MotoAmerica is paying out the entire $175,000 cash purse to the top 40 riders in the 81st Daytona 200 whether they finished the race or not.
Although the 2023 event ended with an unusual 10-lap “second race” that had only 22 official finishers from the original race’s 44 starters, MotoAmerica is paying out the entire purse.
Payouts will be awarded according to the order of finish in the second/restarted race, the order of retirement from the second/restarted race, and then the order of retirement from the original race down to what is effectively 40th place.
Here are the final finishing order and purse payouts, courtesy MotoAmerica:
81ST DAYTONA 200/SUPERSPORT RACE (March 11):
1. Josh Herrin (Duc), Dunlop, $25,000, 10 laps
2. Josh Hayes (Yam), Dunlop, $20,000, -0.070 second
Rodio takes victory in first MotoAmerica Twins Cup Race of 2023
Rodio Racing powered by Robem Engineering rider leaves Daytona round with championship lead
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It wasn’t Gus Rodio’s first time racing an Aprilia RS 660 at Daytona International Speedway, but the New Jersey rider kicked off the new-for-2023 Rodio Racing — Robem Engineering collaboration by scoring a win and runner-up finish at the opening round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season.
Rodio piloted his Aprilia to commanding win in his first race with the new team and come oh-so-close to scoring a second triumph at the March 9-11 event.
Rodio’s teammate, New Hampshirite Ben Gloddy, had a positive start to the Daytona round before suffering an unfortunate injury that did not allow him to finish Friday’s Race 1 or contest Saturday’s Race 2.
In the Twins Cup’s first on-track session of 2023, Rodio ended Thursday practice at the top of the time sheets. He best the next fastest rider for the best time in the class’ only practice session by 0.064 seconds. Gloddy finished practice fifth-fastest. Later Thursday, Rodio and Gloddy finished Qualifying 1 fourth- and sixth-fastest, respectively.
Friday morning saw Rodio secure fourth on the starting grid in the second and final qualifying session. He missed out on pole by a mere 0.216 seconds. Gloddy wrapped up qualifying in sixth place.
The Daytona round’s first Twins Cup race took place Friday afternoon and saw Rodio put in a dominant performance. Rodio moved up two places in the first several corners and was battling for the lead before the end of Lap 1. Gloddy also got a good start and ran as high a third before another rider crashed in front of him at the exit of the west horseshoe. The crash forced Gloddy to take evasive action, but unfortunately the crashed bike made contact with Gloddy’s RS 660, which caused Gloddy to crash. What was a three-way battle for the lead between Rodio and two other riders in the middle of the nine-lap race gradually became a one-rider show as Rodio pulled away from the other frontrunners to win by more than eight seconds.
Unfortunately for Gloddy, he suffered an injury when he was forced off track that did now allow him to take part in Saturday’s Twins Cup Race 2.
The second race was an eventful one for Rodio, who made the most of a race restart to extend his lead in the Twins Cup points standings. Rodio’s motorcycle began exhibiting a problem with its fuel cap on the warm-up lap, which caused Rodio to pull back into his pit box while the rest of the field was forming up for the race start. The team worked relentlessly to get the motorcycle repaired in time to rejoin the race, and a short time later the race was stopped on Lap 3 due to a crash.
The race was restarted with its original starting grid and five laps to go, and Rodio once again quickly made his way forward to the battle for the lead. He was in the race lead at the end of Laps 1, 3 and 4 and gradually broke away from the rest of the field with another rider. Rodio put in a valiant effort to get a good drive out of the backstraight chicane but was bested to the finish line by 0.162 seconds. Rodio’s second place added 20 valuable championship points to his tally, and he leaves Daytona with a nine-point lead in the class standings.
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup’s next round takes place April 21-23 at the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Ga.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“It was an awesome first race of the season. I was able to break away from the pack and win my first Twins Cup race. It was my biggest margin of victory and I’m very happy. In Race 2, I broke away from the pack with another rider and had a race long battle for the lead. I ended up second in a close finish. I’m really happy with this result as I didn’t think we would make it on track due to an issue we had. I’m really excited to get to Atlanta and keep working towards our goals.”
Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2023 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.
Rodio Racing’s technical partners for 2023 include NJ MiniGP, Luxestar VIP, MAR Contractors, Evolve GT, N2 Racing, Dunlop, Spellcaster Productions, Kathedral, The Martinn and MVR Endeavor.
More, from a press release issued by N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto:
N2/BobbleHeadMoto Blake Davis Scores Two Top Five Finishes at Daytona.
Blake Davis (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto.
Media, PA – March 2023 – N2/BobbleHeadMoto Racing’s Blake Davis leaves Daytona with a pair of fourths place finishes in Twins Cup and an 11th-place finish in his first Daytona 200. Blake was fast in every session scoring pole position in Twins Cup and leading both races, but small mechanical issues prevented Davis from capitalizing on his speed. Blake also competed in his first Daytona 200 with a Blake Davis Racing / Biothermal Yamaha YZF-R6 running with some of the best riders in the country in the final laps.
Blake was fast from the moment the team unloaded the championship winning N2/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7. Blake led nearly every session and qualified on pole despite a crash in Q2. Blake just missed out on a chance at the Time Attack Qualifying session for the Daytona 200 and qualified on row four in 13th place.
Championships are about scoring maximum points on your bad days and that is exactly what Blake did. In Twins Cup Race One, Blake battled for the lead for most of the race until he started having temperature issues with his R7 that require that he back off a bit to make it to the finish in fourth place.
Twins Cup Race Two was very similar with Blake having race winning speed in the beginning, but suffering some minor technical issues. Instead of crashing or pulling in, Blake stayed out and nursed his Yamaha R7 to the finish in fourth place. These two fourth place finishes leave him fourth in the points, 19 points back from Gus Rodio.
Blake’s focus in 2023 is defending his Twins Cup Championship, but Blake will participate in several Supersport rounds on his Blake Davis Racing / Biothermal Yamaha YZF-R6. The Daytona 200 was Blake’s first Supersport race and he did not disappoint. Despite having an issue at the start that saw him fade back to well outside the top 20, Blake kept fighting for the entire race, putting in fast, consistent laps. The N2/BobbleHeadMoto/Blake Davis Racing team gave Blake two great pit stops which put him in the lead group for the final 10-lap sprint. Sixteen-year-old Blake Davis battled with the best, most experience racers in the country for those last 10 laps, running as high as second place. In the end, Blake finished sixth on the race track, but a pit lane speeding penalty pushed him back to 11th. An amazing result for Davis’ first Daytona 200.
Blake Davis – “It was a tough weekend on the Yamaha YZF-R7 in Twins Cup. We were fast straight away and always in the mix, but we had some technical issues related to a crash that kept us from reaching our potential. It was positive that we brought home solid points in every race, and we are in decent shape to start the season. The Daytona 200 was awesome! I made a mistake in the beginning, but we fought the entire race and it was so much fun battling with the lead guys. Thanks to my N2/BobbleHeadMoto crew for an awesome R7 and thanks to Biothermal for all the support with the R6.”
Shiloh Salopek (Crew Chief) – “This was a tough weekend for the team, but we were able to leave with valuable championship points from both races and the knowledge to be more prepared for the next round at Road Atlanta in April.”
About N2: N2 – Ride, Race, Learn.
Founded in 2014, N2’s mission is to build a sustainable motorcycle community through safe, structured motorcycle track days, advanced rider training programs based on Yamaha Champions Riding School teaching methods, with a strong affinity for motorcycle road racing. N2 successfully resurrected Motorcycle Endurance Racing in America partnering with WERA Roadracing and creating the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop. N2 is a premier participant in the MotoAmerica Pro Racing Series with a multi-rider team competing in several classes. N2 is also a major contributor to the Roadracing World Action Fund through fundraising efforts and support from its large member base.
N2 Racing is proudly sponsored by: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dainese, BobbleHeadMoto, Trading Paint, GB Racing, Spider, Yoshimura, STM, Sunstar, Giaccmoto, Robem Engineering, Puig, Eazi Grip, SBS Brakes and Yamaha Champions Riding School.
More, from a press release issued by Blackmon Racing:
Blackmon Overcomes Injury To Double Podium At Daytona
Jackson Blackmon (18). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Blackmon Racing.
The 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship debuted at Daytona International Speedway over this past weekend. There were three days full of close racing from all the classes that were featured at the race. The Twins class saw some new talent enter the class, while other riders made their return such as Jackson Blackmon.
The 21-year-old rider from South Carolina suffered an ankle injury back in June of 2022 at Road America that ultimately put an end to his 2022 season. Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing has made a return in 2023 with Jackson back aboard a 2022 Yamaha YZF-R7. With this being his third year competing in the class, he was hoping to use that experience to gain great results and minimize mistakes. Upon hitting the banks of Daytona in practice one, it was evident that Jackson hadn’t lost any pace.
Coming out of the offseason, the team encountered multiple challenges while preparing for 2023. New partners for this year include K-Tech Suspension, M4 Exhaust, Robem Engineering, Spears Racing, REV’IT!, and Hustle Hard Racing. Trackday Winner has returned as title sponsor with numerous associate sponsors, including Yamaha, Yamalube, Finishline Machine, HJC, and Wiseco.
Blackmon Racing came to Daytona with a strong package that delivered astonishing finishes and fast speeds. Qualifying was up and down for Jackson. Continuing to make big changes to the race setup made it hard for him to get fast laps. He ended up starting seventh for the races, but he was feeling confident in the settings for Race One on Friday.
The first of the two races scheduled for the weekend consisted of some chaos that broke up the lead pack early on. Jackson had to take evasive action in a crash that saw him back in fourth position and seconds behind. He was able to continually find pace to eventually catch up to the second-place rider, Then, on the final lap he made a draft pass to the line to take over the position. From ending his last race with injury to starting this season with a podium was exactly how he wanted to return to racing.
The second and final race of the Twins class at Daytona saw a different story unfold. Starting with a red flag early on made for a five-lap restart. Blackmon struggled a bit in the infield and that let the top two guys get away, but he was still able to manage third place to make for a double podium weekend.
“The weekend couldn’t have gone much better,” Blackmon said about his 2023 Daytona experience. “It’s been a long road of recovery on my ankle as well as a lot of long nights to prepare the bike for round one. So I was very pleased to pay back my Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing team with two days on the box. These results give me a lot of confidence heading into Road Atlanta, and I cannot wait to get back on track soon.”
Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing would like to thank their 2023 partners for their support: Trackday Winner, Finishline Machine, Yamaha, Yamalube, K-Tech, Orient Express, HJC, REV’IT!, Robem Engineering, M4, Spears Racing, Wiseco, Hustle Hard Racing, Drippin’ Wet, and Sidi.
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING LEADS MISSION® SUPER HOOLIGAN® NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOLLOWING SEASON OPENER AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
2022 Super Hooligan® Champion Tyler O’Hara Takes Early Points Lead Following Back-to-Back Wins At Daytona Doubleheader
Indian Motorcycle Racing Comes Away with Podium Finish in Mission® King of the Baggers,
O’Hara Ranks Fifth In Season Standings with 21 Points, McWilliams Eighth with 19
Tyler O’Hara (1) and Jeremy McWilliams (99) on their Progressive/Mission Foods Indian FTR 1200 Super Hooligan racebikes. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
MINNEAPOLIS (MARCH 14, 2023) – Following an offseason that expanded the competitive landscape with new manufacturers lining up for the MotoAmerica® Mission® Super Hooligan® National Championship (SHNC), it was Indian Motorcycle Racing and its factory team claiming the top two spots on the leaderboard, following the season-opening doubleheader at Daytona International Speedway. Piloting a pair of S&S®-built Progressive® Mission® Foods Indian FTRs, reigning SHNC champion Tyler O’Hara and teammate Jeremy McWilliams each left Daytona with a pair of podiums, including back-to-back victories for O’Hara and third and second-place finishes for McWilliams.
On Friday, March 10, O’Hara strategically tailed RSD Indian FTR privateer Bobby Fong for nearly the entire six-lap race. Waiting for the final lap to strike, O’Hara was able to carry more speed through the chicane and go up and around the outside of Fong to capture the season’s first win by .0064 seconds. McWilliams rounded out the podium to complete the Indian FTR podium sweep.
“Bobby was running fast all weekend and gapped me for a period until I was able to make up some ground. The lapper through the chicane definitely played a big role as I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to draft pass him on the finish,” said O’Hara. “But what a fun race, and for Indian Motorcycle to sweep the podium just shows how impressive this Indian FTR really is.”
Race 2 on Saturday, March 11, was filled with plenty of action. After an early crash caused a red-flag restart, it was a five-rider group at the front of the pack. Pushing hard in the group, KTM rider Andy DiBrino lost his front end and laid his bike down, while Fong encountered a technical issue – making it a three-rider run for first between Harley-Davidson rider Cory West, O’Hara and McWilliams. While West ultimately crossed the finish line first, a post-race bike inspection found an illegal air intake that resulted in a disqualification – awarding O’Hara his second win of the weekend and earning McWilliams a second-place finish.
In the MotoAmerica® Mission® King of the Baggers (KOTB) class, O’Hara reached the podium with a third-place finish in Race 1. While the Indian Challenger had been running fast all weekend, even clocking the weekend’s fastest speed on a bagger at 182 mph, both O’Hara and McWilliams suffered technical issues in Race 2. Indian Motorcycle Racing concluded the opening rounds at Daytona with O’Hara in fifth (21 points) and McWilliams in eighth (19 points) on the season’s leaderboard.
“Our issues this weekend were specifically with our tires, MotoAmerica is a spec tire series, we are only given one choice for tires for Daytona and they failed with our higher speeds after four laps, but our new bikes are performing incredibly well, with a significantly higher level of both handling and power, as evidenced by both our riders registering speeds of more than 180 mph throughout the weekend,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “At the end of the day, the performance of our Indian Challengers, coupled with our success in the Super Hooligan class has us feeling extremely optimistic and incredibly motivated heading into the second round in Atlanta.”
The 2023 KOTB and SHNC seasons continue with Road Atlanta April 21-23. For more information visit MotoAmerica.com.
Indian Motorcycle Racing is presented by Progressive Insurance®, Mission® Foods and Medallia®, with additional support from Indian Motorcycle Motor Oil, S&S®, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties®, Performance Finance, and J&P Cycles®.
For information about Indian Motorcycle, visit IndianMotorcycle.com, or follow along on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle Company is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
INDIAN and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE are registered trademarks of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear a helmet, protective clothing and eyewear and insist your passenger does the same. Ride within the limits of the law and your own abilities. Read, understand and follow your owner’s manual. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Progressive Insurance® is a registered trademark of Progressive Casualty Insurance Company; MOTOAMERICA® is a registered trademark of Krave Group, American Flat TrackSM is a service trademark of Daytona Motorsports Group LLC; Harley-Davidson® is a registered trademark of H-D U.S.A., LLC; King of the Baggers® is a registered trademark of KRAVE GROUP, LLC; Super Hooligan® is a registered trademark of Roland Sands Design, Inc.; Mission® is a registered trademark of Gruma Corporation; Monster Energy® is a registered trademark; Drag Specialties® is a registered trademark of LeMans Corporation; Bell® is a registered trademark of Bell Sports, Inc; Medallia® is a registered trademark of Medallia Inc.; S&S® is a registered trademark of S&S Cycle, Inc.; J&P Cycles® is a registered trademark of J&P CYCLES, LLC; Öhlins® is a registered trademark of Öhlins Racing AB CORPORATION SWEDEN; Klotz®is a registered trademark of Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Inc.; Klock Werkssm is a service trademark of Klock, Brian INDIVIDUAL; RK TAKASAGO CHAIN is a registered trademark of RK JAPAN CO., LTD., Engine Ice® is a registered trademark of KOST USA, LLC; VP Racing Fuels® is a registered trademark of VP RACING FUELS Inc.; Motion Pro® is a registered trademark of Motion Pro Inc.; Corbi® is a registered trademark of CORBIN PACIFIC, INC; Unless noted, trademarks are the property of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC.
More, from a press release issued by Royal Enfield North America:
Royal Enfield And MotoAnatomy Get It Started In Daytona
Johnny Lewis and Ryan Wells kick off American Flat Track season at Daytona Short Track Doubleheader
MotoAnatomy’s Johnny Lewis (10) and Ryan Wells (94) put two Royal Enfield motorcycles on the starting line of an American Flat Track SuperTwins race, a milestone for the brand at the Daytona Short Track. Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
Milwaukee, WI (Tuesday, March 14, 2023) – It’s been a busy off-season for Johnny Lewis and the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team, and the Daytona Short Track is where they got to showcase all the hard work, and reach more milestone moments for the brand. For Lewis, his 2023 season started with a heat race win, a main event holeshot and leading the first lap of Thursday night’s Daytona Short Track I. For Wells, it was his first race with the team, and the Daytona Short Track II marked first time ever that two Royal Enfields have been in an AFT SuperTwins main event.
“I love every bit of Short Track,” says Jonny Lewis. “Because it’s intense racing, but you’re really trying to control the motorcycle. We’re really try to push the bike in, get a direction change and you’re coming almost to a dead stop and accelerating really hard… so it’s really about trying to contain the power as much as you can, and keep the bike precise on the track. In Short Track, it’s really hard to do.”
Lewis put his razor-sharp technique to good use as he grabbed the holeshot and led the charge in the very first main event lap of 2023 American Flat Track. It also marked the first-ever unified SuperTwins race in AFT (previously, Lewis competed in the Production Twins class, which is now combined with the premiere Mission SuperTwins class). From there, Lewis settled into a strong fifth-place, but was taken out by another rider. He would soldier on to finish a respectable eighth.
For Ryan Wells, Daytona was his official debut with the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team. Like his teammate, Wells had some shining moments in Florida, and is looking to build on the excitement and progress into the rest of the season.
“It’s when I have someone like Johnny riding the same exact bike,” said Ryan Wells, “because Johnny’s really good at eliminating anything that could be under the bike’s control and puts it under his own control. Seeing what he’s doing made me want to work harder. Because he busts his butt every day of the week and he doesn’t stop. I know we feed off each other when he sees me working hard, he wants to work harder and vice versa.”
“This great team synergy, the progress made with the Royal Enfield Twins FT motorcycle and the enthusiasm for the entire 2023 season are our main takeaways from the Daytona Short Track Doubleheader,” said Adrian Sellers, Royal Enfield Head – Custom & Motorsport. “This is an exciting ride for all of us into uncharted territory and we’re already seeing the work pay off. Mostly, we’re just happy to be officially underway for the 2023 season.”
For more on the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team and a behind-the-scenes look at the Daytona Short Track Doubleheader, head to Instagram @motoanatomyxroyalenfield.
For more on the 2023 Progressive American Flat Track Championship, visit AmericanFlatTrack.com.
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the midsize motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.
Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 150 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S. and Canada. RENA currently offers the all-new Scram 411, Classic 350, Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.
For more information on Royal Enfield North America, visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/, www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA, www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.
Following fatigue in his right forearm, which occurred during the recent MotoGP tests at Portimao, Aprilia Racing rider Aleix Espargaró underwent a series of tests between yesterday and today at the Dexeus University Clinic in Barcelona. The checks revealed a fibrosis in the muscle for which a surgical operation was necessary.
The cleaning operation, carried out today, was largely successful and will allow the rider to recover in view of the first race of the season, scheduled for the weekend of 24-26 March.
Dr. XAVIER MIR – MD PhD
“Aleix Espargaró underwent surgery on his right forearm, due to a fibrotic retraction of the forearm fascia with compression of the median nerve in the proximal third of the forearm. An antebrachial fasciotomy and an arch release of the pronator teres muscle was performed using microsurgical techniques. He will start his recovery as soon as tomorrow”.
“King Kenny” Roberts is arguably the most significant figure in motorcycle racing history: Twice AMA Grand National Champion, triple MotoGP World Champion, indefatigable fighter for riders’ safety and rights, championship-winning team owner, and constructor of the last two-stroke to score a MotoGP pole position.
