More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
Toprak Razgatlioglu completes first WorldSBK hat-trick with thrilling Race 2 win
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1) leads Alvaro Bautista (19) to the checkered flag at the end of Race Two at Donington Park. Photo courtesy Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
51,831 fans attended the Prosecco DOC UK Round to witness Razgatlioglu’s three victories
P1 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK)
Razgatlioglu took his first WorldSBK hat-trick, winning by 1.102s over Bautista.
It was also the first triple for Yamaha in the category who have now a total of 99 wins in WorldSBK.
He remains third in the standings but has reduced his gap to 43 points to the leader.
“This year, we did not have a good start but, finally, this weekend, we got three victories. This was normally my dream. I am really happy this weekend. Now I am feeling like last year’s Toprak, because my riding style is like last year’s style. The Superpole Race was very fast, because everybody was pushing every lap. The pace was unbelievable. I saw many 1’26s, this is an incredible lap time. Race 2 was very important for me because a full race is always very hard, and Jonny was faster. I know Jonny was following me, I was waiting and kept the rear tyre. I saw my board said 0.3 and after I was pushing again.”
P2 – Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
After yesterday’s DNF, Bautista took second place in Race 2
Bautista’s second place gave him his 40th WorldSBK podium.
The Spanish rider maintains his Championship lead with a total of 246 points.
“Today has been more positive than yesterday. We knew this track would be difficult for the Ducati. I didn’t expect today’s performance. Yesterday was a pity but today I changed a bit the line in that corner and I felt more comfortable. Today I struggled a little bit with right wrist pain. I’m happy and I’ll try to maintain my performance, to keep enjoying the bike. And let’s see what will happen in Most because I never raced there with the Ducati.”
P3 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
Rea claimed third position in Race 2 finishing 2.615s behind Razgatlioglu.
With three podium places claimed at Donington Park, he reduced the gap to Bautista in the Championship standings to 17 points.
“I felt really good for half of the race. Everything was working really well and I was able to understand where I was good, where I had to improve. There were some areas where I was better. I really overcooked the front brake. I was right behind Toprak in the slipstream, always. I went into Melbourne loop two times, and the lever was coming back to the bar. I used all my power to not hit Toprak sometimes. So I had to take some time to fix my rhythm. And then Alvaro was coming with a really strong rhythm. Unfortunately he came through. It was all I could do, just keep my rhythm. We made some good changes from yesterday to today. We’re learning a lot with the bike in hot conditions. We can be happy, especially after Misano. I’ve felt a lot closer here. It’s encouraging.”
P4 – Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
Rinaldi finished in 4th, his best result of the weekend, 2.4s off the podium.
He remains fifth in the Championship standings with 119 points and is now only 5 points behind Locatelli.
“I’m really happy about the weekend. The team worked in a good way. Today I tried my best to get the podium. In the last lap, when I saw Rea I though ‘ok, I try’ but then the tyre was dropping and I didn’t have much energy left. I almost crashed so I decided that fourth would be fine for Donington. I gave my 120% for the race. It was the toughest race of my career because I’ve never pushed like that. I’m really happy about this result.”
P5 – Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
Redding concluded a strong weekend with fifth place in Race 2.
He had claimed his first ever podium with BMW in the Tissot Superpole Race.
“That was a hard race! I got a good start; we knew we’d been working on that area yesterday. Today we got the start. It makes it a bit easier. I felt like I had a little bit more pace, but I thought they’re just controlling the race a little bit. I tried to save the tyre. The last few laps, I saw Alex and Alvaro behind. I thought ‘keep my head down, no mistakes’. Alex came and I thought ‘not like yesterday!’. Made it on the podium. Slowly we’re getting there.”
P6 – Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
Lowes concluded his home round with a sixth place in Race 2.
After a podium in Race 1, Lowes finished with three top-six finishes at his home round
“I was actually a similar distance off the winner as I was yesterday. I struggled a bit more on the front today. The lap time dropped a bit. I was still able to break well and get the bike to the apex. This afternoon the wind was a little bit stronger and the temperature even a bit higher than yesterday. I was having some big slide on the front and it couldn’t feel comfortable in the second part of the race. But it’s been a good weekend and we know the areas where we need to improve in hot conditions.”
To note:
Honda’s lead rider was Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) in tenth place. He remains the only rider to have scored top ten finishes in every race this season.
The Prosecco DOC Czech Round will take place from the 29th to 31st of July at the Autodrom Most.
Aegerter battles Baldassarri and Bulega to claim his ninth consecutive win
Dominique Aegerter (77) took a close win in World Supersport Race Two Sunday at Donington Park. Photo courtesy Dorna.
The Swiss rider increased his Championship lead to 64 points
P1 – Dominique Aegerter (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
Aegerter dropped to as low as fourth on Lap 8 but was able to battle his way back to victory.
A late-race move on Baldassarri allowed him to take the win by just 1.063s
He has won nine consecutive wins, equaling Locatelli’s record from 2020.
His fourth consecutive double win allowed him to increase his Championship lead to 64 points.
“Today’s race was exciting. The 19 laps were competitive, we had a great battle between different manufacturers. We could see that they are faster in some parts of the track. So, it was not so easy to overtake, especially Caricasulo and Bulega. With Baldassarri, I already knew where he was faster from Race 1. I waited for a good moment to go in front to make a clean pass. And we won again. It’s very nice to win nine races in a row. It’s like a dream. It’s not easy to achieve this result. We’re racing at different tracks, with different conditions so everything need to be perfect.”
