Video: Ducati Reveals Details About Its V21L Electric Prototype

David Swarts

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June 30, 2022

Video: Ducati Reveals Details About Its V21L Electric Prototype

Ducati MotoE prototype details revealed: expertise for the future developed through the competitions

Ducati presents the technical details of the “V21L” prototype, the first electric motorcycle from the Bologna-based manufacturer

Ducati MotoE comes from the close collaboration between the R&D department of Ducati and Ducati Corse: it integrates technical solutions never adopted before for battery pack, motor and inverter

The development of the project is already in an advanced stage and is proceeding at a rapid pace towards 2023, the year in which Ducati will take on the role of sole supplier of the FIM MotoE™ World Cup with 18 electric bikes on the track every race weekend

Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy), 30 June 2022 – Ducati unveils the technical details of the MotoE project in a video in which the prototype is illustrated by the team that has overseen its creation and is following its development.

“V21L” in Borgo Panigale identifies Ducati’s first electric motorcycle, a prototype that starting from 2023 will compete in the FIM MotoE™ World Cup, of which the Bologna-based motorcycle manufacturer will be a partner as sole supplier with 18 bikes on the track during each race weekend.

The MotoE project has strategic relevance for Ducati since it makes it possible to develop expertise for the future while maintaining the approach that has always fuelled the DNA of the Bologna-based manufacturer: experimenting with technological solutions in the world of racing and working to ensure that everything that is developed in this area can then transfer to motorcycles destined for enthusiastic Ducatisti from all over the world.

Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO: “A few weeks ago I had the extraordinary opportunity to ride the Ducati MotoE on the track and I immediately realized that I was living in a historic moment. The world is going through a complex period and environmental sustainability is an element that all individuals and all companies must consider a priority if we want to preserve the delicate balance of the planet. As Ducati, we have grasped this need and we went in search of a challenge that would allow us to contribute to the common goal of reducing CO₂ emissions and at the same time to keep faith with our DNA linked to racing. We agreed with determination to develop the most performing electric racing bike that current technology makes possible and to use this project as a laboratory in which to build our future. The result we have achieved is surprising. As soon as I sat on the bike I realized the quality of the work done by the team and when I returned to the garage I felt a deep sense of pride for what we were once again able to achieve.”

To produce the MotoE prototype, the Bologna-based motorcycle manufacturer put together a team that unites Ducati and Ducati Corse designers, creating a truly extraordinary mix of skills. The creation of the bike followed the procedure that is usually adopted for production bikes, triggering a close collaboration between the members of the team that led to new ways of thinking and designing, encouraged by such a technologically challenging project.

The division of tasks and the continuous dialogue between the people who make up the team were fundamental throughout the process. Ducati R&D took care of all the Project Management activities, together with the design and simulations on the electric powertrain, while the design of the MotoE was taken care by the Centro Stile Ducati which also created the livery of the bike. Ducati Corse, on the other hand, worked on the electronic parts design, on the software controls and strategies, on the simulations of the dynamics and aerodynamics of the motorcycle and finally on the bike assembly, testing and data acquisition processes.

The result to date is already satisfactory: the Ducati MotoE has a total weight of 225 kg (12 kg less than the minimum requirements imposed by Dorna and FIM for a bike capable of completing the race distance) and can count on maximum power and torque figures of 110 kW (150 hp) and 140 Nm respectively, which allowed it to reach a speed of 275 km/h on a circuit like Mugello (Italy).

Vincenzo De Silvio, Ducati R&D Director: “For Ducati, having the opportunity to become suppliers of the FIM MotoE™ World Cup is not only a technologically exciting venture, but also the best way to interpret the challenges of the new millennium. Racing competition represents the ideal terrain on which to develop innovative technologies that will then transfer to production motorcycles. At this moment, the most important challenges in this field remain those related to the size, weight, autonomy of the batteries and the availability of the charging networks. Ducati’s experience in the FIM MotoE™ World Cup will be a fundamental support for product R&D, together with the physiological evolution of technology and chemistry. Helping the company’s internal expertise to grow is already essential today to be ready when the time comes to put the first street electric Ducati into production.”

The mix of expertise, passion and work of the Ducati MotoE team has led to the birth of an electric motorcycle with unique technical solutions. Starting with the battery pack, the most binding and characterizing element in terms of masses and dimensions, which on the Ducati MotoE is characterized by a shape specifically designed to follow the natural course of the middle area of the bike. The battery pack weighs 110 kg and offers a capacity of 18 kWh with a 20-kW charging socket integrated into the tail. Inside there are 1,152 cylindrical cells of the “21700” type.

The inverter, with a low weight of 5 kg, is a unit derived from a high-performance model used in motor racing for electric vehicles, while the motor (21 kg weight and a maximum rotation speed of 18,000 rpm) was developed by a partner following the technical specifications provided by Ducati. The entire system is based on a voltage of 800V (with a fully charged battery pack) to maximize the output of the electric powertrain and, as a consequence, performance and range.

One of the most advanced technical solutions tested on the Ducati MotoE concerns the cooling system. The prototype components are in fact cooled by a particularly sophisticated and efficient liquid system with a double circuit designed to meet the different thermal needs of the battery pack and the motor/inverter unit . This guarantees extreme regularity of temperatures with important benefits in terms of consistency of performance but also in charging times. In fact, it is not necessary to wait for the battery pack to cool to start the process: the Ducati MotoE can be charged as soon as it enters the garage, and it takes about 45 minutes to recharge it up to 80% of its range.

The carbon fibre case of the battery pack also acts as a stressed part of the chassis, like what happens for the Ducati Panigale V4 engine, with an aluminium monocoque Front Frame for the front area weighing 3.7 kg. The rear is composed of an aluminium swingarm weighing 4.8 kg with a geometry like that of the Ducati Desmosedici racing in MotoGP. The rear subframe, which integrates the tail and the rider seat, is made of carbon fibre.

The suspension area features an Öhlins NPX 25/30 pressurized fork with 43 mm diameter upside-down tubes at the front, derived from the Superleggera V4, while an Öhlins TTX36 shock absorber is present at the rear and is fully adjustable. The steering damper is an adjustable Öhlins unit.

The braking system is supplied by Brembo and is sized for the specific requirements of the Ducati MotoE. At the front it is composed of a double steel disc with a diameter of 338.5 mm of increased thickness, which has fins on the internal diameter with the aim of increasing the thermal exchange surface area and improve disc cooling in conditions of extreme use on the track. Two GP4RR M4 32/36 calipers with a PR19/18 radial master cylinder operate on this double disc. At the rear, the P34 caliper acts on a single disc unit 220 mm in diameter and 5 mm thick with a PS13 master cylinder. Teams can also choose to equip their bikes with an optional rear brake control positioned on the left handlebar, which the rider can use as an alternative to the pedal one.

Roberto Canè, Ducati eMobility Director: “I remember the birth of the MotoE project and every phase of the composition of the work team well, with the involvement of Ducati Corse colleagues and the search for contacts within the Volkswagen Group who could give us suggestions on how to develop this project. To make this bike we followed the same procedure that we usually follow on a production bike. We started by defining the design of the bike and in parallel the technical office began to design the various vehicle components. The initial brief was to create a racing bike that respected the minimum performance characteristics required by Dorna. As a matter of fact, this project has made and is making the whole team involved fall in love and is pushing us to create a bike with better characteristics than initially requested by the organizer.”

The development process of the Ducati MotoE also involved the Ducati Corse test team led by Marco Palmerini, who worked on the track applying the same methodologies used in MotoGP, thanks also to the support of the riders Michele Pirro, Alex De Angelis and Chaz Davies. Through the work on the electronics, the aim was to obtain a throttle response like that of an endothermic unit and a response from the electronic controls (such as Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Slide Control, Ducati Wheelie Control and throttle/engine brake maps) indistinguishable from that of the racing bikes that Ducati riders are used to.

