet session just in case the weather forecasters were wrong. The session went well and Mikey Lou was near the top.

Saturday had clear skies and qualifying was hectic with 32 riders looking to make it to the front of the grid. Mikey Lou improved his times throughout the 25-minute session and ended up ninth on the grid.

In Race One he broke away with the lead group of nine riders. The pace was quick and faster than he qualified with some riders crashing and bringing out a red flag on lap nine of 12. With the race being two thirds completed it was declared a finish with Mikey Lou getting sixth.

In ESBK, the top nine finishers from Race One use their finishing positions as their grid spots for Race Two. So, Mikey Lou started sixth and began charging when the lights went out. During that race, he put in some excellent laps and on lap 11 of 12 he did his fastest lap catching the leaders. On the last lap, he came out of the last turn in fourth position and got drafted at the line and finished a very strong fifth.

“It was a great race and thanks to my team and my guy Caco for all the work and helping me,” said Mikey Lou. “We are going to get ready to improve at Navarra in three months.”

“I’m really proud of this kid. The last couple of laps…the way he charged… I like it. I’m proud,” said Michael Sanchez, Mikey’s father.

The next ESBK round will be on September 16-17 at the Circuito de Navarra.

We would like to thank our sponsors: Roadway Traffic Control, HJC Helmets, Texas Motorcycle Academy, Williams Custom Painting, San Marcos Iron Doors, Moto Liberty, 212 Decals, Southern Adrenaline, Corsa Werks, Shawn Knoche, Ben Fondu, Fred & Maggie Beck, Mark Niemi, Theo Bick, Paul Stamper, Stacy Pawelek

Moto2: Tatay Replaces Skinner For Two Rounds

Carlos Tatay. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.
Carlos Tatay. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.

Rory Skinner will miss the German and Dutch Grands Prix due to injury with Carlos Tatay taking his place.

After being collected by another rider during FP3 in Mugello, Rory will miss the remaining two races of this triple header after subsequent scans in Italy revealed a fracture to the talus bone in his right foot.

European Moto2 race winner and Moto3 podium finisher Carlos Tatay will replace him whilst the Scot recovers with the intention of coming back for his home round at Silverstone.

Rory Skinner #33

I’m obviously gutted to be missing the next two rounds but unfortunately, it’s out of my control. I’m taking all the right steps, moving forward and I’ll be seen by a specialist on Wednesday once I’m home so hopefully, I’ll be back on the right route and on the road to recovery.
 

Carlos Tatay #99

I’m really excited to be back in the World Championship. It’s not the best situation to replace an injured rider, but it’s a really good opportunity for me to keep growing in myself and improving my riding in Moto2. What I need is the KMs on the bike and some hours so being in the World Championship with the best riders in Moto2 is something really good as I can take this experience to my European Moto2 championship this year which is my main goal.

My expectation for these GPs is to keep growing and keep learning. I don’t want to say any position or goal because, in the end, I want to keep improving and enjoying being on track with some really fast riders. It’s really exciting to be back but I need to keep calm for myself because I think I can learn more if I’m like this and keep myself under control.

I want to send my best wishes to Rory for a speedy recovery. I’d end thanks to the American Racing Team for giving me this opportunity as well as Edu and the Pertamina Mandalika SAG Racing Team for believing in me and letting me go to another team for these two races in the World Championship.

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