Valentino Rossi Takes First GT3 Race Win, At Le Mans

David Swarts

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June 13, 2023

Valentino Rossi Takes First GT3 Race Win, At Le Mans

TEAM WRT CLAIMS PODIUM FINISH AT THE CENTENARY OF THE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS TO TAKE CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD

The Centenary edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans was just as thrilling as it had promised to be. It had all the ingredients to make it an epic and unique race, including huge crowds, a terrific show on and off track, race-deciding incidents, suddenly-changing weather, and numerous position changes. Team WRT achieved a fantastic result, with car #41, in the hands of Rui Andrade, Louis Delétraz and Robert Kubica, finishing second in the LMP2 class, and car #31, with Robin Frijns, Sean Gelael and Ferdinand Habsburg taking fifth following an impressive recovery drive.

Misfortunes in the closing stages of the race meant a victory and a double podium finish eluded the Belgian team. Nevertheless, the results are an excellent addition to their points tally in the FIA WEC LMP2 standings, with the two Oreca 07 Gibson of the Belgian squad now in the top six and #41 in the lead by 4 points.

Ahead of the 24 Hours race, Team WRT conquered a double GT3 win in the two races of ‘Road to Le Mans’ with its BMW M4 GT3s, thanks to the duos of Tim Whale and Max Hesse, and Valentino Rossi and Jérôme Policand, in a feat that will be remembered for Vale’s first win in on four wheels.

Team Principal Vincent Vosse summed up: “What a race! At the closing stages, we had two cars fighting for podium finishes, which is already a big achievement. We didn’t manage to win, but we managed to finish second and seize the championship lead. Car #31 had to stop fighting for the podium because of a suspension failure. This meant we couldn’t give Louis and Robert the win they lost in the last lap in 2021, something I really wanted. We can be proud of the team, who did a great job to bring the two cars in the top five, we were probably the only team having a two-car line-up fighting for the podium until 15 minutes from the end. I am very proud of the work of the team and the atmosphere in the team, and we are looking forward to a more successful end of the season and to fight for the win at Le Mans next year.”

As always at Le Mans, the entire week was intense and the various free practice sessions were used to find the best set-ups and balance and perform runs in race pace. In front of very strong competition, car #41 qualified third in the Hyperpole session, while car #31 took P15 on the grid.

The opening hours were rich in incidents, with a long safety car period after the first lap, followed by three slow zones. Robert Kubica took the start in car #41 keeping P3 and taking the lead in the second hour, while Sean Gelael in #31 made a strategic pit stop during the safety car period, to then run in 12^th.

To complicate things, the rain appeared in the east section of the track shortly before the third hour, causing many cars to lose control. Ferdinand Habsburg in #31, rubbed the guardrail, meaning the car had to stop for repairs and losing one lap, while Rui Andrade in #41 was running eighth. Shortly after, the race continued behind the safety car for more than one hour.

The part of the race leading to the eight-hour mark continued to be rich in incidents, yellow periods, with the rain appearing again, but the Team WRT cars avoided the chaos and continued climbing positions, with Louis Delétraz taking the lead, in #41, at the beginning of the sixth hour.

At mid-race, car #41 was second and car #31 16^th, before another extended safety car period. With full daylight during hour 17, car #41 with Rui Andrade at the wheel was provisionally in the lead once again, with Sean Gelael in car #31 in 13th position. Both cars continued to charge and reduce gaps ahead.

Four hours from the end, car #41 was second in full fight for the win, having minimised the gap to 16 seconds, Car #31 completed a sensational comeback to fifth.

The last hours saw a superb close fight. Car #41, with Louis Delétraz at the wheel in the closing stages, got within seven seconds of the leading car, but eventually crossed the line in second. Similarly, car #41, with Robin Frijns at the wheel, climbed up to third, but eventually finishing fifth, after a suspension failure fifteen minutes from the end.

Rui Andrade: “There is a little bit of a bitter-sweet taste, as we all thought we could win this one. Eventually, it didn’t go our way, but it’s Le Mans and it was a crazy race that many cars didn’t finish. We survived the worst part, led for some time. At the end, we take very good points and the lead in the standings. Everybody did a great job and now we look forward to Monza, we are strong and need to keep the momentum.”