Roberts came of age in 1973 when he wrapped up his first American Grand National Championship, a series that combined road racing with all kinds of dirt-track—short track, mile, half-mile, and TT, which included motocross-style jumps. The title was also his first success with Yamaha, which led to a hat-trick of 500cc/MotoGP world titles, from 1978 to 1980, and three more, as team owner with rider Wayne Rainey, from 1990 to 1993.
The Roberts story started when he was age 13 and learning to be a
cowboy…
—Racing History: “King Kenny” Roberts, by Mat Oxley
It was 50 years ago that “King Kenny” Roberts won his first major championship, lost a testicle, shot himself in the leg and nearly wound up riding for MV Agusta. Pretty intense year. But as Roberts says, “You kind of fumble through life…” Read about one of road racing’s greatest riders of all time’s most intense 12 months of fumbling, in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats.
Cameron Petersen (45). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Yamaha.
MARIETTA, Ga. – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen overcame adversity to cross the line third in a drama-filled 81st running of the Daytona 200 at the Daytona International Speedway.
Coming just .007 seconds shy of the win last year, Petersen and the team were aiming for the top spot at the historic 200-mile race in Daytona Beach, Florida. When the lights went out, he quickly made his way to fifth from the seventh spot on the grid and then advanced to third. Unfortunately, he had a technical issue two laps into the race and ultimately was shuffled back and lost touch with the lead group. The South African pulled into the pits on Lap 12, and although he still was struggling to find his comfort zone, he kept pushing to make up lost ground. After his third pit stop, he made a big push and was able to close the gap on the race leader. Petersen passed the leader to join the lead lap, and then a crash brought out the red flag with five laps remaining.
With the red flag being drawn before Lap 53, the rules called for a restart and that there be a minimum of 10 laps. So it was a new race with Petersen in the sixth for the restart in a 10-lap sprint. Sitting sixth after the first lap, he put his head down to join the lead group and battled for the win. It was the typical chess match with drafting battles on the high banks of Daytona with multiple lead changes. Petersen fought to the end, ultimately taking third to earn his second-consecutive podium finish at the historic race.
The team now sets their sites on defending the title in the premier class and preparing for the MotoAmerica Superbike season opener at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on April 21-23 in Braselton, Georgia.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“The race really was just the last 10 laps. It showed how good the Yamaha R6 is and that it’s very competitive against the other bigger bikes. We’re pretty pleased with our result, even though we thought we could have had a little bit better race. Something happened with the clutch, I think, after the start. He was able to collect it up and un-lap himself, and that got us the opportunity to race for the win, which was great. This was a shop project. We came here to have a little fun with our little bike, but now it’s time to get serious with Superbike racing.”
Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“It was a crazy Daytona 200. The 57 laps didn’t really matter because the red flag came out, so it was a sprint toward the end. It was just a little bit unfortunate that after the first start, I had a problem with the clutch and just kind of struggled to stay with the group. I couldn’t get on the brakes. I couldn’t tip the bike into the corners the way I wanted to, so, I was really struggling through the infield. Thank god for that red flag because the last 10 laps, I just put my head down, and I was like, ‘Man, give it your all. Whatever happens, happens.’ There was just so much chaos. I didn’t even know I got on the podium. I was about to get undressed and was ready to go home, and somebody ran over and was like, ‘Hey, you’re on the podium.’ It’s not only for me. I think it’s just massive for the team to get a podium. A lot of effort goes into this single event with the bike, the travel expenses, and everything. So, I’m glad I could get on the box for the team, but I’m ready to get back on my superbike.
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
MotoAmerica: Limandri Impresses on his Debut Ride in the Twins Cup
Joseph LiMandri, Jr. (62). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
(Daytona, FL) The 2023 MotoAmerica season kicked off in Daytona Florida. With the Twins Cup running as one of the support classes to the famous Daytona 200, Altus Motorsports was there in support of Joseph Limandri Jr. onboard the team’s new Yamaha R7 entry in the class.
Twins Cup
Altus Motorsports rider Joseph Limandri Jr. made his debut in the Twins class at Daytona 2023, and it was a successful transition for him. Despite having minimal seat time on the new platform, Limandri quickly adapted and qualified 12th for Race 1 on Friday.
During the race, he engaged in a three-bike battle and emerged as the victor, finishing in 7th place. On Saturday, the Altus team made some modifications to the bike that improved its aerodynamics significantly. Limandri started from 11th in Race 2 and managed to stay with the lead group, finishing an impressive 5th after a red flag forced a restart.
“I’m really thankful to Mike Castro, Eric Gray, and the entire Altus team. They worked hard and gave me a great bike. I love working with the team and I’m ready to push to the top step. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my 18th birthday than racing at Daytona!,” said Joseph Limandri Jr.
With the successful debut in the Twins class, Limandri is optimistic about the season ahead and is looking forward to competing at the front.
Team owner George Nassaney acknowledged the tremendous effort that went into preparing the Altus Factory-built Yamaha R7. The bike was built in-house by Team Manager Eric Gray, who worked long hours to ensure it was ready for the Daytona race, even with several key parts arriving just a couple of weeks before the event. “This past weekend was amazing to see all of the work paying off. Joseph rode very well and gave excellent feedback to his Crew Chief Mike Castro and Team Manager Eric Gray. Both worked to improve the bike every session and the results showed. We are excited to leave Daytona with solid points and we are all very proud of Joseph. Now it’s time to get back to the race shop and get the Team ready for Atlanta.”
Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, FLY Racing WPS, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Yamaha Motor Company, Barnett, Maxima Racing Oils, Moto-D Racing, Bonamici, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, SBS Brakes, BrakeTech USA, Inc., Ohlins, K-Tech, RS Taichi, Arai, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP MAKE STEPS ON FINAL 2023 TESTING DAY
Portimao (Portugal), 12th March 2023
PORTIMAO MOTOGP OFFICIAL TEST
Today Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli concluded the final day of 2023 pre-season testing. The teammates got in as many laps as possible at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and wrapped up the Portimão MotoGP Official Test in 3rd and 19th place respectively in both the Day-2 and combined timesheets.
3rd FABIO QUARTARARO 1‘38.302 / 88 LAPS
19th FRANCO MORBIDELLI 1‘39.066 / 89 LAPS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli used the second day of testing in Portimão, Portugal, to conclude their 2023 testing plans. Today the duo made the most of the perfect riding conditions again and booked progress, taking 3rd and 19th place respectively in today‘s standings and the Portimão MotoGP Official Test combined rankings.
Quartararo was quick to find a good rhythm on Day 2, and by 10:30 local time he had set a 1‘39.292s, more than 0.3s quicker than his fastest lap on Day 1. At the time it put him in third place provisionally. He then continued assessing aero-packages and trying settings in preparation for the first race weekend, held at the same circuit in two weeks‘ time. Once satisfied, he gave another push in the afternoon. Setting a 1‘38.302s on lap 61/88, he initially took second place but ultimately ended the day in third place in the Day-2 and combined results, 0.334s from first.
After putting in 95 laps on Day 1, Morbidelli again showed his motivation on Day 2 by completing another 89 laps, more than any other rider. He stayed fully focused during an intensive session, aiming to further improve his feeling with the bike and better his pace, and successfully shaved over 1.3s off his Day-1 time. His 1‘39.066s, posted on lap 79/89, saw him finish 19th in the Day-2 and combined timesheets, with a 1.098s margin to first.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
Today we wrapped up pre-season testing. Because Yamaha had prepared many items this winter, we knew we had a lot on our plate for this final 2023 pre-season test. We only had two days, so we prioritised accordingly. Fabio and Franky both evaluated aero-package options and tried settings we felt are promising for the first GP weekend, held here two week’s from now. Fabio made a big step today, so that’s positive. Franky also tried many things during this test and gathered a lot of data that should be helpful for Round 1. We got a lot of work done, but there’s still more to do. We will now carefully go over the data we collected here, and subsequently draft a strategy on how we will tackle the first GP of the 2023 season. I’m sure the fans are as impatient to get the racing started as we are. We will put in our full effort to be ready to go.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FABIO QUARTARARO
Today we made a big improvement, especially with new tyres. We‘ve tried all aero-packages Yamaha brought here and also some settings from the past that were working well. I‘m pretty happy. We are still missing a few things, but we made a massive step from yesterday and from Sepang. We are much closer to be ready for GP1 than we were yesterday, although we are not 100% ready yet. We will be giving our best, for sure. We are not giving up.
Franco Morbidelli (21). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
These were busy days of testing. We tried many things, did a lot of stuff, and did a lot of testing – that‘s what testing is for, so I‘m happy about that. It will be important to analyse well the data we‘ve gathered and make the right choices for the race weekend.
More, from a press release issued by RNF MotoGP Team:
Oliveira and Fernandez complete successful test in Portugal
The RNF MotoGP Team has concluded its pre-season testing today at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve with a positive outlook for the upcoming 21 rounds of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.
Sunshine and decent temperatures have been accompanying the second and final day of testing ahead of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season today at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. Like on Saturday, both RNF MotoGP Team riders, Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez were able to make use of the full track time from the morning until sunset.
With more and more laps aboard his Aprilia RS-GP under his belt and being at ease with the home track, Oliveira improved on his fastest lap from Saturday quite quick today. The Portuguese local hero did a total of 147 laps in the course of the two days of testing. On Sunday he went 1.024 seconds faster than on day one and ended the official test in P11, just 0.616 seconds off the fastest.
Meanwhile, Fernandez is making significant steps. Following the fifth fastest time of the entire MotoGP field on Saturday, he ended the test in 16th position, 0.270 seconds behind his teammate and did his personal fastest ever lap in Portimao. The young Spaniard did 127 laps on Saturday and Sunday and feels ready and eager to start the new season with high motivation.
Less than two weeks from now, the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season will kick off with the first of 21 rounds at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal, where both Oliveira and Fernandez are aiming high. The RNF MotoGP Team is set to showcase their official 2023 colors to the world in a unique virtual launch on Monday, the 20th of March.
Miguel Oliveira (88). Photo courtesy RNF MotoGP Team.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
“After today, we are in a good place to start the first Grand Prix. Though we would like to be a bit more in front in the standings, our pace was quite strong and we have been there during the whole day which is good. Unfortunately, in the afternoon today during the time attack, I had a small crash, I was pushing and there was nothing I could do. We have some work to do, I just need to start the race weekend to see where we are.”
Raul Fernandez (25). Photo courtesy RNF MotoGP Team.
RAUL FERNANDEZ
“I’m really happy about our test, especially about today. We had a great day and have been working alone on the pace. The speed is very good. In the last moment, when I tried to do the time attack, I had a small crash. For that I want to apologize to my team. But anyway, also thanks to them, we did a really good job. I’m very happy, we have an amazing bike and I think 2023 is going to be a very nice season for us. Aprilia worked really well last year, they created a fantastic bike and I’m very satisfied overall.”
Razlan Razali, Founder and Team Principal RNF MotoGP Team
“It was a positive final day of the second winter test for both of our riders Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez. They showed great speed and pace between the day. Unfortunately, when they were about to start the time attack, both riders had a crash and had to abandon their plans for the time attack. Though, it’s not the best way to end the test but more importantly the riders are okay and all the targets we wanted to achieve for this weekend was fulfilled and completed. We save the energy this weekend and aim to go faster during the actual race weekend in two weeks. Being the third time for both riders on the RS-GP, I’m happy that they showed a lot of potential, speed and pace and I’m confident that their performance will be there when it matters most which is during the race weekend.”
Wilco Zeelenberg, Team Manager RNF MotoGP Team
“The last day of testing is done. It was a very important last test, both, riders felt much more connected to their bikes than we had it during the first two tests. Of course, now they got more kilometers in on their bikes, but we also found better settings for them and they felt more confident electronic-wise and with their base setups. We actually feel ready to start the season. Our target here was to try to do 1:38, but actually half of the grid did it, so it was a little bit disappointing, but at least we also made it. So, let’s see what we can do next week when the sessions are shorter and track time is reduced, which is the main difference to the tests. Overall, we are very happy. We are competitive and ready to start racing!”
More, from a press release issued by Mooney VR46 Racing Team:
MARINI AND BEZZECCHI ENDED THE PRESEASON AMONG THE FASTEST GUYS AT PORTIMAO
The riders of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team are constantly in the top positions in P4 and P5 in the combined of the two-days
Portimao (Portugal), March 12th 2023 – Last act of the 2023 pre-season and another proof of solidity for the Mooney VR46 Racing Team at the Portimao test on the Ducati Desmosedici GP. Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi, already very fast yesterday, close the two days of work in Portugal in fourth and fifth place in the combined standings, ready to face the first race weekend, in less than two weeks, on the Algarve circuit.
Second yesterday and always among the most consistent, Luca, forced into the garage for a part of today’s session due to technical problems (64 laps), improves up to 1’38.310, a time that means a gap of three tenths from Bagnaia (1’37.968).
Step forward also for Marco (86 laps), P7 on Day1, capable of signing an excellent 1’38.351 and climbing the standings up to the fifth place.
Luca Marini (10). Photo courtesy Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
LUCA MARINI – 10
Overall I’m satisfied with the pre-season: there’s a good atmosphere within the Team and we’ve worked hard. I had fun, I feel good and I enjoyed every lap on the bike. Today was probably the hardest day, I had some bad luck and too many technical problems. In the final I gave my all, went out for the last 20 minutes and set my best lap time. I feel good, I can fight for the Top6 in qualifying and in the sprint with the soft. For the race, I think I’ll opt for the medium rear, the performances aren’t very different, but in terms of long distance it’s more performing.
Marco Bezzecchi (72). Photo courtesy Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
MARCO BEZZECCHI – 72
A good test, I’m happy even if the afternoon wasn’t easy at all. Putting everything together was more complicated than we expected. We made a step back and then it started to feel good. I’m not at 100% yet, but we did a great job and the sprint race simulation isn’t bad either. I can improve by 2/3 tenths on the single lap and keep the pace of the fastest.
PABLO NIETO, TEAM MANAGER
We have to be satisfied, not so much with this test, but with the whole pre-season. In Malaysia we worked well and here we continued in the same direction. We are ready to face the race in the best possible way. Ducati and the whole Team have done a lot and we are a very solid team with two very fast riders. We just have to discover the new format of the weekend, the last real unknown factor.
More, from a press release issued by GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3:
2023 PRE-SEASON COMPLETED FOR GASGAS FACTORY RACING TECH3: TIME TO GET ON THE GAS!
Testing work resumed on Sunday morning at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for the second and last day of the Official Portimao MotoGP™ Test, closing officially the 2023 pre-season for the class. Spaniards Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez closed the test in 18th and 21st after two hard-working days on their red GASGAS RC16.
The day was again set ideally for riders to complete their testing programmes on a dry track, with the sun shining nicely and no clouds to be seen. Pol Espargaro was the first to go on track this morning at around 10:00 am local time (GMT+0). After a rather difficult Saturday and an evening spent finding solutions to yesterday’s issues, the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 seemed to find himself more comfortable on the bike today. He eventually managed to go under the bar of the 1’40 with a fast lap in 1’39.526 on lap 18 thanks to a change of bike’s setting. In the afternoon, he focused on different areas, including getting the fast laps in. Lap after lap, he progressed through the lap times until reaching 1’38.974 within the final laps of the day. He closes the day eighteenth in the standings, 1.006 seconds from the fastest of day 2.
His teammate and rookie Augusto Fernandez continued his progression on the Portuguese layout with the main goal to develop the learnings from Saturday and prepare for his first ever MotoGP™ race at the opening round of the 2023 season in two weeks. With just seven laps in this morning, he had already improved from his best lap of Saturday by 0.435 seconds. Seven laps later, the Spaniard went under the 1’40 bar, in 1’39.907, a very encouraging step for the rookie. In a similar way to his teammate, he also dedicated his day to fast laps and race preparation, integrating a race simulation at the end of the morning. The outcome was positive, highlighted by Augusto’s fastest lap set with his final lap. In the afternoon, he worked on time-attacks and eventually gained a few hundredths of seconds to set his fastest lap of the weekend in 1’39.667. After sixty-four laps, he sits in twenty-first in the standings, 0.693 seconds away from his teammate.
There is no more testing now, it is finally time to go racing! GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 riders Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez will be back in two weeks in Portimao for the opening round of the 2023 season! We’ll see you on March 24-26!
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Pol Espargaro
Position: 18th
Time: 1’38.974
Laps: 79
“Today was much better than yesterday so it feels good. We are just one second away from today’s fastest man, which is not bad on this track. Of course, we would like to be higher in the standings, but we tried many things these two days. We worked on the race pace quite a lot and there are some positive things, but we are missing something, especially on this track on which our grip is not the best in the rear. We had a very productive day today, so I am happy. Let’s go racing!”
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Augusto Fernandez
Position: 21st
Time: 1’39.667
Laps: 64
“We had a good morning and made good progress with the bike. We did a race simulation and I am happy because I had a good race pace and felt good physically. I was able to understand more things about the bike, such as tyre management and how to ride it in race conditions. In Moto2, I was always very good towards the last part of the races, so it is good that I am also able to replicate this to the MotoGP class. In the afternoon, we worked on a time-attack and I think that we still have a lot of work to do to understand how to get the maximum of new soft tyres.”
Nicolas Goyon
Team Manager
“We just finished the pre-season with the final test in Portimao before we all finally start the championship here in two weeks. I would like to thank both our riders Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez for their hard work over the past two days. All together, they did around 150 laps each, which is a lot of time on the track that allowed us to gather important data and information for the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 engineers.
Pol focused on trying to finalize a setup that suits him for the race in two weeks, but it has not been easy for him. He tried many options and it looks like towards the end of the day some positive came out of it as he registered his fastest lap of the weekend.
Our rookie Augusto worked hard and the day was highlighted by a race simulation with a total of twenty-two laps and twenty fast laps. What is very interesting is that he set his fastest lap at the very last lap of his simulation. It is promising because it shows that he has understood how to manage both his physical condition and his tyres.
Overall, we are satisfied with the work we did here in Portimao with both our riders. It was also the first time that our red GASGAS RC16 went on track and we were all really proud of our 2023 livery. We have two weeks to analyse the data, but we feel ready to race! Thank you to the whole team for their hard work, and we will be back in two weeks for the season opener !”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
0.016s between Repsol Honda Team duo after five days of MotoGP testing
Sunday in Portimao saw both Repsol Honda Team riders focus on time attacks, Sprint race runs and refinements as Joan Mir ends the test in 13th with Marc Marquez just behind in 14th.
Perfect conditions saw out the MotoGP pre-season as the Repsol Honda Team completed their testing programme with the rest of the championship in Portimao. Two busy days saw a number of items tested and 289 laps completed between Joan Mir and Marc Marquez.
Joan Mir’s adaption to the Honda RC213V continued and Sunday in Portugal saw him make strong forward progress especially on his one lap pace. A best time of 1’38.762 meant the 2020 MotoGP World Champion ended the test as the 13th fastest rider and top Honda machine. Able to do a time attack, Mir was able to further understand where he and the Honda need to continue improving. As with the previous day, Mir’s race pace was more promising across his 61 laps.
On the other side of the Repsol Honda Team garage, Marc Marquez continued to diligently work as his attention shifted from fully focused on development to beginning to prepare for the coming race weekend in Portugal. The eight-time World Champion completed his first simulation of a new Sprint Race with his longest run of the test. A fall at Turn 1 midway through the final day did little to upset Marquez’s overall testing plan.
The MotoGP World Championship now begins their final preparations before the Grande Premio de Portugal, March 24 – 26, and the start of the longest MotoGP season in history with 21 Grands Prix.
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Joan Mir
13TH 1’38.762
“Today we were able to make some more progress forward in adapting to the Honda. There is still a lot I need to learn and adapt to because it’s still a new bike and some aspects that are not yet second nature. Overall it has been an off-season of progress but of course as a rider you are always wanting more and more. We head into the opening races wanting to keep improving and to see what’s possible.”