The possibility of applying the development and test method already used in MotoGP, with a precise sequence of tests to be carried out on the various components to maximize the performance of each day on the track, was achieved also thanks to the efficiency of the cooling system, which has reduced charging times to a minimum, thus allowing for a truly significant continuity of use for an electric motorcycle. The development work involved a specific learning and training course for all the personnel involved, exploiting the knowledge shared within the Volkswagen Group, to ensure the total safety of the rider and technicians.

The fact that Ducati belongs to the Volkswagen Group, which has made electric mobility an essential element of its “New Auto” 2030 strategy, represents the best prerequisite for an extraordinary exchange of expertise in the field of electric powertrains. Ducati is in close contact with the Group’s centres of expertise and with the Centre of Excellence (CoE) at Salzgitter in Germany, but also with other brands of the Group such as Porsche and Lamborghini.

The work plan of the Ducati MotoE project has already reached an advanced stage of development and is proceeding at a rapid pace towards 2023, the year in which Ducati will take on the role of sole supplier of the FIM MotoE™ World Cup with 18 electric motorcycles on the track every weekend. The next objective for the Bologna-based manufacturer is to take advantage of participation in the most important racing competition in the world for electric motorcycles to experiment with innovative technologies, train new skills and study how to create, as soon as the technology will allow, a Ducati electric vehicle that is sporty, light, exciting and able to satisfy all enthusiasts.

MotoAmerica: REV’IT Sponsoring Twins Cup

David Swarts

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June 30, 2022

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MotoAmerica: REV’IT Sponsoring Twins Cup

REV’IT! Named Title Sponsor Of MotoAmerica’s Twins Cup Series

An Industry Leader In Technical Motorcycle Apparel, REV’IT! Is Now The Title Sponsor Of MotoAmerica REV’IT! Twins Cup

IRVINE, CA (June 30, 2022) – MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, is proud to announce that REV’IT! Sport International, an industry leader in technical motorcycle apparel for more than 25 years, is now the title sponsor of the MotoAmerica Twins Cup class through the 2023 racing season.

With headquarters in Oss, the Netherlands, and offices in Denver, Colorado, REV’IT! continues its tradition of design, innovation, and performance to improve standards of safety for the global riding community and to inspire motorcyclists everywhere to explore the world.

“REV’IT! approached the 2022 MotoAmerica Championship with a renewed focus on riders competing in professional motorcycle racing at the national level,” said REV’IT! Brand Relations Manager Matthew Miles. “REV’IT! riders Danilo Petrucci and PJ Jacobsen have delivered standout performances in the premier MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike class, with Petrucci winning three races and leading the points standings.”

At Road America, round four of the series, Jacobsen and Petrucci led Sunday’s Superbike race and both riders finished on the podium. Fan favorite Larry Pegram, who made his REV’IT! debut at the Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, track, was fifth, the 2-3-5 finishing order an unprecedented achievement for the Dutch brand.

As MotoAmerica heads to WeatherTech Laguna Seca Raceway, July 8-10, REV’IT! is building on this strong foundation by expanding its involvement in the series to include title sponsorship of the Twins Cup class.

“Twins Cup is a popular and growing class, averaging more than 40 entries per event,” said Lance Bryson, MotoAmerica’s Director of Sponsorship. “This partnership will provide an opportunity for REV’IT! to further expand its footprint in the MotoAmerica paddock and continue to develop products aimed directly at the talented men and women who are inspired to showcase their riding skills on the racetrack. When you have the talents of Petrucci and Jacobsen leading your R&D, you know their input comes from world-class racing experience.”

Visit the REV’IT! display in the FanZone at MotoAmerica events.

About MotoAmerica

MotoAmerica is the North American road racing series created in 2014 that is home to the AMA Superbike Championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.MotoAmerica.com. Also make sure to follow MotoAmerica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Seven-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin Acquitted!

David Swarts

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June 30, 2022

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Seven-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin Acquitted!

Seven-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin has been acquitted of child sex offenses in Australia, according to a June 30 post on the Mat Mladin – Mladin Racing Facebook page.

An article published March 25, 2020, at DailyTelegraph.com, the online presence of Sydney, Australia’s largest newspaper, reported that Mladin, then 48, had been charged with sexual intercourse with a child under the age of 10, two counts of intentionally carrying out a sex act on a child under 10, and one count of intentionally inciting a child to perform a sex act.

Mladin was taken into custody on March 13, 2020, and spent days in jail before he was released on $50,000 bail and forced to surrender his passport.

In June 2020, Mladin appeared in court and some of the charges were dropped, according to DailyTelegraph.com, but the Campbelltown Court House handling the case sealed the records and placed a gag order over all involved parties, making it difficult to follow.

Roadracingworld.com made several attempts to contact Mladin, his attorney, and the court for updates on the case but was unsuccessful.

Then earlier today, over two years after being charged, Mladin posted the following to his Facebook page:

“NOT GUILTY”

This is what I have said from day one and after two and a half years of being put through the ringer, it was nice to finally have my time in Court and hear the jury say those same words: “Not guilty!” after record short deliberations. It took them just a few hours after an almost three week trial.

Anyone who truly knows me, knew all along.

I was SET UP.

And the evidence proved just this.

The police case against me, relied on witnesses who lied, deceived and purposely hid from police their true agendas. There were influential family members working in the background, conspiring to bring out certain outcomes. And I was the fall guy!

Insane!!!

The main family member conspiring in the background, who then tried to get into the girls’ heads, brought about what she alleged to be the first “disclosure” on the basis of something that she was told by … wait for it …

A CLAIRVOYANT!

And she went out of her way to make sure that Police didn’t find out and lied about it all in Court giving her evidence! It’s not smart to lie in court when the defense has all the proof of such lies. Not words spoken, but texts written and voice mails left.

You could not make this shit up! Things then continued to snowball from there, got out of control, and

then others, with their own motives, got on the bandwagon and went to town on me.”

It’s over and I have my life back. My beautiful daughters Jess and Em are looking forward to many things that have been put on hold this past couple of years.

Thank you to the people that put their hand up to support me. It will never be forgotten.

Mat

We will report more information as it becomes available.

California Roadrace Association: Ketelsen, Lanuza, Prince Star At Laguna Seca

David Swarts

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June 29, 2022

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California Roadrace Association: Ketelsen, Lanuza, Prince Star At Laguna Seca

California Roadrace Association 2022 Round 2 @ WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca: Bryce Prince, Brenden Ketelsen, Daniel Lanuza Dominate!

[Monterey, CA] California Roadrace Association (CRA) held the second round of the 2022 season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca June 25-26. Racers came from everywhere: Northern and Southern California, various other states, and even other countries. There were over 200 racers participating which resulted in healthy grids for every class and several reaching 40 riders on the grid. The weather was unseasonably beautiful with sunny skies from the first green flag to the last checkered one.

“While announcing, it was amazing to look out over a full paddock at Laguna Seca for a club race,” said CRA Co-Founder Lyle Geoff Brown.

CRA’s “Racers First” focus continued this weekend; The club shipped in and set up air fence protective barriers provided by the Roadracing World Action Fund. The club would like to thank all of the racers who volunteered to help with installation and teardown.

“Thankfully nobody actually ended up in the fence but a few riders did get close. It sure felt great having it there as extra insurance. We encourage everyone to donate to the Action Fund here: https://www.roadracingworld.com/actionfund/,” said Co-Founder Daniel Mole.

The weekend started off with Toby Khamsouk on his GSX-R1000 taking the win in the 20-lap 61DTC 1000GT race, followed by Yamaha YZF-R1 mounted Ben Hodges in second and Andrew Lee aboard his Kawasaki ZX-10R in third.

Bryce Prince showed up with his BPR Yamaha R1 and R7. He dominated the weekend in the Twins classes with a win in Bellissimoto Twins GT over Ari Henning on his Yoshimura YZF-R7. Bryce continued the victory streak by also taking P1 in the Bellissimoto Twins Grand Prix from pole position, with a blistering best lap time of 1:32.182. He also took first in Bellissimoto Battle of the Twins. Prince’s domination continued in the 1000 classes where he took P1 in the TRACKDAZ 1000 SUPERBIKE race.

