Dainese Orange County Flagship Store Celebrates Milestone 20 Years In The U.S.A.
Italian Motorcycle Group Has Since Expanded to Thirteen US Flagship Stores
Dainese (www.dainese.com), the world leader of protective wear for dynamic sports, is proud to announce the 20th anniversary of its first US flagship store.
In 2004, Dainese opened its first North American flagship store in Orange County to meet the needs of Southern California’s growing motorsports community. Over the past two decades, the store has become a premier destination for motorcycle enthusiasts seeking high-performance gear that combines cutting-edge technology with Dainese’s renowned craftsmanship. From innovative helmets to body armor, Dainese has continually elevated safety and performance standards for riders and athletes alike.
Another view of Dainese’s first flagship store in America, located in Costa Mesa, Orange County, California. Dainese photo.
“We opened Dainese Orange County with a mission to bring innovative products and enhance rider safety within one of the most vibrant and diverse riding communities in the country” said Louis Ortega, of Dainese North America. “Twenty years later, it’s amazing to see how we’ve grown from serving the Southern California riders at one location to expanding our commitment across 13 stores in North America, while staying true to our passion for innovation and protection.”
Dainese has carefully selected key markets across North America for its flagship stores, establishing a strong presence in major cities like New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Austin. Each store offers customers a premium shopping experience with access to Dainese’s cutting-edge protective gear, expert staff, and an unwavering commitment to rider safety. Globally, Dainese now boasts 45 locations, serving as a trusted name for dynamic sports enthusiasts around the world and cementing its reputation as a leader in motorsports protection.
Part of the showroom inside Dainese’s Orange County store. Dainese photo.
DAINESE GROUP
Dainese is the global leader in superior quality protection equipment and apparel for motorcycling and other dynamic sports. Headquartered in Vicenza, Italy, the company employs more than 1,000 employees and is present across EMEA, APAC and the Americas. Dainese owns three powerful brands (Dainese, AGV and TCX) synonymous with innovation and technical excellence. It is present in 96 countries through long-standing relationships with top-tier wholesale partners, 38 directly operated destination stores and a direct e-commerce channel. Founded in 1972 by Lino Dainese, the Dainese Group develops cutting-edge protective clothing for use when practicing dynamic sports: Motorcycle riding, winter sports, cycling, horse riding, and sailing. Dainese, AGV, and TCX products represent the technological frontier in terms of protection in dynamic sports, and are used by the world’s best athletes, from Valentino Rossi to Sofia, Olympic skiing champion and winner of the World Cup Downhill title.
Ducati REVS SoCal Returns to Chuckwalla Valley Raceway for Premier Track Experience
RideHVMC is proud to bring Ducati REVS, an unparalleled track experience, back to Chuckwalla Valley Raceway on January 13th. Set against the backdrop of Southern California’s renowned desert circuit, this exclusive event invites motorcycle enthusiasts of all levels to enhance their skills and immerse themselves in the Ducati culture.
Participants will benefit from personalized professional coaching from experienced instructors, tailored riding drills, and feedback to improve both confidence and technique. Whether you’re a seasoned racer or a first-time track rider, the event provides a supportive environment to experience what your Ducati is capable of.
Event highlights include:
Top-Tier Curriculum and Instruction: Gain invaluable track tips, techniques, and critiques from a team of professional coaches for every level rider including classroom between each session.
VIP Experiences: Engage with MotoAmerica champion Josh Herrin and rising star Kayla Yaakov through Q&A sessions and one-on-one advice as well as veteran coaches Jake Zemke and Jason Pridmore.
Ducati Hospitality: The event features catered lunches, and a relaxed paddock atmosphere. Participants will also receive unique Ducati REVS SoCal merchandise.
“Ducati REVS SoCal is more than a track day—it’s an experience for riders to push their limits, refine their skills, and build connections within the riding community,” said Corey Alexander, Ducati REVS SoCal event coordinator, Rahal Ducati MotoAmerica Racer, and RideHVMC co-founder.
Riders of all motorcycle brands are welcome to join, with a focus on safety, progression, and camaraderie. Space is limited, and riders are encouraged to reserve their spots early. Visit ducatirevssocal.com to learn more and secure your place on the track.
About RideHVMC
RideHVMC specializes in providing elite motorcycle experiences, focusing on rider development, safety, and community through professionally curated track events, instruction, motorcycle storage, and rentals.
Trackhouse MotoGP Team is excited to announce a new partnership with Gulf, the well-known brand and global manufacturer and supplier of performance lubricants and associated products, for the 2025 season and beyond.
One of the most iconic liveries in motorsport history is the Gulf sponsorship of the Porsche 917 sports cars. Here Editor at Large Michael Gougis poses with the 917K used by Pedro Rodriguez and Jackie Oliver to win the 1971 Spa 1000 Kilometers sports car race. The pair set a world record average pace of 154.77 mph, pit stops and all, over the 621.371 miles. Photo courtesy Michael Gougis.
Trackhouse Racing, the American team that entered the MotoGP World Championship at the beginning of the 2024 season, starts its second year in the premier class of motorcycle racing and will be carrying the iconic Gulf logo on its Aprilia RS-GP25 bikes, as well as the race suits of its riders, #25 Raul Fernandez and Moto2 World Champion, #79 Ai Ogura during the 2025 season.
Together, Trackhouse Racing and Gulf will write the next chapter of Gulf’s iconic motorsport story that will be showcased in the MotoGP World Championship with a variety of high-profile marketing initiatives, helping to bring fans of Trackhouse Racing, Gulf and MotoGP closer to the sport they love. Since the mid-sixties, the Gulf brand has defined some of the most famous, enduring and recognized motorsports stories. This new partnership within MotoGP will look to continue the growth of the Gulf brand in key markets where the team will be racing, including South-East Asia and Argentina.
Trackhouse, the young progressive organization who have taken the world of motorsports by storm as a multi-race winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, has come to the world of motorcycle racing with a fresh, dynamic, approach giving fans access to its riders and racing activities with entertaining content and a blend of fun, behind-the-scenes stories and unique insights into the daily life of an elite racing team. The Trackhouse organization takes competition extremely seriously and the business of winning is its ultimate objective but, enjoying racing is at its heart and Gulf shares the same ethos – motorcycling is about passion and feeling the open road and this partnership reflects the joint desire to make life on two-wheels the essence of its forward-looking digital connections.