Robert Kubica: “Finishing second such a difficult and long race is always a little bit disappointing, especially when it’s the second time in a row. The first part of the race was very tricky, and the last 10 hours very intense, trying to put pressure on the Inter Europol car, but they seemed to be in a league on their own. As a Pole, I want to congratulate them for the great result. With regard to us, we have to be happy to have taken the lead in the standings and we need to stay focus as we go to Monza.”

Louis Delétraz: “I am very proud of what we achieved, as a team and as drivers. Of course, the result is a little bit disappointing, we need to understand how and why we were beaten, but on the positive side, we did a great job and took a lot of points.”

Ferdinand Habsburg: “In Le Mans you always learn a new lesson, and I never thought ‘not giving up’ would ever give such rewards. I crashed in the rain, was completely out of control on slick tyres, I feel responsible as I was in the car. We lost a lap there, but sticking with it, believing in the car and in the team, we came back from last, unbelievable. It was really a cool and fun race, always pushing, but unfortunate a damper failure at the end barred us from the podium.”

Robin Frijns: “I missed the test day because I was coming back from Jakarta’s Formula E race. In free practice 1 I crashed and we lost running time, then in qualifying we had low engine power and were unlucky with the red flags, so we qualified poorly. The beginning of the race was ok, although it was a roller-coaster race, then some rain hit strongly, we had some damage when the car went off-track, we lost one lap that we kept hunting for during the entire race. We managed to be quite strong at the end of the race, we got P3 into the last hour, that was the target, but then the damper failed and dropped back to P5.”

Sean Gelael: “It’s tough to finish fifth, to have been in the top three and have the podium taken away in the last 10 minutes, after all we fought since free practice. But I hope we showed character and strength. And, besides that, what an amazing event!”

FIA WEC Round 4 – 24 Heures du Mans, France, 10-11 June 2023

Race Result (LMP2)

1. Costa-Scherer-Smiechowski (Oreca 07 Gibson) 328 laps

2. Andrade-Delétraz-Kubica (Oreca 07 Gibson) +21s015

3. Jani-Binder-Pino (Oreca 07 Gibson) + 1 lap

4. Milesi-Vaxivière-Canal (Oreca 07 Gibson) + 1 lap

5. Frijns-Gelael-Habsburg (Oreca 07 Gibson) + 1 lap

DOUBLE WIN FOR TEAM WRT AT ‘ROAD TO LE MANS’

It was a particularly successful Road to Le Mans for Team WRT, who won both races in the GT3 class, signing off with a 1-2 in race two. The support race, open to LMP3 and GT3 cars and part of the Michelin Le Mans Cup, attracted this year 38 entrants. The two BMW M4 GT3s of Team WRT were in the hands of Valentino Rossi and Jérôme Policand, and Tim Whale and Max Hesse.

Hesse and Rossi graced the first row for race one, which was rich in incidents since the opening lap. This handicapped Rossi and Policand, whose car was pushed from behind in the Dunlop chicane, to eventually finish 13^th, while Hesse and Whale were able to avoid all trouble to take a resounding win.

Pole position was secured also for race two, thanks to Policand, and both cars made a perfect race, always fighting at the front, to seize another win and a one-two, with Rossi crossing the line ahead of Hesse. The moment was particularly sweet for Vale, who celebrated his first win in GT3 racing and commented: “I am very happy about this first win with BMW. This race has been a great experience, in view of taking part in the 24 Hours next year. We had a very good pace since the beginning of the weekend, we were unlucky in Race 1, but Race 2 was perfect. Jérôme did a great job in qualifying and in the first stint, and I had a good pace in my stint, doing also some overtakes. I am very happy. Wow!”

MotoGP: Mir Will Miss German Grand Prix

David Swarts

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June 13, 2023

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Sachsenring calls Marquez and the Repsol Honda Team, Mir continues recovery

Marc Marquez aims for better results at historically happy hunting ground at the Sachsenring, a circuit where he has taken 11 wins in his last 11 appearances there.

Since 2010, the Repsol Honda Team have claimed 11 wins at the unique Sachsenring circuit. The German track’s 3.67 kilometres are unlike any others on the MotoGP World Championship calendar, an undulating rollercoaster of predominately left-hand bends. From 2013 onwards, Marc Marquez has been the ‘SachsenKing’ and authored a number of incredible results in Germany – most recently in 2021 when he took an emotional first win after his 2020 injury.

