Range and charge time–those are the biggest concerns for riders who are considering electric motorcycles. Lightning Motorcycles says that its newest vehicles have slashed the charge time for an electric bike, with less than 10 minutes required to pour enough power into the bike to go 135 miles.
Lightning Motorcycles CEO and founder Richard Hatfield said in a video call this week that the latest technology batteries from Enevate Corp. for the Lightning Strike sportbike hold more energy, but more importantly, allow dramatically quicker charge times. This makes the Strike more useful for day-to-day use, and makes longer rides more practical.
Lightning Motorcycles CEO and founder Richard Hatfield. Photos courtesy Lightning Motorcycles.
The breakthrough, Hatfield says, is due to a change in the battery construction. The Enevate battery uses a silicon anode cell that holds 15 to 20% more energy than current battery constructions, and can accept the charge more rapidly. Re-engineering all of the components involved in the charging process allowed the company to take advantage of the rapid charging rate, he says.
“The cells will hold more energy than most of the cells that are available right now, and they allow us to push in a lot more energy more quickly. We can use the same Level Three chargers that the cars use and charge three, four, five times faster than the cars,” Hatfield says. “When we achieved the point where we could push that kind of power into the battery, then we had to look at all the components in that chain and ensure that they were capable of doing that on a continuous basis.
“Once we had the cells, then we had to consider the thermal management of the cells and all of the components between the Level Three fast charger and the cells–the interconnections of the cells, the cabling from the cells, the contacts, the connectors, the fuses.”
Just having better batteries isn’t enough. The rest of the vehicle has to be re-engineered to take advantage of the additional capabilities, Hatfield says.
“If you think about this as a racebike, if you have more power in the engine, then it creates a lot of other issues in the chassis, and in using that power. Each time you push it forward, you find new bottlenecks that have to be addressed,” he says.
One of the biggest challenges in trying to recharge batteries more quickly is heat management. Hatfield says the company relies on airflow management and advanced software to tailor the flow of energy during recharging to keep the cells below 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
“You have to remove that heat or components start to fail. Also the algorithms as far as how we charge, how we taper the charge, all of that’s important to optimize the charge feed,” Hatfield says.
Because the cells are in limited production currently, they are approximately 20% more expensive than existing batteries, Hatfield says. But in full production, they are expected to be cheaper than current batteries.
And the rapid recharge rate makes it possible to look at different market segments for electic vehicles. Hatfield says his company already has modeled the performance of an electric motorcycle with the size and performance of a big tourer–and estimates that one could be built with a 300-mile range between charges!
After completing a few laps at Misano with the Panigale V4S, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider underwent a further check-up in Forlì at Dr Porcellini’s clinic, who confirmed that Bastianini will still need a few more weeks to fully recover from the right shoulder injury sustained in the Portuguese GP.
Enea will therefore continue his rehabilitation with the aim of returning to the track in Jerez and will be replaced in Texas by Michele Pirro.
CW Moto Racing announces step up to Superbike with Benjamin Smith; welcomes Track Day Winner as sponsor
April 11, 2023
Benjamin Smith #78 joins CW Moto Racing Yamaha R1 for MotoAmerica Superbike for 2023; CW also supporting Mallory Dobbs Racing
Seattle, WA – CW Moto Racing is pleased to announce that Benjamin Smith will pilot the team’s Yamaha R1 Superbike for the 2023 season. The team is also excited to welcome Track Day Winner as a sponsor for the early season of our Superbike program.
Team owner and crew chief Chris Lobkovich made the call to step up to Superbike when this season’s schedule and location changes for Stock 1000 were published. After a lengthy search for rider talent, which yielded strong potential collaboration possibilities the team is excited about for the future, CW Moto selected Smith for this year’s rider talent.
“Ben’s such a great athlete and talented rider,” said Lobkovich. “We noticed and admire his work ethic and what he was able to accomplish last season with the North East Cycle Outlet Team in Supersport. We had an opportunity to spend some time with Ben in Chuckwalla this off-season and were able to get him comfortable on the CW Moto Yamaha R1 quickly. He actually got up to speed on the bike really quickly, and worked well both with us and our extended team. Ben has a lot of support in the paddock, and we’re really excited to work with him this season.”
“Rising through the ranks, I’ve been able to steadily improve my knowledge and skills, collecting a national championship and numerous podiums along the way,” Smith added. “I’m ready to make the jump to the Superbike class in 2023, which is something I have been working towards since the beginning of my career. Having CW Moto supporting me is an honor, and I know they will put a great program together for me. I think we have an opportunity to open some eyes this season!”
Lobkovich and the team made the call to step up from Stock 1000 to Superbike when the 2023 event calendar was released.
“We totally understand why MotoAmerica made the changes to the schedule they did,”said Lobkovich. “We looked at the schedule and after much deliberation, decided that as a team and business based on the West Coast, with the support of the incredible racing community and our sponsors out here, we had to choose a class operating at the Ridge and Laguna Seca. We’re excited about the challenge: it’s always been our goal to end up in Superbike. We’re always learning, and we might as well compete with and learn from the best in the country.”
CW Moto is also thrilled to welcome Track Day Winner and owner John Cook as a round sponsor for this season’s events at Atlanta, Barber, and COTA. Started almost as a “dare” in 2011, Track Day Winner now has over 4,000 members and operates mostly in the eastern/southeastern USA. TDW works hard to provide a safe and memorable track day experience for everyone, always serving up a great meal every Saturday night to encourage our members to interact off the track and build the “family” atmosphere that the organization promotes.
“Track Day Winner has been working with and sponsoring numerous talented clubman level and professional level riders for many years now,” according to John Cook, founder and owner of Track Day Winner. “Being a part of his efforts for the past few years, Benjamin Smith has always shown himself to be a very dedicated and super skilled rider, so it was a natural step for TDW to continue helping him live his dream. He’s always had his eye on Superbike, and we believe that this incredible opportunity with CW Moto will be a perfect match for both rider and team!”
“We’re incredibly excited to partner with someone who’s been a part of and supporter of the sport as long as John and TDW have. We couldn’t make the move into Superbike happen without this kind of support. John and TDW have been long-time supporters of Ben, and we’re really grateful John and Track Day Winner are able to support this collaboration,” Lobkovich added.
In addition, CW Moto is very proud to be providing technical support for Mallory Dobbs Racing, in support of Mallory’s two-class program in MotoAmerica this season. Mallory is riding the Ducati Richmond Hypermotard (built by CW Moto) in the Super Hooligans class, and is privateering her own SuperSport program this season.
Mallory Dobbs (36) . Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy CW Moto Racing.
“We got to know Mallory in the WMRRA (Washington Motorcycle Road Racing) paddock last season, and saw her grit, talent, and potential,” said CW Moto Co-Owner, Sara Lobkovich. “It’s been rewarding to watch Mallory put in so much effort over the off-season both on her riding and carving out her role as a professional in the sport. She surprised me with her season opener at Daytona, and I’m really looking forward to seeing her turn some heads this season.”
Last, the team would like to thank RayJen Motorsports for providing transportation for our MotoAmerica program this season. RayJen is based in Washington State and handling transportation for the full season and between rounds by arrangement (including a possible spot for an East Coast team who needs a one-bike transport to and from the West Coast for the Ridge Motorsports Park and Laguna Seca rounds). For more information, contact [email protected].
About Benjamin Smith
Benjamin Smith, 22, of Glenmoore Pennsylvania is an accomplished road racer with seven seasons of MotoAmerica competition under his belt. Smith finished 4th overall in the 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, and is a multi-time regional championship club racer, 2017 KTM RC Cup Champion, and a KTM RC Cup world finale competitor. He balances his racing career with attending Penn State University, where he will complete his degree in strategic communications in May.
About Track Day Winner
Track Day Winner is a rider-focused track day organization operating in the eastern/southeastern USA. We provide excellent coaching and host some of the safest and FUN track day events for every skill level. Visit our website at www.trackdaywinner.com or like and follow us on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/trackdaywinner/
About Mallory Dobbs Racing
Mallory Dobbs, 29, is an Olympia Washington native who rode her first motorcycle in 2016 and started her road racing career in 2017 with an impressive resume for such a short amount of time. This will be her first full season with MotoAmerica, with two top 15 finishes in Supersport at her debut at The Ridge Motorsports Park in 2022. She finished 6th overall for the WMRRA season in 2022 with multiple class wins and has continued to hone her skills this winter racing at the Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycle Association (CVMA) where she is currently leading the Supersport Middleweight championship. For the 2023 season, she owns and will be managing her personal racing team while maintaining her day job as a civil engineer. Connect with Mallory via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maldobbs126/ or Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/MalloryDobbsRacing .