Brenden Ketelsen, on board his Graves Kawasaki ZX-6R, turned up in top form. He took the win in Blud Lubricants 600 SUPERSPORT over Kawasaki ZX-6R mounted Patrick Coleman and Sahar Svik. Ketelsen also came in first in Carters @ the Track 600 SUPERBIKE, as well as 61DTC 600 GT. Declan Van Rosmalen on a Yamaha R6 and Orel Madar on his Kawasaki ZX-6 rounded out the podium in SUPERBIKE, and Patrick Coleman and Declan Van Rosmalen in GT, respectively.

In Sunday’s premier race, the 12-lap Riderzlaw Gold Cup, Bryce Prince rode his BPR Yamaha YZF-R1 to the top step with a commanding victory over Kawasaki ZX-10R mounted Andrew Lee and Brenden Ketelsen on his Kawasaki ZX-6R.

Some of the most compelling races of the weekend were the FEEL LIKE A PRO 400 SUPERBIKE and SUPERSPORT along with the 16-lap FEEL LIKE A PRO 400GT race. In impressive fashion, young gun Daniel Lanuza dominated the weekend by winning all three of the 400 class races. In the 400GT, Kawasaki Ninja 400 racers Jesse Sims and Andrew Gawer completed the top three spots. Sims also got second in 400 SUPERBIKE, with Matt Hornschu on his Ninja 400 in third. In 400 SUPERSPORT, Kawasaki Ninja 400 mounted Ramkumar Subramanian and Jasmine Nichols rounded out the podium.

“I’ve been riding at Laguna Seca for years but I never thought I’d have a chance to race it because I’m not a professional racer,” said Co-Founder Dustin Coyner. “When the opportunity came up for us to host an event here, we jumped at it. This is an iconic track and racing it was truly one of the best moments of my life. The great attendance meant I had epic battles in every race. Making a pass on someone into the corkscrew is the stuff of dreams.”

Round 3 of CRA competition will be held the weekend of July 23-24 at the Buttonwillow Raceway Park on Configuration-1 Clockwise-Direction.

For more information on CRA visit their website at www.race-cra.com. Get licensed and let’s go racing. #areyoucra #racecra #iamcra

CRA would like to thank their sponsors for their support:

Dunlop Motorcycle Tires, Racers Edge Performance, Riderz Law, Feel Like A Pro, CTML Consultants, Motorsport Exotica, VnM Sport, TrackDaz, Let’s Ride Track Days, Carters @ the Track, Fun Track Dayz, 61 DTC (Pirelli), Racers Edge Performance (Dunlop), Blood x Sweat x Tears Vodka, Fosters Freeze (Sanger, CA), Blud Lubricants, Bellissimoto, AZAD Wheels, Action Sports Canopies, Boxo USA, Captit Performance, ASV, KYT Helmets, Thermal Technology, Mullico, Life Aid/Fit Aid, Suspension Matters, #376 Design, Cinepixel Productions, The Heights Restaurant & Bar, ChaChaCha Motorsports, Maria Cid Insurance Agency, 844-MY-MOTOW.

2022 ROUND 2 RESULTS (WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca)

61DTC 1000GT

1. Toby Khamsouk (Suz GSX-R1000)

2. Ben Hodges (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Andrew Lee (Kaw ZX-10R)

4. George Myshlyayev (Kaw ZX-10R)

5. Sahar Svik (BMW S1000RR)

6. Garrett Pacheco (BMW S1000RR)

Bellissimoto Battle of the Twins

1. Bryce Prince (Yam YZF-R7)

2. Ari Henning (Yam YZF-R7)

3. Justin Bordonaro (Apr RS 660)

4. Stefano Mesa (Energica)

5. Jesse Davis (Yam XV920RJ)

6. Shannon Deane (Apr RS 660)

Bellissimoto Twins GrandPrix

1. Bryce Prince (Yam YZF-R7)

2. Stefano Mesa (Energica)

3. Justin Bordonaro (Apr RS 660)

4. Troy Siahaan (Kra Evo2R)

5. Daniel Lanuza (Kaw 400)

6. Jesse Sims (Kaw 400)

BST Vodka Formula 40 Heavyweight

1. George Myshlyayev (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. Dustin Coyner (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Thomas Assaeo (Yam YZF-R1)

4. Terry Heard (BMW S1000RR)

5. Fabrice Vilder (Yam YZF-R1)

6. Thomas Babcock (BMW S1000RR)

BST Vodka Formula 40 Middleweight

1. Sahar Svik (Kaw ZX-6R)

2. Stephen Rue (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Josh Fogle (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Keir Leonhardt (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Jose Flores (Suz GSX-R750)

6. Jesse Carter (Kaw ZX-6R)

BST Vodka Formula 40 Lightweight

1. Shannon Deane (Apr RS 660)

2. Yuri Barrigan (Kra Evo2R)

3. Charles Silver (Kaw 400)

4. Jared Kapoor (Kaw 400)

5. Christopher Goelz (Kaw 400)

6. Tony Nolley (Kaw 400)

Blud Lubricants Expert 600 Supersport

1. Brenden Ketelsen (Kaw ZX-6R)

2. Patrick Coleman (Kaw ZX-6R)

3. Sahar Svik (Kaw ZX-6R)

4. Harm Jansen (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Declan Van Rosmalen (Yam YZF-R6)

6. Keir Leonhardt (Yam YZF-R6)

CT Racing 600 GT

1. Brenden Ketelsen (Kaw ZX-6R)

2. Patrick Coleman (Kaw ZX-6R)

3. Declan Van Rosmalen (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Stephen Rue (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Orel Madar (Kaw ZX-6R)

6. Josh Fogle (Yam YZF-R6)

CTML Consultants Expert 1000 Supersport

1. Andrew Lee (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. Jack Bakken (BMW S1000RR)

3. Toby Khamsouk (Suz GSX-R1000)

4. Georgo Myshlyayev (Kaw ZX-10R)

5. Ben Hodgees (Yam YZF-R1)

6. Travis Ellis (Duc V4 R)

Carter’s @ The Track Expert 600 Superbike

1. Brenden Ketelsen (Kaw ZX-6R)

2. Declan Van Rosmalen (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Orel Madar (Kaw ZX-6R)

4. Patrick Coleman (Kaw ZX-6R)

4. Sahar Svik (Kaw ZX-6R)

6. Zach Harrington (Yam YZF-R6)

Feel Like A Pro 400 GT

1. Daniel Lanuza (Kaw 400)

2. Jesse Sims (Kaw 400)

3. Andrew Gawer (Kaw 400)

4. Andres Orozco (Kaw 400)

5. Steven Kopp (Kaw 400)

6. Aliki Karayan (Kaw 400)

Feel Like A Pro Expert 400 Superbike

1. Daniel Lanuza (Kaw 400)

2. Jesse Sims (Kaw 400)

3. Matt Hornschu (Kaw 400)

4. Ramkumar Subramanian (Kaw 400)

5. Charles Silver (Kaw 400)

6. Jasmine Nichols (Kaw 400)

Feel Like A Pro Amateur 400 Superbike

1. Jacob Allegra (Kaw 400)

2. Tony Nolley (Kaw 400)

3. Ryan Robinson (Kaw 400)

4. Anja Tschopp (Kaw 400)

5. Peyton Daughhetee (Kaw 300)

6. Michael Jobling (Kaw 400)

Feel Like A Pro Expert 400 Supersport

1. Daniel Lanuza (Kaw 400)

2. Ramkumar Subramanian (Kaw 400)

3. Jasmine Nichols (Kaw 400)

4. Charles Silver (Kaw 400)

5. Jared Kapoor (Kaw 400)

6. Andrew Gawer (Kaw 400)

Feel Like A Pro Amateur 400 Supersport

1. Jacob Allegra (Kaw 400)

2. Tony Nolley (Kaw 400)

3. Ryan Robinson (Kaw 400)

4. Anja Tschopp (Kaw 400)

5. Kathy Zhao (Kaw 300)

6. Nicholas De Sena (Kaw 400)

Fit Aid Amateur 1000 Supersport

1. Jason Rodriguez (Yam YZF-R1)

2. Sean Williams (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Jesus Ruiz (Yam YZF-R1)

4. Jarrod Pellizzer (BMW S1000RR)

5. Anthony Huizer (Suz GSX-R1000)

6. Jack Joaquin (Yam YZF-R1)

Fit Aid Amateur 600 Supersport

1. Quincy Bowers (Kaw ZX-6R)

2. Christopher Morris (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Will Shy (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Josh Martin (Kaw ZX-6R)