The #93 enters the weekend with the same focus and determination as each year before but the challenge in MotoGP only continues to grow. Mugello proved to be a difficult weekend for the Repsol Honda Team and Marquez, a crash in Sunday’s race a frustrating end. From one of the calendar’s fastest circuits to one of its slowest and most technical, the change in circuit layout an interesting proposition as Honda HRC continue to work on improving the Honda RC213V.

Upon returning home, Joan Mir underwent an MRI at the Centre d’Imatge Diagnostica de la Dra. Cuesta in Andorra. It revealed a significant contusion on his right hand with synovial fluid and inflammation, limiting the strength and mobility of his right hand. Taking into consideration the results of the MRI, Mir will not participate in the German GP. He will travel to Palma to visit his trusted traumatologist, Dr. Juan Garcias, to evaluate the best treatment and recovery plan of the injury to his right hand, in order to return as soon as possible. He will not be replaced for the German GP.

Marc Marquez

“When you have a difficult weekend the best thing that can happen is to go racing straight away – and this is exactly what we get to do. We arrive in Sachsenring, a track I have always enjoyed a lot and had a lot of success at. Of course, I arrive wanting to do well, my focus and determination is at 100% like always. There will be many challengers this year and we need to work well from the start of the weekend to prepare for Saturday and Sunday and keep working with Honda to improve.”

100th Loudon Classic: Shane Narbonne – The King Of The Classic

David Swarts

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June 13, 2023

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100th Loudon Classic: Shane Narbonne – The King Of The Classic

“I ride pretty much anything with two wheels,” Shane Narbonne says, and that simple sentence is the epitome of an understatement.

Narbonne, 33, of Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, has road raced a 125cc GP machine, a turbocharged Harley-Davidson Road Glide, and two motorcycles don’t get much more dissimilar than that.

But that range of experience, combined with local knowledge of one of the toughest tracks in North America, has earned him more wins than anyone else at the Loudon Classic. The centerpiece of the racing at Laconia Motorcycle Week, this year’s event is billed as the 100th running of the Classic. It is a uniquely challenging race that Narbonne has won 10 times, more than any other racer.

Narbonne has raced flat track since 1997, has raced on ice, raced motocross, race Supermoto. He got into road racing at an early age in 2005.

“Do you remember the Hooters racing team? I was good friends with the guy who ran it,” Narbonne says. “He used to run track days up at Loudon, and he would let me ride during the lunch break, because I was only 15 years old and insurance wouldn’t cover me.

“I started racing at Loudon. I had a (Honda) RS125. I think it was a 1990–the same year as myself. My first win–it was right off the bat. I think I won all four championships I was in that year.”

Narbonne raced several classes in AMA Pro Road Racing, including Superbike, Supersport, and Formula Xtreme. He moved into the Pro ranks in 2006 when he and father Al went to Virginia International Raceway for a club race and met up with the Safety First Racing team, who he rode for that year.

Narbonne has raced for the factory Triumph team, did his own private Superbike program, rode for the storied Celtic Racing squad, and ran a Harley-Davidson XR1200 for two seasons. Narbonne also was Champion in the Bagger Racing League, riding a turbocharged 1,753cc Road Glide. The breadth of his experience defies description.

But a lot of talented racers have ridden a lot of machines. Narbonne brings to the Classic local knowledge on a track that poses challenges unlike most circuits in North America. The circuit uses part of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway oval, traces part of the route scribed by the old Bryar Motorsports Park track, and packs 12 turns into 1.63 miles.

“It’s pretty intimidating if you’ve never been there. It’s definitely tight, but there’re so many elevation changes. The track surface is not the greatest, and the tires do act a lot different than they act at any other circuit I’ve been on. The tire wear is quite different than at other tracks that we race at,” Narbonne says. How tight is it? The Classic features middleweight machines, and Narbonne says he never gets into sixth gear on his Yamaha YZF-R6.

Shane Narbonne (64) started doing track days at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2005 and has raced the unique 1.63-mile circuit since, accumulating a wealth of track knowledge. Photo by San Draiss, courtesy NEMRR.

This year, the Classic will run over 25 laps instead of the usual 20, and those five extra laps will indeed make a difference, Narbonne says. “It’s not a sprint,” he says.

But Narbonne has been racing the Classic–and at Loudon/New Hampshire–since 2006, and he’s learned a lot from countless laps against highly skilled competitors.