P2 – Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team)
Despite a solid recovery to take the lead of the race, Baldassarri was denied victory by Aegerter who overtook him on Lap 17.
The Italian claimed his seventh consecutive WorldSSP podium.
He stands in second place in the Championship standings with 161 points.
“It wasn’t an easy race. We enjoyed a lot. I was fighting and giving my maximum. Today we were fast but Aegerter was more in control. I think that he has more the situation in control, and we’re missing that a bit. I was hoping he would loose a bit of time with the Ducatis behind to try to escape. But when I passed Bulega he also overtook him and then he was straight behind me. We were very fast in the last two laps and I was on the limit. In the end, second position is a good result.”
P3– Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
Starting from the front row, Bulega was leading Race 2 before Aegerter overtook on Lap 16.
He finished in third place claiming his sixth WorldSSP podium.
He is third in the standings with 120 points.
“Unfortunately, yesterday I made a stupid mistake and I crashed. But in the end, today we recovered some points. Today my bike was working really well. Until they overtook, I thought I could win. At the beginning of the race, my feeling was good because I started from second place on the grid, and then I overtook Aegerter. I was leading the race until three laps to go. But in the end, we had a good weekend.”
Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing) had been challenging for the podium but crossed the finish line in fourth. He claimed his best result since his switch to Ducati for 2022. Stefano Manzi (Dynavolt Triumph) was fifth, followed by Race 1 podium finisher Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura WorldSSP).
To note:
Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) retired from Race 2 on the opening lap after contact with Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) at Turn 1, with van Straalen able to continue in the lead group, although the Dutchman crashed out at Turn 11 and retired from the race.
Provisional Mission Production Twins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Jesse Janisch (Har), 21 laps
2. Dan Bromley (Yam), -01.935 seconds
3. Cory Texter (Yam), -04.649
4. James Rispoli (KTM), -05.455
5. Michael Rush (Har), -07.609
6. Cole Zabala (Yam), -08.918
7. Ben Lowe (Har), -08.966
8. Cody Johncox (Yam), -12.256
9. Cameron Smith (Roy), -15.107
10. Ryan Wells (Kaw), -15.368
11. Billy Ross (Har), -17.107
12. Nick Armstrong (Yam), -17.533
13. Mitch Harvat (Kaw), -20.084
14. Brock Schwarzenbacher (Kaw), -25.163
15. Jordan Harris (Kaw), -27.587
16. Kasey Sciscoe (Kaw), -1 lap, -02.183
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Kody Kopp (KTM), 21 laps
2. Dalton Gauthier (Hon), -00.646 seconds
3. Max Whale (KTM), -01.250
4. Chase Saathoff (Hon), -01.370
5. Trent Lowe (Hon), -02.880
6. Trevor Brunner (Yam), -07.507
7. Morgen Mischler (Hon), -10.860
8. James Ott (KTM), -11.182
9. Brandon Kitchen (Hus), -11.696
10. Hunter Bauer (KTM), -12.396
11. Travis Petton (KTM), -16.161
12. Tyler Raggio (Hon), -16.393
13. Kevin Stollings (Hon), -16.631
14. Jared Lowe (Hon), -16.758
15. Damon Ream (KTM), -17.156
16. Chad Cose (Hon), -20.073
17. Aidan RoosEvans (Hon), -22.909
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Briar Bauman (Ind), 26 laps
2. Jarod Vanderkooi (Ind), -02.156 seconds
3. Jared Mees (Ind), -02.574
4. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -03.771
5. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -06.467
6. Jesse Janisch (PT) (Har), -08.919
7. Dan Bromley (PT) (Yam), -09.649
8. Davis Fisher (Ind), -10.903
9. Robert Pearson (Ind), -13.362
10. Bronson Bauman (Har), -13.880
11. James Rispoli (PT) (KTM), -15.962
12. JD Beach (Yam), -16.161
13. Shayna Texter-Bauman (Ind), -16.827
14. Brandon Price (Yam), -4 laps
15. Larry Pegram (Ind), -21 laps
More, from a press release issued by American Flat Track:
Bauman Takes Emotional Win at Port Royal Half-Mile
Briar Bauman. Photo courtesy AFT.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 16, 2022) – Progressive American Flat Track star Briar Bauman (No. 3 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) scored his second straight victory at the Mission Port Royal Half-Mile presented by Appalachian Harley-Davidson thanks to a virtuoso performance at Port Royal Speedway on Saturday evening in Port Royal, Pennsylvania.
The two-time Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion had suffered through something of a wins drought by his standards after taking last year’s Port Royal Half-Mile, claiming just one triumph in the following 15 races. However, Bauman looks to be well and truly back to peak form now, adding a second consecutive win to record this season.”
The 22nd premier-class win of Bauman’s career carried some extra significance, coming on an evening in which the paddock earlier paid tribute to Ryan Varnes by donning his number #68 en masse for a memorial lap led by the late rider’s family.
After taking the checkered flag in the Main Event, Bauman took Varnes’ girlfriend, Jennifer Hoshauer, for the victory lap.
“Honestly, it’s an emotional day for the sport of flat track,” Bauman said. “I can’t thank everyone who participates in flat track enough right now. I can’t believe how strong the Varnes family is… All the fans were supporting us during our lap of honor. I don’t normally do burnouts – I don’t know if I’ve ever done one – but I just felt like we needed to do it. It was for Ryan.”
Reigning Mission SuperTwins champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) pushed Bauman early before falling into the clutches of Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750).
Following some back-and-forth, Vanderkooi expertly exploited the extreme high line to rail around Mees with a minute remaining on the clock and then held strong to secure his second runner-up result in a row.