About CW Moto Racing
CW Moto Racing is a Seattle, Washington-based race team and race shop focused on excellence and innovation: we build fast bikes for serious riders. In addition to the CW Moto Racing program, the team provides race prep and track-oriented services for committed riders who need trusted help achieving their motorsports goals, and support for heritage race and street bikes, and collection restoration. Again this year, our individual supporters have access to a growing exclusive behind-the-scenes community that’s as close to the paddock as you can get from home. For more information, visit http://cwmoto.com or follow us on Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter at @cw_moto.
Westby Racing Completes Preseason Test Schedule On A High Note
Tulsa, OK – April 11, 2023 – Last week at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in Buttonwillow, California, Westby Racing and its rider Mathew Scholtz completed their fourth and final preseason test in the lead up to round one of the MotoAmerica Superbike season, which will take place on April 21-23 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia.
According to Westby Racing crew chief Ed Sullivan, it was the best and most-productive test so far for Mathew and the team. Not only were the weather conditions favorable, but everything the team had been working on over the previous three tests came to fruition, with updates to the #11 Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike’s electronics, engine, front and rear suspension, chassis settings, and new-spec Dunlop tires all working in harmony to help make Mathew comfortable and fast leading into the 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship.
In addition to the positive changes on the bike, Ed mentioned that the addition of data technician Freddy Carswell of Superbike Unlimited and chassis technician Quentin Wilson has enabled Westby Racing to jell quickly as a cohesive unit with incumbent members Robert Jensen, Olli Rajasaari, and of course, team manager Chuck Giacchetto and team owner Tryg Westby.
“The final Buttonwillow test was our best one this year,” Mathew said. “We have a really good understanding of the new electronics package, and I now feel like I can ride the bike in a manner that better suits my style. Our testing has opened up a new level of performance, and it’s also increased my level of trust in the bike. I’m excited to see how everything works and feels next week at Road Atlanta.”
Mathew and the Westby Racing team are ready to make their season debut at round one of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Road Atlanta next weekend. Be sure to join them there and/or subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+ for streaming coverage of practices, qualifying, and two feature races.
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
Marc Marquez to miss Americas GP and continue recovery
Following a final CAT scan, Marc Marquez and his medical team, led by Dr. Ignacio Roger de Oña, at the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid have confirmed the first metacarpal is still in the healing process. After close collaboration with the Repsol Honda Team and HRC, all involved have elected to let the injury fully heal and avoid any unnecessary risks.
Marquez will continue to work through his rehabilitation program at home in order to return at full fitness as soon as possible.
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE DELIVERS SOPHISTICATED STYLE & BEST-IN-CLASS V-TWIN TOURING PERFORMANCE WITH NEW INDIAN PURSUIT ELITE, ANNOUNCES RETURN OF HIGHLY EXCLUSIVE CHIEFTAIN ELITE
Crafted as the Ultimate in American V-Twin Style & Exclusivity, Indian Pursuit Elite & Chieftain Elite Combine Eye-Catching Style with Premium Componentry
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (April 11, 2023) – Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, today introduced the Indian Pursuit to its limited-edition Elite class of motorcycles and announced the return of its ultra-premium Chieftain Elite. Featuring premium componentry, each Elite model is crafted as the ultimate in American V-Twin style and exclusivity.
“When we first introduced the 2018 Chieftain Elite, we wanted to create an offering that was not just limited in quantity, but exclusive in nature with custom details straight from the factory,” said Aaron Jax, Vice President of Indian Motorcycle. “Today, with jewel-like finishes, our Elite line of baggers and touring models truly represent the best-of-the-best and deliver a statement like nothing else on the road.”
Indian Pursuit Elite
A 2023 Indian Pursuit Elite. Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
With only 150 units available worldwide, 2023 marks the debut for the Indian Pursuit Elite. Known as the most capable and refined American touring machine on the road, the Indian Pursuit Elite offers sophisticated style and unparalleled comfort and performance. Designed for riders who value the journey as much as the destination, the Indian Pursuit Elite is packed with premium amenities and advanced ride-enhancing technology to achieve a more comfortable ride.
Sophisticated Style
The Pursuit Elite’s premium Super Graphite Metallic and Black Metallic paint with Shadow Bronze Chrome accents exude sophistication. Color-matched Elite badging and premium components complete the bike’s beautiful design.
Best-In-Class Performance
Taking center stage of the Indian Pursuit Elite is the 108 cubic-inch, liquid cooled PowerPlus engine. With best-in-class 122 horsepower and 128 ft-lbs. of torque, the Indian Pursuit Elite delivers incredible V-twin touring performance with unmatched passing power.
Premium Amenities & Ride Enhancing Technology
The Indian Pursuit Elite allows riders to enjoy long, epic rides in comfort and style. Electronically adjustable rear suspension preload from Fox® allows riders to adjust their preload for optimal comfort and handling under varying conditions. Whether riding solo, two-up or carrying more cargo – the electronically adjustable rear suspension preload is managed from the convenience of the bike’s infotainment system. Plus, the Indian Pursuit Elite offers Smart Lean Technology using a Bosch® Inertial Measurement Unit to tune traction control, ABS, and torque for even more control and unsurpassed handling. Backlit switch cubes improve the rider’s ability to see the bike’s controls at night, while the Pathfinder Adaptive LED Headlight combined with Pathfinder S LED driving lights and saddlebag lights deliver improved visibility and more eye-catching style in dark conditions. Providing a luxurious ride experience, both rider and passenger get a heated seat with adjustable controls on the seat and infotainment system, and premium styling.
In addition, each Indian Pursuit Elite is equipped with an industry-leading seven-inch touchscreen powered by RIDE COMMAND and offers Apple CarPlay® integration, turn-by-turn navigation, Bluetooth® connectivity, one year of RIDE COMMAND+ connected features and more. Riders can cut through road and engine noise with Powerband Audio which works seamlessly with the RIDE COMMAND system to set the mood for the trip. Built-in amplifiers, a 9-band equalizer, and 16 speakers provide crystal clear sound at any speed. Equipped with remote-locking storage, riders can keep all cargo protected inside the spacious, weatherproof saddlebags and trunk. For riders looking to achieve further customization, a quick release low profile trunk is available as a color-matched accessory.
Chieftain Elite
A 2023 Indian Chieftain Elite. Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
Designed for riders who demand the best of the best and want to stand out from the crowd, the 2023 Chieftain Elite features meaner and more aggressive styling with custom-inspired details straight from the factory. With only 175 units available globally the Chieftain Elite is a limited build and highly exclusive.
Custom-Inspired Style
The new Chieftain Elite’s eye-catching paint scheme featuring Super Graphite Smoke is complemented by premium Shadow Bronze chrome finishes and Indian Motorcycle headdress floorboards.
Offering an even more custom look, the Chieftain Elite’s open fender showcases a new 10-spoke precision machined front wheel. Standard to the Chieftain Elite is fender-to-fender, as the Adaptive Pathfinder LED headlight and rear saddlebag LED lights provide head-turning style at night. An adjustable tinted flare windshield raises or lowers to the rider’s preferred position with the push of a handlebar-mounted button for ultimate comfort.
Unmatched, Air-Cooled Performance
Packing the most powerful Indian Motorcycle air-cooled engine, the Thunderstroke 116, the Chieftain Elite delivers 126 ft-lbs of torque. Rear cylinder deactivation improves rider comfort when riding through slower traffic, while three selectable ride modes, including Tour, Standard and Sport, allow riders to adjust the bike’s throttle response to match their riding style.
Premium Amenities & Ride-Enhancing Technology
Like the Indian Pursuit Elite, the Chieftain Elite features the seven-inch touchscreen display powered by RIDE COMMAND with Apple CarPlay®, GPS with navigation, and RIDE COMMAND+ features, like live traffic and weather overlays, and a vehicle locator feature. As standard equipment, the 2023 Chieftain Elite features backlit switch cubes, an integrated PowerBand audio system, and includes ABS, keyless ignition, tire pressure monitoring, as well as weatherproof and remote-locking saddlebags with more than 18 gallons of storage. For riders looking to personalize their ride, color matched accessories are available including a quick release touring and low-profile trunk, as well as hard lower fairings.