Mike Jones, CEO – Gulf Oil International UK Limited: “Gulf has a rich history in motorsport, and we are excited to continue this history by partnering with a motorcycle racing team as ambitious and dynamic as Trackhouse Racing. Together, we share a joint vision of placing fans at the heart of everything we do and bringing them closer to the action through our partnership. We are looking forward to creating a real impact together in MotoGP and seeing where this next chapter in our iconic motorsport story takes us.”
Justin Marks, Owner – Trackhouse MotoGP Team: “It is truly an honor and a big moment for the Trackhouse MotoGP Team to welcome Gulf as a major partner. Gulf’s iconic brand has graced some of the most memorable and significant motorsport efforts in history and for their orange disc logo to be featured on our Aprilia RS-GP25’s is incredibly exciting for the company. We look forward to bringing the Gulf brand to life in global motorcycle racing and its millions of fans.”
More news about the Gulf and Trackhouse Racing partnership plans will be published in the coming weeks.
MotoAmerica Superbike racer Danilo Lewis married MotoAmerica Vice President of Operations Niccole Cox in Lakeside, Montana on December 16th. Niccole Cox will now go by Niccole Lewis.
EDGE-OF-THE-SEAT RACING AT SUZUKI SERIES ROUND TWO
It is incredibly tight at the top of the premier class after the second round of three in the 2024 Suzuki International Series in the Manawatu at the weekend.
And now the competition is headed for a much-anticipated finale on the public streets of Whanganui’s world-renowned Cemetery Circuit in just 10 days’ time, December 26.
Three of the leading riders in the Formula One/Superbike class each suffered crashes in separate incidents at Manfeild, on the outskirts of Feilding over the weekend, meaning no one individual was able to gain an advantage and sprint away in the points standings.
When 2024 Isle of Man Champion (and former Robert Holden Memorial feature race winner at Whanganui), Britain’s Peter Hickman, crashed while making a bid for the lead in race one on Sunday, it allowed fellow 2024 Isle of Man Champion Davey Todd, also from the UK, to race away.
Series leader and defending champion Mitch Rees, from Whakatane, NZ took up the chase and was starting to gain on Todd when he, too, crashed out in the same treacherous corner just one lap later.
Todd went on to celebrate the win and bank maximum points, which also meant he’d taken over the series lead in this class for 1000cc bikes, while Rees’ father Tony Rees finished runner-up in that race and also zoomed up the standings.
But the drama didn’t end there, with Todd crashing out spectacularly in the third and final F1 race of the weekend just over an hour or so later.
The 31-year-old Mitch Rees had qualified fastest on Saturday (worth an extra competition point) and his 1-dnf-1 race results were just enough to see him remain at the top of the rankings, while the “old man” of the class, 57-year-old Tony Rees, actually won the weekend with his 4-2-3 score-card and he has now moved into the No.2 spot in the F1 standings, just four points behind his son.
Todd’s misfortune in the final F1 race – giving him a 3-1-dnf score-card for the weekend – meant he slipped back down from first to third in the standings, albeit only six points behind the elder Rees.
Dual-class “ironman” Todd then took a bike loaned to him by fierce rival and friend Richie Dibben to also race in the Supermoto class (for highly-modified dirt bikes).
North Yorkshireman Todd and Whanganui’s Dibben then put on another masterclass, the two men unable to be separated and battling shoulder to shoulder a long way in front of the chasing pack of riders.
Dibben qualified fastest in the Supermoto class and then registered a perfect 1-1-1 for the weekend, while Todd finished 2-2-2.
“It was a great weekend, and I enjoyed battling with the guys throughout,” said the 29-year-old Todd afterwards. “I was gutted about crashing in the last F1 race though. For once I wasn’t leading after the start and so I was tucked in behind Mitch (Rees) where I thought I might be able to work him out to see where he was faster or had a weakness.
“I don’t know if it was the high track temperature or what, but when I went into the top corner, I was actually going slower than I was earlier in the day and I just lost the front end. It was a bit of a mystery to be honest. I guess with so many of us crashing, it keeps the points tight. I suppose we’re all just trying to put on a show for the people, eh? It will be more exciting for the fans if we’re all really close heading into Whanganui,” Todd laughed.
Interestingly, Dibben also leads the new Adventure Bike class after a weekend-long battle with former New Zealand Superbike Champion Sloan ‘Choppa’ Frost, from Lower Hutt. The two men were racing similar Suzuki V Strom adventure bikes, Dibben’s an 800cc version and Frost on board a 1050cc model.
Started in 2008, this year’s 16th annual Suzuki International Series – it skipped a year in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – climaxes as usual with the post-Christmas public street race event on Whanganui’s famous Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day, December 26th.
Other class leaders after the second round of three in the 2024 Suzuki International Series at Manfeild at the weekend are Cambridge’s Morgan McLaren-Wood (Formula 2/Supersport 600); Auckland’s Tyler King (in both the Formula 3 and Supersport 300 classes); Wellington’s Malcolm Beilski (Formula Sport, Senior); Whanganui’s Jeff Croot (Formula Sport, Junior); Glen Eden’s Daniel Mettam (Post Classics, Pre 95, Senior); Tauranga’s Darrick Kattenberg (Post Classics, Pre 95, Junior); Hastings’ Gian Louie (Post Classics, Pre 89, Senior); Lower Hutt’s Dean Bentley (Post Classics, Pre 89, Junior); Panmure’s Adam Unsworth and Whanganui’s Bryce Rose (F1 sidecars); Whanganui’s Tracey Bryan and Auckland’s Kendal Dunlop (F2 sidecars).
F1/Superbike points after two of three rounds in the 2024 Suzuki International Series in New Zealand.
The Suzuki International Series is supported by Suzuki New Zealand, Mondiale VGL, Auto Super Shoppe Tawa, Givi, I-Tools, Bridgestone tyres, Sharp As Linehaul Ltd Whanganui, TSS Motorcycles, Ipone, Inferno Design and Digital, Kiwibike Motorcycle Insurance Specialists, Cemetery Circuit Ltd.