While unable to respond, Mees still powered to his third third-place finish in succession. As a result, Mees continues to lead the title fight but by just eight points over archrival Bauman (173-165).
For the contest’s opening half, Estenson Racing Yamaha teammates Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) ran in tight formation in fifth and sixth, respectively. However, after that point, they went in opposite directions.
Daniels overtook Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) for fourth and made up ground on the podium before ultimately finishing just over a second off the box. Meanwhile, Beach twisted his ankle and was unable to maintain his pace, dropping all the way back to 12th by the race’s conclusion.
Robinson rounded out the top five, followed home by Mission Production Twins Challenge entrants Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Yamaha MT-07).
Meanwhile, Davis Fisher (No. 67 Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Robert Pearson (No. 27 Rackley Racing/John Franklin Indian FTR750), and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) completed the top ten.
Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) outlasted Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Yamaha MT-07) to score his third win of the Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines season.
Bromley announced at Port Royal that he was back for the remainder of the season and proceeded to prove in the Main Event that he was back in a big way. The home-state hero stormed to the holeshot and worked up a gap of nearly a half second over Janisch by the race’s mid-distance with the rest of the field even further back in his wake.
Rather than fold, Janisch mounted a comeback, reeling Bromley back in and arriving at his side with just over two minutes remaining. At that point, both riders bucked and weaved mere inches apart, with Bromley even reaching over and giving Janisch a friendly tap.
Janisch finally completed the extended overtake and then put his head down to claim a clear victory with almost two full seconds in hand.
With title rival Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) finishing a couple more seconds back in third, the win saw Janisch retake the championship lead by a single point (174-173).
“Man, that was some good racing,” Janisch said. “About halfway through the Main, (Bromley) made one little mistake, and I was searching so much trying to find something that would work a little better. Right when he made that mistake, I kind of found it. I started working on him. Hats off to the team. The bike is awesome. It’s like a dream come true season so far.
“This one is for (Ryan) Varnes. That front straightaway memorial we did for him was amazing.”
2020 class champion James Rispoli (No. 43 Wally Brown Racing/Haversack KTM 890 Duke) finished in fourth after getting shuffled back to tenth in a hectic opening lap. Despite the immediate disadvantage, Rispoli charged hard enough to push Texter late, taking the checkered flag just 0.806 seconds off the podium.
The top five was completed by Mikey Rush (No. 15 Hellipower Racing/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson XG750R), who equaled his best finish since returning from the injury he suffered at last season’s finale.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
For the fourth consecutive round, runaway Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER title leader Kody Kopp (No. 12 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) went wire-to-wire to victory.
In what has to pass as a form of consolation to the field, Kopp’s dominance was held somewhat in check at Port Royal Speedway. In contrast to the previous three lopsided affairs, a group of four riders managed to keep Kopp in sight for race distance.
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R had the pace to keep Kopp honest, consistently fighting back the gap whenever Kopp threatened to shake free. But in the end, the KTM ace hit the stripe to claim a 0.646-second margin of victory over his American Honda-backed adversary.
“It feels good to come back and (win) here at Port Royal,” Kopp said after taking the sixth win of what’s quickly shaping up to be a historic campaign. “This track is pretty cool. I’m just glad I got to take my sister on a victory lap. Big thanks to my team.”
Kopp’s teammate, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE), earned his first podium since returning from injury. Whale battled with Gauthier early before being forced to shift his attention to fending off Gauthier’s rookie teammate, Chase Saathoff (No. 106 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R), to hold onto the final spot on the box.
Trent Lowe (No. 48 Mission Foods/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda CRF450R) rode in podium contention for much of the race before a late bobble dropped him off the chase. He still managed to claim a lonely fifth, finishing nearly five seconds ahead of sixth-placed Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
Second-ranked Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) finished a spot further back in seventh as Kopp extended his championship advantage to more than two full races, 205-150.
The Mission Port Royal Half-Mile presented by Appalachian Harley-Davidson will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, July 23, at 9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT, including exclusive features, cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage, and expert commentary.
You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FansChoice.tv. FansChoice.tv provides free-to-view livestreaming of Practice and Qualifying. FansChoice.tv subscribers will then be able to watch the drama unfold from Opening Ceremonies through the Semis, Main Events, and podium celebrations. FansChoice.tv offers two subscription options, granting unlimited access to premium AFT content. Monthly subscriptions start at just $7.99, while a six-month subscription is available for $44.99.
FOX Sports and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of Progressive American Flat Track. For the 2022 season, all races will premiere in one-hour telecasts on FS1 during highly desirable weekend time slots. The complete schedule can be viewed at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports. FansChoice.tv provides livestreaming coverage of every Progressive AFT round at http://www.FansChoice.tv.
Razgatlioglu takes first full-race win of 2022 in Race 1, Bautista crashes from second
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1). Photo courtesy Pirelli.
Starting from third on the grid, Razgatlioglu was able to claim his first full-length race win of the 2022 season while Kawasaki claimed their 500th WorldSBK podium
The opening MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship race of the Prosecco DOC UK Round was a dramatic affair full of battles up and down the grid at Donington Park as reigning Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK Team) claimed victory by 6.3 seconds to claim his first full-length race win of the 2022 season. It means Razgatlioglu is now 54 points behind Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in the Championship standings following the latter’s retirement.
HOLESHOT FOR RAZGATLIOGLU: getting the jump at the start
It’s a move that has been seen a lot throughout 2022 as Razgatlioglu got the holeshot at the start to take the lead of the race and he was able to take advantage of the battling between Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and teammate Alex Lowes in the early stages, before Rea and Bautista fought each other for second place in the middle stage of the race.
