UtahSBA: Lopez Returns From Injury And Wins

David Swarts

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July 13, 2022

UtahSBA: Lopez Returns From Injury And Wins

Round 4 of the Utah Motorcycle Law Masters of the Mountains series took place on July 9th at Utah Motorcycle Campus on the West track configuration.

The series crown jewel race, Moto United KOM GTU/Moto Station-Pirelli KOM GTO, would have multiple story lines with series points leader Anthony Norton not attending, and defending number one plate holder Jerry Hicks electing not to race after a nasty crash in an earlier round. Additionally, previous race winner Genaro Lopez would be returning from a broken wrist suffered at Round two and second place points holder Dave Meyer would be looking to eat into a 38 point deficit to Norton in first place.

In qualifying Lopez set the early fast lap at 1:33.006. Meyer would soon answer back with a 1:32.9 and briefly move into P1 before being bested when Lopez responded with a 1:32.625 on the very next lap. At this point in the session it would be Lopez and Meyer running in first and second with local racer Ryan Richardson in third with a 1:33.632 lap time. In the closing minutes of qualifying Scott Decker would be able to edge Richardson for the third place qualifying slot with a 1:33.632. The top three in the final qualifying order would be Lopez, Meyer, Decker.

Come race time, Meyer would lead the pack entering turn one but Lopez would make a quick pass and exit turn one with the lead. Richardson would exit turn one in third. By lap two Lopez would open a sizable gap on Meyer and Richardson in second and third respectively.

Behind the lead trio, Kellen Birch was leading Kevin Dolan in a furious battle for fifth. The two would be tip to tail for two laps with Dolan attempting passes in seemingly every corner before finally making a pass stick in turn five of lap four. Birch would close the gap and try to regain his position in the turn ten but his efforts would be fruitless as Dolan would retain his position.

Meanwhile on lap seven Meyer, at this point running in second, would accidentally activate his pit limiter and allow Richardson in third to move up into second. The running order now re-shuffled to Lopez, Richardson, Meyer. From there the top three would bring it home to the finish line without further changes in position.

In The Mechanic Modern Vintage GTO/GTU race Josh Snow would get a great jump and post a 1:35.41 lap time for lap one. Dolan would be second on for the entirety of lap one with Marshall Miller trailing behind in third. By the beginning of lap two Snow and Dolan were separated by no more than a yardstick setting up a race of one overtaking attempt after another, corner after corner. Snow would manage to separate himself on the first half of the lap, with Dolan able to catch up in the second half of the lap. Dolan would attempt a pass each lap in turn ten, getting a good drive and drying to drag race Snow in first on the front straight. Dolan’s efforts were in vain as Snow was able to hold on for the win with the podium group being Snow, Dolan, Miller in the final standings. Said Snow of his race, “I felt like I had kind of plateaued in my riding then somehow I broke through and won the first two races of my career at Round 3 and was able to back it up with the win this afternoon. Huge thanks to my mentors Marshall Miller, Alex Zinaich, and Scott Rybarik.”

In the Moto United Open Superstock race, local racer Kory Cowan would ride a huge wheelie off the starting line, opening the door for Ryan Richardson on the Trackstar Racing ZX-10 to get the holeshot. Kowan would gather the bike in time to tuck into second behind Richardson with Cole Phillips in third. At the end of the first lap Kowan would make the pass for the lead in turn ten but Richardson would immediately answer back by getting a better drive and retaking first place by passing on the gas down the front straight. Cowan stayed close to the leader though, ultimately passing for the lead again in turn four. By lap three Philllips had caught back up to the two leaders, ticking off laps and waiting patiently for a mistake so he could move up in the running order. By turn five of lap four Richardson was able to catch Cowan and would stalk him the rest of the lap before pouncing in turn ten and getting hard on the throttle to secure first position. Cowan would trail the rest of the lap before unexpectedly retiring from the race and handing second position to Phillips. Scott Decker would inherit third place and the finishing order would be Richardson, Phillips, Decker. After the race Richardson was happy with his victory but expressed a desire for improvement. “I’m happy with the win but I want to be running a 1:32 lap time. I have some ideas where I can drop a half a second or so from my lap time. I want to thank my Dad Ian, Dunlop Tires, Jason Parkinson at ECS HVAC, and Trackstar Racing,” said Richardson.

As the track went silent the racers gathered at their race round staple barbeque event to bench race and make plans for Round five, which will be held August 6th at Utah Motorsports Campus on the perimeter track configuration. The UtahSBA wishes to express our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to our racers, their families, and last but certainly not least our generous sponsors. None of this would happen without you and we can’t wait to see you at Round 5 in August. If you’ve never raced with the UtahSBA before, do it! You’re missing out and there’s no better time to start than on the perimeter course configuration with one of the longest straightaways in North America. See you there!