DATES FOR 2024 SUZUKI INTERNATIONAL SERIES:
* Round 1, Taupo, December 7th and 8th;
* Round 2, Manfeild, Feilding, December 14th and 15th;
* Round 3, Whanganui’s Cemetery Circuit, December 26th.
Former AMA Pro Superbike racer and multi-time CCS Florida Region Overall Champion Marco Martinez died December 14th due to fatal injuries suffered in a car crash in Fort Lauderdale, where he lived. He owned and operated Champion Motorcycle, a motorcycle shop in nearby Davie, Florida.
According to former AMA Pro racer and CCS South Florida race promoter Henry DeGouw, Martinez was in his late 50s.
This just in: The viewing for Marco Martinez will be at TM Ralph, Sunrise, Florida on Friday evening at 5-8 p.m. Mass will be held on Saturday morning at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church 9:30 a.m.
Marco Martinez (1) in action during one of his CCS Florida Championship years. CCS Florida photo.
Family friend Vanessa Prieto posted this on Facebook and set up a GoFundMe page to benefit his family:
“Saturday evening, the Martinez Family tragically lost Marco Martinez, an amazing husband, #1 Dad, and super human to all of his family and friends. We met @2002 when our children attended St. Paul Preschool and later St. Bonaventure Catholic School/Church together. We became fast friends–he was so easy to love. There has been an outpouring of support to assist (his wife) Lisa Martinez, (and daughters) Alexandra Martinez and Angelina Rose Martinez in any way. Your support is so appreciated as Lisa and the girls navigate this immeasurable loss. Rest in peace my dear friend.”
A gofundme page has been set up benefit Marco Martinez’s family.
Ryan Rawls posted on Facebook,
“Very sad news I just received on this Monday afternoon about many-time CCS Florida Region Champion and former AMA Superbike racer Marco Martinez passing away on Saturday evening, December 14th. I remember first watching Marco down at Moroso Motorsports Park in 1999 aboard an E Powersports Yamaha R6 just giving the competition a very hard time and putting in a dominant ride to win every race he entered that day. Also remember watching him at Daytona that year at CCS the Race of Champions weekend and he was super fast and ran away with tons of championships that season. Marco will be truly missed and his battles in the shootout events at Moroso and Homestead Miami Speedway will always be remembered as legendary. R.I.P Marco Martinez, you not be forgotten!”
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Godspeed, Marco Martinez.
Marco Martinez (25) raced in AMA Pro Superbike in the US and in several other countries as well.
APRILIA RACING MOTOGP PROVIDES AMERICAN-BORN ROSSI MOOR AN APRILIA RSV4 FACTORY FOR TRAINING
Aprilia Racing MotoGP, directed by Massimo Rivola, is providing 17-year-old American-Hungarian Rossi Atilla Moor with a training bike to prepare for the 2025 FIM JuniorGP Moto2 racing season.
Aprilia Racing MotoGP has partnered with Team MMR to support the young Hungarian-American with a brand new Aprilia RSV4 Factory prepared by the Aprilia MotoGP racing team based in Noale, Italy. The new Aprilia RSV4 Factory is built for racing; with more than 220 horsepower, it is a monster in its class.
The Aprilia Racing team did not ignore a single detail during the preparation of the bike, starting with the engine, and including Aprilia MotoGP electronics, Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes, and SC exhaust, which are all technical partners of Aprilia MotoGP.
Rossi will train with this bike and use it to learn next year’s JuniorGP racetracks. On Sunday, he rode the bike for the first time at the Cartagena circuit.
During Sunday’s practice day, Rossi was also able to take part in a race held at the venue by the organizing club, and won. To his great surprise, many people recognized him and took photos with the talented 17-year-old member of the Révész Racing Next Generation Riders team. Rossi will end the year with a two-day training session scheduled for December 28 at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia.
Rossi Moor on top of the podium after a race held during the practice day. Photo by Revesz Racing NGRT.
Rossi thanks the Aprilia Racing department and Massimo Rivola for providing and preparing the bike; MMR team owner Massimiliano Morlacchi, who supports this project; to Bálint Révész, who continues to support Rossi’s career path aimed at Moto2 and ultimately, with luck, MotoGP.
MMR Racing team owner Massimiliano Morlacchi (left) and Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola pose with the RSV4 practice bike provided to Rossi Moor by Aprilia. Photo by Revesz Racing NGRT.
Rossi Attila Moor:
“I can’t find the words to describe how happy and very proud I am that Aprilia Racing, with the approval of Massimo Rivola and the collaboration of Massimiliano Morlacchi, is giving me the opportunity to prepare as well as possible for next season’s races, in the JuniorGP Moto2 category with Team MMR.
“Now it’s up to me to work hard to be ready to get the best possible results. I would also like to thank my supporter Bálint Révész and my manager Stefano Favaro, who are always helping me chase my dream!”
Lorenzo Savadori renews his commitment to Aprilia Racing, continuing in his role as official tester for the 2025 and 2026 MotoGP seasons. The Italian rider – an integral part of the Aprilia Racing project in MotoGP – will pursue the invaluable job of developing the RS-GP, which will include the entire official and private testing programme, as well as a series of participations as a wild card in the MotoGP Championship, as provided for by the regulations.
The relationship between Aprilia Racing and Lorenzo Savadori began in 2015 with the FIM Superstock 1000 title astride his Aprilia RSV4 RF and it later continued in the World Superbike Championship. In 2020, Savadori took on the role of Aprilia Racing test rider in MotoGP, becoming a key figure in the project and contributing to the RS-GP’s growth. The tests and the wild cards, during which Savadori and the Aprilia Racing Test Team often took innovative solutions onto the track, currently cover a fundamental role in an increasingly more competitive and demanding MotoGP Championship.
Savadori, in addition to his work on the RS-GP for MotoGP, will also continue to develop of all the “track ready” products from the Noale-based Manufacturer in order to make not only the performance, but also the technology of racing bikes available to all enthusiasts.
