Yamaha Champions Riding School Releases Partial 2023 Schedule

David Swarts

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November 1, 2022

Yamaha Champions Riding School Releases Partial 2023 Schedule

Yamaha Champions Riding School Announces Partial 2023 Schedule

Garysburg, NC – October 2023 – Yamaha Champions Riding School, the premier riding school in North America, is proud to announce the partial 2023 schedule featuring events in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Washington state. This is a partial schedule release with several more dates to be added in the next few weeks. In all, the 2023 ChampSchool schedule will consist of more than 30 events including 2-Day ChampSchool, ChampStreet, ChampGrad, and Racer Only curriculums. Significant “early bird” discounts are available for all schools up to 60 days before the events and most schools sell out weeks in advance.

“We pushed hard to get our 2023 partial schedule out because of incredible demand,” CEO Nick Ienatsch explains. “We keep our classes small because we feel that riding must be taught specifically and individually, but we filled all of our classes in 2022 with incredibly long wait lists! We have added several new events, changed up some programs, and we include our new Champ U online curriculum with every in-person school purchase. Thanks to all riders for their interest; see what events fit your schedule and let’s ride together in 2023.”

Miami Vice

The first event of the year might be the best event of the year! Yamaha Champions Riding School is going to Homestead-Miami Speedway for what has turned into our annual four-day moto-vacation extravaganza! ChampSchool has partnered with N2 Track Days for four days of fun in the sun. Thursday and Friday January 19 – 20 will feature our 2-Day ChampSchool, and ChampStreet programs.

N2 Track Days will be holding a track day event on Saturday and Sunday, January 21 -22. Track-prepared rental bikes will be available from Bike Pass Motorsports, Track Bike Rentals, and BobbleHeadMoto. Street-based rentals will be available from ChampSchool and our new partners at Eagle Rider. 2-Day ChampSchool students will also have the opportunity to get “third-day” private coaching from Kyle Wyman, Ben Walters, Chris Peris, Eziah Davis, Stefano Mesa, Robertino Pretri and others at the N2 Event. Call the boss and take vacation time now. This event will sell out.

Winter Motorsports

ChampSchool’s traditional winter home is Inde Motorsports Ranch in Willcox, AZ. Inde is a gearhead’s dream with 75,000 sf of beautiful facilities, a five-acre skid pad, and an amazing, freshly-repaved, 21-turn road course. We will be holding traditional 2-Day ChampSchool events at Inde on February 20 – 21 as well as adding ChampStreet to the program.

On March 20th – 21st, we will hold our “Racer Only” school. This event will NOT include our normal 2-Day curriculum, but will focus specifically on racing, race craft, training, nutrition, sponsorship, and racing as a business…taught by a who’s-who of American road racing.

We will be back at Inde for a “Graduate Only” event on May 9th – 10th, open to any ChampSchool grad regardless of speed or riding venue.

The next ChampSchool at Inde will be on October 9th and 10th followed by Grad schools on November 28th and 29th. Inde is the perfect destination to improve your skills while your friends are shoveling snow. Private “third-day” coaching is available from Chris Peris at most Inde Motorsports Ranch events. Yamaha motorcycles are available to rent at all Inde events for a true “arrive and ride” experience.

California Love

ChampSchool loves California and California loves ChampSchool. How do we know? Simple: every event in CA sells out! YCRS is returning to California for up to six events in 2022. We can only tease a few at this time though. We can confirm events at the repaved Streets of Willow on March 31st – April 1st, as well as November 13th – 14th. Don’t worry, California. We have plenty more to announce in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

The Great State of Texas: Pre-MotoGP

We have had years of requests to come to Texas and we finally made it happen last year. The event sold out and all we heard about was more events in Texas, so we will be back with two events in 2023. We will roll in to Cresson MotorSports Ranch just outside of Dallas/Ft. Worth for a 2-Day ChampSchool program on April 11th – 12th. This is the Tuesday/Wednesday prior to MotoGP at COTA. Come ride with us at this very fun track and then take the 3.5-hour trip to COTA to watch the best in the world. We will return to Cresson on September 5th and 6th.

Big news! We will be bringing our ChampStreet program to both events in Texas.

Illinois: Mid-West Sunshine

We have a massive mid-west following who have traveled all over the country to ride with us, and now we are finally coming to them. On August 7th and 8th, we will be holding a 2-Day ChampSchool program at beautiful Autobahn Country Club just outside of Chicago. New for 2023 will be the addition of our ChampStreet program. This is an amazing facility at the perfect time of year.

The Carolinas

Big news! We have moved the ChampSchool East Coast home base to Garysburg, NC, to the North Carolina Center for Automotive Research (NC-CAR, a.k.a. NCBike)! We are celebrating by holding a six-day event for our housewarming party.

Our first event of the year will be a big one. We will kick things off with 2-Day ChampSchool on Thursday/Friday April 27th and 28th. We are partnering with N2 for private lessons and Grad programs on April 29th and 30th. After all that fun, we will hold our first East Coast Racers Only school on Monday/Tuesday, May 1st, and May 2nd. It’s going to be a blast, national #1s will be coaching.

We will return to NCBike for an almost identical program Thursday/Friday October 19th and 20th, followed by an N2 Track Day with private lessons on October 21st and 22nd, then a Grad Only event on Monday/Tuesday Oct 23rd – 24th. Stay tuned for at least one more Southeast date in 2023.

Mile High in Colorado

ChampSchool is coming back to Colorado on Memorial Day weekend at High Plains Raceway Saturday May 27th – Sunday May 28th. This event will feature our 1-day ChampStreet program and our full 2-Day ChampSchool. This event will sell out and will have limited rental availability, so prep your bike and come ride with our team that includes six-time MRA #1 plate holder Ryan Burke and class champions like Michael Applehans and Joe Clark.

Pacific Northwest

ChampSchool is back with a full program at Ridge Motorsports Park in June. “The Ridge” is the premier road course facility in Washington state and ChampSchool is excited about returning for our sixth straight year. The event will be held on the Tuesday/Wednesday after the MotoAmerica weekend. Watch the pros race on the weekend and then learn from the same riders during the week.

Northeast: PittRace and NJMP

The Northeast will have four events in 2023. Pittsburgh International Race Complex (PittRace) is hands down one of the best tracks in the country. PittRace will be the epicenter of motorcycle track riding in mid-August with our 2-day event in the center. The N2 National Endurance and WERA Sprint racing will start the week off with ChampSchool next on Monday August 14th and Tuesday August 15th.

The best riders in the country (and several of your instructors) will be next as MotoAmerica moves in August 18th – 20th.

We have a long history at New Jersey Motorsports Park and will host three events on May 16th – 17th, June 19th – 20th, and September 26th – 27th. With more than 45 million people within a couple hour’s drive of the famous south Jersey track, NJMP is an extremely popular facility and a ton of fun. All three events this year will be on the Thunderbolt course and feature our 2-Day ChampSchool and a pair of 1-day ChampStreet programs.

Stay Tuned for More

The 2023 Yamaha Champions Riding School schedule will continue to expand with new events being added throughout the rest of the year. Check back often at www.champschool.com for the latest info.