Results

Motostation/Moto United KOM Overall:

1. Genaro Lopez (BMW S1000RR)

2. Ryan Richardson (KAW ZX-10R)

3. David Meyer (YAM R1)

4. Cole Phillips (KAW ZX-10R)

5. Kevin Dolan (KAW ZX-10R)

6. Kellen Birch(YAM R1)

Motostation KOM GTO:

1. Genaro Lopez (BMW S1000RR)

2. Ryan Richardson (KAW ZX-10R)

3. David Meyer (YAM YZF-R1)

4. Cole Phillips (KAW ZX-10R)

5. Kevin Dolan (KAW ZX-10R)

6. Kellen Birch (YAM R1)

AZ Riding Academy Combined GTO

1. Gilbert Gonzalez (KAW ZX-10R)

2. Joshua Snow (YAM R1)

3. Steven Marco (YAM R1)

4. Sam Arquit (HON CBR1000RR)

5. Christopher Mousley (YAM R1)

6. Scott Christensen (YAM R6)

Off Highway Van Combined GTU

1. Joshua Fisher (TRI 675R)

2. Chayce Lance (YAM R6)

3. Scott Christensen (YAM R6)

4. Belisario Arango (KAW ZX6R)

5. Mario Fernandez (YAM R6)

6. Brian Gerwe (HON CBR600RR)

The Edge Powersports Deseret Dash – Expert

1. Steven Marco (YAM R1)

2. Sam Arquit (HON CBR1000RR)

3. Joshua Snow (YAM R1)

4. Marshall Miller (BMW S1000RR)

5. Braxton Young (YAM R6)

6. David Meyer (YAM R1)

The Edge Powersports Deseret Dash – Novice

1. Alban Bonilla (BMW S1000RR)

2. Brian Gerwe (HON CBR600RR)

3. Mario Fernandez (YAM R6)

4. Landon Mattson (SUZ GSX-R600)

5. Cameron Holladay (YAM R1)

Harrison Eurosports Formula 40 – GTO

1. Kevin Dolan (KAW ZX-10R)

2. Alex Zinaich (YAM R1)

3. Christopher Mousley (YAM R1)

4. Dave Loynd (HON CBR1000RR)

5. Jeff Taylor (YAM R1)

Harrison Eurosports Formula 40 – GTU

1. Lee McNutt (YAM R6)

2. Kirk Doyle (KAW ZX-6R)

3. Eliu Heredia (YAM R6)

4. Dustin Lance (YAM R6)

The Weekend Garage Middleweight Superbike

1. Brian Childree (KAW ZX-6R)

2. Joshua Fisher (TRI 675R)

3. Braxton Young (YAM R6)

4. Brian Naylor (KAW ZX-6R)

Toxic Moto Racing Middleweight Superstock

1. Brian Childree (KAW ZX-6R)

3. Joshua Fisher (TRI 675R)

2. Lee McNutt (YAM R6)

4. Brian Naylor (KAW ZX-6R)

5. Belisario Arango (KAW ZX-6R)

6. Braxton Young (YAM R6)

The Mechanic Modern Vintage – GTO

1. Joshua Snow (YAM R1)

2. Kevin Dolan (SUZ GSXR1000)

3. Marshall Miller (BMW S1000RR)

4. Dave Loynd (HON CBR1000RR)

5. Cameron Holladay (YAM YZF R1)

6. Robert Jojola (DUC 999)

The Mechanic Modern Vintage – GTU

1. Joshua Fisher (TRI 675R)

2. Brian Gerwe (HON CBR600RR)

3. Kirk Doyle (KAW ZX-6R)

4. Donald Rothfuss (DUC 848)

5. Braxton Young (YAM YZF R6)

6. Mario Fernandez (YAM YZF R6)

Karl Malone Powersports Moto 2

1. Brian Childree (KAW ZX-6R)

2. Joshua Fisher (TRI 675R)

4. Scott Christensen (YAM R6)

3. Brian Naylor (KAW ZX-6R)

5. Zach Jenson (YAM R6)

6. Kirk Doyle (KAW ZX-6R)

Redline Realty Moto 3

1. Brian Gerwe (KAW Ninja 400)

Legion of Speed Novice GTO

1. Christopher Mousley (YAM R1)

2. Jeff Taylor (YAM R1)

3. Alban Bonilla (BMW S1000RR)

4. Scott Christensen (YAM R6)

5. Zach Jenson (YAM R6)

6. Joseph Ruck (SUZ GSX-R1000)

Trackstar Novice GTU

1. Kirk Doyle (KAW ZX-6R)

2. Scott Christensen (YAM R6)

3. Zach Jenson (YAM R6)

4. Brian Berwe (HON CBR600RR)

5. Mario Fernandez (YAM R6)

6. Jeff Leeman (YAM R6)

Vortex Open Superbike

1. Ryan Richardson (KAW ZX-10R)

2. Kevin Dolan (KAW ZX-10R)

3. David Meyer (YAM R1)

4. Gilbert Gonzalez (KAW ZX-10R)

5. Sam Arquit (HON CBR1000RR)

6. Kellen Birch (YAM R1)

MotoUnited Open Superstock

1. Ryan Richardson (KAW ZX-10R)

2. Cole Phillips (KAW ZX-10R)

3. Scott Decker (YAM R1)

4. Kellen Birch (YAM R1)

5. Kory Cowan (SUZ GSX-R750)

Karl Malone Powersports Open Twins

1. Joshua Fisher (TRI 675R)

2. Donald Rothfuss (DUC 848)

3. Jake Ferdinand (DUC 959)

4. Jared Baird (DUC 1299)

5. Robert Jojola (DUC 999)

TruSolace Production 500

1. Brian Gerwe (KAW Ninja 400)

Monarch Powersports Sportsman

1. Jordan DeJarnett (YAM R6)

2. Jared Baird (DUC 1299)

3. Robert Jojola (DUC 999)

4. Cameron Holladay (YAM YZF-R1)

5. David Schulz (YAM YZF-R6)

Napa Auto Parts Tooele Stock 1000

1. Ryan Richardson (KAW ZX-10R)

2. Gilbert Gonzalez (KAW ZX-10R)

3. Jeff Taylor (YAM R1)

4. Steven Marco (YAM R1)

5. Christopher Mousley (YAM R1)

6. Joshua Snow (YAM R1)

Carbonsmith Super Street Bike

1. Remington Mathews (KTM 1290 Super Duke R)

2. Marco Tellez (SUZ GSX-R1000)

3. Alex Zinaich (YAM FZ1)

4. Robert Jojola (DUC 1199)

N2/WERA Endurance: Pietri Riding With Army Of Darkness At Roebling Road

David Swarts

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July 13, 2022

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N2/WERA Endurance: Pietri Riding With Army Of Darkness At Roebling Road