Pricing for Indian Pursuit Elite and Chieftain Elite begin at $39,999 and $35,499, respectively, and will begin shipping to dealers around the world in spring 2023.
Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth Sig, Inc.
Apple CARPLAY® is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.
BOSCH® is registered to Robert Bosch GmbH
FOX® is a registered trademark of Fox Factory Inc.
Unless noted, trademarks are the property of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed North America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 27th consecutive year of showcasing what is actually an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 12 MotoAmerica/AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (12 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more — and younger — racers with higher levels of accomplishments are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2023 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Top sponsors: Robem Engineering, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Aprilia, The Big S, Arai Helmets, American Supercamp, Penguin Racing School, MotoLiberty/RS Taichi, Woodcraft Technologies, Atlantic Cruising Yachts, Fast By Ferracci, Stump Racing Kids.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2022 season, placed 8th in MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship (3 podium finishes), finished 8th in Italian CIV Aprilia RS 660 Trophy Cup race at Vallelunga, set a new NEMRR Lightweight Lap Record of 1:12.183 at New Hampshire International Speedway; 2021 season, finished 2nd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (4 wins and 16 total podium finishes in 18 races); 2020 season, finished 4th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (8 podium finishes); 2019 season, finished 9th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup (competed in 11 of 17 races, 1 podium, 3 top-5 finishes), won 2 LRRS Championships (12 race wins), won NESBC Lights Championship; 2018 season, named LRRS Rookie of the Year (youngest to ever receive the award), won 24 LRRS races and earned 46 podium finishes, won NESBC Intermediate B Championship; 2017 season, named NJMiniGP Rookie of the Year.
2023 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship.
Racing career goal: Make it to Superbike World Championship.
Racing hero: Jamison Minor.
Favorite track: Barber Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Downhill mountain biking.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Downhill mountain biking.
Some of the riders who have graduated from Roadracing World Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include:
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar (R.I.P.);
2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Corey Alexander;
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P.);
2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and AFT SuperTwins race winner J.D. Beach;
MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Jackson Blackmon;
former Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas;
three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie;
former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day;
2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up and current MotoAmerica team owner Dustin Dominguez;
2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2019 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, and 2021 Canadian Superbike Champion Alex Dumas;
four-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race winner and former motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne (R.I.P.);
Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie;
two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick;
2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Bobby Fong;
2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and two-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne;
two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and World Superbike podium finisher Garrett Gerloff;
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion, 2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Championship runner-up Hayden Gillim;
2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.);
2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden;
eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden;
2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin;
MotoAmerica Supersport front-runner Teagg Hobbs;
AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden;
2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins;
2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up, 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Superbike podium finisher Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and current Moto2 World Championship competitor Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee;
2021 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup Champion Jake Lewis;
MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Sam Lochoff;
MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden;
AMA Pro SuperSport race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Stefano Mesa;
Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races;
AMA Pro XR1200 race winner, multi-time Loudon Classic winner, and two-time BRL Champion Shane Narbonne;
2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson;
2016 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion, 2019 British Motostar (Moto3) Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch;
2012 Daytona 200 winner and 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion Joey Pascarella;
2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and current powersports dealership owner Bryce Prince;
AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner and multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Peris;
two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion, British Supersport podium finisher, 2020 AFT Production Twins Champion, and MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers race winner James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and former FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.;
three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion, MotoGP race winner, and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies;
multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich;
MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher and former World Superbike competitor Jayson Uribe;
2017 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Championship runner-up, 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory Ventura;
Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh;
former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
West Coast distributor for Dunlop racing tires Racers Edge Performance and Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) have entered into an agreement for the 2023 season that will see members of the MRA provide trackside service and sales for Dunlop racing tires.
At the end of 2022, the current Dunlop representative (Louden David) decided to pursue other ventures outside the motorcycle industry, so this opened up an opportunity for the MRA to step in and ensure that their racers would continue to benefit from having the proper selection of race tires and services available at the track.
“The MRA board is built from a passionate group of racers and motorcycle enthusiasts that are dedicated to providing the best for their racing organization,” says Racers Edge Performance owner Dale Kieffer, “and I feel this is just stepping up to another level in providing better service for the racers in the club.”
“We are very excited about this venture with Racers Edge Performance and Dunlop,” says Chris Nami, President of the MRA. “We want to provide the best things for our racers and we feel with providing this service in-house it will ensure the riders will always have the best selection of tires possible.”
Event preview: EWC 2023 all set for lift-off at Le Mans
April 10 2023
*It’s 24 Heures Motos time as famous race opens FIM Endurance World Championship
*12 former EWC champions and 12 former winners of 24 Heures Motos in action
*Interest strong in Formula EWC and Superstock with 37 permanent teams due to race
*Extensive live global broadcasting with non-stop coverage on Eurosport Player
The waiting is over in the all-action FIM Endurance World Championship. From 13-16 April, the Circuit Bugatti at Le Mans in France will host the 46th 24 Heures Motos as the latest chapter in the ultimate test of rider and machine begins.
A sky-high 38 permanent EWC teams have registered for the 2023 season, which marks a 22 per cent increase compared to 2022. Of the 54-bike line-up assembling at Le Mans, a total of 37 permanent EWC teams will be in action split between the Formula EWC and Dunlop-equipped Superstock categories.
With 12 EWC world champions and 12 winners of the 24 Heures Motos taking part, there will be no shortage of talent taking to the 4.185-kilometre Circuit Bugatti during four days of intense track activity, which begins with Free Practice followed by First Qualifying on Thursday 13 April ahead of the race beginning at 15h00 CET on Saturday after Second Qualifying on Friday.
Multiple rider changes, teams switching bike manufacturers, plus new teams and riders entering the EWC for the first time – many of whom have MotoGP or World Superbike experience – has created an exciting unknown prior to the 2023 season getting underway.
The 24 Heures Motos is the first of four ultra-challenging day and night races featuring on the 2023 EWC calendar. Following the Le Mans season opener, the 24H SPA EWC Motos takes place in Belgium from 16-18 June, with the 43rd Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race in Japan up next from 4-6 August. The 24-hour Bol d’Or at Circuit Paul Ricard in France completes the 2023 EWC season from 14-17 September.
Mike Di Meglio, part of the F.C.C. TSR Honda France line-up that won the FIM Endurance World Championship in 2022, said: “In Le Mans if you need to find the way to ride with not too much pushing but with good riding. The most difficult thing in the night for me is because I sleep between my stints so when my manager is trying to wake me up this is the worst part of the night. But when I get on the bike I enjoy because the bike in the night is very fast, there is more power, the tyre is more stiff so you have more grip, you just need to adapt with the visibility. But Le Mans is a very good track and you can see very well. It’s not so difficult.”
Sylvain Guintoli, who is vying to help Yoshimura SERT Motul win the 24 Heures Motos for a third year running, said: “There’s no pressure on us to win three seasons in a row but we’ve been thinking and talking about it because it would be pretty cool to do that and not many people have. Cold temperatures is something you always have to expect at Le Mans and you’ve got to make the bike work and be efficient with the cold temperatures as well because it changes quite a lot, especially for the tyres.”
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team rider Niccolò Canepa, said: “The only thing we need is to have more luck because we have all what we need to perform well and to be successful. We have a great team, great bike, great tyres, great team-mates so we are ready to fight, we just need luck. Myself I have trained a lot, I feel fit, I feel ready. In the last couple of years, it has been more difficult because before I get an injury during a winter test. Last year in January the screws and plates that I had in my ankle were taken out so that meant surgery again. It means this year is actually the first time in three years that I have been able to prepare the way I want for the season so I feel good and full of energy to start the season.”
STEINMAYR READY TO FIGHT HARD TO DEFEND SUPERSTOCK CROWN
Philipp Steinmayr won’t be able to back off as he bids to win the FIM Endurance World Cup for Superstock teams for the second season running. The Yamaha-powered Austrian, who partners new recruits Enzo De La Vega and Axel Maurin at Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore, is expecting plenty of tough competition in 2023: “Superstock is very competitive to be honest. Already last year you could see it was very close racing and also with the gaps in lap time. Having Dunlop as a mono-brand tyre supplier is a very good concept to make it as similar or as fair as possible for everyone. I expect this year it will even stronger because the championship is gaining momentum with more and more people and more and more riders entering. I can see from my colleagues in the IDM series that there are more and more riders coming to EWC and I expect it to be a really interesting season.” While Steinmayr is aiming for more Superstock category success, his 2022 team-mates Hugo Clere and Baptiste Guittet are graduating to Formula EWC with TATI Team Beringer Racing.