With this renewal, Aprilia Racing consolidates yet another essential anchor on its team, reconfirming for the next two years the importance of the tie with Lorenzo Savadori for the present and future of the MotoGP project.
LORENZO SAVADORI
“I am extremely happy to continue this adventure and to pursue my work along with Aprilia Racing for the next two seasons. In recent years, we have done an outstanding job, and I am certain that we will continue to improve more and more. Our growth has been consistent, step by step, with a rather clear goal that we always have at the forefront of our minds: contributing to taking the RS-GP to the top of MotoGP. I can’t wait to start the season!”
APRILIA RACING CEO MASSIMO RIVOLA
“We are proud to confirm that Aprilia Racing will continue working with Lorenzo Savadori, one of the pillars of our project which, along with the Test Team, has allowed for the extraordinary development of recent years. Sava also represents continuity for us – a fundamental aspect of working with a highly trusted test rider, especially in such an important year where two new riders will be joining the Factory Team. He will also be a valuable resource at some Grands Prix, where we will continue to see him as a wild card with experimental solutions.”
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and Yamaha Motor Racing are delighted to announce that experienced MotoGP rider Augusto Fernández will be reinforcing the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team for the 2025 season.
Fernández has two years of experience in MotoGP (2023-2024) and six years in Moto2 (2017-2022), including a Moto2 World Championship title achieved in 2022, making him a well-established name amongst motorsports fans and someone very familiar with the MotoGP paddock.
Starting from the upcoming MotoGP shakedown test (scheduled in Sepang, Malaysia from 31 January – 2 February), Fernández will start his new testing job, riding the YZR-M1.
Throughout 2025, he will take part in Official IRTA Tests and private Yamaha tests as well as various wildcard events with the aim of helping Yamaha’s engineers with their MotoGP bike development programme.
“I’m very happy and super excited to join Yamaha as a test rider for 2025. It’s a huge honour to be part of the Yamaha family, and I want to thank everyone who made it happen.
“In this amazing new project, I will do my best to help Yamaha to be back where they deserve to be.
“Can’t wait to start our journey together!”
— Augusto Fernández, Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Rider
“I am delighted to confirm that Augusto Fernández is officially joining Yamaha for the 2025 season as a Yamaha Factory MotoGP Test Rider. Bike development is a priority for Yamaha as we challenge to return to winning ways at the earliest opportunity.
We have signed Augusto to be our second Yamaha Test Rider alongside Cal Crutchlow. Cal was unfortunately unable to fulfil all his testing duties in 2024 and it became obvious that we needed to recruit a second rider to assist us with completing all essential activities for 2025.
We believe Augusto will be a good fit for both the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team and the YZR-M1 bike. Augusto is young and is fast, and he can test alongside Cal and learn the special methodology required from a full-time test rider.
Our current performance ranking permits us to take full advantage of the maximum limit for the testing programme. In addition to the tests, we have the idea to participate at up to six wild-card rides, and Augusto will also be the go-to replacement rider in case any one of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team riders or Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP riders are unable to race at any time in 2025. The many riding opportunities should allow Augusto to maintain his racing speed while he proceeds with the intensive testing obligations.
Augusto has already started to work with us off track and his first real test participation will be at the shakedown test in Sepang at the end of January 2025.
In the meantime, we are following closely Cal’s improving physical condition after his arm issues this year, and we hope he will be able to return as soon as possible to resume his testing duties.”
— Lin Jarvis, Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing
We Are The Champions: Mission King Of The Baggers Champion Troy Herfoss
By Paul Carruthers/MotoAmerica.com
It’s a well-known fact that you win championships on your bad days, not your good ones. For Troy Herfoss there were two bad days in his 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers Championship run, and they came in succession in race two at Brainerd International Raceway and in race one at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Herfoss crashed in both, remounted in both, and scored nine points and five points, respectively, in the two races, points that would prove to be valuable at season’s end.
It wasn’t quite rock bottom, but it was vastly different from how his season began with nine consecutive podium finishes (four wins, four seconds and a third) in the first nine races on his S&S/Indian Motorcycle Challenger. He’d started like Superman but was suddenly Clark Kent. Still, the unflappable Aussie didn’t panic. He just went home to Australia’s Gold Coast to get his mojo back.
“I was in terrible physical shape, so I knew that I wasn’t getting the most out of the bike because I had been sick and then a little bit injured,” Herfoss said. “Things weren’t going great for me. At that point, I just kept showing up and putting my best foot forward and riding the wave. You’ve got ups and downs in this sport and what goes up must come down. I knew I wasn’t going to be down forever. I just needed to get through those few rounds as good as I could and ride the wave. That’s what I did. I got home and got healthy, and that showed when I got back to Mid-Ohio.”
With three straight Australian Superbike titles, an AMA Supermoto title and an Australian flat track championship, Herfoss is no stranger to racing success. Did winning the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship have the same feel or was it different?
“They’re all the same in that moment when you cross the line, I guess,” Herfoss said. “That feeling, especially in a championship as close as the one this year, the surprise I guess and the anticipation, buildup and everything. The excitement is always the same. Once you reflect on it all, I guess some mean more than others. It’s all about the hard work you put in. For me, it’s about doing something that, when the odds are against you, it makes it more exciting. That was probably the thing that separated this championship from others – being in there with the odds sort of against me a little bit. Trying to learn a new series and new bike, new tires and tracks and everything. So that made it more exciting.”
Herfoss made his MotoAmerica debut at Daytona International Speedway of all places. He admitted at the time that those first laps around the high banks of one of the most famous racetracks in the world scared him.
Troy Herfoss found Daytona International Speedway to be a bit daunting, but he finished a close second in both races in what was the opening round of the championship. Photo by Brian J. Nelson/MotoAmerica.
“It was really daunting,” Herfoss said. “It was super scary for me to go around the banking in the first set of practice knowing that I had 20 minutes to learn the track and then go into qualifying. You definitely skip a few levels. When I go to a new track, it’s always nice to have a day of testing and you can work out the runoff areas on the track and where you can push and can’t push safely. To go to Daytona and not have any practice really, just straight into it, I just rode the track for what it was. It wasn’t until after the session when I think I spoke to you on camera briefly and I’m like, ‘Shit, that was dangerous.’ You’re doing such high speeds, and I didn’t pay any thought to anything except going as fast as I could. It makes it exciting, but at my age it’s about keeping the brain active and interested in the sport and going to new tracks. So that one definitely gave me huge motivation and then satisfaction to be competitive.”