January 19 – 20, 2023 – Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

February 20 – 21, 2023 – Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

March 20 – 21, 2023 – Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ (Racers Only)

March 31 – April 1 2023 – Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

April 11 – 12, 2023 MotorSports Ranch, Cresson, TX (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

April 27 – 28, 2023 NCBike, Garysburg, NC (ChampSchool)

May 1 – 2, 2023 NCBike, Garysburg, NC (Racers Only)

May 9 – 10, 2023 – Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ (Grad)

May 16 – 17, 2023 – New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

May 27 -28, 2023 – High Plains Raceway, Deer Trail, CO (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

June 19 – 20, 2023 – New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

June 27 – 28, 2023 – Ridge Motorsports Park, Shelton, WA. (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

August 7 – 8, 2023 Autobahn Country Club, Joliet, IL (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

August 14 – 15, 2023 – Pittsburg International Race Complex, Wampum, PA (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

Sept 5-6, 2023 – MotorSports Ranch, Cresson, TX (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

September 26 – 27, 2023 – New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, NJ (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

October 9-10 11 – 12, 2023 – Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ (Retail) (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

October 19 – 20, 2023 – NCBike, Garysburg, NC (ChampSchool)

October 23 – 24, 2023 – NCBike, Garysburg, NC (Grad)

November 13 – 14, 2023 – Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA (ChampSchool and ChampStreet)

November 28-29, 2023 – Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ (Grad)

About Yamaha Champions Riding School:

Yamaha Champions Riding School (ChampSchool) is the nation’s premier motorcycle training program. ChampSchool is the evolution of the Freddie Spencer High-Performance Riding School and is led by racer, author, and former right-hand man of Spencer, Nick Ienatsch. ChampSchool uses “Champions Habits” to teach all riders the skills and techniques used by the top riders in the world to go faster safer, while concentrating on the way in which modern motorcycles are designed to be ridden. ChampSchool is dedicated to making all motorcycle riders safer and more in control of their riding, no matter what type of riding they do. For more information visit www.champschool.com

Yamaha Champions Riding School is proudly sponsored by: Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dunlop Motorcycle Tires, Dainese, Omnediem, Arai Helmets, YamaLube, GYTR, Chatterbox, GB Racing, ModOp, Chickenhawk Tire Warmers, Techspec, Payless Rental Cars, Core Moto and N2 Track Days.

More Information:

Yamaha Champions Riding School – www.champschool.com

855-RIDEYCRS

Lucas Oil Moving Corporate HQ Out Of California, 93 Losing Jobs

David Swarts

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November 1, 2022

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Lucas Oil Moving Corporate HQ Out Of California, 93 Losing Jobs

After 33 years in business in Southern California, Lucas Oil Products is closing its corporate headquarters and West Coast production facility located in Corona and consolidating operations at its facilities in Indiana, according to an October 17 article in the Press Enterprise newspaper.

Lucas Oil Products is also relocating its wholly owned MAVTV cable network from Corona, California to Indiana.

As a result of the move, 93 people working for Lucas Oil Products and MAVTV in California will lose their jobs beginning November 28, 2022. The move is expected to take two months to complete.

Lucas Oil Products founder Forrest Lucas, an independent over-the-road truck driver at the time, started developing his products in the 1980s to enhance the performance and durability of his trucks and their lubricants. Knowing his products worked, Lucas started marketing them from truck stop to truck stop and over time built up a thriving business that was initially based in Chino, California. Lucas Oil Products then moved to Corona in 1995.

Lucas Oil Products’ corporate headquarters will move to an existing location in Indianapolis and the company’s primary production facility will remain in Corydon, Indiana.

Indiana is Lucas’ home state.

Other corporations that have moved their corporate headquarters and various operations out of California in recent years include Apple, Hewlett Packard, Nissan, Oracle, Tesla, Toyota, and Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., to name a few.

To read more about how Forrest Lucas founded and built up Lucas Oil Products, grab an August 2011 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology or view the PDF copies of that article below.

Shops Lucas Oil Products

MotoGP: Bastianini Aiming For P3 In The World Championship

David Swarts

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November 1, 2022

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MotoGP: Bastianini Aiming For P3 In The World Championship

VALENCIA THE LAST CHAPTER FOR THE TOP-3 BATTLE

#ValenciaGP preview. There is a lot still in play for the final round of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship, with Enea Bastianini in contention for third overall. After Sepang’s excellent podium, the rider #23 is only one point away from Aleix Espargaró, who is ahead of him in the standings.

After clinching the 2022 Best Independent Rider title thanks to an impressive tally of wins and podiums – an achievement that was one of the many highlights of Gresini Racing’s incredible MotoGP return season – Bastianini will now try to secure also the world championship top three: he will only need to score one point more than the #41 of Aprilia Racing.

The Ricardo Tormo Circuit is a favourable one for ‘Bestia’, who also did well last year in his MotoGP debut (8th) even though he is yet to step on the Valencian podium – his best result is a fourth place in 2016, Moto3 class):

The season finale will represent an important round also for Fabio Di Giannantonio, who wants to wrap up his MotoGP rookie season with a smile after several ups and downs. The #49 was on the podium there last year in his final Moto2 race before the jump to MotoGP.

ENEA BASTIANINI #23 (4th in the championship standings with 211 points)

“This will be my last race with team Gresini and I will try to celebrate it the best way possible. It will surely be a complex race, with many competitive riders… We’re on a roll and we know our potential, so we’ll try to do well and finish in the world championship top-three.”

FABIO DI GIANNANTONIO #49 (20th in the championship standings with 23 points)

“A challenging season is about to end, but we’re not giving up at all. We’ll try to have a good weekend before diving into testing with the new bike. Our head is already focused on 2023, but we also want to be back in the points on a track that I like and where I’ve always done well.”

Where To Ride In November: Track Days, Schools, And Races

David Swarts

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November 1, 2022

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Where To Ride In November: Track Days, Schools, And Races

The following track days, riding schools, and racing events are scheduled by organizations based in the United States and Canada during November 2022.

Motorcycle track days, riding schools, and races are posted under the Event Calendar tab on the home page of this website, or you can access the Event Calendar for November 2022 directly by clicking HERE.

Once on the Event Calendar page, you can search for the event you are looking for by its date.

When you click on the event you want to attend you will find a link to the website and/or email address of the host organization, a link to the website of the host venue, the physical address of the host venue, a Google map to the host venue, and buttons to add the event and its information to your calendar application.

To have your motorcycle racing or riding event added to the Event Calendar on this website and published in the print edition of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine, submit your calendar and contact information via the contact page on this website or by clicking HERE.

11/3-4 South Florida MiniGP (SFLminiGP) Rider Development Days (sub-400cc), Jennings GP, Jennings, FL

11/5 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Learn To Ride Off-Road Course)

11/5 Sandy Hook Mini Moto Road Race Series (Minis), Sandy Hook Speedway, Street, MD

11/5 SoCal Supermoto School, Adams Motorsport Park, Riverside, CA

11/5 South Florida MiniGP (SFLminiGP) Rider Development Days (Minis), Bushnell Motorsports Park, Bushnell, FL

11/5-6 Cornerspin School: Roadracing In The Dirt (Dirt Track School), Cornerspin Facility, Spencer, NC

11/5-6 Evolve GT School and Track Days, NCBIKE, Garysburg, NC

11/5-6 Evolve GT School and Track Days, Polecat Training Center, Fayetteville, TN

11/5-6 Fun Track Dayz, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

11/5-6 SoCal Track Days, Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Desert Center, CA

11/5-6 South Florida MiniGP (SFLminiGP) Series (Minis), Bushnell Motorsports Park, Bushnell, FL

11/5-6 Southern Track Days, Jennings GP, Jennings, FL

11/5-6 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, AL

11/5-6 Racers Edge Track Days and Private Coaching Days, Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Desert Center, CA

11/5-6 Track Day Winner Track Days, NOLA Motorsports Park, Avondale, LA

11/5-6 TrackXperience Track Days, Spring Mountain Motorsports Resort, Pahrump, NV