“That was where I grew up road racing. And the people I look up to, Eric Wood, Scott Greenwood, Jerry Wood, I spent so much time chasing them, and they taught me so much,” Narbonne says. “I’ve been doing the Classic since 2006, so I have a lot of experience. It’s a one-of-a-kind race–there’s no other race like it.”

MRA: Chewning And Rayburn Elected To Vacant Board Positions

David Swarts

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June 13, 2023

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MRA: Chewning And Rayburn Elected To Vacant Board Positions

Rayburn & Chewning Elected to Race Director & Rider Rep. Press and Communications

Denver, CO – The Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) held a special election on July 2^nd to fill two vacant board positions and help ensure a successful 50^th Anniversary Season. Former Race Director John McKown resigned just before the start of the season, and Tim David, former Rider Representative for Press and Communications, stepped down right after the first round so he could focus on ensuring the success of the MRA selling Dunlop tires trackside for 2023.

Katie Rayburn, with over 10 years experience on the MRA Safety Crew, was the only candidate for Race Director, and Codey Chewning, who started racing with the MRA in 2019 was the only candidate for the Rider Rep. position. Despite both candidates running unopposed, the MRA decided to run the election to completion, and approximately one-third of the membership voted via secure electronic ballot. The positions were filled just in time for the MRA’s second race event of the season

The MRA would like to thank High Plains Raceway (HPR) for their assistance with corner staffing during the club’s first race event of the season, May 6-5, at HPR, helping ensure a successful event while Rayburn was acting Race Director.

The Motorcycle Roadracing Association is dedicated to promoting safe and competitive motorcycle road racing events for enthusiasts in Colorado and the surrounding area. For more information go to http://www.mra-racing.org/.

Video: “Agony To Ecstasy” Episode Four: Barber Motorsports Park

David Swarts

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June 13, 2023

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Video: “Agony To Ecstasy” Episode Four: Barber Motorsports Park

Follow The WagBar MP13 Racing, Team Owner Melissa Paris, and young riders Aiden Sneed and Kayla Yaakov as they take on the 2023 MotoAmerica motorcycle racing season.

In Episode Four, The WagBar MP13 Racing welcomes Yaakov back from injury for her career-first MotoAmerica Twins Cup races and Sneed continues to race his Yamaha YZF-R3 against all the Kawasaki Ninja 400s and the lone KTM RC 390 R in MotoAmerica Junior Cup, at Barber Motorsports Park.

N2/WERA National Endurance: Army Of Darkness Takes Overall Win At CMP

David Swarts

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June 12, 2023

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N2/WERA National Endurance: Army Of Darkness Takes Overall Win At CMP

Army Of Darkness (AOD) Returns to Form With Overall And Heavyweight Class Wins at the WERA/N2 National Endurance Race by Dunlop at Carolinas Motorsports Park

Veteran AOD riders Cody Wyman and Ben Walters were joined by Hunter Dunham to pilot Gaijin, the AOD Yamaha YZF R1, to a convincing victory at CMP.

Equipped with dual-compound development-spec rear Dunlop tires, AOD qualified on pole, led the race from the first lap, and finished the race with a 3 lap lead.

AOD Crew Member Melissa Berkoff opined: “The oiled track crash from Road Atlanta was a good reminder to the team of the butterfly effect on race results. We came to CMP with a plan to really focus on our basics and try to put in a really clean race. Cody, Ben, and Hunter made that easy because they were all the fastest riders on the track, and the dual-compound Dunlop tires allowed us to stay consistent on lap times to the bottom of the tank. The rear tires we used were Super Soft on the left and Hard on the right to match the demands of the track. We even set a new team record for a pit stop of fuel and rear tire in 16 seconds! It was great to incorporate Hunter into the riding roster, Ben was riding better than ever, and Cody is on a whole new level.”

“I can’t say enough about the passion and talent of this pit crew,” Wyman said on the podium. “The whole team is made up of racers and track day riders and they know all the details matter. They work so hard to keep refining the bike from performance to maintenance to ergonomics that it allowed Ben, Hunter and I to just focus on the track and the tire feel. Those development Dunlops were unreal. In the fourth hour of the race we had built up a pretty comfortable lead so I was playing with dragging my elbow, with the huge tank, on the single front tire. It was just a perfect day at the track and I’m looking forward to the next one.”

(From left) Hunter Dunham, Chris Manfrin, Tim Gooding, Sam Fleming, Melissa Berkoff, Anthony Consorte, YT Lechner, Ben Walters, and Cody Wyman pose with Gaijin, the victorious and long suffering Yamaha R1. Photo courtesy Army of Darkness.