Competitive he was and he won his first MotoAmerica race in his first go, taking the first of two Mission Super Hooligan National Championship races on Friday and a fighting fifth on Sunday. And in the big show – the Mission King Of The Baggers races – Herfoss was second in both behind the man he would fight for the championship all season long, Harley-Davidson Factory Racing’s Kyle Wyman.
Was it important for Herfoss to start fast to let the competition know he was for real?
“At my age, and at the level I think I can ride a bike at, it was important,” Herfoss said of his fast start. “Not a lot of guys can do that, can go and race in a new championship and win straightaway. So, I knew if I could do that, that would create some interest. It was a special feeling to be able to be competitive right away. It was a lot of fun, to be honest. I always pride myself on being well-prepared and always putting a big effort in. It’s taken me a lot of years to get out of Australia to do a bit of riding internationally and show what I’ve got, but it was really exciting and nerve-racking for me to get through Daytona. There was always that little bit of doubt in your mind of whether you are actually good enough or not. So, I backed myself at the end of 2023 and it all paid off. It was exciting to go to Daytona and almost win in my debut (on the Bagger), but not quite good enough.”
Fast forward to the season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park. It was another new track for Herfoss to learn, but it didn’t faze him. He had an air of confidence that went against the grain of the challenges he was facing. He was seven points behind Wyman heading into the two races in Jersey.
In race one, Herfoss came out second best in a battle with RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s impressive class rookie Rocco Landers (with Wyman third), In race two, Herfoss went out and won the race with Wyman third. And just like that, he was the 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers Champion.
Troy Herfoss at speed at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Photo by Brian J. Nelson/MotoAmerica.
“I really had no reason not to be confident,” Herfoss said of his mental state heading to the series finale. “Just because I knew by the time we got to the last round that I could adapt to tracks really quickly. I knew there had been a surface change there at the track, so it wasn’t going to be exactly the same for everybody else. The weather did put some doubts in my mind. I definitely was very nervous when I rode out to the start of the first race, having it be my first actual dry laps on the track. But I feel like I just enjoy the big game days. It’s really the main reason I go racing is for that really competitive feeling and that high-pressure moment when something is going to happen. It’s interesting to see how people react in situations, and I sort of have made my career on winning those close battles. I was definitely confident I was going to be able to do it, but the weather did throw a curveball at me. The way it all turned out; I definitely feel like I executed the plan with the confidence I came in with.”
With three Aussie Superbike titles under his belt, it’s obvious that Herfoss is a Superbike racer. Coming here to race the Baggers was a massive challenge, but one that he enjoyed. He also got the chance to throw his leg over Cameron Beaubier’s Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR Superbike at Brainerd while Beaubier was recovering from injury. Riding a Superbike in addition to his Bagger commitments was a big ask, especially at a difficult racetrack like Brainerd International Raceway.
“I don’t regret it,” Herfoss said of taking the option to ride the BMW. “I want to ride Superbikes. I love racing Superbikes. I know I’m competitive on a Superbike and I just finished out the year in Australia with a win in the final (Superbike) race of the year. I bit off a lot going to Brainerd, and at the time I didn’t know the track was as quirky as it was, and the grip level was so quirky. It was a lot. You’re walking into one of the, if not the best bikes on the grid, replacing the best rider on the grid. Here’s the bike, here’s the track, and good luck. It was just a lot. I’m 100 percent certain if there had been a Thursday test, or I got to ride the bike at any other track, my results would have been a lot better (he was eighth and seventh in the two races). A few things happened. It was a deal where I thought I was going to be on the bike for two rounds, for sure, possibly three rounds. So, it was just let’s just work into it. The way the weekend started with that crash on the Bagger, I had to be a little bit careful. Then after the weekend obviously Cam (Beaubier) made a comeback, which I was happy to see. I didn’t want him to be off the grid any longer than he had to be, but that meant that I couldn’t get another weekend on the bike. I didn’t get to show anywhere near my potential on a Superbike, but I don’t regret doing it. It was a lot of fun to work with a new team and ride a bike like that. But I didn’t get to put my best foot forward. That’s for sure.”
Although nothing has been finalized, it’s likely that Herfoss will be back in the MotoAmerica paddock in 2025 racing for the same S&S/Indian Motorcycle team with which he won the title. He will be back with his wife, his two little girls, traveling the country with his fifth-wheel trailer.
“I think I’ll fly in and fly out for the races like I did this year and travel with the camper,” Herfoss said. “It’s just easier to do that when testing comes up or when we’ve got to stay a bit longer. It’s a much more affordable way to do it. It was kind of fun to travel around the States a bit. There was a lot going on this year trying to set it all up. Obviously, I’ve got a plan to be in America for a couple of years and hopefully seeing my years out racing in MotoAmerica would be nice. So, it was important to get set up early and really commit to it. I think if you don’t commit to something, you leave too many excuses not to get the result you’re after. I was all-in. Get the camper set up, get the family over here. All-in, all the time.”
When asked if there was a particular race that he was most proud of, Herfoss paused briefly.
“There were a lot of moments that I was really proud of and happy about, but no real win sort of stands out,” he said. “They’re all so fun and intense. I guess the last race of the year, really, is probably my proudest moment just because there were two guys going for a championship. I holeshotted the race and I was able to pass Kyle (Wyman) and make a gap and ride a flawless few laps, no mistakes, on his home track. It was sort of a weird feeling, to be honest, riding around the track with so little time. It just felt like I was so comfortable and so at home doing it. It was a lot of fun.”
As far as the training goes, road racing is not motocross, it’s not Supermoto and It’s not Supercross. But the mental side is difficult, and, in turn, it makes a high level of physical fitness a must.
My question on the subject went like this: I don’t know if you’re the fittest guy in the paddock, but you’ve got to be one of them. Does it bring confidence to you when you’re racing with somebody and you’re in a battle and you can think, “I know I’ve done more than this guy and I know I’m in better shape?” Or is that not important?