11/5-7 JP43 Training School, Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Desert Center, CA

11/6 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Off-Road Challenge Course)

11/6 Superbike-Coach Corp. (Schools), Little 99 Raceway, Stockton, CA

11/7 Let’s Ride Track Days, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow, CA

11/10-11 Yamaha Champions Riding School, Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA

11/11 2 Wheels Track Days, Willow Springs International Raceway, Rosamond, CA

11/11 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Private Training Day)

11/11-12 American Supercamp (Dirt Track School), City of Industry, CA

11/12 SoCal Supermoto School, Adams Motorsport Park, Riverside, CA

11/12-13 ASMA Series, Arroyo Seco Raceway, Deming, NM

11/12-13 Carters@thetrack Track Days, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

11/12-13 Cornerspin School: Roadracing In The Dirt (Dirt Track School), Cornerspin Facility, Spencer, NC

11/12-13 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Fun Camp)

11/13 Superbike-Coach Corp. (Schools), Little 99 Raceway, Stockton, CA

11/13 XCEL Trackdays Track Days, Arizona Motorsports Park, Litchfield Park, AZ

11/13-14 American Supercamp (Dirt Track School), City of Industry, CA

11/13-14 HART Rider Training/Motorcycle Lapping Days, Hallett Motor Racing Circuit, Hallett, OK

11/14 3:16 Trackdays/America Superbike Camp, Harris Hill Raceway, San Marcos, TX

11/15-16 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (POST Motorcycle Officer Update Course)

11/16-17 Yamaha Champions Riding School, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, FL

11/18 Ed Bargy Advanced Riding and Racing School, Roebling Road Raceway, Bloomingdale, GA

11/19 SoCal Supermoto School, Adams Motorsport Park, Riverside, CA

11/19-20 California Superbike School, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV

11/19-20 Cornerspin School: Roadracing In The Dirt (Dirt Track School), Cornerspin Facility, Spencer, NC

11/19-20 Rich Oliver’s Mystery School (Dirt Track School), Prather, CA (Advanced Kids Ride and Wrench Camp)

11/19-20 SportbikeTrack Time Track Days, Carolina Motorsports Park, Kershaw, SC

11/19-20 Track Day Winner Track Days, Jennings GP, Jennings, FL

11/19-20 WERA Sportsman Series Atlantic Coastal/Southeast Region, Roebling Road Raceway, Bloomingdale, GA

11/20 DRRO Track Days and Road Race School, Arizona Motorsports Park, Litchfield Park, AZ

11/20 Florida Trackdays, Palm Beach International Raceway, Jupiter, FL

11/20 John Long’s Longevity Racing School, Palm Beach International Raceway, Jupiter, FL

11/20 Superbike-Coach Corp. (Schools), Little 99 Raceway, Stockton, CA

11/21 SoCal Supermoto School, Adams Motorsport Park, Riverside, CA

11/21-22 California Superbike School, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, NV

11/26 Classic Track Day, Streets of Willow, Rosamond, CA

11/26 SoCal Supermoto School, Adams Motorsport Park, Riverside, CA

11/26-27 Apex Assassins Track Days, Las Vegas Classic Course, Las Vegas, NV

11/26-27 Fastrack Riders Academy & Apex Club Track Days & School, Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, CA

11/26-27 FunTrack Dayz, Thunderhill Raceway Park, Willows, CA

11/26-27 N2 Track Days, Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, AL

11/26-27 Racers Edge Track Days and Private Coaching Days, Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Desert Center, CA

11/26-27 RideSmart Motorcycle School, Circuit of The Americas, Austin, TX

11/26-27 Sportbike Track Time Track Days, Talladega Gran Prix Raceway, Munford, AL

11/26-27 TrackDaz Track Days, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, Buttonwillow, CA

11/26-27 TrackXperience Track Days, Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Desert Center, CA

11/26-28 Jennings GP Track Days, Jennings GP, Jennings, FL

11/29-30 Yamaha Champions Riding School, Inde Motorsports Ranch, Willcox, AZ

11/30-12/1 JP43 Training School, Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Desert Center, CA

11/30-12/1 Racers Edge Track Days and Private Coaching Days, Chuckwalla Valley Raceway, Desert Center, CA

WorldSBK: Weight A Minute: Not This Again…

David Swarts

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October 31, 2022

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WorldSBK: Weight A Minute: Not This Again…

FIRST PERSON/OPINION:

By Michael Gougis

Former MotoGP racer and World Champion Dani Pedrosa must be laughing at the World Superbike riders complaining that smaller riders (specifically, one Alvaro Bautista) have an advantage because of their size and that the rules have to be changed to accommodate heavier riders. To make things “fair” in the world of WorldSBK, they claim.

And all I can think is, not this again!

Pedrosa, for those of you with short memories, is a little guy. When I interviewed him at Laguna Seca, he barely came to my chin. I have a dog that’s nearly the same weight as Dani. When the beast of a MotoGP machine he raced got out of shape, he was not able to wrestle it back into submission as bigger, stronger riders could. And that meant a career of tens of broken bones and hundreds of stitches, not to mention the missed opportunities for the MotoGP World Championship due to injury.

“There’s no doubt why he’s broken his body so much, even with little crashes,” MotoGP veteran Jack Miller told Roadracing World MotoGP Editor Mat Oxley in 2018, when Pedrosa announced his retirement. “Whenever he has a crash the bike always flicks him into the air because the bike’s so much bigger than him.”

Somehow, Pedrosa finessed his Honda MotoGP machines to 31 wins across 11 seasons. That’s fourth among the riders who competed only in the MotoGP class. But the big prize, the MotoGP World Championship, always eluded him.

Ask Pedrosa how much of an advantage being small is.

The combined bike-rider minimum weight issue has arisen again in WorldSBK, where Alvaro Bautista is on the verge of his first Superbike World Championship. Technical Director Scott Smart is reported to have said that he is in favor of the idea.

Under current WorldSBK rules, the Yamaha YZF-R1 is allowed to rev to 14,950. The Honda CBR1000RR-R to 15,600. The BMW is allowed more chassis adjustments than the Yamaha. Garrett Gerloff (31) weighs seven pounds less than Xavi Vierge (97). Will WorldSBK now force Yamaha to add weight? Photo by Michael Gougis.

This proposal comes up when two things are happening in any given series.

The first is that a rider who is a lightweight is winning. The second is that the riders he is beating are popular. Every time Valentino Rossi’s results started to dip, cries would emerge for a combined bike-rider minimum weight in MotoGP. Anything to get the sport’s most popular rider back to the front of the field, it seemed.

Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu are two incredibly popular riders in the WorldSBK paddock. Rea’s overall skills are beyond question – he has the ability to get the most out of a machine that has been hamstrung by the current regulations. Former British Superbike Champion and three-time Suzuka 8-Hours winner Alex Lowes is on the same machine as Rea, and this year it’s 24-2 in terms of podiums, advantage Rea over Lowes. And Toprak’s intense, locked-front-wheel, airborne-real-wheel corner entries have earned him a legion of fans as well.

So when they are getting beaten on a semi-regular basis by Bautista, well, the cry for a combined rider-machine minimum weight was pretty much inevitable.

BMW is allowed a 15,500 rpm rev ceiling to Yamaha's 14,950 and will be allowed greater chassis adjustments. Photo by Michael Gougis. — BMW is allowed a 15,500 rpm rev ceiling to Yamaha’s 14,950 and will be allowed greater chassis adjustments. Photo by Michael Gougis.