Robertino Pietri will ride the #99 Army of Darkness Yamaha YZF-R1 fitted with Pirelli tires in the N2/WERA National Endurance Series four-hour race this weekend. The Venezuelan has had quite the career in the past competing in National championships, Moto2, a Daytona 200 podium finisher, and the MotoGP test rider for Avintia MotoGP Team.

Robertino Pietri – “I’m really excited and honored to have been called by the guys at Army of Darkness to fill in for Chris Peris at the next race at Roebling Road. I’ll do my best and try to give the team the best input I can. I have kept training hard to be ready for an opportunity like this, so my aim is to show up and be able to help the team and of course, have a lot of fun while at it.”

Army of Darkness (AOD) is the longest running endurance motorcycle road racing team in America. The team was founded in 1993 and has won 17 national endurance titles including seven Middleweight titles, six Heavyweight titles and four Overall Championships. AOD won the WERA Middleweight Superbike Endurance Championship for seven consecutive seasons from 1999 to 2005 and the WERA Heavyweight Superbike Endurance Championship in 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. AOD has campaigned Suzukis, BMWs and Yamahas.

AOD is sponsored by: Army of Darkness, Yamaha Champions Riding School, Yamaha, Pirelli, Industry13, Chicken Hawk, Woodcraft, Hindle, Fast Frank Racing, Supersprox, Thermosman, N2, WERA, Roadracing World

WorldSBK: Gerloff Excited To Race At Donington Park

David Swarts

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July 13, 2022

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WorldSBK: Gerloff Excited To Race At Donington Park

DONINGTON UP NEXT FOR GYTR GRT YAMAHA WORLDSBK TEAM

The GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team is gearing up for the fifth round of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship season at Donington Park after a five-week break, with Garrett Gerloff and Kohta Nozane eager to return to action at the British venue.

Previously in Misano, Gerloff managed to score a pair of top 10 finishes in Race 1 and the Superpole Race with eight and ninth, while unfortunately he was unable to finish Race 2 after a promising start.

The 26-year-old American heads into the weekend with good memories of Donington Park, having clinched a second-place finish in Race 2 there last year, his best WorldSBK feature race result to date.

On the other side of the box, Nozane added more points to his 2022 tally with 12th in Race 1. The Japanese rider narrowly missed out in Sunday’s races, but will be looking to convert his improved pace into top 10 results. Having missed last year’s visit to Donington due to injury, this will be his first outing at the legendary 4.02 km circuit.

After the Free Practice sessions and Superpole qualifier, Race 1 will get underway at 14:00 local time (GMT+1) on Saturday, with Race 2 starting exactly 24 hours later on Sunday, following the SPRC at 11:00.

Garrett Gerloff #31

“I’m so excited for Donington, I love the British fans and energy. The track to me is pretty special, there’s a lot of history and it reminds me of a lot of American tracks that are really close to my heart. We had a nice weekend last year for the most part and I’d love to have a similar one this time. I cannot wait to get there and be back with my team after this little break.”

Kohta Nozane #3

“It’s nice to be back after some time off. I cannot wait to be in Donington Park as unfortunately I missed it last year. The circuit has a lot of history and I believe I’ll enjoy it. So, we’ll focus on learning the track quickly to have a solid weekend and get good results. I’ll race as strong as I can in front of the amazing British fans this weekend.”

MotoAmerica: The Final Round Of Team Reports From Laguna Seca

David Swarts

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July 13, 2022

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MotoAmerica: The Final Round Of Team Reports From Laguna Seca

MotoAmerica: Results from Laguna Seca for the Altus Motorsports WPS FLY Racing Team

(Monterey, CA) The results on paper are not an indicator of the success the team had at the 2022 Laguna Seca MotoAmerica round.

“Sometimes you do everything right and the cards just don’t go your way. That pretty much sums up our Laguna Seca weekend. We have an amazing team and all of our riders are making improvements every round. Our pace was great but we suffered a mechanical on Sunday in Supersport and Kayla caught some bad luck in both Junior Cup races. It is what it is and we just move on to the next round,” said team owner George Nassaney.

Superbike Cup & Stock 1000

Laguna Seca Raceway was another solid step forward for Brandon Paasch. This round featured only one race on the schedule for the Stock 1000 class. Paasch started from 8th and finished 6th. In the Superbike Races, he qualified 21st. In the Saturday race, Brandon fought his way forward to 14th and 4th among the Superbike Cup competitors; the race-within-the-race of Stock 1000 competitors running with the Superbikes. On Sunday, he also finished 14th but this time as the top Superbike Cup racer.

“We definitely had a good weekend of learning and improving. We were steadily chipping away at the lap time all weekend and had some great battles farther up the grid. I’m definitely happy with the progress and I am looking forward to getting back out at Brainerd in a couple of weeks,” said Brandon Paasch.