Marc Marquez (93). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Marc Marquez
14TH 1’38.778
“We had the best feeling of our pre-season today, I was riding well and I was able to do a Sprint Race simulation. Riding for a longer run I was able to focus more on my riding style and keep making improvements there. Our rhythm wasn’t bad and today we worked more towards what will come at the Portugal GP. We were able to make a few steps, of course you want more. The most important thing was that today I had the best feeling with the bike so far.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
LCR Honda CASTROL rider Alex Rins completes the last preseason test at Portimao
The last test before the start of the season has finished at the Autodromo do Algarve for Alex Rins and the LCR Honda CASTROL.
Despite the final position on the standings (15th), there are some positive elements to point out, as Alex admits feeling more comfortable riding the bike and happier with how he can handle it.
Rins and the crew have been testing several items brought by HRC, and overall, they are pleased with the steps made. There’s still considerable room for improvement, but the path is more precise after the test at Portimao.
Preseason is officially done; the next stop will be the opening round of the 2023 season at the same place, the circuit of Portimao.
Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Alex Rins 15th
(1’38.782)
“I’m pleased after the preseason we’ve done. Since Sepang, we’ve taken a step forward, and counting on new parts in Portimao has helped me understand our current situation. I’ve been focusing on testing them to provide useful information to HRC. The main thing is that we’ve improved, and that’s crucial. I want to thank the whole team because they’ve done a great job”.
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami finishes the last test at Portimao
The last test before the start of the season has finished at the Autodromo do Algarve for Takaaki Nakagami and the LCR Honda IDEMITSU. Despite the final position on the standings (20th), there are some positive elements to point out, as Nakagami has noticed a significant improvement during the second and last day of tests.
Since the beginning, Takaaki has struggled to find the feeling on the bike and admits he still needs to be more comfortable riding it. However, after testing some evolution parts brought by HRC, especially on the second day, he believes there is potential and room for improvement in some areas that would help both rider and crew to make a further step forward.
Preseason is officially done; the next stop will be the opening round of the 2023 season at the same place, the circuit of Portimao.
Takaaki Nakagami (30). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Takaaki Nakagami 20th
(1’39.309)
“The three days in Sepang and the two days here haven’t been easy, but today, in terms of lap times, everything is very tight, the gap has reduced, and we’ve taken a step. The feedback with the bike is better, but both the bike and I need to improve. We could take another step forward during the race weekend, so let’s keep working. The team has done a good job as always”.
More, from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
2023 MOTOGP™ PREP ALMOST COMPLETE WITH SECOND AND FINAL PRE-SEASON TEST LOGGED IN PORTUGAL
2023 Motorsport news
Two days of intense testing work brought the 2023 MotoGP pre-season to a conclusion for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at the Algarve International Circuit. Brad Binder and Jack Miller sifted through solutions for the settings of their KTM RC16s both for the long Grand Prix year ahead and for the first round of the series at the same circuit in a fortnight’s time. Binder ended the weekend 9th fastest while Miller was 17th but both less than one second from times that shattered the Portimao lap-record.
MotoGP teams left the heat of Malaysia last month to reassemble and bask in the sunshine of the Algarve for the second and last appointment in preparation for 2023. The two-day session allowed the Red Bull KTM works squad to drill through solutions and options to be ready for the 21-race championship (and brand new Sprint format) as well as look towards optimum settings for the Grande Premio de Portugal at the same fast and technical circuit at the end of March.
Brad Binder and Jack Miller were given a second opportunity to give their feedback on the potential of the RC16s around the 15 corner and 4.5 km layout in southern Portugal. The climate was steady and ideal for testing duties, even if the undulations of the track and diversity of the curves means it is a unique setting for bike behaviour and competitiveness.
Binder sat in P6 at one stage and ended the second day with the 9th fastest circulation just half a second from P1 and close to the lap record. The South African was reaching for rear grip but noted an improvement on Sunday. Miller, who is still trying to unlock the full possibilities of the race bike in what was just his third outing, was continually making gains. The Australian was just nine tenths of a second from the peak of the overall classification.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing now have a few precious days back at the race workshop in Munderfing to condense the rest of the data accumulated in Portugal before the whole effort returns to the Algarve for the first real race action of ’23 on March 25-26.
Brad Binder: “We made a good step forward today. We had to re-think things last night because I wasn’t that happy with what we were doing: the team did a great job to make me more comfortable on the bike and I could push a bit harder. We are closer to where we need to be. The time attack went better than I expected. There is definitely a step we can still make before the race but I think we are more or less ready to go into the season.”
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Jack Miller: “We’re getting there. We cut almost another second today and got closer to the top rider who was six tenths under the lap-record! I’m just trying to understand the bike and try different things to get comfortable. We are improving every day and it is taking some time but we’re getting to a decent spot before the first race. Our [engine] maps need a little polishing but I think we can be quietly confident.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “This test was the first time we tried the 2023 spec of the bike and we had some unexpected issues but also some progress. We perhaps don’t have enough time now to fix everything but we hope to give the riders a better package asap. Jack is gaining confidence and speed run-by-run and Brad was a bit surprised by this test but turned it around today. We know where we need to improve and thanks to the whole team for another big effort. Let’s get the season underway now.”
Sebastian Risse, Red Bull KTM Technical Manager MotoGP: “I would say we had a difficult start to the test and had to work through a lot on the first day. The main topic for some riders was rear grip, and looking at the lap-times overall, it was clear that the track today was in better shape and this helped us but we also improved our cause. We made a step and now we just have to see how much we can transfer this on the race weekend. I think we can be happy with the evolution we made these two days and we have the baseline. Now that we have had this test everybody should be up to pace right away at the GP and I think there is still some room to work there.”
Algarve International Circuit Official Test final combined times
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 1:37.968
2. Johann Zarco (FRA) Ducati +0.296
3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) Yamaha +0.334
4. Luca Marini (ITA) Ducati ) +0.342
5. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati +0.383
9. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.512
17. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.941
More, from a press release issued by Lenovo Ducati Team:
Francesco Bagnaia tops the timesheets in the final pre-season test at Portimao. Sixth quickest time for Enea Bastianini
Seven Desmosedici GPs in the first eight places of the standings at the end of two days of testing in Portugal
Francesco Bagnaia dominated the latest pre-season test, which concluded this afternoon at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão (Portugal). The Ducati Lenovo Team rider, who was already the fastest at the end of the first day yesterday, could set a formidable lap time of 1:37.968 this afternoon, confirming himself at the top and improving the current circuit record by 757 thousandths. At the Portimão track, which will host the opening round of the 2023 MotoGP season in less than two weeks, Bagnaia got positive feedback from his Desmosedici GP 2023 and declared himself satisfied with the work completed with his team.
Despite being hindered by technical issues and a crash on the first day, the last test was also positive for Enea Bastianini. The rider from Rimini finished in sixth position, with a time of 1:38.373, 405 thousandths behind his teammate, as he completed a total of 118 laps over the two days.
There are seven Ducatis in the top eight positions. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) finished in second place behind Bagnaia, while Luca Marini (VR46 Racing Team) finished fourth ahead of teammate Marco Bezzecchi. Behind Bastianini finished Alex Márquez (Gresini Racing) in seventh and Jorge Martín (Pramac Racing) in eighth.
“I’m thrilled with how the five days of pre-season testing went, including the three days in Malaysia last month. We improved in every session and completed our work programme. I like the new bike and prefer it to last year’s, but now we must keep our feet on the ground and keep working with our heads down to be fast on every track. The other manufacturers have also taken important steps forward, so we must stay focused. We can say ‘mission accomplished’: we are ready to face the new season.”
“These two days have been positive even though we were really unlucky yesterday. Today we started with a different mentality, which allowed us to take big steps forward straight away, and in general, we worked really well. We didn’t do any particular tests, but we focused mainly on the set-up of the bike and my riding style ahead of the first race, which will be held here in less than two weeks. I think we are still missing something to be able to fight for the win, but we are not far away. Today I also did my first sprint race simulation, and I think tyre life won’t be a problem, but we still haven’t chosen which one to use for Sunday’s race. In any case, I am happy and ready to get back on track for the first Grand Prix of the year”.
Everything is ready for the first round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship, which will be held at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão from 24th-26th March.
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
MOTOGP TESTS IN PORTIMÃO
APRILIA HONES ITS WEAPONS AHEAD OF THE SEASON OPENER
LOTS OF WORK AND LOTS OF NEWS FOR THE ITALIAN TEAM. MAVERICK FAST AND INCISIVE, ALEIX AGGRESSIVE DESPITE A FATIGUED RIGHT ARM
The testing time, although brief, has come to an end and for Aprilia the conclusions can only be positive. Aleix and Maverick, but also the team RNF riders, Oliveira and Fernandez, demonstrated a good level of competitiveness ahead of the official race début.
The Italian team brought an abundant series of innovations to the track, from the highly visible aerodynamic appendages to the less evident (but just as substantial) evolutions of every aspect of the 2023 RS-GP. The analysis of the data and the comments collected throughout these two days will provide the Aprilia techs with the information needed to define the base technical configuration for both riders.
At the end of the two days, Maverick had ridden a total of 170 laps, the best at a time of 1’38.678, whereas Aleix did 112 laps with his best stopping the clock at 1’38.569.
Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Aleix Espargaró
“We can consider ourselves ready for the first race of the season. Once again today, despite some problems with my right arm, I was able to be fast, limiting my activity to shorter runs. Overall, we worked well during these two days. The package we have available is still not perfect, but it is a good starting point. Tomorrow morning I’ll go to the Dexeus Clinic in Barcelona straight away for a series of tests and, if necessary, I’ll undergo surgery immediately so I can fully recover before the race here in Portimão.”
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Maverick Viñales
“Two positive days, I’d say just like all of our preparation for the championship season. I felt really good yesterday, also in terms of lap times, whereas today our work was slightly different. I never used the best combination of tyre compounds, turning a lot of laps in less than perfect grip conditions, and I was able to learn a lot that way. I’d like to always lap at the top, but I’m confident that this type of work will provide us with advantages during a weekend. I can’t wait to really get down to business so we can see our level and begin to battle.”
Bagnaia reigns but Quartararo gains as 12 riders break the lap record on Sunday
Pecco, Zarco, Quartararo, Marini… the list of laptime heroes goes on as pre-season comes to a hectic close at Portimao
Francesco Bagnaia. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 12 March 2023
Another day, another set of timesheets… and the last one before we go racing! The final day of pre-season is in the books and there’s a new fastest ever lap of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, with reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) absolutely smashing his old lap record and bringing it down to a stunning 1:37.968. But he wasn’t the only one under the old 1:38.725, with an incredible 12 riders ending 2023 pre-season with a quicker lap than that.
At the top, the first on Bagnaia’s tail was Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) as he unleashed a time attack on Sunday, not into the 1:37s but seemingly taking a big step forward. Just 0.038 behind him came another rider who took a leap forward on the final day of pre-season, with 2021 Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) taking third and looking a whole lot happier by the end of play than he had 24 hours earlier.
Here’s a rundown of the final day’s action as we start to switch from test mode to race mode!
Johann Zarco (5). Photo courtesy Dorna.
DUCATI, PRAMAC, VR46 & GRESINI
Bagnaia smashed his own all-time lap record and then put in a MotoGP™ Sprint simulation that raised eyebrows up and down pitlane, with most laps under the old best race lap. That was a Jaws music moment before Quartararo was able to get a lot closer, and then Zarco split the two 2022 Championship rivals.
Bastianini struck late to move up significantly compared to a lackluster showing on the timesheets on Saturday, having not put in a real hot lap before. He ends the test in sixth, but will most definitely want to reel his teammate further in once the Portuguese GP begins. There was little new to see at Ducati, with focus seemingly having shifted to really dialling in what they’ve tested… barring one small new lever spotted by our pitlane reporters, currently cause for curiosity.
Francesco Bagnaia. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Enea Bastianini (23). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Zarco was the closest challenger to reigning Champion Bagnaia, moving up later in the day to depose compatriot Quartararo from second. Zarco appears to have found some long run pace, and said he was back on fettling his own setup rather than running through any testing for the factory. Teammate Jorge Martin was also looking good, and he ends the test in P8 after again running the “ground effect” fairings as he did yesterday.
Luca Marini. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Marco Bezzecchi (72). Photo courtesy Dorna.
At Mooney VR46 Racing Team, it was a slightly damp squib end to testing for Luca Marini after the fastest rider in Valencia and Sepang suffered two technical issues that interrupted his final day, leaving him right down the timesheets until a final push at the end. It was a good push though, and he manages to end Sunday in P4 – just ahead of sophomore teammate Marco Bezzecchi. The two look more than ready to take on the battle for some serious positions when the season gets it gear.
At Gresini Racing MotoGP™, it was a final test of two halves. Fabio Di Giannantonio was ruled out after his crash on Day 1, with no injuries but ruled unfit to give him time to recover ahead of the first race weekend. Alex Marquez was sitting fourth for much of the day before a late attack for a few of his fellow Ducati riders, and the two-time World Champion was shuffled down to a still very interesting seventh – right behind Bastianini. He suffered two crashes but all ok, and even saw that as a positive to get it behind him as he starts a new adventure with a new machine.
Alex Marquez (73). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jorge Martin (89). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Dorna.
YAMAHA
The Portimao Test was looking worrying for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ on Day 1, and even during the morning hours of Day 2. Soft tyre woes continued to hinder both Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli, but with roughly three hours of pre-season testing to go, Quartararo pounced up to P2 on the timesheets – just 0.148s away from Bagnaia’s new all-time lap record. A last minute sprint for glory.
Both riders were continuing to play around with different aero packages on the final day, with Morbidelli’s the most striking on the front of the bike. The Italian was putting in some work on similar to a new upgrade we witnessed for the first time on Saturday, but this one the top set of wings, then a double sidepod design as well as the downwash duct at the bottom. But then came this…
A new aero device on the tail of Fabio Quartararo’s Yamaha. Photo courtesy Dorna.
The huge addition, as seen when Quartararo headed out towards the close of play, was interesting to say the least. A rear wing but something never seen before: a much bigger, upside-down triangular-shaped design. The review from the Frenchman: “it wasn’t worse”. But he said data was needed to see if it was better.
All in all, it was a busy day down in the Yamaha camp. Crucially though, a big step was made for Quartararo, who is feeling a lot happier than he was in Sepang and on Day 1. Going back to some old settings allowed the Frenchman to make critical strides forwards which will be a huge relief for Yamaha. The same sighs of relief won’t be swimming through Morbidelli’s side of the box, however, as the Italian ended the test in P19 after completing 89 laps.
Franco Morbidelli (21). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Brad Binder (33). Photo courtesy Dorna.
KTM & GASGAS TECH3
At Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, the test was about analysing what they have rather than bringing in a slew of new parts, and a main point of focus remained the engine. That was heard from all machines – both KTM and GASGAS. Brad Binder was the lead RC16 on the timesheets as the South African ends the test in P9 and a good chunk under the old lap record, ahead of the three lead Aprilias.
Jack Miller was P17 on the second Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine as he looks to settle in. He was focusing on settings and gave a lot of feedback on the electronics, some of which was also reportedly of interest to his new teammate. He was upbeat and said they’re really starting to get there, with a bit left to polish… but gave his adaptation a 7 or 8 out of 10 so far.
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager Francesco Guidotti said Day 1 was tougher, Sunday morning remained a challenge but by the end of play, they’d started to see some light at the end of the tunnel. The main issue? They’re missing a “few tenths” of grip and are working on mechanical solutions as well as on the electronics to take that step forward.
As GASGAS Factory Racing Tech 3, Pol Espargaro was just 0.065 off Miller just ahead of him as the gaps remain absolutely tiny down the field, with rookie Augusto Fernandez one of those a little further back, a few tenths behind Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Dorna.
APRILIA & RNF
Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro admitted that he struggled with arm pump on Day 1 of the Portimao Test, and those issues continued into Sunday. He put in 52 laps – the least of anyone – and says he will be getting his arm checked out ahead of Round 1 of the season, although the #41 said it wasn’t a disaster. Pace-wise, Espargaro will be happy as he ends the test as the top Aprilia in P10.
On the other side of the factory box, Maverick Viñales ends pre-season testing with a beaming smile on his face despite experiencing a technical issue on one of his bikes. P12 definitely doesn’t tell the full tale of his test. The vibes radiating from Top Gun are all positive after another 82 laps were pocketed on the final day, as all signs point towards him and Aprilia kicking off 2023 in fine form. Viñales was the final rider inside the old lap record.
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Raul Fernandez (25). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fine form is one way of describing the performance of a pair of Aprilia newcomers: Miguel Oliveira and RNF MotoGP™ Team teammate Raul Fernandez. Both riders have been consistently up the sharp end of the timesheets in Portimao, but afternoon crashes for both – Oliveira at Turn 3, Fernandez at Turn 1 – put a slight dampener on their final day. But like Espargaro and Viñales, their positions on the timesheets don’t necessarily portray the story of their pre-season… and they’ll be ones to watch when the lights go out for sure.
Miguel Oliveira (88). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Dorna.
HONDA & LCR
“It’s time to start working with what we have,” expressed Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) after Day 1 as the eight-time World Champion admitted that after testing big things in the afternoon, he and Honda lost their way a bit. It’s no surprise we didn’t see many new parts on the RC213Vs on Sunday then, but we did see Marquez continuing on Honda’s updated air intake and aero package set-up.
Marquez confirmed that his final day on track was the best he’d felt all pre-season. A Sprint simulation suggested Honda aren’t a million miles away, not where they want to be, but it’s not a disaster. Marquez also confirmed he and teammate Joan Mir are pulling in the same direction, so there was plenty of promising noises coming from the HRC camp ahead of Round 1.
Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Takaaki Nakagami (30). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) was given the 2021 Honda aero package and ground effect fairing to test on the final day, the latter was also seen using a very different set-up on the front suspension from all the other Hondas. In addition, both Rins and teammate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) have been using last year’s clutch – not the new, carbon one that Nakagami has previously tested.
It’s Mir who ends the Portimao Test as the quickest Honda in P13, 0.016s ahead of Marquez who in turn is 0.004s faster than Rins. They’re all within a second of the all-time lap record, a sign Honda are heading down the correct path. Nakagami finishes the Test down in P20, 1.3s from top spot.
Marc Marquez (93). Photo courtesy Dorna.
FULL RESULTS – DAY 2
And then… all was quiet in pitlane. That’s a wrap on pre-season for the premier class, and now all there’s left to do is RACE! The first Grand Prix of the season is just around the corner, so make sure to join us then as the engines fire up in Portimao once more. The 24th to the 26th of March 2023: save the date as a new era begins!
Ken Roczen Takes Dramatic and Emotional Win at Indy Supercross
Hunter Lawrence Stretches Eastern Regional 250SX Class Points Lead with Indy Victory
Indianapolis, Ind. – Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen earned a thrilling victory in front of the 62,728 screaming fans who packed Lucas Oil Stadium for Round 9 of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season.
Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia took second place after intensely pressuring for the lead in the final laps of the race. Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb finished third on an especially challenging track filled with deep, soft ruts. Webb’s finish gives him the season’s points lead and the red plate, by a single point, for both the Supercross season as well as toward the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship series. In Round 5 of Eastern Regional 250SX Class racing, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence earned his fourth win of the season.
Ken Roczen (94) grabbed his fourth win inside Lucas Oil Stadium. He kept his cool, and the lead, under intense pressure on one of the season’s most challenging tracks. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
When the gate dropped for the 450SX Class Main Event Ken Roczen crossed the Holeshot stripe first and immediately jumped into the lead. After one lap was in the books Roczen led Cooper Webb, Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsport’s Justin Hill, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson, and Justin Barcia. After a slow start, points leader Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac had moved up to eleventh place.