Rea initially got swamped on Lap 1 and dropped to as low as fifth place before fighting his way back up to second place. He first fell behind Bautista on Lap 7 as the pair battled, with Rea making a move on Bautista on Lap 8. Bautista then re-passed Rea on Lap 12 at Turn 9 before Rea responded immediately before making the move stick on Lap 14 at Turn 12. Two laps later, however, Bautista crashed at the same corner and retired from the race; ending his run of 12 consecutive podium.
Razgatlioglu’s victory gave him the 20th of his career and his 64th podium finish in WorldSBK, while it was also Yamaha’s 97th win. Rea claimed his 226th podium and claimed Kawasaki’s 500th podium placement in WorldSBK. In the Championship standings, Rea took 20 points out of Bautista’s lead with the gap now only 16 points, with Razgatlioglu 54 points back.
BATTLING BRITS: Lowes and Redding fight for third
The battle for third place came down to a shootout between two home heroes as Lowes fought with Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). Redding was ahead until the final handful of laps as the pair battled through the final sector of the race, racing hard through Turns 11 and 12 and into Turn 1 on the next lap, before Lowes got the move done on the exit of Turn 1 and into Turn 2 to secure his first podium of the 2022 season. Lowes ensured Kawasaki immediately moved onto their 501st podium; Lowes’ third place was the 30th podium finish of his career. It was also his first podium since the Superpole Race in the 2021 French Round at Magny-Cours.
STRONG RESULTS: rounding out the top ten
Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) finished as the best Independent rider in Race 1 as he claimed fifth place in Race 1, his sixth consecutive top-seven finish in 2022. Bassani finished as the lead Ducati rider following Bautista’s crash as he finished a second clear of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in sixth place.
American star Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) performed another customary late-race surge as he finished in seventh place, equalling his best result of the season so far. Gerloff passed Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) on the final lap with the Spanish rookie finishing in eighth place, almost 7.5 seconds clear of Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) in ninth and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) in tenth.
TAKING HOME POINTS: completing the top 15
Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) was 11th on his first race at Donington Park, finishing two seconds clear of Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in 12th; Mahias securing points on his return from injury. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) was just a tenth back from Mahias while he was one second clear of wildcard Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) in 14th with the reigning British champion taking points on his WorldSBK debut. British rider Leon Haslam (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) rounded out the points with 15th place.
HOUSEKEEPING: to note from Race 1
Stand-in rider Illia Mykhalchyk (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) made a good start to climb up the order but dropped down to 16th place at the end of the race, missing out on points by just 0.244s after the 23-lap race. He was more than seven seconds clear of Hafizh Syahrin (MIE Racing Honda Team) who was only half-a-second clear of fellow rookie Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) in 18th.
Japanese rider Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was 19th, just over a second clear of Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) and Robert Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team), with Laverty and Tamburini separated by just 0.085s at the line. Wildcard Peter Hickman (FHO Racing) was 22nd ahead of Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) in 23rd; the last of the classified finishers.
Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) was the first retirement of the race after he crashed at the Turn 12 hairpin, the final corner of the circuit, on Lap 8. Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) was the second retirement of the race as he brought his Yamaha into the pits.
Motorcycle Racing Fans Show Up: MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest Attendance Increases 7.2% From 2021 Event
The GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca welcomed 35,717 fans for the third MotoAmerica exclusive event to be held at the historic track.
The 7.2 percent increase in attendance from 2021 shows strong growth for MotoAmerica and continued interest in the motorcycle racing heritage of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Bolstered by a persistent social media presence, manufacturer support and the endorsement of legendary motorcycle racing names like Wayne Rainey, fans of all ages and interests enjoyed beautiful weather and exciting racing all weekend long.
Festivities kicked off on Thursday evening with a Bike Night event held on Lighthouse Ave in the quaint local town of Pacific Grove. Hosted by the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce, and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the event drew dozens of unique motorcycles, while spectators enjoyed music from two live bands and local vendors. Fans could also check out Jameson’s Classic Motorcycle Museum for an up-close look at motorcycle history.
On-track action was split across three days of racing with multiple classes of motorcycles shrieking around the track. Medallia Superbike, the premier class for MotoAmerica, delivered exciting action as fans watched California-born Jake Gagne and the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha team overtake Danilo Petrucci and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC for the championship lead. Fan favorites Mission King Of The Baggers and Roland Sands Design Super Hooligans also provided some seriously entertaining thrills on the track.
The motorcycle parking area and one of the many camping areas as seen during the MotoAmerica event. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca remains one of the most iconic and spectator-friendly venues on the entire MotoAmerica calendar. From the up-close viewing at the iconic Corkscrew to the grandstands on the main straight and full paddock access, MotoAmerica fans had plenty to see and do throughout the race weekend.
“The success of the MotoAmerica weekend is a solid and steady indication of the growing interest in motorcycle racing,” said John Narigi, president and general manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. ”It is the largest and most important motorcycle race on the west coast and really appealed to entire families who were looking for an entertaining experience. We look forward to working with the MotoAmerica team on continuing to grow the event.”
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:
Toprak Razgatlioglu completes first WorldSBK hat-trick with thrilling Race 2 win
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1) leads Alvaro Bautista (19) to the checkered flag at the end of Race Two at Donington Park. Photo courtesy Dorna WorldSBK Press Office.
51,831 fans attended the Prosecco DOC UK Round to witness Razgatlioglu’s three victories
P1 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK)
Razgatlioglu took his first WorldSBK hat-trick, winning by 1.102s over Bautista.