HANIKA ON A HIGH WITH SUB-LAP RECORD RUN AT EWC 24 HEURES MOTOS TEST
Karel Hanika will head to the 24 Heures Motos as the rider to beat after he completed an astonishing sub-lap record run for Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team during the final day of the Pre-Test for round one of the 2023 FIM EWC season (29 March). The Czech star, riding a Bridgestone-shod Yamaha YZF-R1 and backed up by team-mates Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz and Robin Mulhauser, clocked a best effort of 1m34.759s around the 4.185-kilometre Circuit Bugatti, which eclipsed his record-breaking qualifying run of 1m34.878s set during last April’s 45th 24 Heures Motos.
RECOVERING HERO REA READY FOR PARADE LAP
Gino Rea, who was seriously injured in a practice crash ahead of the Suzuka Hours last June, will complete a Parade Lap shortly before the start of the 24 Heures Motos on Saturday. “It’s going to very exciting but very emotional because I want to be at Le Mans racing, that’s a given,” said Rea, who is recovering from serious head injuries. “I’ve seen people doing these Parade Laps before after they’ve come back from similar things. I’ve always looked up to them doing it and now it’s me doing it. I feel very appreciative that they’ve allowed me to do it. It’s going to be emotional for me because I can’t believe I’m going to be there and they’ve given me a Parade Lap. But the amount of people that know I’ve had this accident is quite mind-blowing really, I’ve had messages from famous motorcycle racers.”
Following two years without spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans were back in their thousands for the 45th edition in April 2022. And they witnessed a thriller with Suzuki-powered Gregg Black, Sylvain Guintoli and Xavier Siméon combining in style for Le Mans-based Yoshimura SERT Motul. Rather than the 13.626-kilometre Circuit de La Sarthe, the traditional EWC curtain-raiser takes place on the 4.185-kilometre Circuit Bugatti. It comes complete with the famous Le Mans start/finish straight, Dunlop Esses and Ford Chicane, while a twisty infield section ensures there’s little respite, nevertheless. Riders also face the prospect of competing during shorter daylight hours.
24 HEURES MOTOS FAST FACTS:
*The first 24 Heures Motos took place from 22-23 April 1978 with Jean-Claude Chemarin and Christian Léon riding a Honda to victory.
*It followed the Bol d’Or – the other French 24-hour classic bike race appearing on the EWC schedule – relocating to Circuit Paul Ricard after the 1977 event.
*However, event organiser, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, staged its first race for motorbikes in 1912, long before the Bugatti Circuit’s inauguration in September 1966.
*After starting at 14h00 local time in 2020 and 2021, the 2022 edition of the 24 Heures Motos was flagged-off at 15h00.
*As well as hosting the EWC, Circuit Bugatti is home to the MotoGP Grand Prix de France.
RECENT WINNERS:
2022: Yoshimura SERT Motul (Gregg Black, Xavier Siméon, Sylvain Guintoli) 840 laps
2021: Yoshimura SERT Motul (Gregg Black, Xavier Siméon, Sylvain Guintoli) 855 laps
2020: F.C.C. TSR Honda France (Josh Hook, Freddy Foray, Mike De Meglio) 816 laps
2019: Team SRC Kawasaki France (Jérémy Guarnoni, David Checa, Erwan Nigon) 839 laps
2018: F.C.C. TSR Honda France (Josh Hook, Freddy Foray, Alan Techer) 843 laps
EWC MEDIA SPORTITY APP CHANNEL REMINDER
A dedicated Sportity app channel is now available to media reporting on the FIM Endurance World Championship. It includes timetables, a calendar refresher, track details, entry lists, press release archive, results, standings, rider profiles, key contacts and other essential information to assist media reporting on the EWC onsite or remotely. Users are made aware of new information becoming available through push notifications and the app can be downloaded for free via the App Store or Google Play. Once the Sportity app has been downloaded, the EWC Media Sportity channel can be accessed using the following password: 2023FIMewc-media.
CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team prepares for Grand Prix of The Americas
The CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team is gearing up for the third round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship, set to take place at the Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. The team is eagerly awaiting the event and hopes to have a full squad on hand to compete.
Miguel Oliveira, who suffered an unfortunate injury at his home round less than three weeks ago, is ready to come back to racing this week and is traveling to the United States full of expectations. However, he needs to pass a medical test on Thursday to be declared fit to race after damaging tendons in his right leg. Despite the setback, Oliveira has some good sensations regarding his recovery and aims to make a touch-and-go landing.
Raul Fernandez, who scored the first points of this season and managed to keep up with his fellow Factory Aprilia colleagues in Argentina last time out, is also eager to keep the momentum going. The young Spaniard is aware that the COTA isn’t an easy circuit for the MotoGP class, but he is determined to build on his performance and understanding of his Aprilia RS-GP from round two of 2023.
The American weekend starts this Friday with the first two Free Practice sessions at 10:45 local time (17:45 CET) and 15:00 local time (22:00 CET) for the premier class ahead of a busy Saturday with the new Sprint Race format, which riders and teams still need to get used to.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
“I’m obviously excited to start the trip to the US. It was a shame for me to have missed the Argentina GP, but I’m really looking forward to start again working with the team and discover the bike again on this track. It has not been an easy track for me in the past, so I hope that this year I can start turning things around and start the weekend strong. To score points in both the Sprint and the main Race would be really nice and of course important after not being able to do anything the last three opportunities basically. So, overall, I’m very excited.”
RAUL FERNANDEZ
“We had a difficult race Sunday in Argentina. All of us Aprilia riders together with our crews are working a lot to understand what was happening there. Anyway, I think COTA is a good track for me. I really want to enjoy riding and that is the main target, plus trying to understand why we were slower in the race in Argentina. Nevertheless, I think we did a step during the last weekend and in Texas, we aim to confirm this step.”
Razlan Razali, Founder and Team Principal CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team
“We are looking forward to the return of Miguel, which is of course still subject to the medical check on Thursday, but we are confident that he will be cleared to race during the weekend. So, we are back to nearly full strength for the Americas Grand Prix. The COTA is a demanding track with 20 corners and a traditional track that in the past hasn’t been too friendly to the Aprilia.”
“We will continue our work with Raul. He is getting to grips with the RS-GP, has a better understanding now and we hope that in Austin he can be even better. Overall, we look forward to the return of Miguel, continue the development with Raul and aim to score points.”
Wilco Zeelenberg, Team Manager CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team
“After a rainy race in Argentina, we hope we come to a sunny Texas. As we are back together with two riders, we are looking forward to this third round. Missing Miguel in the second round, was very sad for the whole team, being reduced by half. Raul did his best in the rain though, we scored two points. But now we are looking forward to have both crews there and both riders, so we are able to fight together to get good results.”
“Austin is quite a special race track, I’d say. It’s difficult to judge what we can expect there, as both riders have never ridden the circuit with the Aprilia, so we are pretty blind going into that weekend. Also, when we arrive in Austin, it’s always a bit unsure what they have done with the track, as it’s usually quite bumpy. So, let’s see how things look when we arrive in in America. First of all, we hope that Miguel gets declared fit and that the weather is nice and dry throughout the whole weekend. Of course, it’s a long trip again, but we hope everybody is arriving safe and sound in sunny Texas.”
The Lightning Strike electric sportbike. Photo courtesy Lightning Motorcycles.
By Michael Gougis
Range and charge time–those are the biggest concerns for riders who are considering electric motorcycles. Lightning Motorcycles says that its newest vehicles have slashed the charge time for an electric bike, with less than 10 minutes required to pour enough power into the bike to go 135 miles.
Lightning Motorcycles CEO and founder Richard Hatfield said in a video call this week that the latest technology batteries from Enevate Corp. for the Lightning Strike sportbike hold more energy, but more importantly, allow dramatically quicker charge times. This makes the Strike more useful for day-to-day use, and makes longer rides more practical.
Lightning Motorcycles CEO and founder Richard Hatfield. Photos courtesy Lightning Motorcycles.
The breakthrough, Hatfield says, is due to a change in the battery construction. The Enevate battery uses a silicon anode cell that holds 15 to 20% more energy than current battery constructions, and can accept the charge more rapidly. Re-engineering all of the components involved in the charging process allowed the company to take advantage of the rapid charging rate, he says.