Supersport

Jaret Nassaney began both of the Supersport races from 9th. In the first race, on Saturday, he had worked his way up into a race-long battle for 7th. He fought hard for the position during the last few laps and managed to hold it when he crossed the finish line. In the second race, Nassaney was also running in 7th when an electrical issue surfaced. He limped the bike back to the pits and, regrettably, took the DNF.

Jaret Nassaney (59). Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports. — Jaret Nassaney (59). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

“We went faster than we ever have at laguna so that was a big plus! We got p7 in race 1 after salvaging a bad start! In race two we were in contingent for 6th with three laps to go when an electrical issue caused us to retire from the race. Super bummed but we’ll give it another go at Brainerd,” said Jaret Nassaney.

Junior Cup

Kayla Yaakov has established herself as a mainstay in the leading pack of the Junior Cup races this season. Laguna Seca was no different. After qualifying 6th, she went with the lead pack during the Saturday race. She was rarely outside of the top three spots and even took her turn at the front a few times. With two laps to go, Yaakov was running in 2nd with sights set on another win when an incident with the rider in 3rd put them both on the ground and, unfortunately, out of the race. The Sunday race was more of the same. She went with the front runners at the start but on the final lap the rider in 2nd highsided on the exit of Turn 3. His bike hit Kayla. She was able to keep her motorcycle upright as she ran off the track. She did re-enter but only managed to cross the finish line in 9th.

Kayla Yaakov (31). Photo courtesy Altus Motorsports. — Kayla Yaakov (31). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

“Laguna was definitely a tough weekend for us. After having a really good pace in practice and qualifying, we were really looking forward to the races. Unfortunately, we ran into two unavoidable racing incidents in both races. This caused me to crash in race one, and lose my rear brake, foot peg, and run off the track in race two. Definitely not the weekend we were hoping for, but the whole Altus Motorsports crew and I are already fully focused and ready for Brainerd,” said Kayla Yaakov.

“It seems like I say it after every race weekend: We have a great team. Our riders, mechanics, and support staff are all amazing,” said team owner George Nassaney. “A nd it was great to see such an amazing fan turnout in California. The campsites around the track were full and there were people everywhere. Those were the biggest crowds I think I’ve ever seen at that track. That’s a good omen for the sport and we owe that to the efforts of MotoAmerica.”

The Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, FLY Racing WPS, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Moto-D Racing, Bonamici, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, Barnett, Maxima Racing Oils, SBS Brakes, BrakeTech USA, Inc., Ohlins, K-Tech, RS Taichi, Arai, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing.

More, from a press release issued by Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing:

RODIO RACING/WARHORSE HSBK RACING CONTINUES CHAMPIONSHIP CHASE IN TWO CLASSES

Gus Rodio Rebounds For Podium; Anthony Mazziotto Closes In On First Place In Championship

Rebounding from a late race crash while leading the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup Race 1 at Laguna, Gus Rodio avoided a crash by another rider in Race 2 to claim 2nd place on the podium. In Race 1 Gus set the fastest lap time of the race but could not capitalize with a podium finish.

Gus Rodio (96) continues his quest for the MotoAmerica SportbikeTrackGear.com Junio Cup championship abord his Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy of Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing. — Gus Rodio (96) continues his quest for the MotoAmerica SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup championship aboard his Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing Kawasaki Ninja 400. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing.

Gus Rodio: I was super happy to end the weekend on the box, after crashing out of the lead in Race 1. I can’t thank my crew enough for the work they put in for me. Cannot wait to get to Brainerd, the only MotoAmerica circuit I have a lap record at.

After avoiding a huge crash by another rider that caused Anthony Mazziotto to run off track, he was able to re-enter the track and push to finish in 6th place in the single REV’IT! Twins Cup at Laguna Seca. The race was extremely close among the top 7 riders with lap times within 0.3 seconds of each other providing another exciting Twins Cup show. With the points gathered Anthony maintained his 2nd place in the class championship, now 4 points behind the leader.

Anthony Mazziotto (516) on the Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing Aprilia RS660. Photo by Brian J. Nelson courtesy of Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing. — Anthony Mazziotto (516) on the Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing Aprilia RS 660. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing.

Anthony Mazziotto: P6 in the race, I avoided a major crash and had to play catch up. Managed to close a huge gap and collect as many points as I could! The championship hunt is getting close and I can nearly smell it!

Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing will continue their championship quests at the next MotoAmerica Round at Brainerd International Raceway July 30-31.

N2, NATC, And WERA Racing Next Weekend At Roebling Road

David Swarts

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July 13, 2022

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N2, NATC, And WERA Racing Next Weekend At Roebling Road

ACTION PACKED WERA WEEKEND WITH N2 AND NATC!

July 15-17 will see an action-packed weekend at Roebling Road Raceway. Starting on Friday, N2 will have a practice day with two timed practice sessions included for the North American Talent Cup (NATC) riders.

On Saturday, the N2/WERA National Endurance by Dunlop will take the track with a two-hour race for the Ultralightweight machines before lunch and then the NATC Race One will take the track for 10 laps.

This series is designed for young riders to travel the country and run at an FIM/AMA level of racing getting them ready to turn their dreams into reality.

Following NATC Race One will be the Big Bike Endurance, which will run four hours on the newly repaved Roebling Road circuit. The Big Bikes always put on a show, and it is amazing to see how tight this endurance stays over the four-hour stretch of time.