It was also the first triple for Yamaha in the category who have now a total of 99 wins in WorldSBK.
He remains third in the standings but has reduced his gap to 43 points to the leader.
“This year, we did not have a good start but, finally, this weekend, we got three victories. This was normally my dream. I am really happy this weekend. Now I am feeling like last year’s Toprak, because my riding style is like last year’s style. The Superpole Race was very fast, because everybody was pushing every lap. The pace was unbelievable. I saw many 1’26s, this is an incredible lap time. Race 2 was very important for me because a full race is always very hard, and Jonny was faster. I know Jonny was following me, I was waiting and kept the rear tyre. I saw my board said 0.3 and after I was pushing again.”
P2 – Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
After yesterday’s DNF, Bautista took second place in Race 2
Bautista’s second place gave him his 40th WorldSBK podium.
The Spanish rider maintains his Championship lead with a total of 246 points.
“Today has been more positive than yesterday. We knew this track would be difficult for the Ducati. I didn’t expect today’s performance. Yesterday was a pity but today I changed a bit the line in that corner and I felt more comfortable. Today I struggled a little bit with right wrist pain. I’m happy and I’ll try to maintain my performance, to keep enjoying the bike. And let’s see what will happen in Most because I never raced there with the Ducati.”
P3 – Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
Rea claimed third position in Race 2 finishing 2.615s behind Razgatlioglu.
With three podium places claimed at Donington Park, he reduced the gap to Bautista in the Championship standings to 17 points.
“I felt really good for half of the race. Everything was working really well and I was able to understand where I was good, where I had to improve. There were some areas where I was better. I really overcooked the front brake. I was right behind Toprak in the slipstream, always. I went into Melbourne loop two times, and the lever was coming back to the bar. I used all my power to not hit Toprak sometimes. So I had to take some time to fix my rhythm. And then Alvaro was coming with a really strong rhythm. Unfortunately he came through. It was all I could do, just keep my rhythm. We made some good changes from yesterday to today. We’re learning a lot with the bike in hot conditions. We can be happy, especially after Misano. I’ve felt a lot closer here. It’s encouraging.”
P4 – Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
Rinaldi finished in 4th, his best result of the weekend, 2.4s off the podium.
He remains fifth in the Championship standings with 119 points and is now only 5 points behind Locatelli.
“I’m really happy about the weekend. The team worked in a good way. Today I tried my best to get the podium. In the last lap, when I saw Rea I though ‘ok, I try’ but then the tyre was dropping and I didn’t have much energy left. I almost crashed so I decided that fourth would be fine for Donington. I gave my 120% for the race. It was the toughest race of my career because I’ve never pushed like that. I’m really happy about this result.”
P5 – Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
Redding concluded a strong weekend with fifth place in Race 2.
He had claimed his first ever podium with BMW in the Tissot Superpole Race.
“That was a hard race! I got a good start; we knew we’d been working on that area yesterday. Today we got the start. It makes it a bit easier. I felt like I had a little bit more pace, but I thought they’re just controlling the race a little bit. I tried to save the tyre. The last few laps, I saw Alex and Alvaro behind. I thought ‘keep my head down, no mistakes’. Alex came and I thought ‘not like yesterday!’. Made it on the podium. Slowly we’re getting there.”
P6 – Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
Lowes concluded his home round with a sixth place in Race 2.
After a podium in Race 1, Lowes finished with three top-six finishes at his home round
“I was actually a similar distance off the winner as I was yesterday. I struggled a bit more on the front today. The lap time dropped a bit. I was still able to break well and get the bike to the apex. This afternoon the wind was a little bit stronger and the temperature even a bit higher than yesterday. I was having some big slide on the front and it couldn’t feel comfortable in the second part of the race. But it’s been a good weekend and we know the areas where we need to improve in hot conditions.”
To note:
Honda’s lead rider was Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) in tenth place. He remains the only rider to have scored top ten finishes in every race this season.
The Prosecco DOC Czech Round will take place from the 29th to 31st of July at the Autodrom Most.
Aegerter battles Baldassarri and Bulega to claim his ninth consecutive win
Dominique Aegerter (77) took a close win in World Supersport Race Two Sunday at Donington Park. Photo courtesy Dorna.
The Swiss rider increased his Championship lead to 64 points
P1 – Dominique Aegerter (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
Aegerter dropped to as low as fourth on Lap 8 but was able to battle his way back to victory.
A late-race move on Baldassarri allowed him to take the win by just 1.063s
He has won nine consecutive wins, equaling Locatelli’s record from 2020.
His fourth consecutive double win allowed him to increase his Championship lead to 64 points.
“Today’s race was exciting. The 19 laps were competitive, we had a great battle between different manufacturers. We could see that they are faster in some parts of the track. So, it was not so easy to overtake, especially Caricasulo and Bulega. With Baldassarri, I already knew where he was faster from Race 1. I waited for a good moment to go in front to make a clean pass. And we won again. It’s very nice to win nine races in a row. It’s like a dream. It’s not easy to achieve this result. We’re racing at different tracks, with different conditions so everything need to be perfect.”
P2 – Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team)
Despite a solid recovery to take the lead of the race, Baldassarri was denied victory by Aegerter who overtook him on Lap 17.
The Italian claimed his seventh consecutive WorldSSP podium.
He stands in second place in the Championship standings with 161 points.