With the overall victory, Army Of Darkness has taken the overall championship point lead and extended their Heavyweight Class points lead.

The series continues at Roebling Road Raceway on July 15th.

AOD is sponsored by: Army of Darkness, Dunlop, Yamaha Champions Riding School, Yamaha, Industry 13, Woodcraft, Hindle, Supersprox, Thermosman, N2, WERA, Roadracing World.

Moto2: SDK Endures “Toughest Weekend Of The Season” At Mugello

David Swarts

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June 12, 2023

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Moto2: SDK Endures “Toughest Weekend Of The Season” At Mugello

A bruising weekend in Mugello for the American Racing Team as early contact hindered Sean Dylan Kelly’s race whilst Rory Skinner was forced to sit out due to injury.

It was a difficult start to Sean’s weekend in Mugello as he suffered from an arm problem early in the first session. Despite his physical issue, he improved on by two seconds across the practices to finish combined 22nd.

Two big moments hindered Sean’s qualifying, dropping him away from the group he was riding with and preventing him from improving on his time, putting him 23rd on the grid for the ItalianGP.

As the lights went out for the 19-lap race, Sean suffered early contact with another rider, sending him wide. The American then had to take avoiding action for a crash ahead of him, putting him to the back of the field.

Latching onto the group ahead of him, Sean began a race-long battle with Lorenzo Dalla Porta as the duo chopped and changed positions.

With crashes throughout, it was a race of attrition with Sean crossing the finish line in 19th place.

Rory had an egg-beater of a first visit to the iconic Tuscan circuit as he crashed at turn 14 during second practice, bringing out the red flag with 25 minutes remaining and damaging his right ankle.

The Scot powered through to put in eight laps in the final practice before Jeremy Alcoba tucked the front of his machine, taking himself and Rory into the gravel at turn two. After a check at the medical centre, Rory and the team opted for him to withdraw for the remainder of the weekend ahead of the two remaining races of the triple header.

Sean Dylan Kelly #4

That was probably the toughest weekend of the season so far. It was extra difficult because I had some high expectations of myself just because of the way we were coming along and the way that we finished Le Mans, but we know that sometimes racing goes the way it goes.

We started off on the back foot on Friday, I had a lot of physical issues and honestly, I felt like I didn’t really get my first laps until Saturday, so I was playing a little bit of catch-up and because of that, I didn’t really qualify where I wanted to be even though the lap time was getting better.

Sean Dylan Kelly (4) leads Lorenzo Dalla Porta (19) and Taiga Hada (23) at Mugello. Photo courtesy American Racing Team.

For the race, it was not great. On my first lap, I had big contact with another rider and went wide then got caught in that crash right in front of me. Luckily, I didn’t go down but that put me dead last out of the first corner and then after that I was able to pass a few guys but I just got stuck with the wrong people and wasn’t able to set my own pace and so I’m just pretty pissed off right now.

I’m really happy that it’s just a few days away to be able to turn this around as I’m really looking forward to Germany and I just want to say sorry to the team because I’m not happy with my performance and we need to change this around and bring some results in the next two rounds.

Rory Skinner #33

It’s not been a great weekend really. I enjoyed the laps I did during the Mugello track, and I’ve started to feel more and more comfortable, but things didn’t really go to plan in FP2, I had a small moment which resulted in a pretty big crash, but I appreciate the boys getting the bike rebuilt after basically it being totalled.

FP3, I was quite hurt, I did some ligament damage to my right foot, so we were just trying to see where we were at as it was a whole new bike that the boys had to build for me, so I was adjusting to that as well. I kind of got the pace towards where we were yesterday, finishing off yesterday and, it didn’t feel too bad, it was quite sore but then another rider just got a bit impatient for no real reason and wiped me clean out. Unfortunately, that put me out for the remainder of the weekend.

Rory Skinner (33). Photo courtesy American Racing Team.

I’ve got bleeding within three of the bones on my right ankle, so I’ve got quite a lot of pain which isn’t ideal but hopefully, we are ready for Sachsenring, but we’ll have to wait and see.