5. Chad Pocher (Tri 675R)

6. Geoff Sims (Yam YZF-R6)

Fosters Freeze (Sanger, CA) American Iron

1. Jesse Davis (Yam XVR920)

2. Anthony Sollima (H-D FXFB)

3. Eric Stahl (H-D FLHX)

4. John Trujillo (H-D FXDL)

5. Gregory Stinnett (H-D XR1200)

6. Chris Rivas (H-D FLTR)

Formula E

1. Stefano Mesa (Energica)

2. Troy Siahaan (LF LF19R)

3. Kenyon Kluge (Zero SR/F)

4. Patrick McBride (En Ego)

Fun Track Dayz Amateur 600 Superbike

1. Christopher Morris (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Chad Pocher (Tri 675R)

4. Josh Martin (Kaw ZX-6R)

5. Garrett Graves (Kaw ZX-6R)

6. Will Shy (Yam YZF-R6)

Ladies of CRA presented by Let’s Ride Track Days

1. Shelina Moreda (Yam YZF-R1)

2. Rainey Pogue (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Savannah Jaska (Apr RS 660)

4. Daniela Fredrick (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Bridgette LeBer (Yam YZF-R6)

6. Jasmine Nichols (Kaw 400)

Mullico Amateur 1000 Superbike

1. Jason Rodriguez (Yam YZF-R1)

2. Jesus Ruiz (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Nathan Flud (BMW S1000RR)

4. Ryan Wolf (Kaw ZX-10R)

5. Jarrod Pellizzer (BMW S1000RR)

6. Jaycee Sterling (Suz GSX-R1000)

Sportsman presented by Motorsport Exotica

1. Jesus Ruiz (Yam YZF-R1)

2. Jack Joaquin (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Anthony Huizer (Suz GSX-R1000)

4. Miguel Romero (Duc)

5. Nathan Flud (BMW S1000RR)

6. Jason Diaz (BMW S1000RR)

TrackDaz Expert 1000 Superbike

1. Bryce Prince (Yam YZF-R1)

2. Toby Khamsouk (Suz GSX-R1000)

3. Jack Bakken (BMW S1000RR)

4. George Myshlyayev (Kaw ZX-10R)

5. Ben Hodges (Yam YZF-R1)

6. Andrew Lee (Kaw ZX-10R)

Riderz Law Gold Cup

1. Bryce Prince (Yam YZF-R1)

2. Andrew Lee (Kaw ZX-10R)

3. Brenden Ketelsen (Kaw ZX-6R)

4. George Myshlyayev (Kaw ZX-10R)

5. Tyler Bengford (Kaw ZX-10R)

6. Daniel Velazco (BMW S1000RR)

7. Dustin Coyner (Yam YZF-R1)

8. Josh Fogle (Yam YZF-R6)

9. Terry Heard (BMW S1000RR)

10. Stephen Rue (Yam YZF-R6)

MotoAmerica Live+ Now Available At Mid-Season Price

David Swarts

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June 29, 2022

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MotoAmerica Live+ Now Available At Mid-Season Price

Midseason Pricing Special For MotoAmerica Live+

Five Rounds And 10 Races Remain In The Exciting 2022 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship; Watch Every Lap Of Every Class For Only $59.95

IRVINE, CA (June 29, 2022) – The 2022 MotoAmerica Championship is reaching the boiling point with heated battles in all the classes, including one of the closest battles ever in the headline Medallia Superbike class as the series reaches the halfway mark. Thus, with five rounds left in the 10-round season, MotoAmerica is now offering midseason pricing on its live-streaming and on-demand platform, MotoAmerica Live+.

For the special pricing of $59.95, MotoAmerica fans can catch every single lap of the remaining Medallia Superbike battles, Supersport, Yuasa Stock 1000, SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup and REV’IT! Twins Cup races in what is the next best thing to actually being at the races.

The remaining five rounds of the 2022 MotoAmerica Championship are as follows:

July 8-10 WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Monterey, CA

July 29-31 Brainerd International Raceway Brainerd, MN

Aug. 19-21 Pittsburgh International Race Complex Wampum, PA

Sept. 9-11 New Jersey Motorsports Park Millville, NJ

Sept. 23-25 Barber Motorsports Park Birmingham, AL

About MotoAmerica

MotoAmerica is the North American road racing series created in 2014 that is home to the AMA Superbike Championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.MotoAmerica.com. Also make sure to follow MotoAmerica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

MotoAmerica: The Final Press Releases From Ridge Motorsports Park

David Swarts

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June 29, 2022

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MotoAmerica: The Final Press Releases From Ridge Motorsports Park

3D Motorsports’ Power claims top-five finish Sunday in MotoAmerica Supersport race after suffering big crash on Saturday

Shakespeare takes home points-paying finishes in Stock 1000, Twins Cup at The Ridge Motorsports Park

SHELTON, Wash. — 3D Motorsports’ Luke Power was back to competing with the frontrunners in MotoAmerica’s Supersport Class Saturday and Sunday at The Ridge Motorsports Park. Though Power crashed out of the Saturday’s race, the Australian – who netted his first MotoAmerica podium finish at the prior round – capped off his first time racing at the Washington State track with a top-five finish on Sunday.

One of the team’s other riders – Brit Steven Shakespeare – pulled double duty at the June 24-26 event and claimed points-paying finishes in both Stock 1000 and Twins Cup.

Power took some time to learn The Ridge’s undulating 2.5-mile layout in practice but upped his pace for Friday qualifying. He finished Friday practice 10th fastest but moved up three places in Qualifying 1 while shaving more than three seconds off his best lap time. The team’s third rider, Joe Mariniello, struggled to start the weekend, as he finished Junior Cup Friday practice in 13th and Qualifying 1 in 14th.

Shakespeare also endured a challenging start to the event in Twins Cup. He finished Twins Cup Friday practice in 21st and Qualifying 1 in 20th, though he did improve his best lap time by about three seconds in qualifying. In the Stock 1000 Class, Shakespeare had better fortunes. He concluded Friday practice in 16th but fell to 20th in Friday’s Qualifying 1.

Qualifying for all classes concluded Saturday morning, with Power having secured seventh on the Supersport starting grid, Mariniello 11th in Junior Cup and Shakespeare 21st in Twins Cup and 17th in Stock 1000.

First up to race on Saturday afternoon was Shakespeare in the first of the weekend’s two Stock 1000 races. Though he didn’t get a great start, Shakespeare made up two places in the first three laps of the 10-lap race and was able to finish the race in 16th. Mariniello got a decent start in the Saturday Junior Cup race but wasn’t able to move up the running order and ran in a lonely 11th place for all 10 laps of the race.

Power showed excellent pace in the opening laps of Saturday’s Supersport race. He had moved up to sixth place on the first lap, but a crash on Lap 4 brought his race to an early end. Shakespeare was back on track later Saturday for the Twins Cup contest. Though he was struggling for pace, attrition farther up the running order in the shortened seven-lap race allowed Shakespeare to finish in 15th and score his first Twins Cup points of the 2022 season.

The first race of the day on Sunday was Stock 1000, which saw Shakespeare net his second points-paying finish of the event. Shakespeare was running as high as 15th before the race was stopped due to an on-track incident. Taking the restart from 16th on the grid, moved up to 15th on Lap 4 of the restarted 5-lap race thanks to attrition father up the order, then advanced another position on the last lap to finish 14th. Shakespeare was right back out on track for the day’s Twins Cup race, which he finished in 16th place.

Mariniello had an unfortunate start to the Sunday Junior Cup race, as he was assessed a time penalty for jumping the start. Though he advanced past another rider on Lap 1, Mariniello slipped back to 11th in the running order on Lap 2 and retired from the race on Lap 5.