“It wasn’t an easy race. We enjoyed a lot. I was fighting and giving my maximum. Today we were fast but Aegerter was more in control. I think that he has more the situation in control, and we’re missing that a bit. I was hoping he would loose a bit of time with the Ducatis behind to try to escape. But when I passed Bulega he also overtook him and then he was straight behind me. We were very fast in the last two laps and I was on the limit. In the end, second position is a good result.”
P3– Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
Starting from the front row, Bulega was leading Race 2 before Aegerter overtook on Lap 16.
He finished in third place claiming his sixth WorldSSP podium.
He is third in the standings with 120 points.
“Unfortunately, yesterday I made a stupid mistake and I crashed. But in the end, today we recovered some points. Today my bike was working really well. Until they overtook, I thought I could win. At the beginning of the race, my feeling was good because I started from second place on the grid, and then I overtook Aegerter. I was leading the race until three laps to go. But in the end, we had a good weekend.”
Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing) had been challenging for the podium but crossed the finish line in fourth. He claimed his best result since his switch to Ducati for 2022. Stefano Manzi (Dynavolt Triumph) was fifth, followed by Race 1 podium finisher Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura WorldSSP).
To note:
Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) retired from Race 2 on the opening lap after contact with Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) at Turn 1, with van Straalen able to continue in the lead group, although the Dutchman crashed out at Turn 11 and retired from the race.
Provisional Mission Production Twins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Jesse Janisch (Har), 21 laps
2. Dan Bromley (Yam), -01.935 seconds
3. Cory Texter (Yam), -04.649
4. James Rispoli (KTM), -05.455
5. Michael Rush (Har), -07.609
6. Cole Zabala (Yam), -08.918
7. Ben Lowe (Har), -08.966
8. Cody Johncox (Yam), -12.256
9. Cameron Smith (Roy), -15.107
10. Ryan Wells (Kaw), -15.368
11. Billy Ross (Har), -17.107
12. Nick Armstrong (Yam), -17.533
13. Mitch Harvat (Kaw), -20.084
14. Brock Schwarzenbacher (Kaw), -25.163
15. Jordan Harris (Kaw), -27.587
16. Kasey Sciscoe (Kaw), -1 lap, -02.183
Provisional Parts Unlimited AFT Singles Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Kody Kopp (KTM), 21 laps
2. Dalton Gauthier (Hon), -00.646 seconds
3. Max Whale (KTM), -01.250
4. Chase Saathoff (Hon), -01.370
5. Trent Lowe (Hon), -02.880
6. Trevor Brunner (Yam), -07.507
7. Morgen Mischler (Hon), -10.860
8. James Ott (KTM), -11.182
9. Brandon Kitchen (Hus), -11.696
10. Hunter Bauer (KTM), -12.396
11. Travis Petton (KTM), -16.161
12. Tyler Raggio (Hon), -16.393
13. Kevin Stollings (Hon), -16.631
14. Jared Lowe (Hon), -16.758
15. Damon Ream (KTM), -17.156
16. Chad Cose (Hon), -20.073
17. Aidan RoosEvans (Hon), -22.909
Provisional Mission SuperTwins Main Event Results (all on Dunlop tires):
1. Briar Bauman (Ind), 26 laps
2. Jarod Vanderkooi (Ind), -02.156 seconds
3. Jared Mees (Ind), -02.574
4. Dallas Daniels (Yam), -03.771
5. Brandon Robinson (Ind), -06.467
6. Jesse Janisch (PT) (Har), -08.919
7. Dan Bromley (PT) (Yam), -09.649
8. Davis Fisher (Ind), -10.903
9. Robert Pearson (Ind), -13.362
10. Bronson Bauman (Har), -13.880
11. James Rispoli (PT) (KTM), -15.962
12. JD Beach (Yam), -16.161
13. Shayna Texter-Bauman (Ind), -16.827
14. Brandon Price (Yam), -4 laps
15. Larry Pegram (Ind), -21 laps
More, from a press release issued by American Flat Track:
Bauman Takes Emotional Win at Port Royal Half-Mile
Briar Bauman. Photo courtesy AFT.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 16, 2022) – Progressive American Flat Track star Briar Bauman (No. 3 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) scored his second straight victory at the Mission Port Royal Half-Mile presented by Appalachian Harley-Davidson thanks to a virtuoso performance at Port Royal Speedway on Saturday evening in Port Royal, Pennsylvania.
The two-time Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle champion had suffered through something of a wins drought by his standards after taking last year’s Port Royal Half-Mile, claiming just one triumph in the following 15 races. However, Bauman looks to be well and truly back to peak form now, adding a second consecutive win to record this season.”
The 22nd premier-class win of Bauman’s career carried some extra significance, coming on an evening in which the paddock earlier paid tribute to Ryan Varnes by donning his number #68 en masse for a memorial lap led by the late rider’s family.
After taking the checkered flag in the Main Event, Bauman took Varnes’ girlfriend, Jennifer Hoshauer, for the victory lap.
“Honestly, it’s an emotional day for the sport of flat track,” Bauman said. “I can’t thank everyone who participates in flat track enough right now. I can’t believe how strong the Varnes family is… All the fans were supporting us during our lap of honor. I don’t normally do burnouts – I don’t know if I’ve ever done one – but I just felt like we needed to do it. It was for Ryan.”
Reigning Mission SuperTwins champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) pushed Bauman early before falling into the clutches of Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750).
Following some back-and-forth, Vanderkooi expertly exploited the extreme high line to rail around Mees with a minute remaining on the clock and then held strong to secure his second runner-up result in a row.
While unable to respond, Mees still powered to his third third-place finish in succession. As a result, Mees continues to lead the title fight but by just eight points over archrival Bauman (173-165).