On Sunday, the sprint riders get their turn on the new pavement to show what they have. There are 14 races on tap for Sunday with entry-level machines all the way up to 1000cc Superbikes. The action in these eight-lap sprints lets these riders push their envelope and learn each and every lap.

Camping is available and credentials will be sold at the gate for this event.

WERA Motorcycle Roadracing was founded in 1973 and remains the foremost place to develop talent in the sport of motorcycle road racing. The legacy of Pro riders on a National and World level is legendary. All events are run by WERA Motorcycle Roadracing with a co-sanction by the AMA and they go coast to coast offering entry level racing with the WERA Sportsman Series as well as a Pro-Am Series with the WERA National Challenge Series, WERA Motorcycle Roadracing also offer Vintage Racing and limited Endurance Racing with Track Day Partners N2 and Sportbike Track Time. WERA Motorcycle Roadracing was voted the 2017 AMA Track Organizer of the Year.

For more information on WERA Motorcycle Roadracing please check out our web site at wera.com!

Canadian Superbike: More From Calabogie Motorsports Park

David Swarts

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July 13, 2022

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Canadian Superbike: More From Calabogie Motorsports Park

Two Seconds for Young at Calabogie

After a hard-fought weekend of racing at Calabogie Motorsports Park, Ben Young finished with two second-place finishes. This strong result means he will maintain the lead in the premier class of the Canadian Superbike Championship after Round 2.

Young was racing the brand new 2022 M 1000 RR for the weekend. The team had been working hard to get the bike ready for it’s debut weekend. During qualifying, Young posted an impressive 2:01.309 lap time which safely secured him the second-place spot on the grid for the upcoming races.

The racing began on Saturday evening, with Young rocketing off the line and taking the hole shot into the first corner. After leading for a few turns, he fell back into second position. Young would remain in a comfortable second for the remainder of the race, finishing on the second step of the podium.

Race two brought another great start for Young aboard his Van Dolder’s Home Team BMW. Young rode strong, shutting the door on many challenges for the lead and for the first half of the race, he lead the pack. Eventually, he would slot into second, and despite trying his hardest to challenge for the lead, he would ultimately cross the line with another second place.

Of the weekend, Young had this to say: “It was a fun debut weekend on the BMW M 1000 RR. With a lack of track time, no one was able to manage a race distance on a tire. With fellow competitors being on the same bikes as previous years we struggled a bit with the race set up with the tire going off during the race. Big changes for race 2 helped a bunch but still lacked that bit of edge grip.”

Thanks to Young’s consistent results over the weekend, he maintains the lead in the championship, albeit by 1 point. He looks to the Nova Scotia race in two weekends’ time at “Shubie” to regain a points cushion in his campaign for the 2022 title.

The next CSBK round will be held July 21st-24th at Atlantic Motorsports Park.

Young’s partners for his 2022 CSBK Championship season include; BMW Motorrad Canada, Van Dolder’s Home Team, Scot-Build Developments Inc, Parts Canada, HJC Helmets, Alpinestars, Hindle Exhaust, Barrie Trim and Mouldings, Clearlite, Primitive Patterns, DP Brakes, Alpha Racing and Vass Performance Cycle.

World Endurance: Suzuki Ending Factory Participation

David Swarts

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July 13, 2022

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World Endurance: Suzuki Ending Factory Participation

ENDING MOTOGP™ AND EWC FACTORY PARTICIPATION AT THE END OF THE 2022 SEASON

Suzuki Motor Corporation and Dorna have come to an agreement to terminate Suzuki’s participation in MotoGP at the end of the 2022 season. Suzuki will also terminate its factory participation in the World Endurance Championship (EWC) at the end of the 2022 season.

We will continue to race in the 2022 MotoGP and EWC championships, maintaining our maximum efforts to win the remaining races. We aim to continue our support for our customers’ racing activities through our global distributor network.

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all Suzuki fans who have given us their enthusiastic support and to all those who have supported Suzuki’s motorcycle racing activities for many years.

Quote from Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director and President

“Suzuki has decided to end the participation of MotoGP and EWC in the face of the need to re-allocate resources on other initiatives for sustainability. Motorcycle racing has always been a challenging place for technological innovation, including sustainability, and human resource development. This decision means that we will take on the challenge to build the new motorcycle business operation by redirecting the technological capabilities and human resources we have cultivated through the motorcycle racing activities to investigate other routes for a sustainable society.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all our fans, riders and all stakeholders who joined us and enthusiastically supported us from the development stage since we returned to MotoGP racing.

“I will continue to do my best to support Alex Rins, Joan Mir, Team SUZUKI ECSTAR and YOSHIMURA SERT MOTUL to compete competitively until the end of the season.

“Thank you for your kind support.”

WorldSBK: Championship Heading To Donington Park

David Swarts

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July 12, 2022

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WorldSBK: Championship Heading To Donington Park

Donington Park welcomes next chapter of drama in 2022 WorldSBK title race

The historic home of WorldSBK and unequivocally home to some of the Championship’s greatest sporting moments, more emotions lie ahead this weekend

Back to where it all began, where on a cold Sunday in 1988, the Championship was born. The 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has arrived at Donington Park for Round 5 of the season and the Prosecco DOC UK Round. The 35th season of World Superbike action is proving to be one of the best yet and with a three-way fight for the title clear, other stars aim to have a say at a round that brings seen shocks and surprises. Could this be one of the key turning points in 2022, or will we see the usual suspects continue to knock spots off each other?

TITANIC TRIO: is this the place Bautista is caught?