Power bounced back from his crash on Saturday to nab a top-five result on Sunday. Starting in seventh, Power finished Lap 1 in sixth place – a position he maintained through Laps 2 and 3. Though he dropped as low as seventh during the 15 lap race, attrition on the last lap promoted Power to a fifth-place finish.

The 3D Motorsports LLC team will be back in action the weekend after next when MotoAmerica visits WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on July 8-10.

Luke Power / No. 68

“This weekend was definitely not what I’d hoped for. We made great progress on Friday, which made the weekend promising for myself and the team. In Race 1, I was in the podium fight and was feeling really good, but unfortunately sent the bike into the trees. The 3D Motorsports team worked their butts off all night to get the bike fixed. I wasn’t feeling great for Race 2, but I pushed on and managed to salvage a fifth place even with a fading rear tire. A massive thank you to the whole team for their endless work and late nights, as they definitely got me out of the crap today. Now it’s on to Laguna, which is a track I’ve been looking forward to all year.”

3D Motorsports’ sponsors for the 2022 MotoAmerica season include Orient Express, K-Tech, BTEC Turbines, 4SR USA, Blud Lubricants, CG Law, Evol Technologies, AF1 Racing, Southern Adrenaline, M4 Exhaust, Valor Farms, Second Hand Motorsports, LS2, Motorcycle Dealer Services and DrippinWet.

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

Double Deuces for LiMandri at the Ridge

Joseph LiMandri Jr. backed up his first professional win last round with two 2nd place finishes in his very first visit to Ridge Motorsports Park in the SportbikeTrackGear.com Junior Cup this past weekend [June 24-26].

Despite only seeing the track for the first time during Friday’s practice session, Joe was able to quickly adapt and qualify a reasonable sixth. That enabled him to get away with the lead group and keep the pace.

Joseph LiMandri Jr. (62). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy SportbikeTrackGear.com.

Being under the weather all weekend, Joe gave credit to his team. “Corbo (of Bauce Racing) always gives me all the confidence in this Ninja 400 I need, so I can just focus on riding. A couple of laps in, I could barely breathe, but I knew if I kept them in my sights, I’d have a shot.” Speaking of shots, he’s quick to mention his main sponsor, “Without the support of SportbikeTrackGear.com, we wouldn’t be here, so I’m super thankful to them too.”

LiMandri finished just 0.2 second off the leader in Race One, and 0.4 second off in Race Two while setting the fastest lap of the weekend.

Teammate Max Van had solid rides with a fifth in Race One, then improving to fourth in Race Two. “We just didn’t have the pace of the lead group this weekend,” Max said. “These were tough races, but given the last couple of unlucky ones, I’m happy to get the points haul, and ready to regain some confidence at Laguna.”

Joe and Max sit third and fifth, respectively, in the championship standings with five rounds remaining.

The SportbikeTrackGear.com squad returns to the West Coast on July 8th at Laguna Seca.

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

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

Nearly perfect performance for Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing at The Ridge

With two combined pole positions, three race wins and a third place Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing riders Gus Rodio and Anthony Mazziotto had their best event of the season at Ridge Motorsports Park near Shelton, Washington.

A qualifying time of 1:53.572 earned Gus Rodio the pole position for the races, over a half a second ahead of the competition. He used the grid position to his advantage to stretch out an early lead in Race One that at times was over two seconds, ultimately bringing his Kawasaki Ninja 400 home for the win. In Race Two, a mechanical issue caused Gus to jump the start. He finished the race in second place, but after a five-second penalty for the infraction Gus was scored in third.

Gus Rodio (96). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing.

Gus Rodio: “From the beginning of the weekend I felt great at this track. The bike was working well and I was having a lot of fun. When Sunday came around we had clutch issues from warm up to the race, but managed to bring the bike home. We’re going to keep working at this and I’m happy to be leading the championship going into Laguna.”

Smashing the existing Twins Cup lap record with a 1:46.152, Mazziotto claimed the pole position for the weekend and earned a Wilbur watch in the process. Winning red flagged Race One and a full-distance Race Two Anthony leaves “The Ridge” in second place in the championship.

Anthony Mazziotto (516). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Rodio Racing/Warhorse HSBK Racing.

Anthony Mazziotto: “Coming into The Ridge I had an amazing feeling that the Rodio Racing Warhorse HSBK Aprilia was going to perform well. It was a track where I have experience and felt confident in coming back. We started off leading in P1, but slipped to third in Q1. The team knew what to do to get the bike on pole, and in Q2 we did just that. We are coming home with a pole position and two race wins, so this weekend was a perfect one for us.”

Rodio Warhorse HSBK Racing returns to MotoAmerica racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca July 8-10, 2022.

More, from a press release issued by Altus Motorsports:

MotoAmerica: Results from The Ridge Motorsports Park for the Altus Motorsports WPS FLY Racing Team

(Shelton, WA) The first stop on the West Coast for MotoAmerica was the beautiful, but technical track at Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington. The fantastic weather welcomed the team (which was without Justin Jones who opted out for the remainder of the season) for what turned out to be a great weekend.

Superbike Cup & Stock 1000

Brandon Paasch continued his progress on the Altus Suzuki GSX-R1000R. Unlike some other races on the schedule this season, “The Ridge” featured a doubleheader for the Stock 1000 class. Paasch finished both in sixth position. In the Superbike Races, he finished 15th in Race One and 14th in Race Two. The Superbike Cup is a race-within-a-race of Stock 1000 bikes among the Superbikes. In that class, Brandon garnered good points taking third place both days.

Brandon Paasch (96). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

Supersport

Jaret Nassaney made a step forward in his riding this year. He has finished in the top 10 almost every round and is now targeting the top five spots. In Supersport Race One at “The Ridge,” Nassaney started in eighth and finished in seventh. In the second race, he was battling for fifth when he and another racer collided and ended up on the ground. In spite of the crash, Jaret finished 10th after picking the bike up.

“I was excited to go back to ‘The Ridge’ because it’s a track I really enjoy. I rode my tail off all weekend but didn’t get the results I was hoping for. I was in fifth for most of all Race Two but had an incident with another racer that caused us both to go down. I got the bike up and managed to finish 10th. I was really looking forward to another top five finish! We know we can be up there and I’m looking forward to Laguna Seca in a few weeks,” said Jaret Nassaney.

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

Junior Cup

Kayla Yaakov has been on almost every Junior Cup podium this year, but the top step has eluded her. That changed at “The Ridge.” She started both races from the middle of the first row – her best qualifying of the season. In Race One, she managed third place but the bike setup was not optimal. After a set-up overhaul, Kayla rolled the bike out in Sunday morning warm-up and it was “perfect.” And it showed in Race Two. Kayla led most of the race and notched her first victory. This is not only an iconic moment for her, but also for the sport. Yaakov is the first female winner since MotoAmerica began running the American series. Kayla currently sits in fourth place in the Junior Cup series but is only eight points out of first place.

Kayla Yaakov (59). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports. — Kayla Yaakov (31). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Altus Motorsports.

“What an absolutely amazing weekend at Ridge Motorsports Park! Not only was this a huge win for me personally, but I became the first woman to ever win a MotoAmerica race! This truly feels like the best weekend of racing in my entire career. I was in the top three in all of my sessions. I started the weekend with my best ever qualifying position of second, (a big step up from my previous best qualifying position of seventh). That gave me a tremendous amount of confidence going into the races. In Race One, we battled a bit with the setup but still came home with another podium in third place. I knew that a change needed to be made for the second race. My entire Altus Motorsports crew (with the help of Stoney and Rocco Landers) made a bunch of adjustments. In Sunday morning warmup, the motorcycle was almost completely different from the start of the weekend, but it felt absolutely perfect. This was a huge confidence boost. I had an awesome Race Two. I led the most laps and had one of the fastest laps of the race. Most importantly, I had a great bike under me that was able to give me the confidence and ability to win. I’m so happy to finally get this elusive victory, and hopefully, there are many more to come in the future! This year has been dedicated to my brother Dylan Quaid, who passed away in December of last year. This win was entirely for him, and I know he’s smiling wherever he is. Thank you to all of the wonderful people and sponsors who have made this possible!” said Kayla Yaakov.