100th Loudon Classic Bets On Attracting Top Talent

David Swarts

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June 12, 2023

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100th Loudon Classic Bets On Attracting Top Talent

Promoting The 100th Loudon Classic: “We’ve Definitely Attracted Some Of The Best Talent In The U.S….”

by Michael Gougis

John Grush remembers the heyday of the Loudon Classic, when the race was one of the most popular in the U.S., when the racing was just part of the attraction, when one wandered into the spectator area nicknamed “Animal Hill” at one’s peril, when spectators lined the streets leading to the circuit just to watch the motorcycles, the motorcyclists and the associated antics.

“All the way to the track, it would be lined with people on both sides of the street watching the show. And it was a show!” Grush says.

Now as Executive Director of NorthEast Motorcycle Road Racing (NEMRR), Grush is working hard to bring the Loudon Classic back to the forefront.

“We’re trying hard to get the interest back,” Grush says. “We’ve definitely attracted some of the best talent in the U.S. We’re re-introducing the sport to people who aren’t aware of the history of the sport.”

NEMRR Executive Director John Grush (left) with Series Director Noelle Doucette (right). Photo by Sam Draiss, courtesy NEMRR.

This year’s running of the Loudon Classic is billed as the 100th annual running of the event. There are other big numbers associated with the race, especially the purse – $250,000, with $55,000 going to the winner, making it the richest road race in the U.S. this year. And there are big names, too – legendary tuner Eraldo Ferracci will serve as Grand Marshal for the event.

Loudon and the New England area play a key role in the lineage of motorcycling and motorcycle racing in the U.S. And for Grush, the 100th running of the race is an opportunity to help promote the sport he first got involved with 40 years ago.

“I started racing in 1983, and my first track was Bryar (Motorsport Park),” Grush says. “I had a Honda Interceptor 750. It (Bryar) was definitely designed as a motorcycle track. It was flowy, and the surface had character – there were bumps and track conditions that you had to learn. We raced in both directions. Twice a year, the races there were called Noduol – Loudon spelled backward.” It was the site of Grush’s best AMA Superbike finish, 11th, not entirely unexpected given that the tight, demanding and unique 1.6-mile circuit tended to give the local racers an edge when the National races rolled around.

Nearly as famous as the racing was the accompanying rally, the camping, and the madness that rustic environs tended to fuel. But those days were to come to an end, to a large extent, when Bryar was closed after the 1989 AMA National. The track surface and the surrounding facilities had deteriorated, and the entire site was redeveloped into the modern New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which features a NASCAR-friendly 1.058-mile oval. Grush got back into the sport in 2011, drove into NHMS and “I thought I’d driven into the wrong place,” he said.

When track management decided that it no longer wanted to play a role in promoting motorcycle road racing at the venue, Grush and Eric Wood at the Penguin Racing School were approached to gauge their interest in continuing one of the longest-running racing traditions in the country.

“I was heavily involved with Penguin, and Eric Wood and I knew each other very well,” said Grush. “We were approached by the track, which wanted to – well, they said, either you take this over or this goes away. So Eric and I looked at each other and said, I guess we’re doing this.

“The first year, Eric and I did this together (as NorthEast Motorcycle Road Racing) and after that, we talked and said there needed to be a clear separation between NEMRR and Penguin Racing School. We still work closely together, and we have an incredible friendship together, but it just made sense to separate the two entities.

“The Classic has lost some of its shine, once the AMA stopped coming. But we’ve tried to modernize it, and it definitely has a club family feel again.”

Club feel it may have on most weekends of NEMRR racing, but the Classic – and its purse – have definitely drawn higher-profile entrants. MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport competitors Team Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati and Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki are expected to be on hand. The entry list includes four-time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes, two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch, former AMA Superbike Champion Josh Herrin and a host of local fast racers, including Eric Wood, Scott Greenwood and 10-time Classic winner Shane Narbonne.

Grush is still racing at the age of 63, and is still a fan of the challenging circuit, built to incorporate the NASCAR oval and parts of the old Bryar layout. He races a Yamaha YZF-R6 destroked to 565cc, but even on such a nimble little razor of a bike, racing at the circuit is a challenge, physically and mentally.

“It’s a NASCAR track, but when we go out onto the back part of the circuit, there’s definitely a lot of elevation change. They kept the bowl turn for what it was from the Bryar track,” Grush says. “When I first started riding, I didn’t like it at all. It’s a very demanding track. There’s a lot of character because of the bumps. There are some pretty good transitions. It’s a busy, technical track. For me, the hardest part of coming back to racing there was – concentrating for eight laps was exhausting!”