The reasons for not doing it are pretty easy to understand:

– Nobody thinks a combined rider-machine minimum weight is needed for “fairness” when the lightweight rider isn’t winning. You didn’t hear any of this during the two years Bautista was on the factory Honda and struggling to get a handful of podiums!

– Lighter riders have less muscle. And getting a Superbike around a track for a full race distance at winning pace takes muscle. I interviewed Chaz Davies a few years ago and we discussed the difference between riding the Ducati he was racing in WorldSBK and the Kawasaki that Rea was using to rack up Championships. It came down to this: Each could turn similar times over one lap. But the Ducati was so much harder to ride that Davies would inevitably make tiny mistakes over race distance. And Rea didn’t. Strength is a part of this game, and bigger riders have more of it.

– Minimum rider-machine weight restrictions ignore the difference in results between two riders on the same machine. Ducati’s Axel Bassani weighs 20 pounds less than Razgatlioglu. Yamaha’s Razgatlioglu has far more wins and podiums. Does that mean the minimum rider-machine weight for Yamaha should be more than that of the Ducati?

The list could go on.

Full disclosure: As a former racer, competition-leveling measures rub me the wrong way. Some are acceptable when they are applied to the whole field. I get the need for spec rubber, for example. Rules are the same for everyone.

But I was one of those who objected to different rev limits for Superbike, and it remains painful to watch the Kawasakis fall behind on the straights because of the restrictions placed on the ZX-10RR’s engine performance.

And combined rider-machine weights won’t be the same for everyone, because due to differences in human beings, the machines will weigh different amounts.

And worst, minimum rider-machine weights will be determined in a manner that is most detrimental to those performing the best. Racing should celebrate those who are doing well, not punish them.

Look, let’s get down to it: For much of the Superbike audience, the wrong rider is winning. If Bautista were from Wales, we’d hear a lot less about this issue. So why don’t we admit that what we’re trying to do is prevent a specific rider from winning and simply adopt anti-Bautista measures, such as:

– Nationality. Spanish riders get a three-place grid penalty.

– Hair: Braided hair, 10 seconds added to final race time.

– Tattoos: Anything visible above the neckline of zipped race leathers, drop one place. This will affect Scott Redding, too, so we might have to take a more sophisticated approach.

Anyone with all three must start from pit lane.

WorldSBK already has two competition-leveling measures in place. Rev limits for almost all machines are different. There are now “super-concessions” that allow manufacturers who aren’t winning to make adjustments to their machines that the manufacturers of winning bikes can’t make. All of these individually make sense in some ways.

The problem is that the more differences in the rules for different machines, the less it looks like leveling the playing field and the more it looks like managing the results.

Right now, the rules give the BMW a higher rev limit and more chassis adjustments than the Kawasaki, for example. The Honda gets even more revs and the increased chassis adjustments. The Ducati has higher revs still but fewer chassis adjustments. No two makes on the grid have the same rev limits, and several will have different rules on chassis modifications. Adding a minimum rider-machine weight limit means that – very literally – no two machines on the grid will be built to the same rules.

If the Ducati really is too strong, knock some revs off. Better, give the Kawasaki the revs it should have had. Or hey, crazy idea, same rev limit, same weight, same adjustability for everyone!

But don’t penalize a 16-time Grand Prix winner, a 125cc World Champion, for being smaller than the average human being. To do so minimizes and denigrates the man’s skill at doing something incredibly difficult with an immense level of success.

Instead, perhaps we recognize that while his stature may give him some advantages, it’s not a golden ticket to the top of the podium.

MotoGP: World Championship Will Be Decided At Valencia

David Swarts

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October 31, 2022

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MotoGP: World Championship Will Be Decided At Valencia

#TheDecider: It all comes down to this

Pecco vs Fabio, Ducati vs Yamaha: this is the final showdown

Monday, 31 October 2022

And so it begins. The final weekend of the season. The decider: two riders, one crown, and an incredible year of ups, downs, thrills, spills, wins and defeats. 23 points split challenger Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) from incumbent Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™), and for the crowd watching on that makes it an easy enough equation: the only thing Quartararo can do is win. If he doesn’t, Bagnaia need not even finish, such is his advantage, but this is motorcycle racing. It ain’t over till the chequered flag waves (ask 2006.)

In the red corner, Bagnaia has a stunning seven wins and has overcome a deficit of 91 points to sit 23 clear. He’s broken more than a few records and stands to become the first Ducati rider to take the crown in 15 years – something that would also see the Bologna factory complete the Triple Crown of Constructors’, Teams’ and Riders’ titles. He won at Valencia last year on a historic day for Ducati too as they locked out the podium, so the track will not be an unwelcome venue for the decider. But that was then, and this is now – with history beckoning with open arms. No longer the chaser, Bagnaia is now the rider in the hot seat.

In the blue corner, Quartararo’s year has largely been a study in consistency. Few mistakes, some impressive victories and, until late on, the sole Yamaha scoring constructor points every weekend speak to an incredible achievement of a season. A tough Thai GP and then another nil points in Australia seemed to see the tide turn, but El Diablo wasn’t done. As Sepang staged the first match point for his opponent, Quartararo pulled out a much-needed podium for his final stand, and stand he did as the fight rolls on. Valencia would likely not be his venue of choice, but for Yamaha it’s been a solid one… so with zero pressure now the weight of expectation has shifted to Bagnaia, can Quartararo come out swinging?

The decider, however, does not exist in a vacuum. It exists on a grid of the fastest riders and machinery in the world, all of whom have their own targets to hit and glory to chase. Some of whom also have loyalties. With history on the line for Ducati, the message is, as a bare minimum: do not get anywhere close to being the reason for a last-minute heartbreak. And that message goes out to a third of the grid: Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team), Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™), Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing), Jorge Martin (Prima Pramac Racing), Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), Luca Marini (Mooney VR46 Racing Team) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (Gresini Racing MotoGP™).

Some, like Zarco, have already said they’ve made sure to keep risk under control. Some, like Martin, have said it’s not much to do with him, for which read, most probably, “I’ll make up my own mind”. Miller has already been a team and constructor hero, as well as a teammate pep talker to get Bagnaia feeling confident in the wet. Bastianini, meanwhile, remains staring at the camera with the hint of a smile and an eyebrow raised, leaving many wondering how the Italian will take on the decider.

Ducati, for their part, have been vocal about having sent out no team or constructor orders before this point in the battle. Bagnaia has also stated he wants to win on track, not by order from above. And amid all the talk willfully eager to create months of Borgo Panigale factory puppeteering, the results actually do speak to the riders being able to #GoFree: Miller’s wins and podiums ahead of Pecco, Bastianini’s challengers for his compatriot. The order to not jeopardise history in the making may simply prove another way of saying: “Don’t do anything silly”, and that’s just common sense. We’ll find out on Sunday…

For Quartararo, meanwhile, the allies have been a little further back this season. Teammate Franco Morbidelli (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) showed a step forward at Sepang in terms of pace though, and he has known glory at the track before. But what about the rest of the field? Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) is now out the fight and looking for much more as the paddock returns to Europe, as is teammate Maverick Viñales, and Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) isn’t even mathematically out the fight for a place in the top five overall this season, such is the South African’s record of Sunday heroics and consistency.

There are plenty more names with little to lose in engaging full attack mode, too – as well as those facing their own last tangos in 2022. Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) and teammate Joan Mir, the latter a winner at Valencia, will want to leave the Hamamatsu factory on a high. Cal Crutchlow (WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP™) will be stepping down from competition once again, as rookie teammate Darryn Binder also prepares for a last dance on the way to Moto2™. Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) heads from Honda to try a Ducati, and Pol Espargaro (Repsol Honda Team) switches back to Austrian machinery. Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) sets sail for WorldSBK as teammate Raul Fernandez switches factory, and Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) kisses goodbye to KTM. Miller does the same to Ducati, too, and it speaks well of the Australian that that’s not become a headline ahead of such a pivotal weekend for Borgo Panigale.