“The team had a great weekend in Washington. Our crew is a great family and our pit is a wonderful place to be. We support each other and I could not ask for a better group of crew and racers. I can’t express how proud I am of Kayla. We knew her win was coming. She is an immensely talented and fantastic person and we are just glad to be a part of her success. And I’m also super proud of Jaret and Brandon. Both continue to make progress. Jaret was up as high as fourth at one point. His step forward this year has been impressive,” said team owner George Nassaney.

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

Canadian MiniSBK: Lalande Sweeps At Lombardy Raceway

David Swarts

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June 29, 2022

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Canadian MiniSBK: Lalande Sweeps At Lombardy Raceway

Lalande continues perfect season in Canadian MiniSBK with victory in race one at Lombardy

Lombardy, ON – Teenage phenom Vincent Lalande continued to etch his name in the record books on Saturday [June 25], winning race one in the Canadian Mini Superbike Championship for his sixth consecutive Motul Canada Cup victory to begin the season at Lombardy Raceway, presented by the Super Sonic Road Race School.

Lalande swept the opening four races at Lombardy this May, before winning a one-off race five at the Grand Bend Motorplex two weeks ago, but a return to his familiar stomping ground brought only more success on Saturday as Lalande jumped out to an early lead from rival Benjamin Hardwick.

The 14-year-old Mirabel, QC native didn’t have an easy win in store, however, as Hardwick made up for a poor start with a number of consistent laps, reeling in the championship leader on his mandatory Pirelli-mounted Ohvale machine.

Hardwick eventually began to put real pressure on his counterpart, setting the fastest lap of the race with a 38.969 and building towards another late duel between the duo, but his charge was spoiled when he crashed in the hairpin with just three laps to go.

The 13-year-old Sudbury, ON native re-mounted to finish third, continuing his own impressive run with a fifth-consecutive podium to begin the campaign.

Splitting the two familiar finishers was debut entry Dexter Falkenberg, who was making a wildcard appearance out of White Rock, British Columbia. The understudy of pro racer and four-time National champion Tomas Casas, 14-year-old Falkenberg was riding an Ohvale GP-O 160 machine for the first time but didn’t look at all out of place, running consistently just a second off Hardwick and Lalande to score a debut podium in second.

The newest member of the feature Canada Cup class traditionally races a KTM machine in the Pacific Coast Mini Roadracing Club, but had never turned a wheel in Ontario prior to this week. The youngster was able to shave nearly 11 seconds off his lap time by Saturday alone, thanks in large part to the mentorship of Casas and the Super Sonic Road Race School.

Lalande added two more victories to his day in the support classes, winning the GP-1 and Moto-1 categories aboard his SpeedFactory67 Buccimoto machine to extend his title lead in both groups.

Both victories came against newcomer Felix Di, who pushed Lalande early before ultimately losing out in the late stages, while Hardwick joined them on the podium in the Moto-1 class and Falkenberg completed the podium in the GP-1 ranks.

Di had an eventful GP-1 race, briefly challenging Lalande before running off but recovering just in time to battle with Falkenberg for second place, a position he would come away with thanks to a brilliant move late in the race.

The final race of the day saw another victory for nine-year old star Michael Galvis, who continued his epic form in the Moto-2 category. The youngest rider in the Canadian MiniSBK field stole another win aboard his Kawasaki KX65 ahead of pro national racer Colin Campbell, with Mike Bell completing the podium in third.

Lalande and company won’t have to wait long for their next opportunity to battle it out in Lombardy, with the second half of the round four doubleheader going on Sunday.

More, from another press release issued by CSBK/Professional Motorsports Productions (PMP):

Lalande completes another weekend sweep in Canadian MiniSBK at Lombardy

Lombardy, ON – The fourth round of the Canadian Mini Superbike Championship wrapped up with a familiar face at the front, as teenaged star Vincent Lalande won his seventh consecutive Motul Canada Cup feature race [June 26] in Lombardy, presented by the Super Sonic Road Race School.

Lalande had swept the first three weekends and all five races before adding a sixth win on Saturday, and Sunday brought the same result as the 14-year-old maintained his perfect season aboard his Pirelli-mounted Ohvale machine.

Sunday’s race brought a new challenge for the field, however, as the grid had to navigate a slightly revised layout around the tight, challenging Lombardy Raceway, but the change wasn’t enough to unseat a resilient Lalande at the front as he stormed away for one of his most dominant victories of the campaign.

He was joined once again by rival Benjamin Hardwick on the podium, who maintained his perfect podium streak in second, though Hardwick had perhaps his stiffest challenge yet in what was a thrilling battle with newcomer Dexter Falkenberg.

With Lalande clear of the duo, it was Hardwick who led the wildcard entry for majority of the race, maintaining his advantage thanks to slightly better pace through the new, revised turn two chicane. Falkenberg didn’t look out of place through the rest of the layout, however, and managed to hang with Hardwick right to the line.

The 13-year-old Hardwick ultimately finished just 0.218 seconds clear of Falkenberg, with the 14-year-old British Columbia native completing a spectacular debut weekend with a pair of podiums in his first ever race appearance in Ontario.

Hardwick’s spectacularly consistent form will keep him ever so slightly in the title mix, though he will need to put some distance between himself and Lalande over the final two rounds and four feature races in August.

The trio battled again in the Moto-1 class support race later on in the day, with Falkenberg briefly grabbing the holeshot off the line before Lalande restored his lead en route to another victory aboard his SpeedFactory67 Buccimoto machine.

Falkenberg would settle in to second and lead Hardwick for almost the entirety of the contest, but the younger Sudbury, ON native eventually used his experience to make a brilliant move as they approached lapped traffic in the hairpin, clearing Falkenberg at the line to take another second-place finish on the day.

The other two support categories were won by nine-year old sensation Michael Galvis, as the youngest rider in the MiniSBK paddock dominated both the Sport-2 and Moto-2 races on Sunday.

Galvis was especially strong in the Sport-2 event, lapping the entire field aboard his Kawasaki KX65 to finish well clear of Mike Bell in second. Bell would place his Bellistic Films TTR110 just ahead of Sean Hickman, who scored a debut podium in third.

As for the Moto-2 ranks, it was pro national racer Connor Campbell who represented the biggest challenge to Galvis, though the emerging superstar held on for another victory with Bell completing the podium in third.

The Canadian Mini Superbike field will now enter their unofficial mid-summer break, with seven weeks of rest before the youngest talents in Canadian racing return to Lombardy on August 20-21 and again for the season finale on August 27-28.

MotoAmerica Mini Cup: More From The Ridge

David Swarts

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June 29, 2022

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MotoAmerica Mini Cup: More From The Ridge

By Shawn Smith

A total of 24 young racers from across the United States gridded up for MotoAmerica Mini Cup races on the kart track at Ridge Motorsports Park last weekend. Nathan Gouker, Kensei Matsudaira, and Anthony Lupo Jr. all won races riding spec Ohvale 110, 160, and 190cc racebikes.

The 110 class saw Nathan Gouker of Lexington, North Carolina dominate both qualifying rounds. Anthony Lupo Jr. out of Carlsbad, California lined up second on the grid with Mac MacClugage taking the last spot on the front row. Race One started with all three getting good starts and maintaining their running order for entire race, with Gouker winning, Lupo finishing second and MacClugage taking third.

Race Two for the 110 class was a repeat of race one, with the only difference being that Lupo was able to keep Nathan in sight. As the white flag flew Gouker crossed the line in first, Lupo in second and MacClugage in third. But that didn’t last as Gouker made a slight bobble in Turn Five, and Lupo grabbed the lead while MacClugage closed in on Gouker. MacClugage showed Gouker a wheel in the last sector but was unable to make the pass. At the finish line second-generation racer Lupo was out front, with Gouker in second and MacClugage in third. Gouker leads the 110 title chase with 95 points, followed by Lupo in second with 85 points, and MacClugage third with 64 points.