WorldSBK: Ducati Schedules Two-Day MotoGP Test For Bautista

David Swarts

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June 12, 2023

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WorldSBK: Ducati Schedules Two-Day MotoGP Test For Bautista

DATES CONFIRMED: Bautista to test Ducati MotoGP™ bike at Misano in June

The reigning World Superbike Champion will have a test on a MotoGP™ bike in Italy on the 20th and 21st June

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will take advantage of the break in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship to complete a two-day test at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” with the Ducati MotoGP™ bike. The test will take place on June 20th and 21st at the venue where Bautista claimed a hat-trick of wins in WorldSBK as he enjoys an outing on the Desmosedici GP machine.

Bautista has been talking about completing a test with the MotoGP™ machine after winning the WorldSBK title last year and he is currently on top of the standings in 2023 with 14 wins in the first 15 races this year. However, with a three-weekend break between the Emilia-Romagna and UK Rounds, Bautista will swap his Panigale V4 R machine for the Desmosedici GP bike across a two-day test at Misano, running as part of the Aruba.it Racing team that competed at the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello last weekend with Michele Pirro.

Misano has been a happy hunting ground for Bautista in WorldSBK on Ducati machinery with three wins in 2023 and two more in 2022. He also claimed a podium finish there in 2019 in Race 1 on his first race with Ducati at Misano in WorldSBK, as well as winning the Tissot Superpole Race on Sunday morning. With so much knowledge of the track already, both from WorldSBK and MotoGP™, as well as a lot of success there in recent times, Bautista will be able enjoy the test to the fullest.

While the test will take place in June, there has been speculation about a potential wildcard for Bautista as part of the programme although nothing has been confirmed by the team, manufacturer or the rider. Discussing a potential wildcard in MotoGP™, Bautista said in a feature interview: “After I won the World Championship in WorldSBK, I asked Ducati to have a test with the MotoGP™ bike because, from the outside, it seems like a really fun bike. We will do the test very soon. I don’t do the test with an intention to do a wildcard. I’d like to do the test and let’s see what happens. I don’t think there’s a lot of chance to repeat what Troy Bayliss did in 2006. It was another time and it was different. At the moment, in my mind, it’s only the World Superbike Championship. I just take the test like a prize and don’t think about Troy Bayliss.”

With the dates now confirmed for the test, plans are in place to cover Bautista’s return to MotoGP™ machinery. There will be a team on the ground at Misano to produce footage of Bautista on track and in the box across both days, while there will also be interviews conducted at Misano to get instant thoughts about the test and much more from Bautista’s test. There will also be pictures of the test for you to see incredible images of Bautista back in MotoGP™ machinery.

Follow the two-day test on WorldSBK.com and follow more action from WorldSBK in 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Canadian Superbike: Race Two Results From Grand Bend

David Swarts

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June 11, 2023

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Canadian Superbike: Race Two Results From Grand Bend

Pro Superbike - Race 2 (Sunday)

More, from a press release issued by CSBK:

Dumas conquers crash-filled race two in mixed conditions at Grand Bend

Grand Bend, ON – Just as the gap began to close atop the GP Bikes Pro Superbike series, Alex Dumas made sure to blow the doors right off it.

The championship leader again mastered a damp track on Sunday, winning in dominant fashion to close out the second round of the Bridgestone Canadian Superbike Championship at the Grand Bend Motorplex, presented by Goderich Toyota.

While it was a full-wet showing in round one for Dumas, this time he conquered the feature class in mixed conditions, avoiding the chaos in a crash-filled race two that forced many stars into costly errors – including reigning champion and title rival Ben Young.

Attempting to navigate a tricky surface on his ‘B’ rain bike, Young didn’t even make the start after crashing on the warmup lap, remounting to enter the pits and hop onto his dry ‘A’ bike.

As for the on-track action, it initially looked as though Dumas could come under threat from another Suzuki as Trevor Daley got a rocket launch, closing quickly on the 2021 title winner as he eyed his first career Pro Superbike victory.

However, Daley’s charge appeared to be over after a fast crash in the final turn, the last time anyone would even be close to Dumas as he began to stretch out a massive lead – at one point as large as 27 seconds – scoring a decisive third victory in four races.

As for Young, the Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW rider would rejoin three laps down and salvage a lonely eleventh-place finish (thanks in large part to retirements ahead of him), watching as Dumas’ title advantage ballooned to a staggering 36 points.