Last but not least, we didn’t forget him. And the rest of the grid, the protagonists of #TheDecider and the fans in the stands shouldn’t, either. Ahead of every anti-clockwise track, the Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) klaxon must be sounded. It’s a requirement given the number 93’s incredible record. And it may have been a long, tough time of late to get that glory back, but Marquez already has a pole and a podium since his return – a return where time is on his side as every new race and week adds a little more strength to his recovery. Can the eight-time World Champion steal the headlines this weekend? It would be quite a gauntlet to throw down ahead of 2023, where Marquez has his eyes set on more than just the occasional prize.

You don’t want to miss this! #TheDecider rolls into town from Thursday as festivities begin, with Friday first touch and Saturday then deciding the grid for a pivotal showdown. Tune in to see that raced into the history books from 14:00 (GMT +1) on Sunday as the lights go out for the final time in 2022, ahead of a new era for the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship. Will it be a new era under a new Champion? We’re about to find out…

MotoGP™ CHAMPIONSHIP: THE CONTENDERS

1 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 258

2 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – 235

Moto2 World Championship point leader Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.

Fernandez vs Ogura: there can only be one

The Moto2™ World Championship is on the line, with two contenders fighting it out for one crown

At the time, the crash in Australia for Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) felt pivotal. But fast forward to the final lap at Sepang and Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) definitely upstaged the Spaniard in ways he will likely still be ruing. And so we arrive into the final round with Fernandez’ name pencilled on the trophy instead, with the number 37 9.5 points clear with 25 still up for grabs.

Both have had incredible seasons and would be deserving of the crown, but that’s not how it will work once the lights go out. There can only be one, and here’s how each can get it done:

FERNANDEZ

He finishes on the podium

He finishes P4 or P5, and Ogura doesn’t win

He finishes P6, P7, P8 or P9, and Ogura doesn’t finish better than P3

He finishes P10, P11 or P12, and Ogura doesn’t finish on the podium

He finishes P13 or P14, and Ogura doesn’t finish better than P5

He finishes P15, and Ogura doesn’t finish better than P6

He fails to score any points, and Ogura doesn’t finish better than P7

OGURA

He wins and Fernandez doesn’t finish on the podium

He finishes P2 and Fernandez doesn’t finish better than P6

He finishes P3 and Fernandez doesn’t finish better than P10

He finishes P4 and Fernandez doesn’t finish better than P13

He finishes P5 and Fernandez doesn’t finish better than P15

He finishes P6 and Fernandez fails to score any points

Add in the likes of Alonso Lopez (Beta Tools Speed Up), on the hunt to keep his lead in the Rookie of the Year standings, wrap up that title and win another race, vs Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Ajo) looking to fight back, Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) searching for that maiden intermediate class win, Jake Dixon (Inde GASGAS Aspar Team) the same and Tony Arbolino (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team) on a roll… you definitely want to tune in on Sunday at 12:20 (GMT +1) for the final Moto2™ showdown of the season!

Moto2™ CHAMPIONSHIP: THE CONTENDERS

1 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – 251.5

2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 242

Moto3 World Championship racers in action. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Moto3™: Garcia heads the fight for silver onto home turf

There’s still plenty on the line in the fight for the runner up spot in 2022

Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) has one last chance to sign of 2022 with a win ahead of new adventures next season, but the fight for second is primed to try and get in his way. Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) leads it as it stands, and wouldn’t you know it, the Circuit Ricardo Tormo is something of a special track for the number 11. From junior categories to the World Championship, it’s a place he’s created some serious glory.

Still, Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) is in touching distance to try and make a final stand, whereas Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) more depends on what happens around him to see where his final position is for the year. The Japanese rider has been the most consistent, alongside Guevara, for some time, however – and anything can happen in Moto3™.

Before a new chapter for many, tune in to watch 2022 go out in style in Valencia as Moto3™ go racing at 11:00 GMT +1)!

Moto3™ CHAMPIONSHIP: THE FIGHT FOR RUNNER UP

1 Izan Guevara (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 294

2 Sergio Garcia (Valresa GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 241

3 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – 233

4 Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Husqvarna Max) – Husqvarna – 227

JuniorGP World Championship: Race Results From Valencia

David Swarts

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October 30, 2022

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JuniorGP World Championship: Race Results From Valencia

Editorial Notes:

Scroll down for the full race results. The PDF for each of the races has several pages. Use the scroll and zoom tools in the bottom left corner of the PDF view to better see all of the results. To see the final class Championship point standings, go here.

AGR Team’s Canadian rider Torin Collins finished 17th and 20th in JuniorGP Race One and Race Two, respectively.

American Maxwell Toth, riding his MMR Kalex, qualified 19th for the combined Moto2/Stock (600) but he crashed in a two-bike incident in Turn Two on the opening lap and DNF. Toth was seen walking away from the crash.

American Kristian Daniel, Jr., riding his IGAX Team Honda, finished fourth in the European Talent Cup Last Chance Qualifier race on Saturday, but that was not enough for him to make it onto the 30-rider grid for the main event on Sunday.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

New Champions, new winners: JuniorGP™ makes history in Valencia

The 25th season of creating Champions has come to an end with new names making history at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit

In what was a day full of records, the 2022 Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship came to a dramatic close at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain. Whilst two titles were decided in previous rounds for the JuniorGP™ and the Moto2™ European Championship, the Hawkers European Talent Cup and Stock Moto2™ European Championship both had final round showdowns. Two new race winners took the honours in JuniorGP™ with David Salvador (Laglisse Academy) and David Almansa (Finetwork Mir Racing Team), whilst it was Lukas Tulovic (Liqui Moly Intact GP Junior Team) and Casey O’Gorman (VisionTrack Academy Racing) on top in Moto2™ ECh and Hawkers ETC.

The final round of the JuniorGP™ season welcomed two races, and Race 1 was superb. Polesitter Collin Veijer (AGR Team) hoped to convert his third pole of 2022, but he had plenty of company from the start. Jose Antonio Rueda (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0), David Alonso (Aspar Junior Team), Facundo Llambias (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0), David Salvador, and Harrison Voight (SIC 58) all chased the Dutchman in the early stages, whilst from the seventh row due to penalties, Filippo Farioli (Aspar Junior Team) and David Almansa came through the order into the lead group. However, in the closing stages, Llambias crashed out at Turn 2, only for Almansa to follow suit at the same corner a few laps later – Almansa highsiding but walking away. On the last lap, a four-way fight saw Salvador move from third to first with a bold move at the last corner. Alonso attempted the same but got it wrong, tagging Salvador before crashing out, costing Rueda crucial time. In a run to the line, Salvador held on for one of the closest finishes of all-time, pipping Veijer by 0.002s, with Farioli third.

Race 2 was also dramatic from the start with a battle between Veijer and Rueda, including an early-race collision at Turn 3, although both stayed upright. In the mix from the start was Luca Lunetta (AC Racing Team), as well as familiar faces Farioli, Almansa, Voight and Alberto Ferrandez (Finetwork Mir Racing Team) in a seven-rider scrap at the front. There was big drama in the final third of the race as Lunetta and Veijer collided on the exit of Turn 1 in a convergence of lines, leaving Veijer on the floor. However, two laps later, an oil spillage from a rider downfield meant Turn 2 was slippy, catching out a number of riders, including race leader Almansa. However, a red flag was shown and due to Almansa completing the previous lap, he was given victory ahead of Farioli and teammate Ferrandez. Rueda already had the title, but Salvador held onto second ahead of Farioli.