12 podiums from 12 races in 2022 and leading the Championship by 36 points, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) has undertaken a more measured approach in 2022 in comparison to 2019 and it seems to be working. The Spaniard has won six races and is the only rider in the Championship to have finished on the podium in every race he’s finished. However, Donington Park has been far from a happy hunting ground for Ducati in recent years; no win since 2011 and the Ducati Panigale V4 R has only had one third place – courtesy of Bautista in 2019’s Race 2. No top two finish since 2016, will Bautista change all of that? Teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi had a successful test at Misano during the break and will look to back-up his findings and step back on the podium, whilst Ducati chase their 1000th podium place in WorldSBK; they currently have 998.

Chasing down Bautista and heading home to rule the roost, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) will be keen to continue his success at Donington Park. A sole win last year and a triple in 2019, Rea’s got amazing form at Donington Park. He’s been testing for the Suzuka 8 Hour race during the gap since Misano and will hope that he can hit the ground running at a circuit at which he crashed at in 2021’s Race 2, relinquishing the Championship lead. This time, he’s chasing it from Bautista at a circuit where Rea certainly seems to have the upper hand. On the other side of the garage, Alex Lowes hopes to dazzle at home after a podium in Race 1 in 2021; Kawasaki as a manufacturer are one podium place away from 500 in WorldSBK – will they manage it?

Looking to build on a first victory from the last round at Misano, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) hopes that Donington Park lives up to be the happy hunting ground of years gone by. Along with San Juan, Donington Park is one of just two circuits where Razgatlioglu has taken a podium at least once every year he’s raced there. In 2018, he took a first rostrum whilst in 2019, he battled for victory in Race 2 with Jonathan Rea. However, the Turk’s opening lap of Race 1 in 2021 will go down as one of WorldSBK’s finest moments as he cruised to two wins and the Championship lead. Does more success await? Teammate Andrea Locatelli will aim to consolidate his top five placing with a strong ride this weekend, where he had a best of ninth in the Superpole Race.

HONDA AND BMW: have Donington Park tests put them in contention?

In what has been a very strong opening four rounds of the Championship, a challenge lies ahead for Iker Lecuona (Team HRC). The Spanish rookie has never raced at Donington Park and only completed a track day at the circuit prior to the round. One of just two riders to finish every race – the other being compatriot Bautista – Lecuona is nine points from Locatelli in the battle for fourth. Honda only have one round of experience with their current bike at Donington Park, with a best of fourth with Leon Haslam in the Superpole Race last year, but they’ll hope a pre-round test at Misano can give them a boost going to the UK. Hoping to be fighting fit, Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) will have to get his head around the quirky circuit layout during the round.

Likewise in a track day at Donington Park in between rounds, the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team and Scott Redding. One of Redding’s career highlights came at the British circuit, when in 2008, he became the then-youngest Grand Prix winner in the 125cc World Championship Grand Prix, aged just 15. Since then, wins in BSB but no podiums in WorldSBK have come at the circuit, with a best of fourth in Race 2 last year. Illia Mykhalchyk (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) will once again be present in the place of double Donington Park winner Michael van der Mark who is still recovering from injury; he’s scored points in WorldSSP and STK1000 at Donington Park before.

INDEPENDENT BATTLE: Bassani continues to shine as wildcards aim to surprise

The Independent battle is led by Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing), who returns to Donington Park, historically a tricky circuit for him, despite being top Ducati in Race 1 last year. Eighth overall and just seven points behind Alex Lowes, he’s 23 ahead of Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW), who aims to return to the top six at a track he knows well, having fought for victory in 2014. 11 points further back of Baz is Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), who returns to the circuit at which he got his last podium at 12 months ago, when he was second in Race 2. Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) will race at Donington Park for the first time, whilst Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) has a podium to his name at the track; both complete the top five in the Independent standings.

Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) is next up in 15th place overall, with the Italian just marginally ahead of Sammarinese rider Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team), who’s made steps of late. Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) will hope to be passed fit after being ruled out of Misano, whilst Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) makes a racing debut at the track as he missed out through injury in 2021. Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha), like Mahias, hopes to be fit after being ruled out in Italy, whilst the target for MIE Racing Honda Team duo Leandro Mercado and Hafizh Syahrin is points. Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) is another rider hoping to be passed fit, whilst home-hero Leon Haslam returns with the TPR Team Pedercini Racing Kawasaki outfit. Two wildcards to keep an eye on: the long-awaited debut of Tarran Mackenzie (McAMS Yamaha) and the return of Peter Hickman (FHO Racing) on a BMW M1000RR.

American Flat Track: A Preview Of The Port Royal Half-Mile

David Swarts

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July 12, 2022

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American Flat Track: A Preview Of The Port Royal Half-Mile

Progressive AFT Title Fighters Head Home to Port Royal Half-Mile

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 12, 2022) – The 2022 Progressive American Flat Track season reaches its midpoint with this weekend’s Mission Port Royal Half-Mile presented by Appalachian Harley-Davidson at Port Royal Speedway on Saturday, July 16.

Besides its centralized location on the schedule chronologically, its physical location in Port Royal, Pennsylvania, adds some extra significance as well. Pennsylvania is arguably America’s most fertile hotbed of motorcycle dirt track talent with an outsized number of the Progressive AFT’s competitors either native or resident Pennsylvanians.

The most high-profile of them all – reigning Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle Champion Jared Mees (No. 1 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) and two-time class king Briar Bauman (No. 3 Indian Motorcycle/Progressive Insurance FTR750) – lead the series into this weekend’s showdown.