Uh, oh. I should have known better.
“It’s important,” Herfoss said, before taking a jab. “It’s funny, you don’t know whether I’m the fittest guy in the paddock. I’d be 99 percent sure I am. That makes a huge difference. Everyone is struggling at the end of the race no matter how hard you’re pushing. Knowing when that guy looks across at me with two laps to go and he’s already hurting and he knows the level of fitness I’m at, not only is my fitness going to get me to the line but my opponent knowing how fit I am is going to help me, as well.
“I’ve always made sure I’m at a high aerobic level. Unlike motocross, we don’t need to be super strong and super fit to go fast on a road bike, but you need to be able to make decisions at 300k an hour and hit the same few feet of tarmac from 200 or 300 meters of braking every lap. When your heart rate is 20 or 30 beats lower, it’s a lot easier to do that. For that reason, you do still need to be in really good physical shape. That’s why, for me a huge aerobic fitness is so important. Probably more so than the strength of riding a Superbike. There’s a lot of really fit guys out there. I think all motorsports are very underrated. I bet if you tested the top 10 Superbike guys in MotoAmerica versus some of the best football players in the country in an all-around fitness test, you’d be surprised how strong and fit a Superbike rider is.”
Winning the Mission King Of The Baggers title brought a lot of attention to Herfoss and to MotoAmerica and its Bagger class. Not just in Australia, but internationally, as well. Herfoss was surprised at the amount of attention people were paying to the series and the class.
“Yeah, it really surprised me,” he said. “It’s been such a pleasure to be a part of it. Internationally I’m sort of, I wouldn’t say a nobody, but I’m a lesser-known international rider. So, to come in and start racing in that championship and get the response I did, it was super refreshing. Even coming back to Australia, I’d say a lot more people recognize me than ever, even in Australia, just because the Baggers is such a cool series. I guess there’s the surprise factor of winning in my first year. I just find the King Of The Baggers fans are really old-school fans and they get right in amongst it there at the track. They’re passionate. The rivalry was like none other to me. The Harley fans, they almost wanted to hate the Indian and the Australian guy, but that was my job to be as good an opponent as I could to make sure they can’t hate me. So, it was sort of a fun dynamic, really. You’re trying to have a rivalry but you’re also there having fun racing bikes. It’s funny. We’re all at the track together and there was a big rivalry, but I can tell that every guy that rides a Bagger, whether it’s an Indian Challenger or the Harley, they all want to hang out really at the end of the day. So, it was a really fun atmosphere. One of the most enjoyable years I’ve had with spectators and fans.”
Herfoss checked another box in 2024 when he competed in the Melbourne Marathon and completed it in under three hours – two hours and 53 minutes. Photo courtesy of Herfoss
In 2021, Herfoss suffered a crash that nearly ended his career. His right humerus (upper arm) was broken, his right hip was smashed, and his right tibia (lower leg) was also fractured. He underwent six hours of surgery and spent the next month in a wheelchair. Herfoss was able to come back from that to win the 2023 Australian Superbike title.
Yeah, but could he run a marathon?
The answer is a resounding yes, and the marathon box was checked shortly after he won the 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers Championship. 1.3 million people run a marathon every year, which is just 0.17 percent of the population. Just a tick over four percent of those who do manage to finish the 26.2-mile marathon complete the race in under three hours. Herfoss did it in 2 hours and 53 minutes. That’s a 6:35 average mile time for 26.2 miles, and it placed him 307th out of the nearly 9000 runners who started the race.
“Like a lot of people that have bad injuries, you get sort of the thought that you won’t be able to do a few things that you used to be able to do and one of those things was running,” Herfoss said. “It was going to be maybe hard for me. About 18 months ago, I started doing a few 20- to 30-minute walk/runs to try and see if my body would hold up. One thing led to another, and I was running further and further and faster and faster. I wanted to tick the marathon off the list, and I wanted to do it before my injury, as well. Before my injury, I sort of joked that it would be easy to do a sub-three-hour marathon. But it definitely wasn’t easy. I’m glad I was able to do it in the end. It was a lot of fun.”
Dainese's first U.S. flagship store, seen here, opened in Orange County, California 20 years ago and has been joined by 12 other stores. Dainese photo.
Dainese Orange County Flagship Store Celebrates Milestone 20 Years In The U.S.A.
Italian Motorcycle Group Has Since Expanded to Thirteen US Flagship Stores
Dainese (www.dainese.com), the world leader of protective wear for dynamic sports, is proud to announce the 20th anniversary of its first US flagship store.
In 2004, Dainese opened its first North American flagship store in Orange County to meet the needs of Southern California’s growing motorsports community. Over the past two decades, the store has become a premier destination for motorcycle enthusiasts seeking high-performance gear that combines cutting-edge technology with Dainese’s renowned craftsmanship. From innovative helmets to body armor, Dainese has continually elevated safety and performance standards for riders and athletes alike.
Another view of Dainese’s first flagship store in America, located in Costa Mesa, Orange County, California. Dainese photo.
“We opened Dainese Orange County with a mission to bring innovative products and enhance rider safety within one of the most vibrant and diverse riding communities in the country” said Louis Ortega, of Dainese North America. “Twenty years later, it’s amazing to see how we’ve grown from serving the Southern California riders at one location to expanding our commitment across 13 stores in North America, while staying true to our passion for innovation and protection.”
Dainese has carefully selected key markets across North America for its flagship stores, establishing a strong presence in major cities like New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Austin. Each store offers customers a premium shopping experience with access to Dainese’s cutting-edge protective gear, expert staff, and an unwavering commitment to rider safety. Globally, Dainese now boasts 45 locations, serving as a trusted name for dynamic sports enthusiasts around the world and cementing its reputation as a leader in motorsports protection.
Part of the showroom inside Dainese’s Orange County store. Dainese photo.