In the Moto2™ ECh category, it was a fine display by Lukas Tulovic; the German rider, already crowned Champion and with a move to Moto2™ World Championship action in 2023, had to come from third on the grid but off the start, dropped to fifth place. He soon picked off Yeraz Ruiz (FAU55 TEY Racing) and Roberto Garcia (Cardoso Racing) to go third, before sitting behind Senna Agius (Promoracing) and Alex Escrig (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike Racing Team). Tulovic got ahead of them both in the final six laps, with Escrig chasing Tulovic once he cleared Agius but to no avail, as the German taking a seventh win of 2022, finishing inside the top two in every race throughout a memorable Championship campaign. Behind him in the standings, Agius was a proud second for Australia whilst Spanish rider Escrig took third. Consistency was key in the Stock class, as Daniel Muñoz (SP57 Racing Team) won again, but Marco Tapia (Easyrace Team) took the title.

It was a monumental day in the Hawkers ETC as history was made once more. With just three points between them, Guido Pini (AC Racing Team) started second whilst three points behind in the title race, Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team) went from fifth. In a race-long battle of swapping positions and trading paint, the two were doing battle in the lead group, which saw Casey O’Gorman (VisionTrack Racing Team), outgoing Champion Maximo Martinez (Team Honda Laglisse), Jesus Rios (MRE Talent), Brian Uriarte (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0) and teammate Rico Salmela fight it out. However, with a vital move towards the end, Pini placed himself in a perfect position and clinched the crown with P2, as O’Gorman won, whilst a dejected Esteban was third, missing out on the title by seven points. Irishman O’Gorman took third overall in the title behind Esteban and Champion Pini, the first Italian Champion in the class.

2022 may be over but the Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship promises to make more history in 2023!

Jr GP R1
ETC Race
Moto2 Race
Jr GP R2

Barber Advanced Design Center Holds First Design Discussion Panel

David Swarts

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October 30, 2022

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Barber Advanced Design Center Holds First Design Discussion Panel

Historic Panel Discussion on Design Held at the Barber Vintage Festival

Birmingham, AL – The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum held its first design panel during the 17th Annual Barber Vintage Festival in early October. The discussion took place with legendary designers in front of a packed audience who were gathered inside the all-new Barber Advanced Design Center (BADC).

The BADC was created to inspire new generations of creative thinkers. It functions as a high-tech workspace for Industrial Design exploration that includes a multimedia hub for visiting designers to learn and collaborate with other designers from around the world.

The design discussion panel in the Barber Advanced Design Center. Photo courtesy Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. — The design discussion panel (from left) moderator Ultan Guilfoyle, BADC Director Brian Case, designer Pierre Terblanche, Senior Vice President of Experience Design at Dell Technologies Ed Boyd, Polaris head of Industrial Design Greg Brewin, and designer Miguel Galluzzi in the Barber Advanced Design Center. Photo courtesy Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.

On the panel were Pierre Terblanche and Miguel Galluzzi of Ducati and Aprilia/MotoGuzzi fame, Polaris head of Industrial Design, Greg Brew, and Senior Vice President of Experience Design at Dell Technologies, Ed Boyd. The BADC director, Brian Case, co-moderated the panel along with Ultan Guilfoyle, who’s known for curating the world-famous Art of the Motorcycle exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum in 1998.

“One of the great advantages of the Barber Museum is we can literally go to any point in time in the history of motorcycles and see what the state-of-the-art was at that time,” enthused Guilfoyle on the use of museums for design research. “That’s what we’re talking about here, design as a narrative. Or a story with a beginning and a middle, but we don’t know yet where the end is going to be. Where we go tomorrow is what we’re going to find out.”

When asked about capturing the imaginations of new buyers, Ed Boyd said, “When I worked at Nike, the design teams were constantly resetting our targets down to the youth. If we just do another same version of the sneaker or what have you, then the age demographic would grow up. We knew if we developed designs that connected with our youth, then the older folks who wanted to feel young would buy those products as well.”

“I think there are new designers working on these vehicles, they come from different backgrounds,” explains Terblanche. “The Rivian’s got a hidden flashlight, it parks and auto-levels itself, my stove comes out the side, I’ve got storage. Another one I like is called the Canoo, they’ve done all this stuff that people haven’t done before with IC trucks. So why couldn’t designers have done that with IC trucks? They could have, but they didn’t.”

When asked about designing for more specialized uses, Galluzzi said, “We can’t forget that markets are very different. If you go from the U.S. all the way to India, what we are talking about would be completely different. That’s a part of our job, to understand what the actual need between different cities in the world is going to be.”

“If you’re constantly doing production programs, it’s like you’re always playing a game and you’re never practicing,” Brew exclaimed on the evolution of design workflows and building concept vehicles. “So for us, concepts are a chance for everybody to practice. It is necessary for us to stay ahead.”

Connect with @BarberMuseum on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to hear about future programs in the Barber Advanced Design Center.

The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit Foundation located at the 880-acre Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham, Alabama, dedicated to the preservation, interpretation, exhibition, and history of motorcycles, vintage vehicles, and motorsports. The museum is home to the world’s largest motorcycle collection and is widely known for its collection of vintage Lotus racecars and other rare vehicles. Each year it hosts vintage motorcycle and vintage racecar events, including the Barber Vintage Festival and Barber Historics. For more information, visit www.barbermuseum.org.

Moto2 European Championship: American Toth P19 In Qualifying At Valencia

David Swarts

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October 29, 2022

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Moto2 European Championship: American Toth P19 In Qualifying At Valencia

Moto2 Qualifying

Editorial Notes:

AGR Team’s Canadian rider Torin Collins was 25th in Junior GP qualifying.

American Maxwell Toth, riding his MMR Kalex, was 19th in combined Moto2/Stock (600) qualifying but will start 17th on the grid after other riders were displaced to the back of the grid for various penalties.

American Kristian Daniel, Jr., riding his IGAX Team Honda, finished fourth in the European Talent Cup Last Chance Qualifier race, but that was not enough for him to make it onto the 30-rider grid for the main event.

More, from a press release issued by Dorna:

Two new polesitters at Valencia ahead of last 2022 JuniorGP™ race day

In perfect weather conditions, Saturday qualifying action in Spain gave tense action and new records

Collin Veijer (95) leads Harrison Voight (29), Luca Lunetta, and Alessandro Morosi (19) during a JuniorGP World Championship session at Valencia. Photo courtesy Dorna. — Collin Veijer (95) leads Harrison Voight (29), Luca Lunetta (58), and Alessandro Morosi (19) during a JuniorGP World Championship session at Valencia. Photo courtesy Dorna.

The 2022 Finetwork FIM JuniorGP™ World Championship gave two new polesitters on Saturday at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, whilst title rivals are set to battle it out for the ultimate prize on Sunday. In the JuniorGP™, it was a third pole position of 2022 for Collin Veijer (AGR Team), whilst it was a first for Senna Agius (Promoracing) in the Moto2™ European Championship and Casey O’Gorman (VisionTrack Racing Team) in the Hawkers European Talent Cup.

In JuniorGP™, it was a dazzling display from Dutchman Collin Veijer (AGR Team), as he continued his form forwards to the season-closing event. Taking a third pole of his 2022 campaign, the 17-year-old KTM rider aims to convert it once again, with the two wins of his 2022 season coming from pole. It wasn’t entirely incident-free, as he suffered a crash after going top, although he was unscathed. Leaving it until the afternoon to set his fastest lap time David Almansa (Finetwork Mir Racing Team), qualified second but due to slow riding in sectors, was served a back of the grid start for Race 1. He was ahead of 2022 JuniorGP™ Champion Jose Antonio Rueda (Team Estrella Galicia 0,0), who aims for a sixth win of the year.