“The cells will hold more energy than most of the cells that are available right now, and they allow us to push in a lot more energy more quickly. We can use the same Level Three chargers that the cars use and charge three, four, five times faster than the cars,” Hatfield says. “When we achieved the point where we could push that kind of power into the battery, then we had to look at all the components in that chain and ensure that they were capable of doing that on a continuous basis.
“Once we had the cells, then we had to consider the thermal management of the cells and all of the components between the Level Three fast charger and the cells–the interconnections of the cells, the cabling from the cells, the contacts, the connectors, the fuses.”
Just having better batteries isn’t enough. The rest of the vehicle has to be re-engineered to take advantage of the additional capabilities, Hatfield says.
“If you think about this as a racebike, if you have more power in the engine, then it creates a lot of other issues in the chassis, and in using that power. Each time you push it forward, you find new bottlenecks that have to be addressed,” he says.
One of the biggest challenges in trying to recharge batteries more quickly is heat management. Hatfield says the company relies on airflow management and advanced software to tailor the flow of energy during recharging to keep the cells below 130 degrees Fahrenheit.
“You have to remove that heat or components start to fail. Also the algorithms as far as how we charge, how we taper the charge, all of that’s important to optimize the charge feed,” Hatfield says.
Because the cells are in limited production currently, they are approximately 20% more expensive than existing batteries, Hatfield says. But in full production, they are expected to be cheaper than current batteries.
And the rapid recharge rate makes it possible to look at different market segments for electic vehicles. Hatfield says his company already has modeled the performance of an electric motorcycle with the size and performance of a big tourer–and estimates that one could be built with a 300-mile range between charges!
After completing a few laps at Misano with the Panigale V4S, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider underwent a further check-up in Forlì at Dr Porcellini’s clinic, who confirmed that Bastianini will still need a few more weeks to fully recover from the right shoulder injury sustained in the Portuguese GP.
Enea will therefore continue his rehabilitation with the aim of returning to the track in Jerez and will be replaced in Texas by Michele Pirro.
Benjamin Smith (52) in action at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway. Photo by CaliPhotography, courtesy CW Moto Racing.
CW Moto Racing announces step up to Superbike with Benjamin Smith; welcomes Track Day Winner as sponsor
April 11, 2023
Benjamin Smith #78 joins CW Moto Racing Yamaha R1 for MotoAmerica Superbike for 2023; CW also supporting Mallory Dobbs Racing
Seattle, WA – CW Moto Racing is pleased to announce that Benjamin Smith will pilot the team’s Yamaha R1 Superbike for the 2023 season. The team is also excited to welcome Track Day Winner as a sponsor for the early season of our Superbike program.
Team owner and crew chief Chris Lobkovich made the call to step up to Superbike when this season’s schedule and location changes for Stock 1000 were published. After a lengthy search for rider talent, which yielded strong potential collaboration possibilities the team is excited about for the future, CW Moto selected Smith for this year’s rider talent.
“Ben’s such a great athlete and talented rider,” said Lobkovich. “We noticed and admire his work ethic and what he was able to accomplish last season with the North East Cycle Outlet Team in Supersport. We had an opportunity to spend some time with Ben in Chuckwalla this off-season and were able to get him comfortable on the CW Moto Yamaha R1 quickly. He actually got up to speed on the bike really quickly, and worked well both with us and our extended team. Ben has a lot of support in the paddock, and we’re really excited to work with him this season.”
“Rising through the ranks, I’ve been able to steadily improve my knowledge and skills, collecting a national championship and numerous podiums along the way,” Smith added. “I’m ready to make the jump to the Superbike class in 2023, which is something I have been working towards since the beginning of my career. Having CW Moto supporting me is an honor, and I know they will put a great program together for me. I think we have an opportunity to open some eyes this season!”
Lobkovich and the team made the call to step up from Stock 1000 to Superbike when the 2023 event calendar was released.
“We totally understand why MotoAmerica made the changes to the schedule they did,”said Lobkovich. “We looked at the schedule and after much deliberation, decided that as a team and business based on the West Coast, with the support of the incredible racing community and our sponsors out here, we had to choose a class operating at the Ridge and Laguna Seca. We’re excited about the challenge: it’s always been our goal to end up in Superbike. We’re always learning, and we might as well compete with and learn from the best in the country.”
CW Moto is also thrilled to welcome Track Day Winner and owner John Cook as a round sponsor for this season’s events at Atlanta, Barber, and COTA. Started almost as a “dare” in 2011, Track Day Winner now has over 4,000 members and operates mostly in the eastern/southeastern USA. TDW works hard to provide a safe and memorable track day experience for everyone, always serving up a great meal every Saturday night to encourage our members to interact off the track and build the “family” atmosphere that the organization promotes.
“Track Day Winner has been working with and sponsoring numerous talented clubman level and professional level riders for many years now,” according to John Cook, founder and owner of Track Day Winner. “Being a part of his efforts for the past few years, Benjamin Smith has always shown himself to be a very dedicated and super skilled rider, so it was a natural step for TDW to continue helping him live his dream. He’s always had his eye on Superbike, and we believe that this incredible opportunity with CW Moto will be a perfect match for both rider and team!”
“We’re incredibly excited to partner with someone who’s been a part of and supporter of the sport as long as John and TDW have. We couldn’t make the move into Superbike happen without this kind of support. John and TDW have been long-time supporters of Ben, and we’re really grateful John and Track Day Winner are able to support this collaboration,” Lobkovich added.
In addition, CW Moto is very proud to be providing technical support for Mallory Dobbs Racing, in support of Mallory’s two-class program in MotoAmerica this season. Mallory is riding the Ducati Richmond Hypermotard (built by CW Moto) in the Super Hooligans class, and is privateering her own SuperSport program this season.
Mallory Dobbs (36) . Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy CW Moto Racing.
“We got to know Mallory in the WMRRA (Washington Motorcycle Road Racing) paddock last season, and saw her grit, talent, and potential,” said CW Moto Co-Owner, Sara Lobkovich. “It’s been rewarding to watch Mallory put in so much effort over the off-season both on her riding and carving out her role as a professional in the sport. She surprised me with her season opener at Daytona, and I’m really looking forward to seeing her turn some heads this season.”
Last, the team would like to thank RayJen Motorsports for providing transportation for our MotoAmerica program this season. RayJen is based in Washington State and handling transportation for the full season and between rounds by arrangement (including a possible spot for an East Coast team who needs a one-bike transport to and from the West Coast for the Ridge Motorsports Park and Laguna Seca rounds). For more information, contact [email protected].
About Benjamin Smith
Benjamin Smith, 22, of Glenmoore Pennsylvania is an accomplished road racer with seven seasons of MotoAmerica competition under his belt. Smith finished 4th overall in the 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship, and is a multi-time regional championship club racer, 2017 KTM RC Cup Champion, and a KTM RC Cup world finale competitor. He balances his racing career with attending Penn State University, where he will complete his degree in strategic communications in May.
About Track Day Winner
Track Day Winner is a rider-focused track day organization operating in the eastern/southeastern USA. We provide excellent coaching and host some of the safest and FUN track day events for every skill level. Visit our website at www.trackdaywinner.com or like and follow us on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/trackdaywinner/
About Mallory Dobbs Racing
Mallory Dobbs, 29, is an Olympia Washington native who rode her first motorcycle in 2016 and started her road racing career in 2017 with an impressive resume for such a short amount of time. This will be her first full season with MotoAmerica, with two top 15 finishes in Supersport at her debut at The Ridge Motorsports Park in 2022. She finished 6th overall for the WMRRA season in 2022 with multiple class wins and has continued to hone her skills this winter racing at the Chuckwalla Valley Motorcycle Association (CVMA) where she is currently leading the Supersport Middleweight championship. For the 2023 season, she owns and will be managing her personal racing team while maintaining her day job as a civil engineer. Connect with Mallory via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maldobbs126/ or Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/MalloryDobbsRacing .
About CW Moto Racing
CW Moto Racing is a Seattle, Washington-based race team and race shop focused on excellence and innovation: we build fast bikes for serious riders. In addition to the CW Moto Racing program, the team provides race prep and track-oriented services for committed riders who need trusted help achieving their motorsports goals, and support for heritage race and street bikes, and collection restoration. Again this year, our individual supporters have access to a growing exclusive behind-the-scenes community that’s as close to the paddock as you can get from home. For more information, visit http://cwmoto.com or follow us on Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter at @cw_moto.