Sexton went to work on Webb for second as the top four riders slowly pulled away from the rest of the field. Less than two minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Sexton moved past Webb and set his sights on Roczen. The lead was down to less than one second when Sexton caught a rut on a jump and crashed. The incident gave Roczen a little breathing room on Webb. Sexton remounted back in twelfth place.
Seven minutes into the Main Event Barcia applied heavy pressure on Webb for second place. Barcia took the spot after the two racers came together exiting the whoops. Neither rider went down, and Webb stayed tight on Barcia while the two tried to reel in Roczen, who was over three seconds ahead.
As the race clock reached three minutes remaining Barcia had the lead down to just one and a half seconds and the volume of the Indianapolis crowd was intense. Barcia got right on the rear fender of the Suzuki, dropping the gap to .7 seconds as the two racers took the white flag. Roczen held his composure through the final lap, earning his first win of the season. The victory makes Roczen a four-time winner in Indy, the winningest active racer at the venue. It was Roczen’s first win since 2022, and Suzuki’s first win since 2016 – which incidentally was earned by Roczen. Barcia took a close and hard-fought second place, his best result of the season. Webb crossed the checkered flag in third, earning enough points to take the red plate and the points lead heading into Round 10 next weekend in Detroit.
Hunter Lawrence (96) almost made the win look easy on one of the toughest, and most-rutted tracks of the season. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
When the gate dropped for the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Hunter Lawrence took the lead with a Holeshot over Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Chris Blose, Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Marshal Weltin, and Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher moved up to fourth early in the opening lap and reached third position before the lap was over. On lap two Thrasher put his Yamaha into second place and the crowd was primed to see an intense battle. The two riders collided the weekend before and Thrasher held some extra motivation to catch and pass the Honda rider.
Martin was the rider on the move early; after losing several spots on the opening laps he charged into fourth place just before race’s midpoint. He was the fastest rider on the track on that lap but was still about eight seconds back from the third place spot held by Smith. With just under seven minutes left on the race clock Lawrence had a scary moment when he came together with a lapped rider. Hunter’s right hand came off the handlebar but he stayed up and seemed to be no worse for the wear. As the clock wined down Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan crashed in the whoops, giving up his fifth place spot.
When the flames lit at the finish Lawrence pulled in his fourth win of the season and stretched his points lead to 22. Thrasher earned second place points without ever getting into striking distance of the lead. Thrasher’s teammate Smith took third place and Martin crossed the line in fourth.
This week the series takes a short hop north to Detroit, Michigan for Round 10 at Ford Field on Saturday, March 18th. The domed stadium is sure to provide more great racing as the athletes pass the midpoint of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. Each Supercross round also pays points toward the brand-new SuperMotocross World Championship which pits the top Supercross and Motocross racers against one another for two Playoff races and one Final in September. The 450 Class winner will take home a cool one million dollars and go down in the history books as the first champion of the SuperMotocross League. The 250 Class racers will battle for the 250 Class title, with a $500,000 championship payout to the winner of that division and an equal spot in the sport’s history books.
The action from Indianapolis and previous rounds is already available in video highlights at SupercrossLIVE.com. The site also provides story features, race results, racer power rankings, as well as ticket sales to upcoming events. Every Supercross and SuperMotocross event is streamed live on Peacock, with select rounds broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. For details and more please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
450SX Class podium (racers from left) Justin Barcia, Ken Roczen, and Cooper Webb. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
450SX Class Results
1. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Ger., Suzuki
2. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM
5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
6. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki
7. Christian Craig, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
8. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
9. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM
10. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (202)
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (201)
3. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (189)
4. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (166)
5. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Ger., Suzuki (164)
6. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (155)
7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (154)
8. Christian Craig, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna (119)
9. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda (93)
10. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (92)
250SX Class podium (racers from left) Nate Thrasher, Hunter Lawrence, and Jordon Smith. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results
1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Aus., Honda
2. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha
3. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha
4. Jeremy Martin, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha
5. Max Anstie, Newbury, Eng., Honda
6. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki
7. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha
8. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM
9. Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda
10. Coty Schock, Dover, Del., Honda
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
EXCITING DEBUT FOR MESA AND TYTLERS CYCLE RACING WITH THE EVA RIBELLE RS AT DAYTONA
Tytlers Cycle Racing and Stefano Mesa have completed the opening round of the 2023 Mission Foods Super Hooligan National Championship by MotoAmerica, with the fast and experienced Colombian rider able to ride the race-ready Energica EVA Ribelle RS to a seventh and a fifth place in the first two races of the series held at the iconic Daytona International Speedway in Florida, USA.
There was plenty of anticipation for the debut of the first full-time electric-powered effort in the series, and Mesa – who has had his fair share of success on the iconic Daytona high banks over the years – proved to be more than ready for the new challenge.
A successful performance at Daytona was everything but a given, as the lack of previous data at the track or experience with the spec Dunlop tires meant that there were still some unknowns on the overall potential of the Energica race package at the high-speed venue – which layout-wise is surely not the most favorable one for electric motorcycles.
Stefano Mesa (137) on his Energica EVA Ribelle RS during a MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan race at Daytona. Photo courtesy Energica USA.
Despite all of the above, the #137 rider mastered the full power of Energica’s streetfighter machine while getting in the mix with ICE-powered competitors as well as making the most of the instant torque available to his right wrist at the start of the encounter. The Energica EVA Ribelle proved to be a solid package in more than capable hands, and the results achieved have injected further confidence for the upcoming race events.
The Super Hooligan series will now take a break before resuming proceedings for Round two at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington on June 23-25. For more on the Super Hooligan series go to: https://www.superhooligan.com
APRILIA RS 660 TAKES TOP STEP WITH RODIO IN MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP SEASON OPENER AT DAYTONA
RODIO RACING POWERED BY ROBEM ENGINEERING RIDER NARROWLY MISSES THE DOUBLE, SETTLES FOR SECOND ON SATURDAY, LEAVING FLORIDA WITH AN EARLY CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD
Gus Rodio (96). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – 12 MARCH 2023 – It was back to winning ways for Aprilia in MotoAmerica Twins Cup on Friday, as Rodio Racing powered by Robem Engineering rider Gus Rodio was victorious in the first series race of 2023. Rodio piloted his Aprilia RS 660 to a victory by a margin of more than eight seconds before nearly claiming a second win on Saturday at the March 9-11 round at Daytona International Speedway.
Rodio’s performance, which included returning to the Saturday race after suffering a mechanical problem, allowed him to amass a nine-point championship lead by the end of the event. Two other Aprilia riders, Rodio’s teammate Ben Gloddy, and Optimum Performance Motorsports’ Jody Barry, put in strong performances at Daytona, though Gloddy’s weekend was cut short due to an unfortunate injury.
The first Twins Cup practice session ended with an Aprilia rider at the top of the time sheet. Rodio put in a best lap of 1:57.671, which was 0.064 seconds faster than the second-best lap time. Two more Aprilia riders finish in the top five, as Barry was the fourth-fastest rider and Gloddy fifth.
The first qualifying session of the event took place later on Thursday. Rodio was again the fastest of the Aprilia riders. He finished the session in fourth place. Gloddy and Barry provisionally qualified in sixth and eighth, respectively.
Qualifying concluded Friday morning with three Aprilia riders having qualified in the top 10. Rodio secured fourth place on the Twins Cup starting grid, while Gloddy and Barry qualified sixth and eighth, respectively.
Friday afternoon saw the first Twins Cup race of 2023 get underway with Rodio quickly working his way up to the race lead by the end of Lap 1. Gloddy also got a good start and had advanced to third place by the end of the first lap. He was running in fourth when another rider crashed heavily in front of him and, despite his best effort, was knocked off his motorcycle and was unable to continue racing. Barry had a sluggish start to the race. He dropped down the running order as far as 12th on Lap 1 before charging forward to sixth place on Lap 3 — which is the position he finished the race in.
Rodio’s pace improved to the rest of the field as the race went on. He was part of a three-rider battle for the race lead until the closing laps, when he steadily increased his lead each lap to take the victory by more than 8.5 seconds.
Gloddy was unable to take part in Saturday’s Race 2 due to an injury he suffered during his crash in Race 1.
The Saturday contest was a trying one for Rodio and his team. As the field began forming up for the start of the race, Rodio pulled into the pits due to a technical problem with his motorcycle and was unable to take the start. As the lone Aprilia in the top 10, Barry put in a solid effort in the race’s early laps. He was running in seventh when the race was stopped on Lap 3 due to a crash.
The race was restarted with the original starting grid, which allowed Rodio to rejoin the race on the lead lap. The start saw Rodio get a good jump off the line and he was back to the race lead by the end of the first lap. Rodio also led Laps 3 and 4 as he and another rider broke away from the rest of the field. While the other rider was able to draft past Rodio on the approach to the finish line, Rodio got the best drive he could onto the east banking and missed out on the win by a mere 0.162 seconds. Barry put in a strong showing in the restarted race but dropped two places on the last lap to seventh and missed out on a top five finish by 0.039 seconds.
Of the 38 riders entered for the MotoAmerica Twins Cup round at Daytona, 15 were registered to ride Aprilia RS 660s.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“It was an awesome first race of the season. I was able to break away from the pack and win my first Twins Cup race. It was my biggest margin of victory and I’m very happy. In Race 2, I broke away from the pack with another rider and had a race long battle for the lead. I ended up second in a close finish. I’m really happy with this result as I didn’t think we would make it on track due to an issue we had. I’m really excited to get to Atlanta and keep working towards our goals.”
MotoAmerica’s Twins Cup has two races scheduled for the next round, April 21-23, at Road Atlanta. The championship schedule, competitor information and class rules can be found at https://motoamerica.com/.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
SIXTH FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI’S HOBBS AND DISAPPOINTMENT FOR ESCALANTE IN THE 81st DAYTONA 200
BREA, CA – March 12, 2023 – Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki left the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing season opener with a top-ten result and a heavy dose of tough luck after missing a potential victory late in the running of the 81st Daytona 200.
MotoAmerica Superbike regular and former MotoAmerica Supersport champion Richie Escalante orchestrated a flawless performance as he negotiated the equally prestigious and arduous race. He guided the Mission Foods Suzuki GSX-R750 at or near the front of the pack deep into the contest, including leading into both scheduled pit stops.
Richie Escalante (54) showed his great race craft but an incident in Turn One took him out of contention. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Seemingly locked in a two-rider race for victory with less than ten laps to go, Escalante was taken out in a collision that occurred when his opponent attempted a tight inside pass in Turn 1 that resulted in a penalty. Despite the ruling in his favor, the incident still instantly erased Escalante’s excellent shot at the victory.
Escalante said, “First of all, I want to thank the team for everything they did for me, from pre-race testing, to qualifying and setting the lap record, to the amazing pit stops during the race. The Mission Foods Suzuki GSX-R750 was fantastic. I thought we performed well in the race, running a particularly good pace. It came down to the last ten laps, and I was trying to separate. There was a racing move, another rider touched my bike, and I crashed. I have a lot of respect for Josh Herrin. He is a former Superbike champion and has won a lot of races. I thought I was the fastest today, but sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes you crash. We didn’t win so I am not 100% happy. I thought we did well all week, but it did not work out the way we wanted in the end. It’s back to work on Monday to get ready for Superbike in Atlanta.”
A couple of short laps later, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Teagg Hobbs came together with a lapped rider while running inside the top five. A resultant red flag provided the team with a shot at redemption after facing complete disaster, and Hobbs took full advantage.
In his first race aboard his GSX-R750, Teagg Hobbs (79) brings home a top ten in Daytona. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Hobbs battled with the lead group in the 10-lap shootout for a victory that followed the stoppage, even leading in its early stages. He gradually lost touch with the drafting war for victory, securing an eventual sixth-place effort in his maiden race aboard the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750.
“I came together with another rider, and race officials made me go to medical,” said Hobbs. “I was getting checked out when I saw the team putting my bike back together in pit lane on the screen. After they said I was okay, I put my gear back on and started limping back to the pits, then I borrowed a golf cart and made it back just in time. I was able to get up to the front and lead two laps but the bike and the rider both had some issues resulting from the crash. We got a good result at least. Over the weekend, we made nice progress and got the bike sorted.”
Unfortunately, Tyler Scott’s bid for the win from the front row never really materialized. The prodigious pilot encountered technical issues early and ultimately retired just 14 laps into a scheduled 57 (and actual 62) laps.
Even with some technical issues, Tyler Scott (70) shows that he has the speed for the upcoming MotoAmerica season. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Scott said, “For the start in Turn 1, the bike was good, but we soon had electrical problems. I tried to do the best I could. Eventually, I had to pull off due to safety concerns. It didn’t go the way we wanted but I’m really looking forward to racing the 200 with the team next year and can’t wait for our next race in Atlanta.”
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2023 season marks Team Hammer’s 43rd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Race bikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 345 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
More, from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:
KYLE WYMAN AND FACTORY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DOMINATE MOTOAMERICA KING OF THE BAGGERS RACE 2 AT DAYTONA SPEEDWAY
Rispoli and Gillim Fill Out an All-H-D Podium; Rispoli Wins Race 1, Leads Championship
Kyle Wyman (33) and his Harley-Davidson Road Glide on the banking at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Harley-Davidson.
MILWAUKEE (March 12, 2023) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory rider Kyle Wyman scored a dominating win and topped an all-Harley-Davidson podium in the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers race on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Wyman led the entire eight-lap race on the team’s race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® Limited motorcycle, crossing the finish line 8.03 seconds ahead of Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson teammates James Rispoli and Hayden Gillim. Team Saddlemen teammates Cory West and Jake Lewis finished fourth and fifth to complete a top five sweep of the race for Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycles.
“I’m so excited that we got our Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycle working so well today,” said Wyman. “This is my first win at Daytona since 2019, and this is such a special place, so a victory here is always special. We had a tough day yesterday, but the entire team just dug in and we had smooth sailing today. You can think of so many scenarios that could happen going into this weekend, but you could not predict either one of these days. It’s a nice way to end the weekend at Daytona. I’m ready to take this momentum to Atlanta.”
On Thursday, Kyle Wyman topped King of the Baggers qualifying with a record-breaking best lap of 1:51.98 on the 3.510-mile Daytona road course. On Friday, Kyle looked strong in winning the King of the Baggers Challenge three-lap dash-for-cash race by 1.96 seconds. The Friday King of the Baggers race was a disappointment for the team, as both Kyle Wyman and his brother and teammate, Travis Wyman, retired with mechanical problems while leading the race respectively. Rispoli won that race on his Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Road Glide, beating his teammate Gillim to the line by 0.089 seconds. Factory Indian racer Tyler O’Hara finished third. Team Saddlemen racer Cory West Finished fourth on his Harley-Davidson Road Glide.
On Saturday, Kyle Wyman signaled that he was riding the bike to beat after demolishing his qualifying time with a new lap record 1:50.56 time in the warm-up session, going almost two seconds quicker around the course than anyone. In Saturday’s race, Wyman had a fast lap of 1:50.86 and was never challenged. Unfortunately, his teammate Travis Wyman was knocked out of the race early with a mechanical issue.
After two of 14 rounds in the 2023 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series, Vance & Hines racer Rispoli leads the championship with 45 points, followed his teammate Gillim with 36 points. Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson rider Cory West sits third with 26 points, and Harley-Davidson factory rider Kyle Wyman is in fourth place with 25 points. Team Saddlemen’s Jake Lewis is tied for fifth with Factory Indian racer Tyler O’Hara with 21 points.
8. Jeremy McWilliams (Ind) Progressive/Mission Foods
9. Max Flinders (Ind) M3/Revolution Performance
10. Danny Eslick (H-D) Nowaskey Extreme Performance
Harley-Davidson invites you to kick off the 2023 MotoAmerica King of the Baggers season with some adrenaline pumping action. Check out, ‘Push the Limit,’ a film that shares the story of defending 2021 champion Kyle Wyman, teammate Travis Wyman and the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle race team’s 2022 championship pursuit. Watch it now on Harley-Davidson’s YouTube channel.
Harley-Davidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom for the soul. Go to H-D.com to learn more about the complete line of 2023 Harley-Davidson Grand American Touring, Sport, Adventure Touring, Cruiser and Trike motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Certified™ pre-owned motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories, Harley-Davidson MotorClothes and gear, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services.
Fans in the infield grandstands watch Cameron Petersen (45) lead Josh Herrin (1), Josh Hayes (4), Brandon Paasch (96), Hayden Gillim (95), Geoff May (behind Paasch), Teagg Hobbs (behind Hayes), Danny Eslick (69), Blake Davis (behind Eslick), PJ Jacobsen (66), and the rest in the restarted 2023 Daytona 200. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
MotoAmerica is paying out the entire $175,000 cash purse to the top 40 riders in the 81st Daytona 200 whether they finished the race or not.
Although the 2023 event ended with an unusual 10-lap “second race” that had only 22 official finishers from the original race’s 44 starters, MotoAmerica is paying out the entire purse.
Payouts will be awarded according to the order of finish in the second/restarted race, the order of retirement from the second/restarted race, and then the order of retirement from the original race down to what is effectively 40th place.
Here are the final finishing order and purse payouts, courtesy MotoAmerica:
81ST DAYTONA 200/SUPERSPORT RACE (March 11):
1. Josh Herrin (Duc), Dunlop, $25,000, 10 laps
2. Josh Hayes (Yam), Dunlop, $20,000, -0.070 second
Gus Rodio (96). Photo from 2023 by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Rodio Racing.
Rodio takes victory in first MotoAmerica Twins Cup Race of 2023
Rodio Racing powered by Robem Engineering rider leaves Daytona round with championship lead
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — It wasn’t Gus Rodio’s first time racing an Aprilia RS 660 at Daytona International Speedway, but the New Jersey rider kicked off the new-for-2023 Rodio Racing — Robem Engineering collaboration by scoring a win and runner-up finish at the opening round of the 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup season.
Rodio piloted his Aprilia to commanding win in his first race with the new team and come oh-so-close to scoring a second triumph at the March 9-11 event.
Rodio’s teammate, New Hampshirite Ben Gloddy, had a positive start to the Daytona round before suffering an unfortunate injury that did not allow him to finish Friday’s Race 1 or contest Saturday’s Race 2.
In the Twins Cup’s first on-track session of 2023, Rodio ended Thursday practice at the top of the time sheets. He best the next fastest rider for the best time in the class’ only practice session by 0.064 seconds. Gloddy finished practice fifth-fastest. Later Thursday, Rodio and Gloddy finished Qualifying 1 fourth- and sixth-fastest, respectively.
Friday morning saw Rodio secure fourth on the starting grid in the second and final qualifying session. He missed out on pole by a mere 0.216 seconds. Gloddy wrapped up qualifying in sixth place.
The Daytona round’s first Twins Cup race took place Friday afternoon and saw Rodio put in a dominant performance. Rodio moved up two places in the first several corners and was battling for the lead before the end of Lap 1. Gloddy also got a good start and ran as high a third before another rider crashed in front of him at the exit of the west horseshoe. The crash forced Gloddy to take evasive action, but unfortunately the crashed bike made contact with Gloddy’s RS 660, which caused Gloddy to crash. What was a three-way battle for the lead between Rodio and two other riders in the middle of the nine-lap race gradually became a one-rider show as Rodio pulled away from the other frontrunners to win by more than eight seconds.
Unfortunately for Gloddy, he suffered an injury when he was forced off track that did now allow him to take part in Saturday’s Twins Cup Race 2.
The second race was an eventful one for Rodio, who made the most of a race restart to extend his lead in the Twins Cup points standings. Rodio’s motorcycle began exhibiting a problem with its fuel cap on the warm-up lap, which caused Rodio to pull back into his pit box while the rest of the field was forming up for the race start. The team worked relentlessly to get the motorcycle repaired in time to rejoin the race, and a short time later the race was stopped on Lap 3 due to a crash.