The more things change, the more they stay the same; while it took a bit of a circuitous route to get to this point, the two factory Indian aces find themselves right back where they’ve been for the bulk of the previous three seasons – 1-2 in the points with over half the season’s eight wins shared between them.

The aforementioned change, however, remains a factor in the form of a significant shift in the balance of power. Mees and Bauman are no longer locked in confrontation with only one another but also under fire from a formidable pair of teammates.

Estenson Racing Yamaha’s Dallas Daniels (No. 32 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) and JD Beach (No. 95 Estenson Racing Yamaha MT-07 DT) have been battling up front nearly every weekend. As a result, they’re currently a close 3-4 in the standings, with Daniels actually level with Bauman in points and ranked third only due to the tiebreaker.

And the Mission Roof Systems’ duo of Pennsylvanian Brandon Robinson (No. 44 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) and Jarod Vanderkooi (No. 20 Mission Roof Systems Indian FTR750) have come on strong as of late, scoring a combined 1-2-3 over the last three rounds.

The gifted premier-class field offers even more potential race winners as well. Bronson Bauman (No. 37 Latus Motors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R) and Davis Fisher (No. 67 Bob Lanphere’s BMC Racing Indian FTR750) each boast a runner-up finish in the first half of the ‘22 campaign, while Brandon Price (No. 92 Cory Texter Racing/JCS Racing Yamaha MT-07) finished as a close runner-up at Port Royal Speedway a year ago.

Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines

This year’s Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines title fight has taken shape as a two-man show with a rotating cast of guest stars.

Defending class champ (and native Pennsylvanian) Cory Texter (No. 1 G&G Racing/Yamaha Racing Yamaha MT-07) and title challenger Jesse Janisch (No. 33 Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson XG750R) have distanced themselves from the pack in terms of the points race via a combined five wins and 13 podiums.

However, the pack has shown the capacity to present a serious additional challenger for race wins on just about any given weekend with Nick Armstrong (No. 60 Competitive Racing Frames/Lessley Brothers Yamaha MT-07), Billy Ross (No. 109 Mission Foods/Roof Systems Harley-Davidson XG750R), and James Rispoli (No. 43 Wally Brown Racing/Haversack KTM 890 Duke) having all stood on the top step of the podium this year.

Pennsylvanian Cameron Smith (No. 34 Thee Cathy Gray/Al Barker Royal Enfield 650) very nearly added his name to the list last time out while riding in place of another “Keystone State” pilot in Johnny Lewis (No. 10 Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield 650). Smith will have another shot aboard the Royal Enfield Twins FT this weekend with the home crowd cheering him on as Lewis continues to heal from his injuries.

Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER

It’s a different story in Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER action as Kody Kopp (No. 12 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE) has established himself the rider to beat – and a difficult one at that.

While the class championship outlook currently lacks the drama of the other two classes, Kopp’s excellence has been enthralling in its own right. The 17-year-old has been close to perfect in each of the last three rounds, controlling the proceedings pretty much all day long, capped off by a runaway race win.

Kopp has already earned five wins en route to building an imposing 42-point championship advantage (66 points over third place). Only twice in class’ history has a rider taken more race wins than that in a single season (Dallas Daniels with eight in 2019 and Michael Avila with six in 2011), and the young KTM ace still has over half the season ahead of him to further pad his stats.

Despite the one-sided nature of the title fight, there’s an incredible collection of talent who could step forward and go on a run of their own at any point. Kopp’s teammate, Max Whale (No. 18 Red Bull KTM Factory Racing 450 SX-FFE), scored five wins himself a year ago and didn’t look too far removed from his familiar form in his return from injury in New York.

And all three of the American Honda-backed Turner Racing pilots – Morgen Mischler (No. 13 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R), Dalton Gauthier (No. 79 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R), and Chase Saathoff (No. 106 American Honda/Progressive Insurance CRF450R), have the requisite speed, talent, and determination to claim the top step of the podium this weekend.

The weekend also marks the midpoint of the season for Royal Enfield’s extremely popular BUILD. TRAIN. RACE. program which serves to highlight and celebrate women and motorcycle culture in North America. Jaycee Jones (No. 33 Royal Enfield/S&S Cycle Royal Enfield INT650) leads the standings with two wins and a runner-up in the season’s opening three races and heads into Port Royal Speedway as last year’s winner at the venue.

There will be plenty to keep fans entertained off the track as well, including numerous vendors, a variety of food and beverage options, and a bouncy house in the Kids Zone. Road Case will perform its hard-hitting, guitar-driven brand of rock and roll. Finally, the evening will be topped off with a spectacular fireworks display.

Visit https://store.americanflattrack.com/ebooking/ticket/view/id/3694/ to reserve your tickets today. General Admission (both SRO Infield and Grandstand) tickets start at just $25 with kids 12 and under free when accompanied by an adult when purchased in advance. Other options include Reserved Grandstand tickets and Camping Passes.

Paddock Access Upgrades are also available for purchase, which provide all-day access to the paddock where fans can scope out the world’s fastest dirt track motorcycles and get up close and personal with the stars of the sport.

Gates will open for fans at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT with Opening Ceremonies scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT ahead of the day’s Main Event program. 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.

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.

For more information on Progressive AFT visit https://www.americanflattrack.com. To score the latest gear for the Progressive American Flat Track fan, visit our official merchandise store at https://store.americanflattrack.com.

How to Watch:

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.