It was a very impressive showing from Italian Luca Lunetta (AC Racing Team), who took a well-earnt fourth place, having been on the front row at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit earlier in the year. With strong top seven showings in the last four races and a best of fifth, the Husqvarna rider goes for a first podium of 2022. Fifth went to Colombian star David Alonso (Aspar Junior Team), with the GASGAS rider aiming to repeat his Valencia win from earlier in 2022 on Sunday. Rounding out the second row is David Salvador (Laglisse Academy) in sixth, who hopes to end 2022 with a first JuniorGP™ win before moving onto Moto3™ World Championship action in 2023. Starting sixth in Race 1 due to penalties ahead of him will be Alberto Ferrandez (Finetwork Mir Racing Team).

With the top two in the Moto2™ ECh standings already locked in, it’s all about pride and glory. Having had pole at every round in 2022, Lukas Tulovic (Liqui Moly Intact Junior Team) was denied a clean sweep as Senna Agius took his first ever pole, the first for Australia in the class. Second place went to Alex Escrig (Yamaha Philippines Stylobike Racing Team), who hopes to wrap up third overall, whilst 2022 Champion Lukas Tulovic goes from third place. He’ll also hope to end 2022 on a high before moving on up to the Moto2™ World Championship.

Ahead of the title-deciding race for Hawkers ETC, the title contenders are spread out across the front two rows of the grid; pole position, for the first time in the class, went to Irishman Casey O’Gorman (VisionTrack Racing Team). The 15-year-old put in a perfect lap to shatter the lap record for the class in the first qualifying session, as he aims for back-to-back wins and a fourth podium in five races. Qualifying second was outgoing Champion Maximo Martinez (Team Honda Laglisse), but he received a penalty for slow riding, meaning he’ll go from the back of the grid. That promotes Championship leader Guido Pini (AC Racing Team) into second place for a second front row of 2022, whilst Dodo Boggio (Aspar Junior Team) takes third. Three points behind Pini in the title race, Joel Esteban (Aspar Junior Team) goes from fifth on the grid at a circuit he won at earlier in the year.

You can tune into coverage of the weekend around the world:

Race schedule for the FIM Finetwork JuniorGP™ World Championship on Sunday, 3rd July:

11:00 – JuniorGP™ Race 1: 18 laps

12:00 – Hawkers ETC Race 1: 17 laps

13:00 – Moto2™ ECh: 19 laps

14:00 – JuniorGP™ Race 2: 18 laps

AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Class Of 2022 Inducted In Ohio (Updated)

David Swarts

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October 29, 2022

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AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Class Of 2022 Inducted In Ohio (Updated)

2022 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Honors Six Inductees

Event brings together motorcycling legends, enthusiasts and industry leaders from across the country

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inducted six new members Friday evening during the 2022 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Members of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2022 include Kenny Coolbeth, Greg Hancock, Effie Hotchkiss, Sandy Kosman, Ben Spies and James Stewart.

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2022: Alec Dare (representing Ben Spies), Nadia DeSimone (daughter of Sandy Kosman), Craig Dove (great-grandson of Effie Hotchkiss), Greg Hancock, Kenny Coolbeth and James Stewart. Photo courtesy AMA.

“Every year, with the exception of 2020, it’s been our privilege to honor motorcycling’s most accomplished and significant people in a very special AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction celebration,” AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman said when addressing the audience. “But it’s more than just a great banquet and ceremony to honor the incredible inductees who’ve contributed so much to our sport…it’s also a chance for us to come together in the interest of preserving motorcycle history for future generations.”

Ceremony emcees, well-known actor and director of stage, screen and television Perry King, and motocross rider, sidecar enthusiast and sideline reporter Laurette Nicoll, guided the audience through the careers and accomplishments of the inductees.

Those gathered also honored the memories of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers who have recently passed away: Wes Cooley, Ed Fisher, Bobby Hill, Loretta Lynn and Preston Petty.

Supporters and partners for the induction ceremony included MX Sports, Seven MX, Bubba’s World, Suzuki and Kawasaki.

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2022

Following an introduction, each member of the Class of 2022 was officially inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, and inductees in attendance were presented with the prestigious Hall of Fame ring by fellow Hall of Famers. Many of the inductees, or their family members, then addressed the audience.

Kenny Coolbeth

Born in 1977, Kenny Coolbeth began his professional flat track career in 1994. He raced to his first AMA Grand National win at the Columbus Half-Mile in 2002. He won his first AMA Grand National Championship in 2006 while riding for the factory Harley-Davidson team and followed that up with two additional championships in 2007 and 2008.

Throughout his successful career, Coolbeth raced to 37 AMA Grand National wins, putting him sixth on the all-time win list, along with 108 AMA Grand National podiums.

Coolbeth retired from professional flat track racing at the end of the 2018 season while still competitive in the sport. He continues to give back to the sport and now works as a rider coach and setup expert for the Turner Honda Racing team.

“I was just a kid who knew how to ride motorcycles,” Coolbeth said after being inducted into the Hall of Fame. “I never dreamed I’d be in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, and it’s an amazing honor to be here.”

Greg Hancock

Greg Hancock, born in 1970, began racing in Junior Speedway competition at age 9. At age 15, he won the Junior Speedway National Championship, his first of many titles. Soon he began competing across Europe, and in 1997 won the FIM World Speedway Championship.

Through the 1990s, Hancock also won the FIM World Pairs Championship and claimed three FIM World Team Cup Championships. He went on to win his second FIM World Speedway Championship in 2011, winning it again in 2014 and 2016.

Throughout his nearly four-decade career, Hancock became one of the most decorated motorcycle racers of all time, earning four FIM Speedway World Championships, three FIM World Team Cup titles, as well as eight AMA U.S. National Speedway Championships.

“As youngsters, we all started riding bikes with big dreams,” Hancock said in his acceptance speech. “Each one of us worked hard in our own way to pursue those dreams of being champions of all sorts. When I look back over my career, I am extremely satisfied and still pinch myself every day thinking of the great success that I had. If I could do it all again, I wouldn’t think twice, and I would go after even more.”

Effie Hotchkiss

Born in 1889, Effie Hotchkiss began riding at age 16. She began working on Wall Street in the banking industry but got tired of the job’s monotony. Using the inheritance her father left her, she purchased a 1915 Harley-Davidson 3-speed twin and a Rogers sidecar for her mother Avis and their luggage.

The two set off on their adventure on May 2, 1915, riding all the way to San Francisco, then started back towards their home in Brooklyn, N.Y., in late August. Hotchkiss became the first woman recorded to complete a transcontinental motorcycle ride, covering 9,000 miles over five months.

Hotchkiss quickly became a female icon for her endeavor and was celebrated in the very first issue of Harley-Davidson’s The Enthusiast and countless newspapers across the country.

Effie Hotckiss’ great-grandson attended the ceremony as her closest living relative and commented: “Thanks to the AMA for inducting my great-grandmother into the Hall of Fame. Today is the best day of my life.”

Sandy Kosman

Born in 1941, Sandy Kosman had both the mind and vision of a genius. As a self-trained designer of high-performance chassis and wheels for customized road-, off-road- and drag-racing motorcycles, Kosman was a builder of champions as well as a highly successful entrepreneur.