The race was restarted with its original starting grid and five laps to go, and Rodio once again quickly made his way forward to the battle for the lead. He was in the race lead at the end of Laps 1, 3 and 4 and gradually broke away from the rest of the field with another rider. Rodio put in a valiant effort to get a good drive out of the backstraight chicane but was bested to the finish line by 0.162 seconds. Rodio’s second place added 20 valuable championship points to his tally, and he leaves Daytona with a nine-point lead in the class standings.
The MotoAmerica Twins Cup’s next round takes place April 21-23 at the Road Atlanta circuit in Braselton, Ga.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“It was an awesome first race of the season. I was able to break away from the pack and win my first Twins Cup race. It was my biggest margin of victory and I’m very happy. In Race 2, I broke away from the pack with another rider and had a race long battle for the lead. I ended up second in a close finish. I’m really happy with this result as I didn’t think we would make it on track due to an issue we had. I’m really excited to get to Atlanta and keep working towards our goals.”
Robem Engineering’s technical partners for 2023 include Aprilia Racing, Piaggio Group Americas, Bitubo Suspension, Dunlop, Woodcraft Technologies, Dymag, Vesrah, Sprint Filter, DID, Sara Chappell Photos, NGK/NTK, Blud Lubricants, Millennium Technologies, Motovation USA and SC-Project.
Rodio Racing’s technical partners for 2023 include NJ MiniGP, Luxestar VIP, MAR Contractors, Evolve GT, N2 Racing, Dunlop, Spellcaster Productions, Kathedral, The Martinn and MVR Endeavor.
More, from a press release issued by N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto:
N2/BobbleHeadMoto Blake Davis Scores Two Top Five Finishes at Daytona.
Blake Davis (1). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto.
Media, PA – March 2023 – N2/BobbleHeadMoto Racing’s Blake Davis leaves Daytona with a pair of fourths place finishes in Twins Cup and an 11th-place finish in his first Daytona 200. Blake was fast in every session scoring pole position in Twins Cup and leading both races, but small mechanical issues prevented Davis from capitalizing on his speed. Blake also competed in his first Daytona 200 with a Blake Davis Racing / Biothermal Yamaha YZF-R6 running with some of the best riders in the country in the final laps.
Blake was fast from the moment the team unloaded the championship winning N2/BobbleHeadMoto Yamaha YZF-R7. Blake led nearly every session and qualified on pole despite a crash in Q2. Blake just missed out on a chance at the Time Attack Qualifying session for the Daytona 200 and qualified on row four in 13th place.
Championships are about scoring maximum points on your bad days and that is exactly what Blake did. In Twins Cup Race One, Blake battled for the lead for most of the race until he started having temperature issues with his R7 that require that he back off a bit to make it to the finish in fourth place.
Twins Cup Race Two was very similar with Blake having race winning speed in the beginning, but suffering some minor technical issues. Instead of crashing or pulling in, Blake stayed out and nursed his Yamaha R7 to the finish in fourth place. These two fourth place finishes leave him fourth in the points, 19 points back from Gus Rodio.
Blake’s focus in 2023 is defending his Twins Cup Championship, but Blake will participate in several Supersport rounds on his Blake Davis Racing / Biothermal Yamaha YZF-R6. The Daytona 200 was Blake’s first Supersport race and he did not disappoint. Despite having an issue at the start that saw him fade back to well outside the top 20, Blake kept fighting for the entire race, putting in fast, consistent laps. The N2/BobbleHeadMoto/Blake Davis Racing team gave Blake two great pit stops which put him in the lead group for the final 10-lap sprint. Sixteen-year-old Blake Davis battled with the best, most experience racers in the country for those last 10 laps, running as high as second place. In the end, Blake finished sixth on the race track, but a pit lane speeding penalty pushed him back to 11th. An amazing result for Davis’ first Daytona 200.
Blake Davis – “It was a tough weekend on the Yamaha YZF-R7 in Twins Cup. We were fast straight away and always in the mix, but we had some technical issues related to a crash that kept us from reaching our potential. It was positive that we brought home solid points in every race, and we are in decent shape to start the season. The Daytona 200 was awesome! I made a mistake in the beginning, but we fought the entire race and it was so much fun battling with the lead guys. Thanks to my N2/BobbleHeadMoto crew for an awesome R7 and thanks to Biothermal for all the support with the R6.”
Shiloh Salopek (Crew Chief) – “This was a tough weekend for the team, but we were able to leave with valuable championship points from both races and the knowledge to be more prepared for the next round at Road Atlanta in April.”
About N2: N2 – Ride, Race, Learn.
Founded in 2014, N2’s mission is to build a sustainable motorcycle community through safe, structured motorcycle track days, advanced rider training programs based on Yamaha Champions Riding School teaching methods, with a strong affinity for motorcycle road racing. N2 successfully resurrected Motorcycle Endurance Racing in America partnering with WERA Roadracing and creating the N2/WERA National Endurance Series by Dunlop. N2 is a premier participant in the MotoAmerica Pro Racing Series with a multi-rider team competing in several classes. N2 is also a major contributor to the Roadracing World Action Fund through fundraising efforts and support from its large member base.
N2 Racing is proudly sponsored by: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires, Yamaha Motor Corporation USA, Dainese, BobbleHeadMoto, Trading Paint, GB Racing, Spider, Yoshimura, STM, Sunstar, Giaccmoto, Robem Engineering, Puig, Eazi Grip, SBS Brakes and Yamaha Champions Riding School.
More, from a press release issued by Blackmon Racing:
Blackmon Overcomes Injury To Double Podium At Daytona
Jackson Blackmon (18). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Blackmon Racing.
The 2023 MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship debuted at Daytona International Speedway over this past weekend. There were three days full of close racing from all the classes that were featured at the race. The Twins class saw some new talent enter the class, while other riders made their return such as Jackson Blackmon.
The 21-year-old rider from South Carolina suffered an ankle injury back in June of 2022 at Road America that ultimately put an end to his 2022 season. Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing has made a return in 2023 with Jackson back aboard a 2022 Yamaha YZF-R7. With this being his third year competing in the class, he was hoping to use that experience to gain great results and minimize mistakes. Upon hitting the banks of Daytona in practice one, it was evident that Jackson hadn’t lost any pace.
Coming out of the offseason, the team encountered multiple challenges while preparing for 2023. New partners for this year include K-Tech Suspension, M4 Exhaust, Robem Engineering, Spears Racing, REV’IT!, and Hustle Hard Racing. Trackday Winner has returned as title sponsor with numerous associate sponsors, including Yamaha, Yamalube, Finishline Machine, HJC, and Wiseco.
Blackmon Racing came to Daytona with a strong package that delivered astonishing finishes and fast speeds. Qualifying was up and down for Jackson. Continuing to make big changes to the race setup made it hard for him to get fast laps. He ended up starting seventh for the races, but he was feeling confident in the settings for Race One on Friday.
The first of the two races scheduled for the weekend consisted of some chaos that broke up the lead pack early on. Jackson had to take evasive action in a crash that saw him back in fourth position and seconds behind. He was able to continually find pace to eventually catch up to the second-place rider, Then, on the final lap he made a draft pass to the line to take over the position. From ending his last race with injury to starting this season with a podium was exactly how he wanted to return to racing.
The second and final race of the Twins class at Daytona saw a different story unfold. Starting with a red flag early on made for a five-lap restart. Blackmon struggled a bit in the infield and that let the top two guys get away, but he was still able to manage third place to make for a double podium weekend.
“The weekend couldn’t have gone much better,” Blackmon said about his 2023 Daytona experience. “It’s been a long road of recovery on my ankle as well as a lot of long nights to prepare the bike for round one. So I was very pleased to pay back my Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing team with two days on the box. These results give me a lot of confidence heading into Road Atlanta, and I cannot wait to get back on track soon.”
Trackday Winner/Blackmon Racing would like to thank their 2023 partners for their support: Trackday Winner, Finishline Machine, Yamaha, Yamalube, K-Tech, Orient Express, HJC, REV’IT!, Robem Engineering, M4, Spears Racing, Wiseco, Hustle Hard Racing, Drippin’ Wet, and Sidi.
More, from a press release issued by Indian Motorcycle:
INDIAN MOTORCYCLE RACING LEADS MISSION® SUPER HOOLIGAN® NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOLLOWING SEASON OPENER AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
2022 Super Hooligan® Champion Tyler O’Hara Takes Early Points Lead Following Back-to-Back Wins At Daytona Doubleheader
Indian Motorcycle Racing Comes Away with Podium Finish in Mission® King of the Baggers,
O’Hara Ranks Fifth In Season Standings with 21 Points, McWilliams Eighth with 19
Tyler O’Hara (1) and Jeremy McWilliams (99) on their Progressive/Mission Foods Indian FTR 1200 Super Hooligan racebikes. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Indian Motorcycle.
MINNEAPOLIS (MARCH 14, 2023) – Following an offseason that expanded the competitive landscape with new manufacturers lining up for the MotoAmerica® Mission® Super Hooligan® National Championship (SHNC), it was Indian Motorcycle Racing and its factory team claiming the top two spots on the leaderboard, following the season-opening doubleheader at Daytona International Speedway. Piloting a pair of S&S®-built Progressive® Mission® Foods Indian FTRs, reigning SHNC champion Tyler O’Hara and teammate Jeremy McWilliams each left Daytona with a pair of podiums, including back-to-back victories for O’Hara and third and second-place finishes for McWilliams.
On Friday, March 10, O’Hara strategically tailed RSD Indian FTR privateer Bobby Fong for nearly the entire six-lap race. Waiting for the final lap to strike, O’Hara was able to carry more speed through the chicane and go up and around the outside of Fong to capture the season’s first win by .0064 seconds. McWilliams rounded out the podium to complete the Indian FTR podium sweep.
“Bobby was running fast all weekend and gapped me for a period until I was able to make up some ground. The lapper through the chicane definitely played a big role as I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to draft pass him on the finish,” said O’Hara. “But what a fun race, and for Indian Motorcycle to sweep the podium just shows how impressive this Indian FTR really is.”
Race 2 on Saturday, March 11, was filled with plenty of action. After an early crash caused a red-flag restart, it was a five-rider group at the front of the pack. Pushing hard in the group, KTM rider Andy DiBrino lost his front end and laid his bike down, while Fong encountered a technical issue – making it a three-rider run for first between Harley-Davidson rider Cory West, O’Hara and McWilliams. While West ultimately crossed the finish line first, a post-race bike inspection found an illegal air intake that resulted in a disqualification – awarding O’Hara his second win of the weekend and earning McWilliams a second-place finish.
In the MotoAmerica® Mission® King of the Baggers (KOTB) class, O’Hara reached the podium with a third-place finish in Race 1. While the Indian Challenger had been running fast all weekend, even clocking the weekend’s fastest speed on a bagger at 182 mph, both O’Hara and McWilliams suffered technical issues in Race 2. Indian Motorcycle Racing concluded the opening rounds at Daytona with O’Hara in fifth (21 points) and McWilliams in eighth (19 points) on the season’s leaderboard.
“Our issues this weekend were specifically with our tires, MotoAmerica is a spec tire series, we are only given one choice for tires for Daytona and they failed with our higher speeds after four laps, but our new bikes are performing incredibly well, with a significantly higher level of both handling and power, as evidenced by both our riders registering speeds of more than 180 mph throughout the weekend,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “At the end of the day, the performance of our Indian Challengers, coupled with our success in the Super Hooligan class has us feeling extremely optimistic and incredibly motivated heading into the second round in Atlanta.”
The 2023 KOTB and SHNC seasons continue with Road Atlanta April 21-23. For more information visit MotoAmerica.com.
Indian Motorcycle Racing is presented by Progressive Insurance®, Mission® Foods and Medallia®, with additional support from Indian Motorcycle Motor Oil, S&S®, Parts Unlimited, Drag Specialties®, Performance Finance, and J&P Cycles®.
For information about Indian Motorcycle, visit IndianMotorcycle.com, or follow along on Facebook, Twitterand Instagram.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle Company is America’s First Motorcycle Company®. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
INDIAN and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE are registered trademarks of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC. Always wear a helmet, protective clothing and eyewear and insist your passenger does the same. Ride within the limits of the law and your own abilities. Read, understand and follow your owner’s manual. Never ride under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Progressive Insurance® is a registered trademark of Progressive Casualty Insurance Company; MOTOAMERICA® is a registered trademark of Krave Group, American Flat TrackSM is a service trademark of Daytona Motorsports Group LLC; Harley-Davidson® is a registered trademark of H-D U.S.A., LLC; King of the Baggers® is a registered trademark of KRAVE GROUP, LLC; Super Hooligan® is a registered trademark of Roland Sands Design, Inc.; Mission® is a registered trademark of Gruma Corporation; Monster Energy® is a registered trademark; Drag Specialties® is a registered trademark of LeMans Corporation; Bell® is a registered trademark of Bell Sports, Inc; Medallia® is a registered trademark of Medallia Inc.; S&S® is a registered trademark of S&S Cycle, Inc.; J&P Cycles® is a registered trademark of J&P CYCLES, LLC; Öhlins® is a registered trademark of Öhlins Racing AB CORPORATION SWEDEN; Klotz®is a registered trademark of Klotz Synthetic Lubricants, Inc.; Klock Werkssm is a service trademark of Klock, Brian INDIVIDUAL; RK TAKASAGO CHAIN is a registered trademark of RK JAPAN CO., LTD., Engine Ice® is a registered trademark of KOST USA, LLC; VP Racing Fuels® is a registered trademark of VP RACING FUELS Inc.; Motion Pro® is a registered trademark of Motion Pro Inc.; Corbi® is a registered trademark of CORBIN PACIFIC, INC; Unless noted, trademarks are the property of Indian Motorcycle International, LLC.
More, from a press release issued by Royal Enfield North America:
Royal Enfield And MotoAnatomy Get It Started In Daytona
Johnny Lewis and Ryan Wells kick off American Flat Track season at Daytona Short Track Doubleheader
MotoAnatomy’s Johnny Lewis (10) and Ryan Wells (94) put two Royal Enfield motorcycles on the starting line of an American Flat Track SuperTwins race, a milestone for the brand at the Daytona Short Track. Photo courtesy Royal Enfield North America.
Milwaukee, WI (Tuesday, March 14, 2023) – It’s been a busy off-season for Johnny Lewis and the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team, and the Daytona Short Track is where they got to showcase all the hard work, and reach more milestone moments for the brand. For Lewis, his 2023 season started with a heat race win, a main event holeshot and leading the first lap of Thursday night’s Daytona Short Track I. For Wells, it was his first race with the team, and the Daytona Short Track II marked first time ever that two Royal Enfields have been in an AFT SuperTwins main event.
“I love every bit of Short Track,” says Jonny Lewis. “Because it’s intense racing, but you’re really trying to control the motorcycle. We’re really try to push the bike in, get a direction change and you’re coming almost to a dead stop and accelerating really hard… so it’s really about trying to contain the power as much as you can, and keep the bike precise on the track. In Short Track, it’s really hard to do.”
Lewis put his razor-sharp technique to good use as he grabbed the holeshot and led the charge in the very first main event lap of 2023 American Flat Track. It also marked the first-ever unified SuperTwins race in AFT (previously, Lewis competed in the Production Twins class, which is now combined with the premiere Mission SuperTwins class). From there, Lewis settled into a strong fifth-place, but was taken out by another rider. He would soldier on to finish a respectable eighth.
For Ryan Wells, Daytona was his official debut with the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team. Like his teammate, Wells had some shining moments in Florida, and is looking to build on the excitement and progress into the rest of the season.
“It’s when I have someone like Johnny riding the same exact bike,” said Ryan Wells, “because Johnny’s really good at eliminating anything that could be under the bike’s control and puts it under his own control. Seeing what he’s doing made me want to work harder. Because he busts his butt every day of the week and he doesn’t stop. I know we feed off each other when he sees me working hard, he wants to work harder and vice versa.”
“This great team synergy, the progress made with the Royal Enfield Twins FT motorcycle and the enthusiasm for the entire 2023 season are our main takeaways from the Daytona Short Track Doubleheader,” said Adrian Sellers, Royal Enfield Head – Custom & Motorsport. “This is an exciting ride for all of us into uncharted territory and we’re already seeing the work pay off. Mostly, we’re just happy to be officially underway for the 2023 season.”
For more on the MotoAnatomy Powered by Royal Enfield team and a behind-the-scenes look at the Daytona Short Track Doubleheader, head to Instagram @motoanatomyxroyalenfield.
For more on the 2023 Progressive American Flat Track Championship, visit AmericanFlatTrack.com.
About Royal Enfield
The oldest motorcycle company in continuous production in the world, Royal Enfield made its first motorcycle in 1901. A division of Eicher Motors Limited, Royal Enfield has created the midsize motorcycle segment in India with its unique and distinctive modern classic motorcycles. With its manufacturing base in Chennai, India, Royal Enfield has been able to grow its production rapidly against a surge in demand for its motorcycles. Royal Enfield is a leading player in the global middleweight motorcycle market.
Royal Enfield North America (RENA) is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is developing a growing network of more than 150 dealers in North America, including the contiguous U.S. and Canada. RENA currently offers the all-new Scram 411, Classic 350, Meteor 350, Himalayan and the 650 Twins (INT650 and Continental GT 650) motorcycles, along with a range of Genuine Motorcycle Accessories and apparel.
For more information on Royal Enfield North America, visit www.RoyalEnfield.com/us/en/, www.Instagram.com/RoyalEnfield_NA, www.Facebook.com/RoyalEnfieldNorthAmerica.
Aleix Espargaro (left), as seen at the pre-season test at Portimao. Photo courtesy Aprilia.
APRILIA RACING – UPDATE ON ALEIX ESPARGARÓ
Following fatigue in his right forearm, which occurred during the recent MotoGP tests at Portimao, Aprilia Racing rider Aleix Espargaró underwent a series of tests between yesterday and today at the Dexeus University Clinic in Barcelona. The checks revealed a fibrosis in the muscle for which a surgical operation was necessary.
The cleaning operation, carried out today, was largely successful and will allow the rider to recover in view of the first race of the season, scheduled for the weekend of 24-26 March.
Dr. XAVIER MIR – MD PhD
“Aleix Espargaró underwent surgery on his right forearm, due to a fibrotic retraction of the forearm fascia with compression of the median nerve in the proximal third of the forearm. An antebrachial fasciotomy and an arch release of the pronator teres muscle was performed using microsurgical techniques. He will start his recovery as soon as tomorrow”.
"King Kenny" Roberts leading a 1975 AMA National at the now defunct Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California, riding
a two-stroke, four-cylinder Yamaha TZ750 variant. Photo by Mush Emmons.
Featured In The March 2023 Issue:
“King Kenny” Roberts is arguably the most significant figure in motorcycle racing history: Twice AMA Grand National Champion, triple MotoGP World Champion, indefatigable fighter for riders’ safety and rights, championship-winning team owner, and constructor of the last two-stroke to score a MotoGP pole position.
Roberts came of age in 1973 when he wrapped up his first American Grand National Championship, a series that combined road racing with all kinds of dirt-track—short track, mile, half-mile, and TT, which included motocross-style jumps. The title was also his first success with Yamaha, which led to a hat-trick of 500cc/MotoGP world titles, from 1978 to 1980, and three more, as team owner with rider Wayne Rainey, from 1990 to 1993.
The Roberts story started when he was age 13 and learning to be a
cowboy…
—Racing History: “King Kenny” Roberts, by Mat Oxley
It was 50 years ago that “King Kenny” Roberts won his first major championship, lost a testicle, shot himself in the leg and nearly wound up riding for MV Agusta. Pretty intense year. But as Roberts says, “You kind of fumble through life…” Read about one of road racing’s greatest riders of all time’s most intense 12 months of fumbling, in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats.
Cameron Petersen (45). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Yamaha.
MARIETTA, Ga. – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Cameron Petersen overcame adversity to cross the line third in a drama-filled 81st running of the Daytona 200 at the Daytona International Speedway.