In 160 qualifying Gouker and Lupo traded fast laps back and forth for most of the session. When the checkered flew Gouker was the quickest with Lupo for second. Ryder Davis of Oil City, Pennsylvania filled out the front row by qualifying third. Kensei Matsudaira, the 160 points leader from Los Angeles, California, would start from fifth on the grid.

When the red lights went out for the start of Race One Lupo jumped out to an early lead as Gouker’s aggressive launch resulted in a big wheelie, his bike’s front wheel reaching for the sky. But within four corners Gouker was able to pass Lupo for the lead and never looked back. Meanwhile, Jesse James Shedden had an off-track excursion that would cut his race short. When the checkered flag flew Gouker took the win, Lupo was second, Davis was third, MacClugage was fourth, and Matsudaira rounded out the top five.

Race Two for the 160 class saw Lupo jumping out to an early lead with Gouker trailing him. This would last just over a lap and a half until Gouker set up a pass going into the chicane dropping down the ridge. Matsudaira moved into fourth place, pressuring Davis for third, but lost the rear when he tried to pass Davis and take third in Turn Seven.

While Gouker checked out, MacClugage worked through the pack to finish second behind Gouker and ahead of Joshua Raymond. Davis and Lupo’s early race speed was thwarted when they both had separate incidents that would result in them finishing seventh and eighth, respectively. Nathan Bettencourt put in his best performance of the year and grabbed fourth and Mahdi Salem was fifth while Shedden finished sixth. Gouker now leads with a commanding 83 points; MacClugage is second in the points with 69; and Matsudaira, who was the points leader going into this event, is now third with 58.

Kensei Matsudaira (74) won both Mini Cup 190 races at Ridge Motorsports Park. Photo by Dustin Ishikura/Fast Glass Media. — Kensei Matsudaira (74), seen here approaching a waving checkered flag, won both Mini Cup 190 races at Ridge Motorsports Park. Photo by Dustin Ishikura/Fast Glass Media.

Matsudaira dominated in the 190 class, qualifying on the pole and sharing the front row with his American Racing Team teammate Raymond along with fellow Californian Shedden. In Race One Raymond jumped inside of Matsudaira in Turn One to grab the lead. The pace out front was blistering and the two leaders put a gap on the field. Shedden, stuck deep in the field after a bad start, made a mistake trying to make a pass to keep the leaders in sight and retired early-on.

Matsudaira soon found an opening to grab the lead back from Raymond and increased his advantage to the finish. When Raymond bobbled, Mahdi Salem grabbed second and Kyle Botkin finished out the podium in third.

Race Two for the 190 class saw Matsudaira out front the entire time after grabbing the holeshot. Shedden and Raymond were able to stay close, but Matsudaira’s consistency allowed him to build a small gap by the time the checkered flag flew. These three put in the fastest laps of the weekend and ended the race with Shedden in second and Raymond in third. As the 190 class heads to Pitt Race for the next round, Matsudaira is the points leader with 90; Shedden has 80 for second place; and Raymond sits in third with 59.

RESULTS:

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 190 RACE ONE (All on Ohvale motorcyles and Dunlop tires) (June 25): 1. Kensei Matsudaira, 13 laps, 9:09.998, 85.091 mph; 2. Mahdi Salem, -13.118 seconds; 3. Kylie Botkin, -28.548; 4. Juliana Fernandez, -1 lap; 5. Joshua Raymond, -1 lap; 6. Jesse James Shedden, -7 laps. Race Distance, 13 laps, 13.000 miles; Race Time, 9 minutes, 9.998 seconds; Race Average Speed, 85.091 mph; Victory Margin, 13.118 seconds; Fastest Lap, Matsudaira, 41.544, 86.655 mph.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 190 RACE TWO (All on Ohvale motorcycles and Dunlop tires) (June 25): 1. Matsudaira, 13 laps, 9:17.480, 83.949 mph; 2. Shedden, -1.404 seconds; 3. Raymond, -5.987; 4. Salem, -21.346; 5. Botkin, -42.593; 6. Fernandez, -2 laps. Race Distance, 13 laps, 13 miles; Race Time, 9 minutes, 17.480 seconds; Race Average Speed, 83.949 mph; Victory Margin, 1.404 seconds; Fastest Lap, Matsudaira, 41.211, 87.355 mph.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 190 QUALIFYING ONE: 1. Matsudaira, 41.829, 86.065 mph; 2. Raymond, 41.877; 3. Salem, 43.291; 4. Fernandez, 43.898; 5. Botkin, 44.389.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 190 CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS (After 4 of 8 races): 1. Matsudaira, 90 points; 2. Shedden, 80 points; 3. Raymond, 59 points; 4. Botkin, 53 points; 5. Salem, 33 points; 6. Fernandez, 23 points.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 160 RACE ONE (All on Ohvale motorcycles and Dunlop tires) (June 25): 1. Nathan Gouker, 13 laps, 9:24.084, 82.966 mph; 2. Anthony Lupo Jr., -0.996 second; 3. Ryder Davis, -2.027; 4. Mac MacClugage, -5.460; 5. Kensei Matsudaira, -10.022; 6. Mahdi Salem, -12.577; 7. Joshua Raymond, -12.977; 8. Nathan Bettencourt, -19.791; 9. Juliana Fernandez, -30.640; 10. Evan Lamb, -32.691; 11. Kylie Botkin, -36.038; 12. Aden Parker, -1 lap; 13. Ryan Clark, -1 lap. Race Distance, 13 laps, 13.000 miles; Race Time, 9 minutes, 24.084 seconds; Race Average Speed, 82.966 mph; Victory Margin, 0.996-second; Fastest Lap, Lupo, 42.365, 84.976 mph.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 160 RACE TWO (All on Ohvale motorcycles and Dunlop tires) (June 25): 1. Gouker, 13 laps, 9:28.269, 82.355 mph; 2. MacClugage, -2.221 seconds; 3. Raymond, -8.913; 4. Bettencourt, -9.184; 5. Salem, -14.070; 6. Shedden, -14.410; 7. Davis, -14.497; 8. Lupo, -22.394; 9. Fernandez, -30.827; 10. Botkin, -32.187; 11. Lamb, -32.398; 12. Parker, -1 lap; 13. Clark, -1 lap; 14. Matsudaira, -2 laps. Race Distance, 13 laps, 13.000 miles; Race Time, 9 minutes, 28.269 seconds; Race Average Speed, 82.355 mph; Victory Margin, 2.721 seconds; Fastest Lap, Gouker, 42.514, 84.678 mph.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 160 QUALIFYING ONE: 1. Gouker, 42.533, 84.640 mph; 2. Lupo, 42.585; 3. Matsudaira, 42.891; 4. Davis, 42.896; 5. MacClugage, 43.050; 6. Raymond, 43.366; 7. Salem, 43.435; 8. Shedden, 43.533; 9. Bettencourt, 44.127; 10. Lamb, 44.237; 11. Fernandez, 44.561; 12. Botkin, 45.025; 13. Parker, 48.235; 14. Clark, 48.600.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 160 CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS (After 4 of 8 races): 1. Gouker, 83 points; 2. MacClugage, 69 points; 3. Matsudaira, 58 points; 4. Davis, 57 points; 5. Lupo, 48 points; 6. Salem, 38 points; 7. Shedden, 36 points; 8. Raymond, 32 points; 9. Bettencourt, 30 points; 10. Fernandez, 28 points.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 110 RACE ONE (All on Ohvale motorcycles and Dunlop tires) (June 25): 1. Nathan Gouker, 10 laps, 7:16.434, 82.487 mph; 2. Anthony Lupo Jr., -2.429 seconds; 3. Mac MacClugage, -5.462; 4. Connor Raymond, -14.591. Race Distance, 10 laps, 10 miles; Race Time, 7 minutes, 16.434 seconds; Race Average Speed, 82.487 mph; Victory Margin, 2.429 seconds; Fastest Lap, Gouker, 43.260, 83.218 mph.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 110 RACE TWO (All on Ohvale motorcycles and Dunlop tires) (June 25): 1. Lupo, 10 laps, 6:38.689, 90.296 mph; 2. Gouker, -2.058 seconds; 3. MacClugage, -2.863; 4. Raymond, -13.896. Race Distance, 10 laps, 10 miles; Race Time, 6 minutes, 38.689 seconds; Race Average Speed, 90.296 mph; Victory Margin, 2.058 seconds; Fastest Lap, Gouker, 43.334, 83.076 mph.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 110 QUALIFYING ONE: 1. Gouker, 43.094, 83.538 mph; 2. Lupo, 43.477; 3. MacClugage, 43.554; 4. Raymond, 44.489.