For the contest’s opening half, Estenson Racing Yamaha teammates Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) ran in tight formation in fifth and sixth, respectively. However, after that point, they went in opposite directions.
Daniels overtook Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) for fourth and made up ground on the podium before ultimately finishing just over a second off the box. Meanwhile, Beach twisted his ankle and was unable to maintain his pace, dropping all the way back to 12th by the race’s conclusion.
Robinson rounded out the top five, followed home by Mission Production Twins Challenge entrants Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Yamaha MT-07).
Meanwhile, Davis Fisher (No. 67 Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750), Robert Pearson (No. 27 Rackley Racing/John Franklin Indian FTR750), and Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) completed the top ten.
Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines
Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) outlasted Dan Bromley (No. 62 Memphis Shades/Corbin/Vinson Yamaha MT-07) to score his third win of the Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines season.
Bromley announced at Port Royal that he was back for the remainder of the season and proceeded to prove in the Main Event that he was back in a big way. The home-state hero stormed to the holeshot and worked up a gap of nearly a half second over Janisch by the race’s mid-distance with the rest of the field even further back in his wake.
Rather than fold, Janisch mounted a comeback, reeling Bromley back in and arriving at his side with just over two minutes remaining. At that point, both riders bucked and weaved mere inches apart, with Bromley even reaching over and giving Janisch a friendly tap.
Janisch finally completed the extended overtake and then put his head down to claim a clear victory with almost two full seconds in hand.
With title rival Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) finishing a couple more seconds back in third, the win saw Janisch retake the championship lead by a single point (174-173).
“Man, that was some good racing,” Janisch said. “About halfway through the Main, (Bromley) made one little mistake, and I was searching so much trying to find something that would work a little better. Right when he made that mistake, I kind of found it. I started working on him. Hats off to the team. The bike is awesome. It’s like a dream come true season so far.
“This one is for (Ryan) Varnes. That front straightaway memorial we did for him was amazing.”
2020 class champion James Rispoli (No. 43 Wally Brown Racing/Haversack KTM 890 Duke) finished in fourth after getting shuffled back to tenth in a hectic opening lap. Despite the immediate disadvantage, Rispoli charged hard enough to push Texter late, taking the checkered flag just 0.806 seconds off the podium.
The top five was completed by Mikey Rush (No. 15 Hellipower Racing/Las Vegas Harley-Davidson XG750R), who equaled his best finish since returning from the injury he suffered at last season’s finale.
Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER
For the fourth consecutive round, runaway Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER title leader Kody Kopp (No. 12 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) went wire-to-wire to victory.
In what has to pass as a form of consolation to the field, Kopp’s dominance was held somewhat in check at Port Royal Speedway. In contrast to the previous three lopsided affairs, a group of four riders managed to keep Kopp in sight for race distance.
Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R had the pace to keep Kopp honest, consistently fighting back the gap whenever Kopp threatened to shake free. But in the end, the KTM ace hit the stripe to claim a 0.646-second margin of victory over his American Honda-backed adversary.
“It feels good to come back and (win) here at Port Royal,” Kopp said after taking the sixth win of what’s quickly shaping up to be a historic campaign. “This track is pretty cool. I’m just glad I got to take my sister on a victory lap. Big thanks to my team.”
Kopp’s teammate, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE), earned his first podium since returning from injury. Whale battled with Gauthier early before being forced to shift his attention to fending off Gauthier’s rookie teammate, Chase Saathoff (No. 106 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R), to hold onto the final spot on the box.
Trent Lowe (No. 48 Mission Foods/Al Lamb’s Dallas Honda CRF450R) rode in podium contention for much of the race before a late bobble dropped him off the chase. He still managed to claim a lonely fifth, finishing nearly five seconds ahead of sixth-placed Trevor Brunner (No. 21 Estenson Racing Yamaha YZ450F).
Second-ranked Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R) finished a spot further back in seventh as Kopp extended his championship advantage to more than two full races, 205-150.
The Mission Port Royal Half-Mile presented by Appalachian Harley-Davidson will premiere on FS1 on Saturday, July 23, at 9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT, including exclusive features, cutting-edge aerial drone and onboard footage, and expert commentary.
You can catch the livestream of all the weekend’s racing activities on FansChoice.tv. FansChoice.tv provides free-to-view livestreaming of Practice and Qualifying. FansChoice.tv subscribers will then be able to watch the drama unfold from Opening Ceremonies through the Semis, Main Events, and podium celebrations. FansChoice.tv offers two subscription options, granting unlimited access to premium AFT content. Monthly subscriptions start at just $7.99, while a six-month subscription is available for $44.99.
FOX Sports and FansChoice.tv are the official homes for coverage of Progressive American Flat Track. For the 2022 season, all races will premiere in one-hour telecasts on FS1 during highly desirable weekend time slots. The complete schedule can be viewed at https://www.americanflattrack.com/events-foxsports. FansChoice.tv provides livestreaming coverage of every Progressive AFT round at http://www.FansChoice.tv.
Razgatlioglu takes first full-race win of 2022 in Race 1, Bautista crashes from second
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1). Photo courtesy Pirelli.
Starting from third on the grid, Razgatlioglu was able to claim his first full-length race win of the 2022 season while Kawasaki claimed their 500th WorldSBK podium
The opening MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship race of the Prosecco DOC UK Round was a dramatic affair full of battles up and down the grid at Donington Park as reigning Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK Team) claimed victory by 6.3 seconds to claim his first full-length race win of the 2022 season. It means Razgatlioglu is now 54 points behind Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in the Championship standings following the latter’s retirement.