Coming just .007 seconds shy of the win last year, Petersen and the team were aiming for the top spot at the historic 200-mile race in Daytona Beach, Florida. When the lights went out, he quickly made his way to fifth from the seventh spot on the grid and then advanced to third. Unfortunately, he had a technical issue two laps into the race and ultimately was shuffled back and lost touch with the lead group. The South African pulled into the pits on Lap 12, and although he still was struggling to find his comfort zone, he kept pushing to make up lost ground. After his third pit stop, he made a big push and was able to close the gap on the race leader. Petersen passed the leader to join the lead lap, and then a crash brought out the red flag with five laps remaining.
With the red flag being drawn before Lap 53, the rules called for a restart and that there be a minimum of 10 laps. So it was a new race with Petersen in the sixth for the restart in a 10-lap sprint. Sitting sixth after the first lap, he put his head down to join the lead group and battled for the win. It was the typical chess match with drafting battles on the high banks of Daytona with multiple lead changes. Petersen fought to the end, ultimately taking third to earn his second-consecutive podium finish at the historic race.
The team now sets their sites on defending the title in the premier class and preparing for the MotoAmerica Superbike season opener at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on April 21-23 in Braselton, Georgia.
Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“The race really was just the last 10 laps. It showed how good the Yamaha R6 is and that it’s very competitive against the other bigger bikes. We’re pretty pleased with our result, even though we thought we could have had a little bit better race. Something happened with the clutch, I think, after the start. He was able to collect it up and un-lap himself, and that got us the opportunity to race for the win, which was great. This was a shop project. We came here to have a little fun with our little bike, but now it’s time to get serious with Superbike racing.”
Cameron Petersen – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing
“It was a crazy Daytona 200. The 57 laps didn’t really matter because the red flag came out, so it was a sprint toward the end. It was just a little bit unfortunate that after the first start, I had a problem with the clutch and just kind of struggled to stay with the group. I couldn’t get on the brakes. I couldn’t tip the bike into the corners the way I wanted to, so, I was really struggling through the infield. Thank god for that red flag because the last 10 laps, I just put my head down, and I was like, ‘Man, give it your all. Whatever happens, happens.’ There was just so much chaos. I didn’t even know I got on the podium. I was about to get undressed and was ready to go home, and somebody ran over and was like, ‘Hey, you’re on the podium.’ It’s not only for me. I think it’s just massive for the team to get a podium. A lot of effort goes into this single event with the bike, the travel expenses, and everything. So, I’m glad I could get on the box for the team, but I’m ready to get back on my superbike.
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company’s ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, WaveRunner Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars, Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, two corporate offices in Georgia, facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama, and factory operations in Tennessee and Georgia. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company (YMSC) with divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Kracor Systems (Wisconsin) and Siren Marine, Inc. (Rhode Island), Skeeter Boats (Texas), with division G3 Boats (Missouri), and Yamaha Precision Propeller (Indiana).
More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:
MotoAmerica: Limandri Impresses on his Debut Ride in the Twins Cup
Joseph LiMandri, Jr. (62). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.
(Daytona, FL) The 2023 MotoAmerica season kicked off in Daytona Florida. With the Twins Cup running as one of the support classes to the famous Daytona 200, Altus Motorsports was there in support of Joseph Limandri Jr. onboard the team’s new Yamaha R7 entry in the class.
Twins Cup
Altus Motorsports rider Joseph Limandri Jr. made his debut in the Twins class at Daytona 2023, and it was a successful transition for him. Despite having minimal seat time on the new platform, Limandri quickly adapted and qualified 12th for Race 1 on Friday.
During the race, he engaged in a three-bike battle and emerged as the victor, finishing in 7th place. On Saturday, the Altus team made some modifications to the bike that improved its aerodynamics significantly. Limandri started from 11th in Race 2 and managed to stay with the lead group, finishing an impressive 5th after a red flag forced a restart.
“I’m really thankful to Mike Castro, Eric Gray, and the entire Altus team. They worked hard and gave me a great bike. I love working with the team and I’m ready to push to the top step. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my 18th birthday than racing at Daytona!,” said Joseph Limandri Jr.
With the successful debut in the Twins class, Limandri is optimistic about the season ahead and is looking forward to competing at the front.
Team owner George Nassaney acknowledged the tremendous effort that went into preparing the Altus Factory-built Yamaha R7. The bike was built in-house by Team Manager Eric Gray, who worked long hours to ensure it was ready for the Daytona race, even with several key parts arriving just a couple of weeks before the event. “This past weekend was amazing to see all of the work paying off. Joseph rode very well and gave excellent feedback to his Crew Chief Mike Castro and Team Manager Eric Gray. Both worked to improve the bike every session and the results showed. We are excited to leave Daytona with solid points and we are all very proud of Joseph. Now it’s time to get back to the race shop and get the Team ready for Atlanta.”
Altus Motorsports team is supported by our great family of sponsors: Altus Motorsports, FLY Racing WPS, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Yamaha Motor Company, Barnett, Maxima Racing Oils, Moto-D Racing, Bonamici, Hot Bodies Racing, M4 Exhausts, Vortex EK, Motion Pro, SBS Brakes, BrakeTech USA, Inc., Ohlins, K-Tech, RS Taichi, Arai, Law Tigers Oklahoma, and Altus Factory Racing
Francesco Bagnaia was quickest during MotoGP pre-season testing at Algarve International Circuit, in Portimao, Portugal. Photo courtesy Ducati.
MONSTER ENERGY YAMAHA MOTOGP MAKE STEPS ON FINAL 2023 TESTING DAY
Portimao (Portugal), 12th March 2023
PORTIMAO MOTOGP OFFICIAL TEST
Today Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli concluded the final day of 2023 pre-season testing. The teammates got in as many laps as possible at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve and wrapped up the Portimão MotoGP Official Test in 3rd and 19th place respectively in both the Day-2 and combined timesheets.
3rd FABIO QUARTARARO 1‘38.302 / 88 LAPS
19th FRANCO MORBIDELLI 1‘39.066 / 89 LAPS
Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP‘s Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli used the second day of testing in Portimão, Portugal, to conclude their 2023 testing plans. Today the duo made the most of the perfect riding conditions again and booked progress, taking 3rd and 19th place respectively in today‘s standings and the Portimão MotoGP Official Test combined rankings.
Quartararo was quick to find a good rhythm on Day 2, and by 10:30 local time he had set a 1‘39.292s, more than 0.3s quicker than his fastest lap on Day 1. At the time it put him in third place provisionally. He then continued assessing aero-packages and trying settings in preparation for the first race weekend, held at the same circuit in two weeks‘ time. Once satisfied, he gave another push in the afternoon. Setting a 1‘38.302s on lap 61/88, he initially took second place but ultimately ended the day in third place in the Day-2 and combined results, 0.334s from first.
After putting in 95 laps on Day 1, Morbidelli again showed his motivation on Day 2 by completing another 89 laps, more than any other rider. He stayed fully focused during an intensive session, aiming to further improve his feeling with the bike and better his pace, and successfully shaved over 1.3s off his Day-1 time. His 1‘39.066s, posted on lap 79/89, saw him finish 19th in the Day-2 and combined timesheets, with a 1.098s margin to first.
MASSIMO MEREGALLI
TEAM DIRECTOR
Today we wrapped up pre-season testing. Because Yamaha had prepared many items this winter, we knew we had a lot on our plate for this final 2023 pre-season test. We only had two days, so we prioritised accordingly. Fabio and Franky both evaluated aero-package options and tried settings we felt are promising for the first GP weekend, held here two week’s from now. Fabio made a big step today, so that’s positive. Franky also tried many things during this test and gathered a lot of data that should be helpful for Round 1. We got a lot of work done, but there’s still more to do. We will now carefully go over the data we collected here, and subsequently draft a strategy on how we will tackle the first GP of the 2023 season. I’m sure the fans are as impatient to get the racing started as we are. We will put in our full effort to be ready to go.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FABIO QUARTARARO
Today we made a big improvement, especially with new tyres. We‘ve tried all aero-packages Yamaha brought here and also some settings from the past that were working well. I‘m pretty happy. We are still missing a few things, but we made a massive step from yesterday and from Sepang. We are much closer to be ready for GP1 than we were yesterday, although we are not 100% ready yet. We will be giving our best, for sure. We are not giving up.
Franco Morbidelli (21). Photo courtesy Monster Energy Yamaha.
FRANCO MORBIDELLI
These were busy days of testing. We tried many things, did a lot of stuff, and did a lot of testing – that‘s what testing is for, so I‘m happy about that. It will be important to analyse well the data we‘ve gathered and make the right choices for the race weekend.
More, from a press release issued by RNF MotoGP Team:
Oliveira and Fernandez complete successful test in Portugal
The RNF MotoGP Team has concluded its pre-season testing today at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve with a positive outlook for the upcoming 21 rounds of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship.
Sunshine and decent temperatures have been accompanying the second and final day of testing ahead of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season today at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. Like on Saturday, both RNF MotoGP Team riders, Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez were able to make use of the full track time from the morning until sunset.
With more and more laps aboard his Aprilia RS-GP under his belt and being at ease with the home track, Oliveira improved on his fastest lap from Saturday quite quick today. The Portuguese local hero did a total of 147 laps in the course of the two days of testing. On Sunday he went 1.024 seconds faster than on day one and ended the official test in P11, just 0.616 seconds off the fastest.
Meanwhile, Fernandez is making significant steps. Following the fifth fastest time of the entire MotoGP field on Saturday, he ended the test in 16th position, 0.270 seconds behind his teammate and did his personal fastest ever lap in Portimao. The young Spaniard did 127 laps on Saturday and Sunday and feels ready and eager to start the new season with high motivation.
Less than two weeks from now, the 2023 MotoGP World Championship season will kick off with the first of 21 rounds at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal, where both Oliveira and Fernandez are aiming high. The RNF MotoGP Team is set to showcase their official 2023 colors to the world in a unique virtual launch on Monday, the 20th of March.
Miguel Oliveira (88). Photo courtesy RNF MotoGP Team.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA
“After today, we are in a good place to start the first Grand Prix. Though we would like to be a bit more in front in the standings, our pace was quite strong and we have been there during the whole day which is good. Unfortunately, in the afternoon today during the time attack, I had a small crash, I was pushing and there was nothing I could do. We have some work to do, I just need to start the race weekend to see where we are.”
Raul Fernandez (25). Photo courtesy RNF MotoGP Team.
RAUL FERNANDEZ
“I’m really happy about our test, especially about today. We had a great day and have been working alone on the pace. The speed is very good. In the last moment, when I tried to do the time attack, I had a small crash. For that I want to apologize to my team. But anyway, also thanks to them, we did a really good job. I’m very happy, we have an amazing bike and I think 2023 is going to be a very nice season for us. Aprilia worked really well last year, they created a fantastic bike and I’m very satisfied overall.”
Razlan Razali, Founder and Team Principal RNF MotoGP Team
“It was a positive final day of the second winter test for both of our riders Miguel Oliveira and Raul Fernandez. They showed great speed and pace between the day. Unfortunately, when they were about to start the time attack, both riders had a crash and had to abandon their plans for the time attack. Though, it’s not the best way to end the test but more importantly the riders are okay and all the targets we wanted to achieve for this weekend was fulfilled and completed. We save the energy this weekend and aim to go faster during the actual race weekend in two weeks. Being the third time for both riders on the RS-GP, I’m happy that they showed a lot of potential, speed and pace and I’m confident that their performance will be there when it matters most which is during the race weekend.”
Wilco Zeelenberg, Team Manager RNF MotoGP Team
“The last day of testing is done. It was a very important last test, both, riders felt much more connected to their bikes than we had it during the first two tests. Of course, now they got more kilometers in on their bikes, but we also found better settings for them and they felt more confident electronic-wise and with their base setups. We actually feel ready to start the season. Our target here was to try to do 1:38, but actually half of the grid did it, so it was a little bit disappointing, but at least we also made it. So, let’s see what we can do next week when the sessions are shorter and track time is reduced, which is the main difference to the tests. Overall, we are very happy. We are competitive and ready to start racing!”
More, from a press release issued by Mooney VR46 Racing Team:
MARINI AND BEZZECCHI ENDED THE PRESEASON AMONG THE FASTEST GUYS AT PORTIMAO
The riders of the Mooney VR46 Racing Team are constantly in the top positions in P4 and P5 in the combined of the two-days
Portimao (Portugal), March 12th 2023 – Last act of the 2023 pre-season and another proof of solidity for the Mooney VR46 Racing Team at the Portimao test on the Ducati Desmosedici GP. Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi, already very fast yesterday, close the two days of work in Portugal in fourth and fifth place in the combined standings, ready to face the first race weekend, in less than two weeks, on the Algarve circuit.
Second yesterday and always among the most consistent, Luca, forced into the garage for a part of today’s session due to technical problems (64 laps), improves up to 1’38.310, a time that means a gap of three tenths from Bagnaia (1’37.968).
Step forward also for Marco (86 laps), P7 on Day1, capable of signing an excellent 1’38.351 and climbing the standings up to the fifth place.
Luca Marini (10). Photo courtesy Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
LUCA MARINI – 10
Overall I’m satisfied with the pre-season: there’s a good atmosphere within the Team and we’ve worked hard. I had fun, I feel good and I enjoyed every lap on the bike. Today was probably the hardest day, I had some bad luck and too many technical problems. In the final I gave my all, went out for the last 20 minutes and set my best lap time. I feel good, I can fight for the Top6 in qualifying and in the sprint with the soft. For the race, I think I’ll opt for the medium rear, the performances aren’t very different, but in terms of long distance it’s more performing.
Marco Bezzecchi (72). Photo courtesy Mooney VR46 Racing Team.
MARCO BEZZECCHI – 72
A good test, I’m happy even if the afternoon wasn’t easy at all. Putting everything together was more complicated than we expected. We made a step back and then it started to feel good. I’m not at 100% yet, but we did a great job and the sprint race simulation isn’t bad either. I can improve by 2/3 tenths on the single lap and keep the pace of the fastest.
PABLO NIETO, TEAM MANAGER
We have to be satisfied, not so much with this test, but with the whole pre-season. In Malaysia we worked well and here we continued in the same direction. We are ready to face the race in the best possible way. Ducati and the whole Team have done a lot and we are a very solid team with two very fast riders. We just have to discover the new format of the weekend, the last real unknown factor.
More, from a press release issued by GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3:
2023 PRE-SEASON COMPLETED FOR GASGAS FACTORY RACING TECH3: TIME TO GET ON THE GAS!
Testing work resumed on Sunday morning at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve for the second and last day of the Official Portimao MotoGP™ Test, closing officially the 2023 pre-season for the class. Spaniards Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez closed the test in 18th and 21st after two hard-working days on their red GASGAS RC16.
The day was again set ideally for riders to complete their testing programmes on a dry track, with the sun shining nicely and no clouds to be seen. Pol Espargaro was the first to go on track this morning at around 10:00 am local time (GMT+0). After a rather difficult Saturday and an evening spent finding solutions to yesterday’s issues, the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 seemed to find himself more comfortable on the bike today. He eventually managed to go under the bar of the 1’40 with a fast lap in 1’39.526 on lap 18 thanks to a change of bike’s setting. In the afternoon, he focused on different areas, including getting the fast laps in. Lap after lap, he progressed through the lap times until reaching 1’38.974 within the final laps of the day. He closes the day eighteenth in the standings, 1.006 seconds from the fastest of day 2.
His teammate and rookie Augusto Fernandez continued his progression on the Portuguese layout with the main goal to develop the learnings from Saturday and prepare for his first ever MotoGP™ race at the opening round of the 2023 season in two weeks. With just seven laps in this morning, he had already improved from his best lap of Saturday by 0.435 seconds. Seven laps later, the Spaniard went under the 1’40 bar, in 1’39.907, a very encouraging step for the rookie. In a similar way to his teammate, he also dedicated his day to fast laps and race preparation, integrating a race simulation at the end of the morning. The outcome was positive, highlighted by Augusto’s fastest lap set with his final lap. In the afternoon, he worked on time-attacks and eventually gained a few hundredths of seconds to set his fastest lap of the weekend in 1’39.667. After sixty-four laps, he sits in twenty-first in the standings, 0.693 seconds away from his teammate.
There is no more testing now, it is finally time to go racing! GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 riders Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez will be back in two weeks in Portimao for the opening round of the 2023 season! We’ll see you on March 24-26!
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Pol Espargaro
Position: 18th
Time: 1’38.974
Laps: 79
“Today was much better than yesterday so it feels good. We are just one second away from today’s fastest man, which is not bad on this track. Of course, we would like to be higher in the standings, but we tried many things these two days. We worked on the race pace quite a lot and there are some positive things, but we are missing something, especially on this track on which our grip is not the best in the rear. We had a very productive day today, so I am happy. Let’s go racing!”
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3.
Augusto Fernandez
Position: 21st
Time: 1’39.667
Laps: 64
“We had a good morning and made good progress with the bike. We did a race simulation and I am happy because I had a good race pace and felt good physically. I was able to understand more things about the bike, such as tyre management and how to ride it in race conditions. In Moto2, I was always very good towards the last part of the races, so it is good that I am also able to replicate this to the MotoGP class. In the afternoon, we worked on a time-attack and I think that we still have a lot of work to do to understand how to get the maximum of new soft tyres.”
Nicolas Goyon
Team Manager
“We just finished the pre-season with the final test in Portimao before we all finally start the championship here in two weeks. I would like to thank both our riders Pol Espargaro and Augusto Fernandez for their hard work over the past two days. All together, they did around 150 laps each, which is a lot of time on the track that allowed us to gather important data and information for the GASGAS Factory Racing Tech3 engineers.
Pol focused on trying to finalize a setup that suits him for the race in two weeks, but it has not been easy for him. He tried many options and it looks like towards the end of the day some positive came out of it as he registered his fastest lap of the weekend.
Our rookie Augusto worked hard and the day was highlighted by a race simulation with a total of twenty-two laps and twenty fast laps. What is very interesting is that he set his fastest lap at the very last lap of his simulation. It is promising because it shows that he has understood how to manage both his physical condition and his tyres.
Overall, we are satisfied with the work we did here in Portimao with both our riders. It was also the first time that our red GASGAS RC16 went on track and we were all really proud of our 2023 livery. We have two weeks to analyse the data, but we feel ready to race! Thank you to the whole team for their hard work, and we will be back in two weeks for the season opener !”
More, from a press release issued by Repsol Honda:
0.016s between Repsol Honda Team duo after five days of MotoGP testing
Sunday in Portimao saw both Repsol Honda Team riders focus on time attacks, Sprint race runs and refinements as Joan Mir ends the test in 13th with Marc Marquez just behind in 14th.
Perfect conditions saw out the MotoGP pre-season as the Repsol Honda Team completed their testing programme with the rest of the championship in Portimao. Two busy days saw a number of items tested and 289 laps completed between Joan Mir and Marc Marquez.
Joan Mir’s adaption to the Honda RC213V continued and Sunday in Portugal saw him make strong forward progress especially on his one lap pace. A best time of 1’38.762 meant the 2020 MotoGP World Champion ended the test as the 13th fastest rider and top Honda machine. Able to do a time attack, Mir was able to further understand where he and the Honda need to continue improving. As with the previous day, Mir’s race pace was more promising across his 61 laps.
On the other side of the Repsol Honda Team garage, Marc Marquez continued to diligently work as his attention shifted from fully focused on development to beginning to prepare for the coming race weekend in Portugal. The eight-time World Champion completed his first simulation of a new Sprint Race with his longest run of the test. A fall at Turn 1 midway through the final day did little to upset Marquez’s overall testing plan.
The MotoGP World Championship now begins their final preparations before the Grande Premio de Portugal, March 24 – 26, and the start of the longest MotoGP season in history with 21 Grands Prix.