MINI CUP BY MOTUL 110 CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS (After 4 of 8 races): 1. Gouker, 95 points; 2. Lupo, 85 points; 3. MacClugage, 64 points; 4. Raymond, 52 points; 5. Brayden Fager, 22 points; 6. Stanley Gustafson, 20 points.

American Flat Track: Smith Filling In For Royal Enfield’s Injured Lewis

David Swarts

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June 29, 2022

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American Flat Track: Smith Filling In For Royal Enfield’s Injured Lewis

Cameron Smith to Fill In For Injured Johnny Lewis

Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield Welcomes Cameron Smith for New York and Pennsylvania AFT Rounds

Milwaukee, WI (Wednesday, June 29, 2022) – After sustaining a knee injury at the Laconia Short Track round of the American Flat Track Series, Moto Anatomy X Powered by Royal Enfield’s Johnny Lewis will not be suiting up for the upcoming rounds of the championship. But Lewis’ misfortune spells opportunity for promising young flat track racer Cameron Smith, who will fill in with the Moto Anatomy X team aboard the Twins FT for rounds eight and nine of the AFT series in the Production Twins class, starting this weekend at the New York Short Track at Weedsport Raceway.

Cameron Smith of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, is already a familiar face in the AFT Production Twins class. The 23-year-old celebrated two podium finishes in 2021, including a second-place finish at Weedsport, and is fresh off a fourth-place finish at the Lima Half-Mile. Smith is eager for the opportunity to race aboard the Royal Enfield Twins FT motorcycle at both the New York Short Track at Weedsport Raceway on July 2 and the Port Royal Half-Mile in Pennsylvania on July 16.

“I’m definitely excited to be running the Royal Enfield at the New York Short Track and Port Royal—that’s my home race,” says Smith. “I definitely can’t wait to get on the Twins FT and see what we can do. I grew up near Johnny and I got my style from him. I think the way the bike is set up, and because Johnny and I are the same height and kinda have the same style, we should be able to do well.”

As for Johnny Lewis, it’s a bittersweet turn of events, but the Moto Anatomy X racer is happy to hand an opportunity to someone he considers a friend and protégé. “I trained Cameron when he was 11, 12 years old, and on and off in the last few years,” said Lewis. “He has demonstrated winning speed, and he trusts me so I know I can help point him in the right direction. So it’s a good match.”

Lewis and the Moto Anatomy X crew also have utmost confidence in the Twins FT motorcycle, which they have been dedicated to developing with Royal Enfield. “I think I could have won again at Lima,” said Lewis, referring to his landmark victory in Ohio last year. “The bike is that good. We’re really happy with where it’s at, so as much as it sucks for me, I think it’s also really neat to see our development to this point. We have high expectations for the short tracks and half miles coming up. My goal is to be back in time for Peoria and the West Coast swing later this summer. But for now, our focus is on Cameron for these next two rounds.”

Adrian Sellers, Royal Enfield Head, Industrial Design, is also looking forward to having Smith under the tent. “We’re excited to have Cameron ride the Twins FT. He’s clearly proved himself this year and last, and his close relationship with Johnny makes him a natural fit for standing in while he’s injured. We’re also looking forward to his insights into the motorcycle and his fresh perspective on the Twins FT package. As only the second racer to ride the 2022 chassis, his inputs will be valuable to the continued development of the Twins FT.”

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., Canada and Puerto Rico. RENA currently offers the all-new 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.

WorldSBK: Team HRC Tests With Lecuona, Nagashima At Misano

David Swarts

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June 29, 2022

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WorldSBK: Team HRC Tests With Lecuona, Nagashima At Misano

A constructive Misano test for HRC rider Lecuona, HRC test rider Nagashima and a “special trackside observer”

Team HRC has been at the Misano World Circuit this week for another test session. Factory rider Iker Lecuona was out on track on both Tuesday and Wednesday, the hot and dry conditions in Italy allowing for uninterrupted work.

Having recently undergone surgery on his right hand, Xavi Vierge was unable to participate in the riding this week but was nevertheless in the garage with the team, keeping track of developments, watching some of the action trackside, and taking the time to analyse all the data together with his technicians.

For this test, Iker was joined on track by factory HRC test rider Tetsuta Nagashima. The Japanese rider worked intensively alongside Lecuona over the two days of testing, something that he will do again over the weekend of 5-7 August, as part of the #33 Team HRC: along with BSB Honda rider Takumi Takahashi, Lecuona and Nagashima will compete in the iconic Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race with a factory bike based on the CBR1000RR-R FIREBLADE SP.

The two riders and their technical teams spent the sessions focusing largely on the electronics, geometries and balance of the bike, comparing different set-ups with those used at the recent Misano WorldSBK round.

Having completed all the work it had planned, Team HRC is pleased with the progress made during these sessions. The team will now continue its work back at base in preparation for round five of the Superbike World Championship, which will play out at the Donington Park circuit in the UK over the weekend of 15-17 July.

Iker Lecuona 7

“After spending one day at Donington last week, which was very useful as I had the chance to experience this beautiful and fun, albeit very challenging track, we came here to Misano for two more days of testing, and I’m very pleased with how it’s gone. We worked our way through our test plan, and everything went smoothly, without any issues. The team did a very good job, Xavi was also here, with “Tetsu” Nagashima on the other side of the garage as well as quite a few Japanese engineers who came from the factory to see for themselves. Having Tetsu here was important because he is an official HRC test rider in Japan and was able to personally take part in the testing and share the track with me and other WorldSBK riders. It has been challenging in such hot and humid conditions, but we can be satisfied because I think we are continuing to improve. We completed two long runs and the feeling with the bike in the hot weather was pretty good, our race pace better compared to the recent round we had here. In general, I think we did a very good job over the two days. Now I feel a bit tired of course, but I’m happy and ready for the next step, with the Donington round coming up in a couple of weeks’ time.”

Xavi Vierge 97

“I’ve had mixed feelings here because of course I wanted to ride but, having had surgery recently, we thought it was best to avoid any risk. But I came along anyway because this is my first year in WorldSBK and I have never had the chance to watch the action trackside, and it can be very interesting. So we decided I would attend and it’s been very interesting to listen to the comments of “Tetsu” and Iker, to understand the different settings they are trying and to watch them and other riders in action to understand more in an attempt to continue improving. So I’m happy to have been here at Misano and I made the most of the weather, doing some training on my bicycle. I feel my condition’s improving day by day and this is very positive. And of course, it’s always nice to spend time with my team in the garage, even if it’s not in my usual role.”

Tetsuta Nagashima 45

“It’s been a really good experience for me because I’ve had the chance to understand the bike, the Pirelli tyres and the feeling with the CBR here at Misano. We completed a run with Iker today, I followed him and was better able to understand where we need to improve on the bike. I test the CBR in Japan and so this experience was very useful in that we could collect more direct information and also exchange opinions with Iker and Xavi. We worked very hard over these two days. The lap times were not too bad in the end, and the race simulation was also promising. We’ll keep working hard in Japan and I hope this will help the team and both Xavi and Iker. I wish to thank Honda for this great opportunity; I really enjoyed being here.”

Video: Ducati Reveals Details About Its V21L Electric Prototype

June 30, 2022

Ducati's V21L electric prototype at speed on a racetrack. Photo courtesy Ducati. — Ducati's V21L MotoE electric prototype at speed on a racetrack. Photo courtesy Ducati.