In 1965 at age 24, Kosman started Kosman Specialties, building lightweight motorcycle gas tanks in his basement. The business thrived, and he moved into a building in San Francisco, expanding his products and services over time.

Through his 30-plus years in business, most drag-racing bikes, many flat-track bikes and a few AMA Superbike race teams adopted Kosman products, including American Honda, Vance & Hines, Performance Machine and others. Despite no formal training, Kosman and his company became a household name in racing and performance circles.

“It’s not been that long since we lost my father,” Kosman’s daughter Nadia DeSimone said. “But I know what being inducted into the Hall of Fame would have meant to him. Tonight feels like my last moment with him, and this means so much to my entire family.”

Ben Spies

Ben Spies, one of the greatest American road racers in the sport’s history, won five national titles and raced to 44 national wins during his career. Born in 1984, he came of age during the dominance of six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin, unseating the champ in his prime in 2006. In 2007, he defended the title in one of the tightest AMA Superbike Championship battles ever.

Spies’ AMA National Championships include the 2006, ’07 and ’08 AMA Superbike titles, the 2007 AMA Superstock title, and the 2003 AMA Formula Xtreme title.

In 2009, Spies joined the Yamaha Italia team in World Superbike competition. His rookie year proved exceptional, and he won the 2009 World Superbike title. Racing MotoGP full time in 2010, his performance earned him Rookie of the Year. He retired from professional racing in 2013.

Due to illness, Spies was unable to attend the ceremony, but family friend Alec Dare accepted the Hall of Fame ring on his behalf. “I’m proud my family can look back on all the chapters in my life and see that I made it into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame,” Dare read in a message from Spies. “Thank you to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, and thumbs up to everybody here.”

James Stewart

James Stewart, born in 1985, displayed potential early, winning his first national amateur championship at age 7. Before age 16, he claimed seven AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships.

Going pro in 2002, he won the AMA 125 MX title later that year while riding for Kawasaki, becoming the first Black man to win a title in the sport. Stewart won the 2007 AMA Supercross Championship, claiming a second in 2009.

Incredibly, Stewart won all 24 motos of the 2008 Pro Motocross series — a perfect season — securing the 450 Class National Championship.

Stewart’s professional racing career ended in 2016 after tallying 50 AMA Supercross premier class wins and 48 AMA Pro Motocross national wins, cementing him as one of the greatest motocross racers of all time.

“I want to thank the AMA…this is such an honor,” Stewart said in an emotional acceptance speech. “I was never the cool kid; I wanted to ride motorcycles. But now, when you say my name, it’s Hall of Famer James Stewart. Out of all the things I accomplished in my career, this is the best part. This is like winning the ultimate championship. It’s amazing!”

The newly-unveiled Class of 2022 exhibit featuring bikes and memorabilia from the Hall of Famers is now on display at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum. Plan your visit today: https://americanmotorcyclist.com/visit/

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. Besides offering members money-saving discounts on products and services, the AMA also publishes American Motorcyclist, a recently revitalized and monthly full-color magazine (and digital version of same) that covers current events and motorcycle history with brilliant photography and compelling writing. American Motorcyclist is also North America’s largest-circulation magazine. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit americanmotorcyclist.com.

Not a member? Join the AMA today: americanmotorcyclist.com.

More, from a press release issued by MX Sports:

MX Sports Pro Racing Celebrates James Stewart for Induction into AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

Member of “Class of 2022” Representing Motocross & Supercross Category

Fellow AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Broc Glover (right) presented Stewart with his Hall of Fame ring. Photo by Mitch Kendra, courtesy MX Sports.

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Following one of the most decorated and memorable careers in the history of American motocross, MX Sports Pro Racing celebrates James “Bubba” Stewart on his induction into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, representing the Motocross & Supercross category for the “Class of 2022,” who were formally enshrined on October 28 at the annual induction ceremony in Pickerington, Ohio. The five-time AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross National Champion joins an illustrious lineage of all-time greats in the Hall of Fame, which includes the likes of his racing peers Ricky Carmichael, Jeremy McGrath and Ryan Villopoto.

A naturally gifted talent from Haines City, Florida, Stewart appeared destined for success at a young age. He easily fulfilled the promise he showed as an amateur prospect and captured a then-record 11 AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn’s. He lived up to the hype immediately in the pro ranks, with a win in just his second Supercross start. That kickstarted the single-most-dominant 125cc career of all time that saw Stewart win both the East and West Region crowns in AMA Supercross and a pair of AMA Pro Motocross titles, where he won 28 of his 31 starts in the division. A record poised to never be broken.

As he transitioned into the premier 250cc/450cc division, Stewart had earned the moniker “fastest man on the planet” thanks to his seemingly unlimited level of talent and techniques like the legendary “Bubba Scrub” that altered the course of the sport forever. Over the next decade he cemented his status as one of the all-time greats, with a pair of Supercross championships complemented by 50 career main event wins, the second-most in history, and a 2008 Pro Motocross title, during which he became just the second rider to ever amass a perfect season, going 24-0 in motos. His combined career total of 98 major wins (Supercross and Motocross) is second only to his longtime rival, Carmichael. Stewart also added 18 wins in 125cc Regional Supercross, which is also a record for that division.

Stewart amplified his legacy even further with two triumphs as a member of the United States at the FIM Motocross of Nations. Over the course of his groundbreaking career Stewart became a transcendent star, with his own reality show “Bubba’s World,” high profile partnerships with Nike and Red Bull, and an X Games medal. He also started his own successful gear company, Seven MX, named in homage to the number he carried for the bulk of his career. For many, Stewart represents the most exciting competitor to ever grace the sport.

MX Sports Pro Racing President Davey Coombs summed up Stewart’s contribution to the sport and his lasting impact: “James Stewart grew up in the moto spotlight. As a kid from Haines City, Florida, he was the fastest pee-wee rider in the world, until he got on 65s, then he became the fastest 65cc rider on the planet, then the fastest 85cc rider, and on it went. As a matter of fact, Stewart is the fastest 125cc rider in the history of AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross, owning the records for most 125cc wins in both. I can still see and hear him absolutely mopping up fields of 250F four-stroke riders on his Kawasaki KX125 two-stroke between 2002 and 2004. And not long after he got on 450s, he was considered the fastest man on the planet.

“His speed and technique both must rank among the best-ever. His three AMA Pro Motocross titles, two AMA Supercross championships, and his 98 total wins in AMA National Championship competition made him an obvious first-ballot AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer. Congratulations to James and his entire family, as well as all of the members of the teams he raced with over the years, many of which were there to watch him accept this great honor.”

Stewart celebrated the induction with his parents, his wife and two children, and his younger brother Malcolm, a racing star in his own right. Over the past year, he’s made an anticipated and welcome return to the forefront of the racing industry with a popular podcast, “Bubba’s World with James Stewart,” and a highly regarded turn as a guest expert analyst on Pro Motocross broadcasts.

The remaining inductees of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame “Class of 2022” are Kenny Coolbeth (Dirt Track) and Ben Spies (Road Racing) under competition, Effie Hotchkiss (Ambassadors & Industry) and Sandy Kosman (Design & Engineering) under non-competition, and four-time FIM Speedway Grand Prix World Champion Greg Hancock under well-qualified.

Yamaha Champions Riding School Releases Partial 2023 Schedule

November 1, 2022

Yamaha Champions Riding School CEO Nick Ienatsch in action. Photo by Joe Salas/4theriders.com. — Yamaha Champions Riding School CEO Nick Ienatsch in action. Photo by Joe Salas/4theriders.com, courtesy Yamaha Champions Riding School.