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Joan Mir
13TH 1’38.762
“Today we were able to make some more progress forward in adapting to the Honda. There is still a lot I need to learn and adapt to because it’s still a new bike and some aspects that are not yet second nature. Overall it has been an off-season of progress but of course as a rider you are always wanting more and more. We head into the opening races wanting to keep improving and to see what’s possible.”
Marc Marquez (93). Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Marc Marquez
14TH 1’38.778
“We had the best feeling of our pre-season today, I was riding well and I was able to do a Sprint Race simulation. Riding for a longer run I was able to focus more on my riding style and keep making improvements there. Our rhythm wasn’t bad and today we worked more towards what will come at the Portugal GP. We were able to make a few steps, of course you want more. The most important thing was that today I had the best feeling with the bike so far.”
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Castrol:
LCR Honda CASTROL rider Alex Rins completes the last preseason test at Portimao
The last test before the start of the season has finished at the Autodromo do Algarve for Alex Rins and the LCR Honda CASTROL.
Despite the final position on the standings (15th), there are some positive elements to point out, as Alex admits feeling more comfortable riding the bike and happier with how he can handle it.
Rins and the crew have been testing several items brought by HRC, and overall, they are pleased with the steps made. There’s still considerable room for improvement, but the path is more precise after the test at Portimao.
Preseason is officially done; the next stop will be the opening round of the 2023 season at the same place, the circuit of Portimao.
Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Alex Rins 15th
(1’38.782)
“I’m pleased after the preseason we’ve done. Since Sepang, we’ve taken a step forward, and counting on new parts in Portimao has helped me understand our current situation. I’ve been focusing on testing them to provide useful information to HRC. The main thing is that we’ve improved, and that’s crucial. I want to thank the whole team because they’ve done a great job”.
More, from a press release issued by LCR Honda Idemitsu:
LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami finishes the last test at Portimao
The last test before the start of the season has finished at the Autodromo do Algarve for Takaaki Nakagami and the LCR Honda IDEMITSU. Despite the final position on the standings (20th), there are some positive elements to point out, as Nakagami has noticed a significant improvement during the second and last day of tests.
Since the beginning, Takaaki has struggled to find the feeling on the bike and admits he still needs to be more comfortable riding it. However, after testing some evolution parts brought by HRC, especially on the second day, he believes there is potential and room for improvement in some areas that would help both rider and crew to make a further step forward.
Preseason is officially done; the next stop will be the opening round of the 2023 season at the same place, the circuit of Portimao.
Takaaki Nakagami (30). Photo courtesy LCR Honda.
Takaaki Nakagami 20th
(1’39.309)
“The three days in Sepang and the two days here haven’t been easy, but today, in terms of lap times, everything is very tight, the gap has reduced, and we’ve taken a step. The feedback with the bike is better, but both the bike and I need to improve. We could take another step forward during the race weekend, so let’s keep working. The team has done a good job as always”.
More, from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
2023 MOTOGP™ PREP ALMOST COMPLETE WITH SECOND AND FINAL PRE-SEASON TEST LOGGED IN PORTUGAL
2023 Motorsport news
Two days of intense testing work brought the 2023 MotoGP pre-season to a conclusion for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing at the Algarve International Circuit. Brad Binder and Jack Miller sifted through solutions for the settings of their KTM RC16s both for the long Grand Prix year ahead and for the first round of the series at the same circuit in a fortnight’s time. Binder ended the weekend 9th fastest while Miller was 17th but both less than one second from times that shattered the Portimao lap-record.
MotoGP teams left the heat of Malaysia last month to reassemble and bask in the sunshine of the Algarve for the second and last appointment in preparation for 2023. The two-day session allowed the Red Bull KTM works squad to drill through solutions and options to be ready for the 21-race championship (and brand new Sprint format) as well as look towards optimum settings for the Grande Premio de Portugal at the same fast and technical circuit at the end of March.
Brad Binder and Jack Miller were given a second opportunity to give their feedback on the potential of the RC16s around the 15 corner and 4.5 km layout in southern Portugal. The climate was steady and ideal for testing duties, even if the undulations of the track and diversity of the curves means it is a unique setting for bike behaviour and competitiveness.
Binder sat in P6 at one stage and ended the second day with the 9th fastest circulation just half a second from P1 and close to the lap record. The South African was reaching for rear grip but noted an improvement on Sunday. Miller, who is still trying to unlock the full possibilities of the race bike in what was just his third outing, was continually making gains. The Australian was just nine tenths of a second from the peak of the overall classification.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing now have a few precious days back at the race workshop in Munderfing to condense the rest of the data accumulated in Portugal before the whole effort returns to the Algarve for the first real race action of ’23 on March 25-26.
Brad Binder: “We made a good step forward today. We had to re-think things last night because I wasn’t that happy with what we were doing: the team did a great job to make me more comfortable on the bike and I could push a bit harder. We are closer to where we need to be. The time attack went better than I expected. There is definitely a step we can still make before the race but I think we are more or less ready to go into the season.”
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Jack Miller: “We’re getting there. We cut almost another second today and got closer to the top rider who was six tenths under the lap-record! I’m just trying to understand the bike and try different things to get comfortable. We are improving every day and it is taking some time but we’re getting to a decent spot before the first race. Our [engine] maps need a little polishing but I think we can be quietly confident.”
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “This test was the first time we tried the 2023 spec of the bike and we had some unexpected issues but also some progress. We perhaps don’t have enough time now to fix everything but we hope to give the riders a better package asap. Jack is gaining confidence and speed run-by-run and Brad was a bit surprised by this test but turned it around today. We know where we need to improve and thanks to the whole team for another big effort. Let’s get the season underway now.”
Sebastian Risse, Red Bull KTM Technical Manager MotoGP: “I would say we had a difficult start to the test and had to work through a lot on the first day. The main topic for some riders was rear grip, and looking at the lap-times overall, it was clear that the track today was in better shape and this helped us but we also improved our cause. We made a step and now we just have to see how much we can transfer this on the race weekend. I think we can be happy with the evolution we made these two days and we have the baseline. Now that we have had this test everybody should be up to pace right away at the GP and I think there is still some room to work there.”
Algarve International Circuit Official Test final combined times
1. Francesco Bagnaia (ITA) Ducati 1:37.968
2. Johann Zarco (FRA) Ducati +0.296
3. Fabio Quartararo (FRA) Yamaha +0.334
4. Luca Marini (ITA) Ducati ) +0.342
5. Marco Bezzecchi (ITA) Ducati +0.383
9. Brad Binder (RSA) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.512
17. Jack Miller (AUS) Red Bull KTM Factory Racing +0.941
More, from a press release issued by Lenovo Ducati Team:
Francesco Bagnaia tops the timesheets in the final pre-season test at Portimao. Sixth quickest time for Enea Bastianini
Seven Desmosedici GPs in the first eight places of the standings at the end of two days of testing in Portugal
Francesco Bagnaia dominated the latest pre-season test, which concluded this afternoon at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão (Portugal). The Ducati Lenovo Team rider, who was already the fastest at the end of the first day yesterday, could set a formidable lap time of 1:37.968 this afternoon, confirming himself at the top and improving the current circuit record by 757 thousandths. At the Portimão track, which will host the opening round of the 2023 MotoGP season in less than two weeks, Bagnaia got positive feedback from his Desmosedici GP 2023 and declared himself satisfied with the work completed with his team.
Despite being hindered by technical issues and a crash on the first day, the last test was also positive for Enea Bastianini. The rider from Rimini finished in sixth position, with a time of 1:38.373, 405 thousandths behind his teammate, as he completed a total of 118 laps over the two days.
There are seven Ducatis in the top eight positions. Johann Zarco (Pramac Racing) finished in second place behind Bagnaia, while Luca Marini (VR46 Racing Team) finished fourth ahead of teammate Marco Bezzecchi. Behind Bastianini finished Alex Márquez (Gresini Racing) in seventh and Jorge Martín (Pramac Racing) in eighth.
“I’m thrilled with how the five days of pre-season testing went, including the three days in Malaysia last month. We improved in every session and completed our work programme. I like the new bike and prefer it to last year’s, but now we must keep our feet on the ground and keep working with our heads down to be fast on every track. The other manufacturers have also taken important steps forward, so we must stay focused. We can say ‘mission accomplished’: we are ready to face the new season.”
“These two days have been positive even though we were really unlucky yesterday. Today we started with a different mentality, which allowed us to take big steps forward straight away, and in general, we worked really well. We didn’t do any particular tests, but we focused mainly on the set-up of the bike and my riding style ahead of the first race, which will be held here in less than two weeks. I think we are still missing something to be able to fight for the win, but we are not far away. Today I also did my first sprint race simulation, and I think tyre life won’t be a problem, but we still haven’t chosen which one to use for Sunday’s race. In any case, I am happy and ready to get back on track for the first Grand Prix of the year”.
Everything is ready for the first round of the 2023 MotoGP World Championship, which will be held at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimão from 24th-26th March.
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
MOTOGP TESTS IN PORTIMÃO
APRILIA HONES ITS WEAPONS AHEAD OF THE SEASON OPENER
LOTS OF WORK AND LOTS OF NEWS FOR THE ITALIAN TEAM. MAVERICK FAST AND INCISIVE, ALEIX AGGRESSIVE DESPITE A FATIGUED RIGHT ARM
The testing time, although brief, has come to an end and for Aprilia the conclusions can only be positive. Aleix and Maverick, but also the team RNF riders, Oliveira and Fernandez, demonstrated a good level of competitiveness ahead of the official race début.
The Italian team brought an abundant series of innovations to the track, from the highly visible aerodynamic appendages to the less evident (but just as substantial) evolutions of every aspect of the 2023 RS-GP. The analysis of the data and the comments collected throughout these two days will provide the Aprilia techs with the information needed to define the base technical configuration for both riders.
At the end of the two days, Maverick had ridden a total of 170 laps, the best at a time of 1’38.678, whereas Aleix did 112 laps with his best stopping the clock at 1’38.569.
Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Aleix Espargaró
“We can consider ourselves ready for the first race of the season. Once again today, despite some problems with my right arm, I was able to be fast, limiting my activity to shorter runs. Overall, we worked well during these two days. The package we have available is still not perfect, but it is a good starting point. Tomorrow morning I’ll go to the Dexeus Clinic in Barcelona straight away for a series of tests and, if necessary, I’ll undergo surgery immediately so I can fully recover before the race here in Portimão.”
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Aprilia.
Maverick Viñales
“Two positive days, I’d say just like all of our preparation for the championship season. I felt really good yesterday, also in terms of lap times, whereas today our work was slightly different. I never used the best combination of tyre compounds, turning a lot of laps in less than perfect grip conditions, and I was able to learn a lot that way. I’d like to always lap at the top, but I’m confident that this type of work will provide us with advantages during a weekend. I can’t wait to really get down to business so we can see our level and begin to battle.”
Josh Herrin (1), Danny Eslick (69), PJ Jacobsen (66), Richie Escalante (54), Cameron Petersen (45), Josh Hayes (4), and the rest of the field during the start of the 81st Daytona 200. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Watch the full 81st Daytona 200 MotoAmerica Supersport race held March 11, 2023, at Daytona International Speedway, in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Bagnaia reigns but Quartararo gains as 12 riders break the lap record on Sunday
Pecco, Zarco, Quartararo, Marini… the list of laptime heroes goes on as pre-season comes to a hectic close at Portimao
Francesco Bagnaia. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Sunday, 12 March 2023
Another day, another set of timesheets… and the last one before we go racing! The final day of pre-season is in the books and there’s a new fastest ever lap of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, with reigning Champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) absolutely smashing his old lap record and bringing it down to a stunning 1:37.968. But he wasn’t the only one under the old 1:38.725, with an incredible 12 riders ending 2023 pre-season with a quicker lap than that.
At the top, the first on Bagnaia’s tail was Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) as he unleashed a time attack on Sunday, not into the 1:37s but seemingly taking a big step forward. Just 0.038 behind him came another rider who took a leap forward on the final day of pre-season, with 2021 Champion Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) taking third and looking a whole lot happier by the end of play than he had 24 hours earlier.
Here’s a rundown of the final day’s action as we start to switch from test mode to race mode!
Johann Zarco (5). Photo courtesy Dorna.
DUCATI, PRAMAC, VR46 & GRESINI
Bagnaia smashed his own all-time lap record and then put in a MotoGP™ Sprint simulation that raised eyebrows up and down pitlane, with most laps under the old best race lap. That was a Jaws music moment before Quartararo was able to get a lot closer, and then Zarco split the two 2022 Championship rivals.
Bastianini struck late to move up significantly compared to a lackluster showing on the timesheets on Saturday, having not put in a real hot lap before. He ends the test in sixth, but will most definitely want to reel his teammate further in once the Portuguese GP begins. There was little new to see at Ducati, with focus seemingly having shifted to really dialling in what they’ve tested… barring one small new lever spotted by our pitlane reporters, currently cause for curiosity.
Francesco Bagnaia. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Enea Bastianini (23). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Zarco was the closest challenger to reigning Champion Bagnaia, moving up later in the day to depose compatriot Quartararo from second. Zarco appears to have found some long run pace, and said he was back on fettling his own setup rather than running through any testing for the factory. Teammate Jorge Martin was also looking good, and he ends the test in P8 after again running the “ground effect” fairings as he did yesterday.
Luca Marini. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Marco Bezzecchi (72). Photo courtesy Dorna.
At Mooney VR46 Racing Team, it was a slightly damp squib end to testing for Luca Marini after the fastest rider in Valencia and Sepang suffered two technical issues that interrupted his final day, leaving him right down the timesheets until a final push at the end. It was a good push though, and he manages to end Sunday in P4 – just ahead of sophomore teammate Marco Bezzecchi. The two look more than ready to take on the battle for some serious positions when the season gets it gear.
At Gresini Racing MotoGP™, it was a final test of two halves. Fabio Di Giannantonio was ruled out after his crash on Day 1, with no injuries but ruled unfit to give him time to recover ahead of the first race weekend. Alex Marquez was sitting fourth for much of the day before a late attack for a few of his fellow Ducati riders, and the two-time World Champion was shuffled down to a still very interesting seventh – right behind Bastianini. He suffered two crashes but all ok, and even saw that as a positive to get it behind him as he starts a new adventure with a new machine.
Alex Marquez (73). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Jorge Martin (89). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fabio Quartararo (20). Photo courtesy Dorna.
YAMAHA
The Portimao Test was looking worrying for Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™ on Day 1, and even during the morning hours of Day 2. Soft tyre woes continued to hinder both Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli, but with roughly three hours of pre-season testing to go, Quartararo pounced up to P2 on the timesheets – just 0.148s away from Bagnaia’s new all-time lap record. A last minute sprint for glory.
Both riders were continuing to play around with different aero packages on the final day, with Morbidelli’s the most striking on the front of the bike. The Italian was putting in some work on similar to a new upgrade we witnessed for the first time on Saturday, but this one the top set of wings, then a double sidepod design as well as the downwash duct at the bottom. But then came this…
A new aero device on the tail of Fabio Quartararo’s Yamaha. Photo courtesy Dorna.
The huge addition, as seen when Quartararo headed out towards the close of play, was interesting to say the least. A rear wing but something never seen before: a much bigger, upside-down triangular-shaped design. The review from the Frenchman: “it wasn’t worse”. But he said data was needed to see if it was better.
All in all, it was a busy day down in the Yamaha camp. Crucially though, a big step was made for Quartararo, who is feeling a lot happier than he was in Sepang and on Day 1. Going back to some old settings allowed the Frenchman to make critical strides forwards which will be a huge relief for Yamaha. The same sighs of relief won’t be swimming through Morbidelli’s side of the box, however, as the Italian ended the test in P19 after completing 89 laps.
Franco Morbidelli (21). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Brad Binder (33). Photo courtesy Dorna.
KTM & GASGAS TECH3
At Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, the test was about analysing what they have rather than bringing in a slew of new parts, and a main point of focus remained the engine. That was heard from all machines – both KTM and GASGAS. Brad Binder was the lead RC16 on the timesheets as the South African ends the test in P9 and a good chunk under the old lap record, ahead of the three lead Aprilias.
Jack Miller was P17 on the second Red Bull KTM Factory Racing machine as he looks to settle in. He was focusing on settings and gave a lot of feedback on the electronics, some of which was also reportedly of interest to his new teammate. He was upbeat and said they’re really starting to get there, with a bit left to polish… but gave his adaptation a 7 or 8 out of 10 so far.
Jack Miller (43). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager Francesco Guidotti said Day 1 was tougher, Sunday morning remained a challenge but by the end of play, they’d started to see some light at the end of the tunnel. The main issue? They’re missing a “few tenths” of grip and are working on mechanical solutions as well as on the electronics to take that step forward.
As GASGAS Factory Racing Tech 3, Pol Espargaro was just 0.065 off Miller just ahead of him as the gaps remain absolutely tiny down the field, with rookie Augusto Fernandez one of those a little further back, a few tenths behind Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu).
Pol Espargaro (44). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Augusto Fernandez (37). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Aleix Espargaro (41). Photo courtesy Dorna.
APRILIA & RNF
Aprilia Racing’s Aleix Espargaro admitted that he struggled with arm pump on Day 1 of the Portimao Test, and those issues continued into Sunday. He put in 52 laps – the least of anyone – and says he will be getting his arm checked out ahead of Round 1 of the season, although the #41 said it wasn’t a disaster. Pace-wise, Espargaro will be happy as he ends the test as the top Aprilia in P10.
On the other side of the factory box, Maverick Viñales ends pre-season testing with a beaming smile on his face despite experiencing a technical issue on one of his bikes. P12 definitely doesn’t tell the full tale of his test. The vibes radiating from Top Gun are all positive after another 82 laps were pocketed on the final day, as all signs point towards him and Aprilia kicking off 2023 in fine form. Viñales was the final rider inside the old lap record.
Maverick Vinales (12). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Raul Fernandez (25). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Fine form is one way of describing the performance of a pair of Aprilia newcomers: Miguel Oliveira and RNF MotoGP™ Team teammate Raul Fernandez. Both riders have been consistently up the sharp end of the timesheets in Portimao, but afternoon crashes for both – Oliveira at Turn 3, Fernandez at Turn 1 – put a slight dampener on their final day. But like Espargaro and Viñales, their positions on the timesheets don’t necessarily portray the story of their pre-season… and they’ll be ones to watch when the lights go out for sure.
Miguel Oliveira (88). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Joan Mir (36). Photo courtesy Dorna.
HONDA & LCR
“It’s time to start working with what we have,” expressed Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) after Day 1 as the eight-time World Champion admitted that after testing big things in the afternoon, he and Honda lost their way a bit. It’s no surprise we didn’t see many new parts on the RC213Vs on Sunday then, but we did see Marquez continuing on Honda’s updated air intake and aero package set-up.
Marquez confirmed that his final day on track was the best he’d felt all pre-season. A Sprint simulation suggested Honda aren’t a million miles away, not where they want to be, but it’s not a disaster. Marquez also confirmed he and teammate Joan Mir are pulling in the same direction, so there was plenty of promising noises coming from the HRC camp ahead of Round 1.
Alex Rins (42). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Takaaki Nakagami (30). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Alex Rins (LCR Honda Castrol) was given the 2021 Honda aero package and ground effect fairing to test on the final day, the latter was also seen using a very different set-up on the front suspension from all the other Hondas. In addition, both Rins and teammate Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) have been using last year’s clutch – not the new, carbon one that Nakagami has previously tested.
It’s Mir who ends the Portimao Test as the quickest Honda in P13, 0.016s ahead of Marquez who in turn is 0.004s faster than Rins. They’re all within a second of the all-time lap record, a sign Honda are heading down the correct path. Nakagami finishes the Test down in P20, 1.3s from top spot.
Marc Marquez (93). Photo courtesy Dorna.
FULL RESULTS – DAY 2
And then… all was quiet in pitlane. That’s a wrap on pre-season for the premier class, and now all there’s left to do is RACE! The first Grand Prix of the season is just around the corner, so make sure to join us then as the engines fire up in Portimao once more. The 24th to the 26th of March 2023: save the date as a new era begins!