DAINESE GROUP
Dainese is the global leader in superior quality protection equipment and apparel for motorcycling and other dynamic sports. Headquartered in Vicenza, Italy, the company employs more than 1,000 employees and is present across EMEA, APAC and the Americas. Dainese owns three powerful brands (Dainese, AGV and TCX) synonymous with innovation and technical excellence. It is present in 96 countries through long-standing relationships with top-tier wholesale partners, 38 directly operated destination stores and a direct e-commerce channel. Founded in 1972 by Lino Dainese, the Dainese Group develops cutting-edge protective clothing for use when practicing dynamic sports: Motorcycle riding, winter sports, cycling, horse riding, and sailing. Dainese, AGV, and TCX products represent the technological frontier in terms of protection in dynamic sports, and are used by the world’s best athletes, from Valentino Rossi to Sofia, Olympic skiing champion and winner of the World Cup Downhill title.
SBS has introduce a new high performance brake pad compound.
Ducati REVS SoCal Returns to Chuckwalla Valley Raceway for Premier Track Experience
RideHVMC is proud to bring Ducati REVS, an unparalleled track experience, back to Chuckwalla Valley Raceway on January 13th. Set against the backdrop of Southern California’s renowned desert circuit, this exclusive event invites motorcycle enthusiasts of all levels to enhance their skills and immerse themselves in the Ducati culture.
Participants will benefit from personalized professional coaching from experienced instructors, tailored riding drills, and feedback to improve both confidence and technique. Whether you’re a seasoned racer or a first-time track rider, the event provides a supportive environment to experience what your Ducati is capable of.
Event highlights include:
Top-Tier Curriculum and Instruction: Gain invaluable track tips, techniques, and critiques from a team of professional coaches for every level rider including classroom between each session.
VIP Experiences: Engage with MotoAmerica champion Josh Herrin and rising star Kayla Yaakov through Q&A sessions and one-on-one advice as well as veteran coaches Jake Zemke and Jason Pridmore.
Ducati Hospitality: The event features catered lunches, and a relaxed paddock atmosphere. Participants will also receive unique Ducati REVS SoCal merchandise.
“Ducati REVS SoCal is more than a track day—it’s an experience for riders to push their limits, refine their skills, and build connections within the riding community,” said Corey Alexander, Ducati REVS SoCal event coordinator, Rahal Ducati MotoAmerica Racer, and RideHVMC co-founder.
Riders of all motorcycle brands are welcome to join, with a focus on safety, progression, and camaraderie. Space is limited, and riders are encouraged to reserve their spots early. Visit ducatirevssocal.com to learn more and secure your place on the track.
About RideHVMC
RideHVMC specializes in providing elite motorcycle experiences, focusing on rider development, safety, and community through professionally curated track events, instruction, motorcycle storage, and rentals.
Ai Ogura (79) on the Trackhouse Racing Aprilia RS-GP in testing at Barcelona. Photo by Michael Gougis.
Trackhouse MotoGP Team is excited to announce a new partnership with Gulf, the well-known brand and global manufacturer and supplier of performance lubricants and associated products, for the 2025 season and beyond.
One of the most iconic liveries in motorsport history is the Gulf sponsorship of the Porsche 917 sports cars. Here Editor at Large Michael Gougis poses with the 917K used by Pedro Rodriguez and Jackie Oliver to win the 1971 Spa 1000 Kilometers sports car race. The pair set a world record average pace of 154.77 mph, pit stops and all, over the 621.371 miles. Photo courtesy Michael Gougis.
Trackhouse Racing, the American team that entered the MotoGP World Championship at the beginning of the 2024 season, starts its second year in the premier class of motorcycle racing and will be carrying the iconic Gulf logo on its Aprilia RS-GP25 bikes, as well as the race suits of its riders, #25 Raul Fernandez and Moto2 World Champion, #79 Ai Ogura during the 2025 season.
Together, Trackhouse Racing and Gulf will write the next chapter of Gulf’s iconic motorsport story that will be showcased in the MotoGP World Championship with a variety of high-profile marketing initiatives, helping to bring fans of Trackhouse Racing, Gulf and MotoGP closer to the sport they love. Since the mid-sixties, the Gulf brand has defined some of the most famous, enduring and recognized motorsports stories. This new partnership within MotoGP will look to continue the growth of the Gulf brand in key markets where the team will be racing, including South-East Asia and Argentina.
Trackhouse, the young progressive organization who have taken the world of motorsports by storm as a multi-race winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, has come to the world of motorcycle racing with a fresh, dynamic, approach giving fans access to its riders and racing activities with entertaining content and a blend of fun, behind-the-scenes stories and unique insights into the daily life of an elite racing team. The Trackhouse organization takes competition extremely seriously and the business of winning is its ultimate objective but, enjoying racing is at its heart and Gulf shares the same ethos – motorcycling is about passion and feeling the open road and this partnership reflects the joint desire to make life on two-wheels the essence of its forward-looking digital connections.
Mike Jones, CEO – Gulf Oil International UK Limited: “Gulf has a rich history in motorsport, and we are excited to continue this history by partnering with a motorcycle racing team as ambitious and dynamic as Trackhouse Racing. Together, we share a joint vision of placing fans at the heart of everything we do and bringing them closer to the action through our partnership. We are looking forward to creating a real impact together in MotoGP and seeing where this next chapter in our iconic motorsport story takes us.”
Justin Marks, Owner – Trackhouse MotoGP Team: “It is truly an honor and a big moment for the Trackhouse MotoGP Team to welcome Gulf as a major partner. Gulf’s iconic brand has graced some of the most memorable and significant motorsport efforts in history and for their orange disc logo to be featured on our Aprilia RS-GP25’s is incredibly exciting for the company. We look forward to bringing the Gulf brand to life in global motorcycle racing and its millions of fans.”
More news about the Gulf and Trackhouse Racing partnership plans will be published in the coming weeks.
Niccole Cox and Danilo Lewis were married in Lakeside, Montana.
MotoAmerica Superbike racer Danilo Lewis married MotoAmerica Vice President of Operations Niccole Cox in Lakeside, Montana on December 16th. Niccole Cox will now go by Niccole Lewis.
The F1/Superbike race start at Manfeild, round two of the 2024 Suzuki International Series, with UK's Peter Hickman (P) and Davey Todd (D) leading New Zealand's Rhys Lyndsay (42), Mitch Rees (92), Alastair Hoogenboezem (43), Dave Sharp (19), and the rest. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com .