MotoAmerica: Even More From WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

David Swarts

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July 12, 2022

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MotoAmerica: Even More From WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

More solid results on the west coast races for Tytlers Cycle Racing

The Tytlers Cycle Racing team expanded from two to three in the recent round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship with Larry Pegram joining series regulars PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera aboard a third BMW M1000 RR machine.

Solid rides in qualifying by all three set the scene for a strong weekend at the 2.2-mile iconic Laguna Seca Raceway.

Saturday’s opening twenty lap encounter saw Hector finish sixth with PJ seventh, the pair running consistent pace throughout. Larry just missed a top ten finish after a race long battle with five other riders. He crossed the line eleventh.

A faster pace by all three riders than twenty-four hours earlier saw them closer to the front at the flag after another exciting race that saw Hector race to fifth ahead of PJ who took P6. Just as he was a day earlier Larry was involved in another race long battle with a bunch of riders, eventually picking up four championship points in twelfth.

Sunday saw the team’s Stock1000 regulars Travis Wyman and Corey Alexander secure eighth and ninth places, respectively. Travis had finished tenth in Saturday’s opening race, ensuring a double top ten for him as the series heads to Brainerd International Raceway in a couple of weeks.

In terms of the overall championship standings Hector and PJ are fifth and seventh respectively with Travis P10 and Corey P11.

Hector Barbera (80). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.

Hector Barbera: “Saturday was disappointing. I thought after qualifying that we could fight for a podium, but I knew after five laps that I didn’t have a good feeling and I was struggling a lot for grip. I honestly think it’s the track condition and not anything that we could solve once the race started. I tried changing mapping, but I was limited on corner exit. Sunday’s race was a bit better but honestly, I am not happy. I finished fifth but I want to be fighting for the podium. We were faster than Saturday but it’s not enough. The team worked well all weekend, but at the moment we have a limit, and we need to understand what to do to allow us to be closer to the front. The gap in qualifying is much closer and sure we are coming more to the front, but I want more. We hope that in Brainerd we will be more competitive.”

PJ Jacobsen (66). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.

PJ Jacobsen: “It was a difficult opening race. I thought we had good race pace after the opening few sessions on Friday but unfortunately, I was unable to run closer to the front and we took seventh. Race 2 was another difficult one for me. It was more or less the same story from race one where I struggled with grip. I took sixth but I want to be closer to the front. The next tracks should suit us, and I am looking forward to seeing what we can do at Brainerd and for the rest of the season. I want to thank the whole team for their work. We will keep plugging away and the results will come”

More, from a press release issued by SportbikeTrackGear.com:

Limandri Bags Second Win at Laguna

Joe LiMandri (62) and Max Van (48) in action at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Despite it being his first visit to iconic Laguna Seca Raceway, Joseph Limandri Jr. was able to pick up his second professional win in Race 1 of the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup this past weekend.

The race was red flagged after a dramatic entanglement between team mate Max Van and another rider entering turn 5. With Max spinning wildly down the track and into the dirt, he was quickly on his feet and rushed to aid the other fallen rider.

“Glad we’re both OK, that could have been a lot worse. I’m not going to lie, when I got up my butt felt like it was on fire from that Alpinestars Kevlar heating up during the slide,” Max said. “But I escaped relatively unscathed, that suit did it’s job so I’m thankful. I’m a little bummed because I felt confident after qualifying second in both sessions, but that’s racing.”

“I’ve been working with Jason Pridmore this weekend and I wanted to lead as many laps as I could because getting pushed back makes it so much harder to get to the front” Joe said. “Thankfully that plan worked so I was leading when the red flag came out. I didn’t see it, but I’m glad everyone is OK from the crash.”

Race 2 was a different story entirely. While the race was red flagged on lap 7 due to another crasher in the world-famous Corkscrew, the restart saw an intense battle at the front between 6 riders within tenths of each other’s lap times. Unfortunately while in 2nd place, Joe suffered a massive highside on the final lap, ending his race prematurely.

“I got a bad start after the red flag, so I wanted to make up some ground. I tried to save it, but the data backs up exactly what I thought. I just got a little trigger happy with the throttle trying to get to the front.”

As all the riders behind Joe scrambled, Max was able to compose himself enough through the dirt to bring home a 6th place and some valuable points.

“We felt good in warmup, and I had confidence in the bike after the previous days crash,” Max reflected. “I got a good drive coming out of that corner, started to close the gap a bit, but then had to take it to the dirt to avoid Joe. I’m glad he’s ok after that!”

As expected in the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup, the championship chase is filled with unexpected events that seem to impact every team this season. With four rounds to go, Joey and Max sit 3rd and 5th in the the title hunt.

Catch the team during the next MotoAmerica round at Brainerd International Raceway on July 29th.

As always thanks to:

All the SportbikeTrackGear.com customers, Helmet House, Bauce Racing, Cybersafe Solutions, Racing for a Reason, Vortex Racing, M4 Exhaust, REB Graphics, Armour Bodies, Woodcraft Technologies, Motul, Alpinestars, Shoei Helmets, RST, Arai Helmets, SportbikeTrackTime, Evolve GT Track Days, N2 Track Days, Gazebo Contracting, UTR/Torres Racing, Brake Tech USA, Ferodo Racing, Scott Powersports, Spiegler USA, Hanshaw Racing Engines, Precision Auto Works and Driven Racing.

UtahSBA: Lopez Returns From Injury And Wins

July 13, 2022

Genaro Lopez (3). Photo by Steve Midgley, courtesy UtahSBA.