“I actually felt really good out there. I knew someone was with me at the start, but I was able to put my head down and manage the gap to the end,” Dumas said. “It sucks for Ben, but it’s huge points for the championship.”

The Purple Skull Brewing/Liqui Moly Suzuki rider will still have work to do with seven races remaining on the calendar, though he has put Young on the backfoot in thus far the most emphatic fashion during their rivalry, albeit helped by bad luck for the two-time feature class champion.

As for the chaos behind Dumas, absolutely no order looked set in stone during the 20-lap battle, with eight different riders running in podium places at some point in the race.

In the end, though, it was local star Chris Pletsch who managed to outlast the drama, picking up his first career pro national Superbike podium in just his second start and making his Stratford Cycle Centre machine the first Honda on the rostrum since 2015.

One of the top riders in the SOAR regional series at Grand Bend, Pletsch couldn’t commit to a return in round three on the east coast, though he certainly demanded enough attention with his performance on Sunday.

“I’m so happy. All weekend I was looking forward to the rain, even though it’s my first time in the rain on a Superbike,” Pletsch said. “It’s quite the hike out east, so we’ll see about the future, but for now it’s awesome to represent all the SOAR guys on the podium.”

Pletsch’s runner-up spot rapidly came under fire in the final moments, however, as Trevor Dion began to reel in his SOAR friend and rival – followed closely by an amazingly hard-charging Daley.

Dion would hold onto the final podium spot, his first aboard the LDS Consultants Kawasaki, as the rookie finally managed to put some of his own luck behind him.

“I knew someone was coming on strong behind me, but I didn’t know who, I was just so focused on catching Chris,” Dion said. “The gap was getting smaller and I was in a bit of a rhythm, but I was happy to just bring home the podium for the team, especially after the injuries in round one.”

Sunday's Superbike Race Two podium (from left): Second-place finisher Chris Pletsch, race winner Alex Dumas, and Trevor Dion in third. Photo by Rob O'Brien, courtesy CSBK. — Sunday’s Superbike Race Two podium (from left): Second-place finisher Chris Pletsch, race winner Alex Dumas, and Trevor Dion in third. Photo by Rob O’Brien, courtesy CSBK.

While he just missed out on the podium by 0.073 seconds at the line, Daley was unquestionably the story of the race, mounting one of the greatest single-race comebacks in CSBK history.

The OneSpeed Suzuki rider was seemingly out of it after crashing chasing Dumas, but remounted and quickly carved his way through the pack, recovering a crucial fourth-place result for both himself and Suzuki as he climbs to within a single point of third overall and helps his brand to a 28-point lead atop the Constructors Championship.

The misfortune continued for BMW, as the trio of Suzuki, Honda, and Kawasaki on the podium means the Motorrad brand will miss the rostrum for the first time since Calgary in 2010 – a streak of 88 consecutive races.

Sam Guerin would be the top BMW in fifth, briefly running in third before fading back mid-race in the tricky conditions, though he escapes with a one-point advantage over Daley in the fight for third in the championship aboard his EFC Group machine.

Jordan Royds did his best to help limit the damage for BMW as well by finishing sixth on his IBEW machine, at one point fighting for his first career pro national podium before ceding position to Daley and Guerin.

John Fraser would complete the top-seven aboard his RLS Contracting Suzuki, moving to within a single point of the Brooklin Cycle Racing Pro Rookie of the Year lead behind Acme Motorsports Yamaha’s Paul Macdonell, who finished ninth (SCM/Tanians BMW rider Phillip Leckie would split them in eighth).

Amongst the notable retirements were Tomas Casas, who looked set for a career-best second place finish aboard his Parts Canada Yamaha before crashing and remounting to take tenth, and LDS Consultants Kawasaki veteran Jordan Szoke, who was forced out with a shifting failure after running in the podium fight on lap one.

The GP Bikes Pro Superbike class will now get a month to recover before returning to the east coast at Atlantic Motorsport Park for round three, July 20-23, where Young swept both halves of the doubleheader in 2022 – something he will now need to do again as he hunts down Dumas.

Full results from the feature category can be found on the series’ official website at csbk.ca.

Valentino Rossi Takes First GT3 Race Win, At Le Mans

June 13, 2023

https://www.roadracingworld.com/news/motogp-mir-will-miss-german-grand-prix/ — Valentino Rossi driving his BMW to victory at Le Mans. Photo courtesy VR46 Racing.