Mathew Scholtz (11) at speed on the Westby Racing Yamaha. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Westby Racing Completes Preseason Test Schedule On A High Note
Tulsa, OK – April 11, 2023 – Last week at Buttonwillow Raceway Park in Buttonwillow, California, Westby Racing and its rider Mathew Scholtz completed their fourth and final preseason test in the lead up to round one of the MotoAmerica Superbike season, which will take place on April 21-23 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia.
According to Westby Racing crew chief Ed Sullivan, it was the best and most-productive test so far for Mathew and the team. Not only were the weather conditions favorable, but everything the team had been working on over the previous three tests came to fruition, with updates to the #11 Yamaha YZF-R1 Superbike’s electronics, engine, front and rear suspension, chassis settings, and new-spec Dunlop tires all working in harmony to help make Mathew comfortable and fast leading into the 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship.
In addition to the positive changes on the bike, Ed mentioned that the addition of data technician Freddy Carswell of Superbike Unlimited and chassis technician Quentin Wilson has enabled Westby Racing to jell quickly as a cohesive unit with incumbent members Robert Jensen, Olli Rajasaari, and of course, team manager Chuck Giacchetto and team owner Tryg Westby.
“The final Buttonwillow test was our best one this year,” Mathew said. “We have a really good understanding of the new electronics package, and I now feel like I can ride the bike in a manner that better suits my style. Our testing has opened up a new level of performance, and it’s also increased my level of trust in the bike. I’m excited to see how everything works and feels next week at Road Atlanta.”
Mathew and the Westby Racing team are ready to make their season debut at round one of the 2023 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Road Atlanta next weekend. Be sure to join them there and/or subscribe to MotoAmerica Live+ for streaming coverage of practices, qualifying, and two feature races.
For more updates about Westby Racing, including news, photos, and videos, visit WestbyRacing.com
Also, follow “Westby Racing” on your favorite social media sites.
Marc Marquez to miss Americas GP and continue recovery
Following a final CAT scan, Marc Marquez and his medical team, led by Dr. Ignacio Roger de Oña, at the Ruber Internacional Hospital in Madrid have confirmed the first metacarpal is still in the healing process. After close collaboration with the Repsol Honda Team and HRC, all involved have elected to let the injury fully heal and avoid any unnecessary risks.
Marquez will continue to work through his rehabilitation program at home in order to return at full fitness as soon as possible.
Indian's 2023 Chieftain Elite (left) and Pursuit Elite (right). Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE DELIVERS SOPHISTICATED STYLE & BEST-IN-CLASS V-TWIN TOURING PERFORMANCE WITH NEW INDIAN PURSUIT ELITE, ANNOUNCES RETURN OF HIGHLY EXCLUSIVE CHIEFTAIN ELITE
Crafted as the Ultimate in American V-Twin Style & Exclusivity, Indian Pursuit Elite & Chieftain Elite Combine Eye-Catching Style with Premium Componentry
MINNEAPOLIS, MN (April 11, 2023) – Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, today introduced the Indian Pursuit to its limited-edition Elite class of motorcycles and announced the return of its ultra-premium Chieftain Elite. Featuring premium componentry, each Elite model is crafted as the ultimate in American V-Twin style and exclusivity.
“When we first introduced the 2018 Chieftain Elite, we wanted to create an offering that was not just limited in quantity, but exclusive in nature with custom details straight from the factory,” said Aaron Jax, Vice President of Indian Motorcycle. “Today, with jewel-like finishes, our Elite line of baggers and touring models truly represent the best-of-the-best and deliver a statement like nothing else on the road.”
Indian Pursuit Elite
A 2023 Indian Pursuit Elite. Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
With only 150 units available worldwide, 2023 marks the debut for the Indian Pursuit Elite. Known as the most capable and refined American touring machine on the road, the Indian Pursuit Elite offers sophisticated style and unparalleled comfort and performance. Designed for riders who value the journey as much as the destination, the Indian Pursuit Elite is packed with premium amenities and advanced ride-enhancing technology to achieve a more comfortable ride.
Sophisticated Style
The Pursuit Elite’s premium Super Graphite Metallic and Black Metallic paint with Shadow Bronze Chrome accents exude sophistication. Color-matched Elite badging and premium components complete the bike’s beautiful design.
Best-In-Class Performance
Taking center stage of the Indian Pursuit Elite is the 108 cubic-inch, liquid cooled PowerPlus engine. With best-in-class 122 horsepower and 128 ft-lbs. of torque, the Indian Pursuit Elite delivers incredible V-twin touring performance with unmatched passing power.
Premium Amenities & Ride Enhancing Technology
The Indian Pursuit Elite allows riders to enjoy long, epic rides in comfort and style. Electronically adjustable rear suspension preload from Fox® allows riders to adjust their preload for optimal comfort and handling under varying conditions. Whether riding solo, two-up or carrying more cargo – the electronically adjustable rear suspension preload is managed from the convenience of the bike’s infotainment system. Plus, the Indian Pursuit Elite offers Smart Lean Technology using a Bosch® Inertial Measurement Unit to tune traction control, ABS, and torque for even more control and unsurpassed handling. Backlit switch cubes improve the rider’s ability to see the bike’s controls at night, while the Pathfinder Adaptive LED Headlight combined with Pathfinder S LED driving lights and saddlebag lights deliver improved visibility and more eye-catching style in dark conditions. Providing a luxurious ride experience, both rider and passenger get a heated seat with adjustable controls on the seat and infotainment system, and premium styling.
In addition, each Indian Pursuit Elite is equipped with an industry-leading seven-inch touchscreen powered by RIDE COMMAND and offers Apple CarPlay® integration, turn-by-turn navigation, Bluetooth® connectivity, one year of RIDE COMMAND+ connected features and more. Riders can cut through road and engine noise with Powerband Audio which works seamlessly with the RIDE COMMAND system to set the mood for the trip. Built-in amplifiers, a 9-band equalizer, and 16 speakers provide crystal clear sound at any speed. Equipped with remote-locking storage, riders can keep all cargo protected inside the spacious, weatherproof saddlebags and trunk. For riders looking to achieve further customization, a quick release low profile trunk is available as a color-matched accessory.
Chieftain Elite
A 2023 Indian Chieftain Elite. Photo courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
Designed for riders who demand the best of the best and want to stand out from the crowd, the 2023 Chieftain Elite features meaner and more aggressive styling with custom-inspired details straight from the factory. With only 175 units available globally the Chieftain Elite is a limited build and highly exclusive.
Custom-Inspired Style
The new Chieftain Elite’s eye-catching paint scheme featuring Super Graphite Smoke is complemented by premium Shadow Bronze chrome finishes and Indian Motorcycle headdress floorboards.
Offering an even more custom look, the Chieftain Elite’s open fender showcases a new 10-spoke precision machined front wheel. Standard to the Chieftain Elite is fender-to-fender, as the Adaptive Pathfinder LED headlight and rear saddlebag LED lights provide head-turning style at night. An adjustable tinted flare windshield raises or lowers to the rider’s preferred position with the push of a handlebar-mounted button for ultimate comfort.
Unmatched, Air-Cooled Performance
Packing the most powerful Indian Motorcycle air-cooled engine, the Thunderstroke 116, the Chieftain Elite delivers 126 ft-lbs of torque. Rear cylinder deactivation improves rider comfort when riding through slower traffic, while three selectable ride modes, including Tour, Standard and Sport, allow riders to adjust the bike’s throttle response to match their riding style.
Premium Amenities & Ride-Enhancing Technology
Like the Indian Pursuit Elite, the Chieftain Elite features the seven-inch touchscreen display powered by RIDE COMMAND with Apple CarPlay®, GPS with navigation, and RIDE COMMAND+ features, like live traffic and weather overlays, and a vehicle locator feature. As standard equipment, the 2023 Chieftain Elite features backlit switch cubes, an integrated PowerBand audio system, and includes ABS, keyless ignition, tire pressure monitoring, as well as weatherproof and remote-locking saddlebags with more than 18 gallons of storage. For riders looking to personalize their ride, color matched accessories are available including a quick release touring and low-profile trunk, as well as hard lower fairings.
Pricing for Indian Pursuit Elite and Chieftain Elite begin at $39,999 and $35,499, respectively, and will begin shipping to dealers around the world in spring 2023.
Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth Sig, Inc.
Apple CARPLAY® is a registered trademark of Apple Inc.
BOSCH® is registered to Robert Bosch GmbH
FOX® is a registered trademark of Fox Factory Inc.
Unless noted, trademarks are the property of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE
Indian Motorcycle is America’s First Motorcycle Company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed North America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 27th consecutive year of showcasing what is actually an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 12 MotoAmerica/AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (12 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more — and younger — racers with higher levels of accomplishments are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2023 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Top sponsors: Robem Engineering, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Aprilia, The Big S, Arai Helmets, American Supercamp, Penguin Racing School, MotoLiberty/RS Taichi, Woodcraft Technologies, Atlantic Cruising Yachts, Fast By Ferracci, Stump Racing Kids.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2022 season, placed 8th in MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship (3 podium finishes), finished 8th in Italian CIV Aprilia RS 660 Trophy Cup race at Vallelunga, set a new NEMRR Lightweight Lap Record of 1:12.183 at New Hampshire International Speedway; 2021 season, finished 2nd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (4 wins and 16 total podium finishes in 18 races); 2020 season, finished 4th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (8 podium finishes); 2019 season, finished 9th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup (competed in 11 of 17 races, 1 podium, 3 top-5 finishes), won 2 LRRS Championships (12 race wins), won NESBC Lights Championship; 2018 season, named LRRS Rookie of the Year (youngest to ever receive the award), won 24 LRRS races and earned 46 podium finishes, won NESBC Intermediate B Championship; 2017 season, named NJMiniGP Rookie of the Year.
2023 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship.
Racing career goal: Make it to Superbike World Championship.
Racing hero: Jamison Minor.
Favorite track: Barber Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Downhill mountain biking.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Downhill mountain biking.
Some of the riders who have graduated from Roadracing World Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include:
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar (R.I.P.);
2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Corey Alexander;
AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P.);
2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and AFT SuperTwins race winner J.D. Beach;
MotoAmerica Twins Cup race winner Jackson Blackmon;
former Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas;
three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie;
former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day;
2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up and current MotoAmerica team owner Dustin Dominguez;
2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Champion, 2019 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Champion, and 2021 Canadian Superbike Champion Alex Dumas;
four-time Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race winner and former motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne (R.I.P.);
Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie;
two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick;
2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Bobby Fong;
2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and two-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne;
two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and World Superbike podium finisher Garrett Gerloff;
2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert;
2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion, 2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Championship runner-up Hayden Gillim;
2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.);
2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden;
eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden;
2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion, 2022 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Josh Herrin;
MotoAmerica Supersport front-runner Teagg Hobbs;
AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden;
2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins;
2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up, 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Superbike podium finisher Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen;
2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and current Moto2 World Championship competitor Sean Dylan Kelly;
Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe;
two-time MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee;
2021 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 and Superbike Cup Champion Jake Lewis;
MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Sam Lochoff;
MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden;
AMA Pro SuperSport race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport race winner Stefano Mesa;
Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races;
AMA Pro XR1200 race winner, multi-time Loudon Classic winner, and two-time BRL Champion Shane Narbonne;
2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson;
2016 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Champion, 2019 British Motostar (Moto3) Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and two-time Daytona 200 winner Brandon Paasch;
2012 Daytona 200 winner and 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion Joey Pascarella;
2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher, and current powersports dealership owner Bryce Prince;
AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner and multi-time N2/WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Peris;
two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion, British Supersport podium finisher, 2020 AFT Production Twins Champion, and MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers race winner James Rispoli;
2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner, and Moto2 World Championship race winner Joe Roberts;
former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and former FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.;
three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion, MotoGP race winner, and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Ben Spies;
multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich;
MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher and former World Superbike competitor Jayson Uribe;
2017 MotoAmerica KTM RC Cup Championship runner-up, 2018 MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship runner-up, and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory Ventura;
Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh;
former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory West;
MotoAmerica Junior Cup and Superbike Cup race winner Ashton Yates;
and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.
Dunlop motorcycle racing tires. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
West Coast distributor for Dunlop racing tires Racers Edge Performance and Motorcycle Roadracing Association (MRA) have entered into an agreement for the 2023 season that will see members of the MRA provide trackside service and sales for Dunlop racing tires.
At the end of 2022, the current Dunlop representative (Louden David) decided to pursue other ventures outside the motorcycle industry, so this opened up an opportunity for the MRA to step in and ensure that their racers would continue to benefit from having the proper selection of race tires and services available at the track.
“The MRA board is built from a passionate group of racers and motorcycle enthusiasts that are dedicated to providing the best for their racing organization,” says Racers Edge Performance owner Dale Kieffer, “and I feel this is just stepping up to another level in providing better service for the racers in the club.”
“We are very excited about this venture with Racers Edge Performance and Dunlop,” says Chris Nami, President of the MRA. “We want to provide the best things for our racers and we feel with providing this service in-house it will ensure the riders will always have the best selection of tires possible.”
The start of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2022. Photo courtesy FIM EWC.
Event preview: EWC 2023 all set for lift-off at Le Mans
April 10 2023
*It’s 24 Heures Motos time as famous race opens FIM Endurance World Championship
*12 former EWC champions and 12 former winners of 24 Heures Motos in action
*Interest strong in Formula EWC and Superstock with 37 permanent teams due to race
*Extensive live global broadcasting with non-stop coverage on Eurosport Player
The waiting is over in the all-action FIM Endurance World Championship. From 13-16 April, the Circuit Bugatti at Le Mans in France will host the 46th 24 Heures Motos as the latest chapter in the ultimate test of rider and machine begins.
A sky-high 38 permanent EWC teams have registered for the 2023 season, which marks a 22 per cent increase compared to 2022. Of the 54-bike line-up assembling at Le Mans, a total of 37 permanent EWC teams will be in action split between the Formula EWC and Dunlop-equipped Superstock categories.
With 12 EWC world champions and 12 winners of the 24 Heures Motos taking part, there will be no shortage of talent taking to the 4.185-kilometre Circuit Bugatti during four days of intense track activity, which begins with Free Practice followed by First Qualifying on Thursday 13 April ahead of the race beginning at 15h00 CET on Saturday after Second Qualifying on Friday.
Multiple rider changes, teams switching bike manufacturers, plus new teams and riders entering the EWC for the first time – many of whom have MotoGP or World Superbike experience – has created an exciting unknown prior to the 2023 season getting underway.
The 24 Heures Motos is the first of four ultra-challenging day and night races featuring on the 2023 EWC calendar. Following the Le Mans season opener, the 24H SPA EWC Motos takes place in Belgium from 16-18 June, with the 43rd Coca-Cola Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race in Japan up next from 4-6 August. The 24-hour Bol d’Or at Circuit Paul Ricard in France completes the 2023 EWC season from 14-17 September.
Mike Di Meglio, part of the F.C.C. TSR Honda France line-up that won the FIM Endurance World Championship in 2022, said: “In Le Mans if you need to find the way to ride with not too much pushing but with good riding. The most difficult thing in the night for me is because I sleep between my stints so when my manager is trying to wake me up this is the worst part of the night. But when I get on the bike I enjoy because the bike in the night is very fast, there is more power, the tyre is more stiff so you have more grip, you just need to adapt with the visibility. But Le Mans is a very good track and you can see very well. It’s not so difficult.”
Sylvain Guintoli, who is vying to help Yoshimura SERT Motul win the 24 Heures Motos for a third year running, said: “There’s no pressure on us to win three seasons in a row but we’ve been thinking and talking about it because it would be pretty cool to do that and not many people have. Cold temperatures is something you always have to expect at Le Mans and you’ve got to make the bike work and be efficient with the cold temperatures as well because it changes quite a lot, especially for the tyres.”
Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team rider Niccolò Canepa, said: “The only thing we need is to have more luck because we have all what we need to perform well and to be successful. We have a great team, great bike, great tyres, great team-mates so we are ready to fight, we just need luck. Myself I have trained a lot, I feel fit, I feel ready. In the last couple of years, it has been more difficult because before I get an injury during a winter test. Last year in January the screws and plates that I had in my ankle were taken out so that meant surgery again. It means this year is actually the first time in three years that I have been able to prepare the way I want for the season so I feel good and full of energy to start the season.”