Lucas Oil Stadium lit up during opening ceremonies but the real fireworks took place during the closing minutes of the night's 450SX Class Main Event. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Ken Roczen Takes Dramatic and Emotional Win at Indy Supercross
Hunter Lawrence Stretches Eastern Regional 250SX Class Points Lead with Indy Victory
Indianapolis, Ind. – Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Ken Roczen earned a thrilling victory in front of the 62,728 screaming fans who packed Lucas Oil Stadium for Round 9 of the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season.
Troy Lee Designs Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing’s Justin Barcia took second place after intensely pressuring for the lead in the final laps of the race. Red Bull KTM’s Cooper Webb finished third on an especially challenging track filled with deep, soft ruts. Webb’s finish gives him the season’s points lead and the red plate, by a single point, for both the Supercross season as well as toward the inaugural 31-round SuperMotocross World Championship series. In Round 5 of Eastern Regional 250SX Class racing, Team Honda HRC’s Hunter Lawrence earned his fourth win of the season.
Ken Roczen (94) grabbed his fourth win inside Lucas Oil Stadium. He kept his cool, and the lead, under intense pressure on one of the season’s most challenging tracks. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
When the gate dropped for the 450SX Class Main Event Ken Roczen crossed the Holeshot stripe first and immediately jumped into the lead. After one lap was in the books Roczen led Cooper Webb, Team Honda HRC’s Chase Sexton, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, Team Tedder Monster Energy Mountain Motorsport’s Justin Hill, Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jason Anderson, and Justin Barcia. After a slow start, points leader Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Eli Tomac had moved up to eleventh place.
Sexton went to work on Webb for second as the top four riders slowly pulled away from the rest of the field. Less than two minutes into the 20-minute plus one lap race Sexton moved past Webb and set his sights on Roczen. The lead was down to less than one second when Sexton caught a rut on a jump and crashed. The incident gave Roczen a little breathing room on Webb. Sexton remounted back in twelfth place.
Seven minutes into the Main Event Barcia applied heavy pressure on Webb for second place. Barcia took the spot after the two racers came together exiting the whoops. Neither rider went down, and Webb stayed tight on Barcia while the two tried to reel in Roczen, who was over three seconds ahead.
As the race clock reached three minutes remaining Barcia had the lead down to just one and a half seconds and the volume of the Indianapolis crowd was intense. Barcia got right on the rear fender of the Suzuki, dropping the gap to .7 seconds as the two racers took the white flag. Roczen held his composure through the final lap, earning his first win of the season. The victory makes Roczen a four-time winner in Indy, the winningest active racer at the venue. It was Roczen’s first win since 2022, and Suzuki’s first win since 2016 – which incidentally was earned by Roczen. Barcia took a close and hard-fought second place, his best result of the season. Webb crossed the checkered flag in third, earning enough points to take the red plate and the points lead heading into Round 10 next weekend in Detroit.
Hunter Lawrence (96) almost made the win look easy on one of the toughest, and most-rutted tracks of the season. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
When the gate dropped for the Eastern Regional 250SX Class Hunter Lawrence took the lead with a Holeshot over Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Jordon Smith, Monster Energy Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Chris Blose, Progressive Insurance ECSTAR Suzuki’s Marshal Weltin, and Muc-Off FXR ClubMX Yamaha’s Jeremy Martin. Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Nate Thrasher moved up to fourth early in the opening lap and reached third position before the lap was over. On lap two Thrasher put his Yamaha into second place and the crowd was primed to see an intense battle. The two riders collided the weekend before and Thrasher held some extra motivation to catch and pass the Honda rider.
Martin was the rider on the move early; after losing several spots on the opening laps he charged into fourth place just before race’s midpoint. He was the fastest rider on the track on that lap but was still about eight seconds back from the third place spot held by Smith. With just under seven minutes left on the race clock Lawrence had a scary moment when he came together with a lapped rider. Hunter’s right hand came off the handlebar but he stayed up and seemed to be no worse for the wear. As the clock wined down Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan crashed in the whoops, giving up his fifth place spot.
When the flames lit at the finish Lawrence pulled in his fourth win of the season and stretched his points lead to 22. Thrasher earned second place points without ever getting into striking distance of the lead. Thrasher’s teammate Smith took third place and Martin crossed the line in fourth.
This week the series takes a short hop north to Detroit, Michigan for Round 10 at Ford Field on Saturday, March 18th. The domed stadium is sure to provide more great racing as the athletes pass the midpoint of the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross season. Each Supercross round also pays points toward the brand-new SuperMotocross World Championship which pits the top Supercross and Motocross racers against one another for two Playoff races and one Final in September. The 450 Class winner will take home a cool one million dollars and go down in the history books as the first champion of the SuperMotocross League. The 250 Class racers will battle for the 250 Class title, with a $500,000 championship payout to the winner of that division and an equal spot in the sport’s history books.
The action from Indianapolis and previous rounds is already available in video highlights at SupercrossLIVE.com. The site also provides story features, race results, racer power rankings, as well as ticket sales to upcoming events. Every Supercross and SuperMotocross event is streamed live on Peacock, with select rounds broadcast on NBC, USA Network, and CNBC. For details and more please go to SupercrossLIVE.com.
450SX Class podium (racers from left) Justin Barcia, Ken Roczen, and Cooper Webb. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
450SX Class Results
1. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Ger., Suzuki
2. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS
3. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM
4. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM
5. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki
6. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki
7. Christian Craig, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna
8. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha
9. Justin Hill, Yoncalla, Ore., KTM
10. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda
450SX Class Championship Standings
1. Cooper Webb, Newport, N.C., KTM (202)
2. Eli Tomac, Cortez, Colo., Yamaha (201)
3. Chase Sexton, Clermont, Fla., Honda (189)
4. Jason Anderson, Rio Rancho, N.Mex., Kawasaki (166)
5. Ken Roczen, Mattstedt, Ger., Suzuki (164)
6. Justin Barcia, Greenville, Fla., GASGAS (155)
7. Aaron Plessinger, Hamilton, Ohio, KTM (154)
8. Christian Craig, Clermont, Fla., Husqvarna (119)
9. Dean Wilson, Menifee, Calif., Honda (93)
10. Adam Cianciarulo, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Kawasaki (92)
250SX Class podium (racers from left) Nate Thrasher, Hunter Lawrence, and Jordon Smith. Photo courtesy Feld Motor Sports, Inc.
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Results
1. Hunter Lawrence, Landsborough, Aus., Honda
2. Nate Thrasher, Livingston, Tenn., Yamaha
3. Jordon Smith, Ochlocknee, Ga., Yamaha
4. Jeremy Martin, Rochester, Minn., Yamaha
5. Max Anstie, Newbury, Eng., Honda
6. Chris Blose, Phoenix, Ariz., Kawasaki
7. Haiden Deegan, Tallahassee, Fla., Yamaha
8. Tom Vialle, Avignon, France, KTM
9. Cullin Park, Clermont, Fla., Honda
10. Coty Schock, Dover, Del., Honda
Eastern Regional 250SX Class Championship Standings
Stefano Mesa (137) on his Energica EVA Ribelle RS during a MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan race at Daytona in 2023. Photo courtesy Energica USA.
EXCITING DEBUT FOR MESA AND TYTLERS CYCLE RACING WITH THE EVA RIBELLE RS AT DAYTONA
Tytlers Cycle Racing and Stefano Mesa have completed the opening round of the 2023 Mission Foods Super Hooligan National Championship by MotoAmerica, with the fast and experienced Colombian rider able to ride the race-ready Energica EVA Ribelle RS to a seventh and a fifth place in the first two races of the series held at the iconic Daytona International Speedway in Florida, USA.
There was plenty of anticipation for the debut of the first full-time electric-powered effort in the series, and Mesa – who has had his fair share of success on the iconic Daytona high banks over the years – proved to be more than ready for the new challenge.
A successful performance at Daytona was everything but a given, as the lack of previous data at the track or experience with the spec Dunlop tires meant that there were still some unknowns on the overall potential of the Energica race package at the high-speed venue – which layout-wise is surely not the most favorable one for electric motorcycles.
Stefano Mesa (137) on his Energica EVA Ribelle RS during a MotoAmerica Mission Super Hooligan race at Daytona. Photo courtesy Energica USA.
Despite all of the above, the #137 rider mastered the full power of Energica’s streetfighter machine while getting in the mix with ICE-powered competitors as well as making the most of the instant torque available to his right wrist at the start of the encounter. The Energica EVA Ribelle proved to be a solid package in more than capable hands, and the results achieved have injected further confidence for the upcoming race events.
The Super Hooligan series will now take a break before resuming proceedings for Round two at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington on June 23-25. For more on the Super Hooligan series go to: https://www.superhooligan.com
APRILIA RS 660 TAKES TOP STEP WITH RODIO IN MOTOAMERICA TWINS CUP SEASON OPENER AT DAYTONA
RODIO RACING POWERED BY ROBEM ENGINEERING RIDER NARROWLY MISSES THE DOUBLE, SETTLES FOR SECOND ON SATURDAY, LEAVING FLORIDA WITH AN EARLY CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD
Gus Rodio (96). Photo by Sara Chappell Photos, courtesy Aprilia.
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – 12 MARCH 2023 – It was back to winning ways for Aprilia in MotoAmerica Twins Cup on Friday, as Rodio Racing powered by Robem Engineering rider Gus Rodio was victorious in the first series race of 2023. Rodio piloted his Aprilia RS 660 to a victory by a margin of more than eight seconds before nearly claiming a second win on Saturday at the March 9-11 round at Daytona International Speedway.
Rodio’s performance, which included returning to the Saturday race after suffering a mechanical problem, allowed him to amass a nine-point championship lead by the end of the event. Two other Aprilia riders, Rodio’s teammate Ben Gloddy, and Optimum Performance Motorsports’ Jody Barry, put in strong performances at Daytona, though Gloddy’s weekend was cut short due to an unfortunate injury.
The first Twins Cup practice session ended with an Aprilia rider at the top of the time sheet. Rodio put in a best lap of 1:57.671, which was 0.064 seconds faster than the second-best lap time. Two more Aprilia riders finish in the top five, as Barry was the fourth-fastest rider and Gloddy fifth.
The first qualifying session of the event took place later on Thursday. Rodio was again the fastest of the Aprilia riders. He finished the session in fourth place. Gloddy and Barry provisionally qualified in sixth and eighth, respectively.
Qualifying concluded Friday morning with three Aprilia riders having qualified in the top 10. Rodio secured fourth place on the Twins Cup starting grid, while Gloddy and Barry qualified sixth and eighth, respectively.
Friday afternoon saw the first Twins Cup race of 2023 get underway with Rodio quickly working his way up to the race lead by the end of Lap 1. Gloddy also got a good start and had advanced to third place by the end of the first lap. He was running in fourth when another rider crashed heavily in front of him and, despite his best effort, was knocked off his motorcycle and was unable to continue racing. Barry had a sluggish start to the race. He dropped down the running order as far as 12th on Lap 1 before charging forward to sixth place on Lap 3 — which is the position he finished the race in.
Rodio’s pace improved to the rest of the field as the race went on. He was part of a three-rider battle for the race lead until the closing laps, when he steadily increased his lead each lap to take the victory by more than 8.5 seconds.
Gloddy was unable to take part in Saturday’s Race 2 due to an injury he suffered during his crash in Race 1.
The Saturday contest was a trying one for Rodio and his team. As the field began forming up for the start of the race, Rodio pulled into the pits due to a technical problem with his motorcycle and was unable to take the start. As the lone Aprilia in the top 10, Barry put in a solid effort in the race’s early laps. He was running in seventh when the race was stopped on Lap 3 due to a crash.
The race was restarted with the original starting grid, which allowed Rodio to rejoin the race on the lead lap. The start saw Rodio get a good jump off the line and he was back to the race lead by the end of the first lap. Rodio also led Laps 3 and 4 as he and another rider broke away from the rest of the field. While the other rider was able to draft past Rodio on the approach to the finish line, Rodio got the best drive he could onto the east banking and missed out on the win by a mere 0.162 seconds. Barry put in a strong showing in the restarted race but dropped two places on the last lap to seventh and missed out on a top five finish by 0.039 seconds.
Of the 38 riders entered for the MotoAmerica Twins Cup round at Daytona, 15 were registered to ride Aprilia RS 660s.
Gus Rodio / No. 96
“It was an awesome first race of the season. I was able to break away from the pack and win my first Twins Cup race. It was my biggest margin of victory and I’m very happy. In Race 2, I broke away from the pack with another rider and had a race long battle for the lead. I ended up second in a close finish. I’m really happy with this result as I didn’t think we would make it on track due to an issue we had. I’m really excited to get to Atlanta and keep working towards our goals.”
MotoAmerica’s Twins Cup has two races scheduled for the next round, April 21-23, at Road Atlanta. The championship schedule, competitor information and class rules can be found at https://motoamerica.com/.
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
SIXTH FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI’S HOBBS AND DISAPPOINTMENT FOR ESCALANTE IN THE 81st DAYTONA 200
BREA, CA – March 12, 2023 – Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki left the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing season opener with a top-ten result and a heavy dose of tough luck after missing a potential victory late in the running of the 81st Daytona 200.
MotoAmerica Superbike regular and former MotoAmerica Supersport champion Richie Escalante orchestrated a flawless performance as he negotiated the equally prestigious and arduous race. He guided the Mission Foods Suzuki GSX-R750 at or near the front of the pack deep into the contest, including leading into both scheduled pit stops.
Richie Escalante (54) showed his great race craft but an incident in Turn One took him out of contention. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Seemingly locked in a two-rider race for victory with less than ten laps to go, Escalante was taken out in a collision that occurred when his opponent attempted a tight inside pass in Turn 1 that resulted in a penalty. Despite the ruling in his favor, the incident still instantly erased Escalante’s excellent shot at the victory.
Escalante said, “First of all, I want to thank the team for everything they did for me, from pre-race testing, to qualifying and setting the lap record, to the amazing pit stops during the race. The Mission Foods Suzuki GSX-R750 was fantastic. I thought we performed well in the race, running a particularly good pace. It came down to the last ten laps, and I was trying to separate. There was a racing move, another rider touched my bike, and I crashed. I have a lot of respect for Josh Herrin. He is a former Superbike champion and has won a lot of races. I thought I was the fastest today, but sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes you crash. We didn’t win so I am not 100% happy. I thought we did well all week, but it did not work out the way we wanted in the end. It’s back to work on Monday to get ready for Superbike in Atlanta.”
A couple of short laps later, Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Teagg Hobbs came together with a lapped rider while running inside the top five. A resultant red flag provided the team with a shot at redemption after facing complete disaster, and Hobbs took full advantage.
In his first race aboard his GSX-R750, Teagg Hobbs (79) brings home a top ten in Daytona. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Hobbs battled with the lead group in the 10-lap shootout for a victory that followed the stoppage, even leading in its early stages. He gradually lost touch with the drafting war for victory, securing an eventual sixth-place effort in his maiden race aboard the Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki GSX-R750.
“I came together with another rider, and race officials made me go to medical,” said Hobbs. “I was getting checked out when I saw the team putting my bike back together in pit lane on the screen. After they said I was okay, I put my gear back on and started limping back to the pits, then I borrowed a golf cart and made it back just in time. I was able to get up to the front and lead two laps but the bike and the rider both had some issues resulting from the crash. We got a good result at least. Over the weekend, we made nice progress and got the bike sorted.”
Unfortunately, Tyler Scott’s bid for the win from the front row never really materialized. The prodigious pilot encountered technical issues early and ultimately retired just 14 laps into a scheduled 57 (and actual 62) laps.
Even with some technical issues, Tyler Scott (70) shows that he has the speed for the upcoming MotoAmerica season. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA, LLC.
Scott said, “For the start in Turn 1, the bike was good, but we soon had electrical problems. I tried to do the best I could. Eventually, I had to pull off due to safety concerns. It didn’t go the way we wanted but I’m really looking forward to racing the 200 with the team next year and can’t wait for our next race in Atlanta.”
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2023 season marks Team Hammer’s 43rd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Race bikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 129 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 345 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles, and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
More, from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:
KYLE WYMAN AND FACTORY HARLEY-DAVIDSON DOMINATE MOTOAMERICA KING OF THE BAGGERS RACE 2 AT DAYTONA SPEEDWAY
Rispoli and Gillim Fill Out an All-H-D Podium; Rispoli Wins Race 1, Leads Championship
Kyle Wyman (33) and his Harley-Davidson Road Glide on the banking at Daytona International Speedway. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Harley-Davidson.
MILWAUKEE (March 12, 2023) – Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle® factory rider Kyle Wyman scored a dominating win and topped an all-Harley-Davidson podium in the MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers race on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Wyman led the entire eight-lap race on the team’s race-prepared Harley-Davidson® Road Glide® Limited motorcycle, crossing the finish line 8.03 seconds ahead of Vance & Hines/Mission Harley-Davidson teammates James Rispoli and Hayden Gillim. Team Saddlemen teammates Cory West and Jake Lewis finished fourth and fifth to complete a top five sweep of the race for Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycles.
“I’m so excited that we got our Harley-Davidson Road Glide motorcycle working so well today,” said Wyman. “This is my first win at Daytona since 2019, and this is such a special place, so a victory here is always special. We had a tough day yesterday, but the entire team just dug in and we had smooth sailing today. You can think of so many scenarios that could happen going into this weekend, but you could not predict either one of these days. It’s a nice way to end the weekend at Daytona. I’m ready to take this momentum to Atlanta.”
On Thursday, Kyle Wyman topped King of the Baggers qualifying with a record-breaking best lap of 1:51.98 on the 3.510-mile Daytona road course. On Friday, Kyle looked strong in winning the King of the Baggers Challenge three-lap dash-for-cash race by 1.96 seconds. The Friday King of the Baggers race was a disappointment for the team, as both Kyle Wyman and his brother and teammate, Travis Wyman, retired with mechanical problems while leading the race respectively. Rispoli won that race on his Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Road Glide, beating his teammate Gillim to the line by 0.089 seconds. Factory Indian racer Tyler O’Hara finished third. Team Saddlemen racer Cory West Finished fourth on his Harley-Davidson Road Glide.
On Saturday, Kyle Wyman signaled that he was riding the bike to beat after demolishing his qualifying time with a new lap record 1:50.56 time in the warm-up session, going almost two seconds quicker around the course than anyone. In Saturday’s race, Wyman had a fast lap of 1:50.86 and was never challenged. Unfortunately, his teammate Travis Wyman was knocked out of the race early with a mechanical issue.
After two of 14 rounds in the 2023 MotoAmerica Mission King of the Baggers series, Vance & Hines racer Rispoli leads the championship with 45 points, followed his teammate Gillim with 36 points. Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson rider Cory West sits third with 26 points, and Harley-Davidson factory rider Kyle Wyman is in fourth place with 25 points. Team Saddlemen’s Jake Lewis is tied for fifth with Factory Indian racer Tyler O’Hara with 21 points.
8. Jeremy McWilliams (Ind) Progressive/Mission Foods
9. Max Flinders (Ind) M3/Revolution Performance
10. Danny Eslick (H-D) Nowaskey Extreme Performance
Harley-Davidson invites you to kick off the 2023 MotoAmerica King of the Baggers season with some adrenaline pumping action. Check out, ‘Push the Limit,’ a film that shares the story of defending 2021 champion Kyle Wyman, teammate Travis Wyman and the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle race team’s 2022 championship pursuit. Watch it now on Harley-Davidson’s YouTube channel.
Harley-Davidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure and freedom for the soul. Go to H-D.com to learn more about the complete line of 2023 Harley-Davidson Grand American Touring, Sport, Adventure Touring, Cruiser and Trike motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Certified™ pre-owned motorcycles, Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Parts & Accessories, Harley-Davidson MotorClothes and gear, and Harley-Davidson Financial Services.
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