HOLESHOT FOR RAZGATLIOGLU: getting the jump at the start
It’s a move that has been seen a lot throughout 2022 as Razgatlioglu got the holeshot at the start to take the lead of the race and he was able to take advantage of the battling between Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and teammate Alex Lowes in the early stages, before Rea and Bautista fought each other for second place in the middle stage of the race.
Rea initially got swamped on Lap 1 and dropped to as low as fifth place before fighting his way back up to second place. He first fell behind Bautista on Lap 7 as the pair battled, with Rea making a move on Bautista on Lap 8. Bautista then re-passed Rea on Lap 12 at Turn 9 before Rea responded immediately before making the move stick on Lap 14 at Turn 12. Two laps later, however, Bautista crashed at the same corner and retired from the race; ending his run of 12 consecutive podium.
Razgatlioglu’s victory gave him the 20th of his career and his 64th podium finish in WorldSBK, while it was also Yamaha’s 97th win. Rea claimed his 226th podium and claimed Kawasaki’s 500th podium placement in WorldSBK. In the Championship standings, Rea took 20 points out of Bautista’s lead with the gap now only 16 points, with Razgatlioglu 54 points back.
BATTLING BRITS: Lowes and Redding fight for third
The battle for third place came down to a shootout between two home heroes as Lowes fought with Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). Redding was ahead until the final handful of laps as the pair battled through the final sector of the race, racing hard through Turns 11 and 12 and into Turn 1 on the next lap, before Lowes got the move done on the exit of Turn 1 and into Turn 2 to secure his first podium of the 2022 season. Lowes ensured Kawasaki immediately moved onto their 501st podium; Lowes’ third place was the 30th podium finish of his career. It was also his first podium since the Superpole Race in the 2021 French Round at Magny-Cours.
STRONG RESULTS: rounding out the top ten
Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) finished as the best Independent rider in Race 1 as he claimed fifth place in Race 1, his sixth consecutive top-seven finish in 2022. Bassani finished as the lead Ducati rider following Bautista’s crash as he finished a second clear of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in sixth place.
American star Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) performed another customary late-race surge as he finished in seventh place, equalling his best result of the season so far. Gerloff passed Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) on the final lap with the Spanish rookie finishing in eighth place, almost 7.5 seconds clear of Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) in ninth and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) in tenth.
TAKING HOME POINTS: completing the top 15
Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) was 11th on his first race at Donington Park, finishing two seconds clear of Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in 12th; Mahias securing points on his return from injury. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) was just a tenth back from Mahias while he was one second clear of wildcard Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) in 14th with the reigning British champion taking points on his WorldSBK debut. British rider Leon Haslam (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) rounded out the points with 15th place.
HOUSEKEEPING: to note from Race 1
Stand-in rider Illia Mykhalchyk (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) made a good start to climb up the order but dropped down to 16th place at the end of the race, missing out on points by just 0.244s after the 23-lap race. He was more than seven seconds clear of Hafizh Syahrin (MIE Racing Honda Team) who was only half-a-second clear of fellow rookie Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) in 18th.
Japanese rider Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was 19th, just over a second clear of Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) and Robert Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team), with Laverty and Tamburini separated by just 0.085s at the line. Wildcard Peter Hickman (FHO Racing) was 22nd ahead of Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) in 23rd; the last of the classified finishers.
Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) was the first retirement of the race after he crashed at the Turn 12 hairpin, the final corner of the circuit, on Lap 8. Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) was the second retirement of the race as he brought his Yamaha into the pits.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca as seen during the MotoAmerica event in 2022. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Motorcycle Racing Fans Show Up: MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest Attendance Increases 7.2% From 2021 Event
The GEICO Motorcycle MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca welcomed 35,717 fans for the third MotoAmerica exclusive event to be held at the historic track.
The 7.2 percent increase in attendance from 2021 shows strong growth for MotoAmerica and continued interest in the motorcycle racing heritage of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Bolstered by a persistent social media presence, manufacturer support and the endorsement of legendary motorcycle racing names like Wayne Rainey, fans of all ages and interests enjoyed beautiful weather and exciting racing all weekend long.
Festivities kicked off on Thursday evening with a Bike Night event held on Lighthouse Ave in the quaint local town of Pacific Grove. Hosted by the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce, and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the event drew dozens of unique motorcycles, while spectators enjoyed music from two live bands and local vendors. Fans could also check out Jameson’s Classic Motorcycle Museum for an up-close look at motorcycle history.
On-track action was split across three days of racing with multiple classes of motorcycles shrieking around the track. Medallia Superbike, the premier class for MotoAmerica, delivered exciting action as fans watched California-born Jake Gagne and the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha team overtake Danilo Petrucci and Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC for the championship lead. Fan favorites Mission King Of The Baggers and Roland Sands Design Super Hooligans also provided some seriously entertaining thrills on the track.
The motorcycle parking area and one of the many camping areas as seen during the MotoAmerica event. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca remains one of the most iconic and spectator-friendly venues on the entire MotoAmerica calendar. From the up-close viewing at the iconic Corkscrew to the grandstands on the main straight and full paddock access, MotoAmerica fans had plenty to see and do throughout the race weekend.
“The success of the MotoAmerica weekend is a solid and steady indication of the growing interest in motorcycle racing,” said John Narigi, president and general manager of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. ”It is the largest and most important motorcycle race on the west coast and really appealed to entire families who were looking for an entertaining experience. We look forward to working with the MotoAmerica team on continuing to grow the event.”
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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