STEINMAYR READY TO FIGHT HARD TO DEFEND SUPERSTOCK CROWN
Philipp Steinmayr won’t be able to back off as he bids to win the FIM Endurance World Cup for Superstock teams for the second season running. The Yamaha-powered Austrian, who partners new recruits Enzo De La Vega and Axel Maurin at Team 18 Sapeurs Pompiers CMS Motostore, is expecting plenty of tough competition in 2023: “Superstock is very competitive to be honest. Already last year you could see it was very close racing and also with the gaps in lap time. Having Dunlop as a mono-brand tyre supplier is a very good concept to make it as similar or as fair as possible for everyone. I expect this year it will even stronger because the championship is gaining momentum with more and more people and more and more riders entering. I can see from my colleagues in the IDM series that there are more and more riders coming to EWC and I expect it to be a really interesting season.” While Steinmayr is aiming for more Superstock category success, his 2022 team-mates Hugo Clere and Baptiste Guittet are graduating to Formula EWC with TATI Team Beringer Racing.
HANIKA ON A HIGH WITH SUB-LAP RECORD RUN AT EWC 24 HEURES MOTOS TEST
Karel Hanika will head to the 24 Heures Motos as the rider to beat after he completed an astonishing sub-lap record run for Yamalube YART Yamaha EWC Official Team during the final day of the Pre-Test for round one of the 2023 FIM EWC season (29 March). The Czech star, riding a Bridgestone-shod Yamaha YZF-R1 and backed up by team-mates Niccolò Canepa, Marvin Fritz and Robin Mulhauser, clocked a best effort of 1m34.759s around the 4.185-kilometre Circuit Bugatti, which eclipsed his record-breaking qualifying run of 1m34.878s set during last April’s 45th 24 Heures Motos.
RECOVERING HERO REA READY FOR PARADE LAP
Gino Rea, who was seriously injured in a practice crash ahead of the Suzuka Hours last June, will complete a Parade Lap shortly before the start of the 24 Heures Motos on Saturday. “It’s going to very exciting but very emotional because I want to be at Le Mans racing, that’s a given,” said Rea, who is recovering from serious head injuries. “I’ve seen people doing these Parade Laps before after they’ve come back from similar things. I’ve always looked up to them doing it and now it’s me doing it. I feel very appreciative that they’ve allowed me to do it. It’s going to be emotional for me because I can’t believe I’m going to be there and they’ve given me a Parade Lap. But the amount of people that know I’ve had this accident is quite mind-blowing really, I’ve had messages from famous motorcycle racers.”
Following two years without spectators due to COVID-19 restrictions, fans were back in their thousands for the 45th edition in April 2022. And they witnessed a thriller with Suzuki-powered Gregg Black, Sylvain Guintoli and Xavier Siméon combining in style for Le Mans-based Yoshimura SERT Motul. Rather than the 13.626-kilometre Circuit de La Sarthe, the traditional EWC curtain-raiser takes place on the 4.185-kilometre Circuit Bugatti. It comes complete with the famous Le Mans start/finish straight, Dunlop Esses and Ford Chicane, while a twisty infield section ensures there’s little respite, nevertheless. Riders also face the prospect of competing during shorter daylight hours.
24 HEURES MOTOS FAST FACTS:
*The first 24 Heures Motos took place from 22-23 April 1978 with Jean-Claude Chemarin and Christian Léon riding a Honda to victory.
*It followed the Bol d’Or – the other French 24-hour classic bike race appearing on the EWC schedule – relocating to Circuit Paul Ricard after the 1977 event.
*However, event organiser, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, staged its first race for motorbikes in 1912, long before the Bugatti Circuit’s inauguration in September 1966.
*After starting at 14h00 local time in 2020 and 2021, the 2022 edition of the 24 Heures Motos was flagged-off at 15h00.
*As well as hosting the EWC, Circuit Bugatti is home to the MotoGP Grand Prix de France.
RECENT WINNERS:
2022: Yoshimura SERT Motul (Gregg Black, Xavier Siméon, Sylvain Guintoli) 840 laps
2021: Yoshimura SERT Motul (Gregg Black, Xavier Siméon, Sylvain Guintoli) 855 laps
2020: F.C.C. TSR Honda France (Josh Hook, Freddy Foray, Mike De Meglio) 816 laps
2019: Team SRC Kawasaki France (Jérémy Guarnoni, David Checa, Erwan Nigon) 839 laps
2018: F.C.C. TSR Honda France (Josh Hook, Freddy Foray, Alan Techer) 843 laps
EWC MEDIA SPORTITY APP CHANNEL REMINDER
A dedicated Sportity app channel is now available to media reporting on the FIM Endurance World Championship. It includes timetables, a calendar refresher, track details, entry lists, press release archive, results, standings, rider profiles, key contacts and other essential information to assist media reporting on the EWC onsite or remotely. Users are made aware of new information becoming available through push notifications and the app can be downloaded for free via the App Store or Google Play. Once the Sportity app has been downloaded, the EWC Media Sportity channel can be accessed using the following password: 2023FIMewc-media.
Miguel Oliveira (88). Photo courtesy RNF MotoGP Team.
CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team prepares for Grand Prix of The Americas
The CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team is gearing up for the third round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship, set to take place at the Circuit Of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. The team is eagerly awaiting the event and hopes to have a full squad on hand to compete.
Miguel Oliveira, who suffered an unfortunate injury at his home round less than three weeks ago, is ready to come back to racing this week and is traveling to the United States full of expectations. However, he needs to pass a medical test on Thursday to be declared fit to race after damaging tendons in his right leg. Despite the setback, Oliveira has some good sensations regarding his recovery and aims to make a touch-and-go landing.
Raul Fernandez, who scored the first points of this season and managed to keep up with his fellow Factory Aprilia colleagues in Argentina last time out, is also eager to keep the momentum going. The young Spaniard is aware that the COTA isn’t an easy circuit for the MotoGP class, but he is determined to build on his performance and understanding of his Aprilia RS-GP from round two of 2023.
The American weekend starts this Friday with the first two Free Practice sessions at 10:45 local time (17:45 CET) and 15:00 local time (22:00 CET) for the premier class ahead of a busy Saturday with the new Sprint Race format, which riders and teams still need to get used to.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
“I’m obviously excited to start the trip to the US. It was a shame for me to have missed the Argentina GP, but I’m really looking forward to start again working with the team and discover the bike again on this track. It has not been an easy track for me in the past, so I hope that this year I can start turning things around and start the weekend strong. To score points in both the Sprint and the main Race would be really nice and of course important after not being able to do anything the last three opportunities basically. So, overall, I’m very excited.”
RAUL FERNANDEZ
“We had a difficult race Sunday in Argentina. All of us Aprilia riders together with our crews are working a lot to understand what was happening there. Anyway, I think COTA is a good track for me. I really want to enjoy riding and that is the main target, plus trying to understand why we were slower in the race in Argentina. Nevertheless, I think we did a step during the last weekend and in Texas, we aim to confirm this step.”
Razlan Razali, Founder and Team Principal CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team
“We are looking forward to the return of Miguel, which is of course still subject to the medical check on Thursday, but we are confident that he will be cleared to race during the weekend. So, we are back to nearly full strength for the Americas Grand Prix. The COTA is a demanding track with 20 corners and a traditional track that in the past hasn’t been too friendly to the Aprilia.”
“We will continue our work with Raul. He is getting to grips with the RS-GP, has a better understanding now and we hope that in Austin he can be even better. Overall, we look forward to the return of Miguel, continue the development with Raul and aim to score points.”
Wilco Zeelenberg, Team Manager CryptoDATA RNF MotoGP Team
“After a rainy race in Argentina, we hope we come to a sunny Texas. As we are back together with two riders, we are looking forward to this third round. Missing Miguel in the second round, was very sad for the whole team, being reduced by half. Raul did his best in the rain though, we scored two points. But now we are looking forward to have both crews there and both riders, so we are able to fight together to get good results.”
“Austin is quite a special race track, I’d say. It’s difficult to judge what we can expect there, as both riders have never ridden the circuit with the Aprilia, so we are pretty blind going into that weekend. Also, when we arrive in Austin, it’s always a bit unsure what they have done with the track, as it’s usually quite bumpy. So, let’s see how things look when we arrive in in America. First of all, we hope that Miguel gets declared fit and that the weather is nice and dry throughout the whole weekend. Of course, it’s a long trip again, but we hope everybody is arriving safe and sound in sunny Texas.”
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
November 13, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