The 2024 Suzuki International Series
EDGE-OF-THE-SEAT RACING AT SUZUKI SERIES ROUND TWO
It is incredibly tight at the top of the premier class after the second round of three in the 2024 Suzuki International Series in the Manawatu at the weekend.
And now the competition is headed for a much-anticipated finale on the public streets of Whanganui’s world-renowned Cemetery Circuit in just 10 days’ time, December 26.
Three of the leading riders in the Formula One/Superbike class each suffered crashes in separate incidents at Manfeild, on the outskirts of Feilding over the weekend, meaning no one individual was able to gain an advantage and sprint away in the points standings.
When 2024 Isle of Man Champion (and former Robert Holden Memorial feature race winner at Whanganui), Britain’s Peter Hickman, crashed while making a bid for the lead in race one on Sunday, it allowed fellow 2024 Isle of Man Champion Davey Todd, also from the UK, to race away.
Series leader and defending champion Mitch Rees, from Whakatane, NZ took up the chase and was starting to gain on Todd when he, too, crashed out in the same treacherous corner just one lap later.
Todd went on to celebrate the win and bank maximum points, which also meant he’d taken over the series lead in this class for 1000cc bikes, while Rees’ father Tony Rees finished runner-up in that race and also zoomed up the standings.
But the drama didn’t end there, with Todd crashing out spectacularly in the third and final F1 race of the weekend just over an hour or so later.
The 31-year-old Mitch Rees had qualified fastest on Saturday (worth an extra competition point) and his 1-dnf-1 race results were just enough to see him remain at the top of the rankings, while the “old man” of the class, 57-year-old Tony Rees, actually won the weekend with his 4-2-3 score-card and he has now moved into the No.2 spot in the F1 standings, just four points behind his son.
Todd’s misfortune in the final F1 race – giving him a 3-1-dnf score-card for the weekend – meant he slipped back down from first to third in the standings, albeit only six points behind the elder Rees.
Dual-class “ironman” Todd then took a bike loaned to him by fierce rival and friend Richie Dibben to also race in the Supermoto class (for highly-modified dirt bikes).
North Yorkshireman Todd and Whanganui’s Dibben then put on another masterclass, the two men unable to be separated and battling shoulder to shoulder a long way in front of the chasing pack of riders.
Dibben qualified fastest in the Supermoto class and then registered a perfect 1-1-1 for the weekend, while Todd finished 2-2-2.
“It was a great weekend, and I enjoyed battling with the guys throughout,” said the 29-year-old Todd afterwards. “I was gutted about crashing in the last F1 race though. For once I wasn’t leading after the start and so I was tucked in behind Mitch (Rees) where I thought I might be able to work him out to see where he was faster or had a weakness.
“I don’t know if it was the high track temperature or what, but when I went into the top corner, I was actually going slower than I was earlier in the day and I just lost the front end. It was a bit of a mystery to be honest. I guess with so many of us crashing, it keeps the points tight. I suppose we’re all just trying to put on a show for the people, eh? It will be more exciting for the fans if we’re all really close heading into Whanganui,” Todd laughed.
Interestingly, Dibben also leads the new Adventure Bike class after a weekend-long battle with former New Zealand Superbike Champion Sloan ‘Choppa’ Frost, from Lower Hutt. The two men were racing similar Suzuki V Strom adventure bikes, Dibben’s an 800cc version and Frost on board a 1050cc model.
Started in 2008, this year’s 16th annual Suzuki International Series – it skipped a year in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – climaxes as usual with the post-Christmas public street race event on Whanganui’s famous Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day, December 26th.
Other class leaders after the second round of three in the 2024 Suzuki International Series at Manfeild at the weekend are Cambridge’s Morgan McLaren-Wood (Formula 2/Supersport 600); Auckland’s Tyler King (in both the Formula 3 and Supersport 300 classes); Wellington’s Malcolm Beilski (Formula Sport, Senior); Whanganui’s Jeff Croot (Formula Sport, Junior); Glen Eden’s Daniel Mettam (Post Classics, Pre 95, Senior); Tauranga’s Darrick Kattenberg (Post Classics, Pre 95, Junior); Hastings’ Gian Louie (Post Classics, Pre 89, Senior); Lower Hutt’s Dean Bentley (Post Classics, Pre 89, Junior); Panmure’s Adam Unsworth and Whanganui’s Bryce Rose (F1 sidecars); Whanganui’s Tracey Bryan and Auckland’s Kendal Dunlop (F2 sidecars).
F1/Superbike points after two of three rounds in the 2024 Suzuki International Series in New Zealand.
The Suzuki International Series is supported by Suzuki New Zealand, Mondiale VGL, Auto Super Shoppe Tawa, Givi, I-Tools, Bridgestone tyres, Sharp As Linehaul Ltd Whanganui, TSS Motorcycles, Ipone, Inferno Design and Digital, Kiwibike Motorcycle Insurance Specialists, Cemetery Circuit Ltd.
DATES FOR 2024 SUZUKI INTERNATIONAL SERIES:
* Round 1, Taupo, December 7th and 8th;
* Round 2, Manfeild, Feilding, December 14th and 15th;
* Round 3, Whanganui’s Cemetery Circuit, December 26th.
Marco Martinez with 2004 #1 plate. CCS Florida photo.
Former AMA Pro Superbike racer and multi-time CCS Florida Region Overall Champion Marco Martinez died December 14th due to fatal injuries suffered in a car crash in Fort Lauderdale, where he lived. He owned and operated Champion Motorcycle, a motorcycle shop in nearby Davie, Florida.
According to former AMA Pro racer and CCS South Florida race promoter Henry DeGouw, Martinez was in his late 50s.
This just in: The viewing for Marco Martinez will be at TM Ralph, Sunrise, Florida on Friday evening at 5-8 p.m. Mass will be held on Saturday morning at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church 9:30 a.m.
Marco Martinez (1) in action during one of his CCS Florida Championship years. CCS Florida photo.
Family friend Vanessa Prieto posted this on Facebook and set up a GoFundMe page to benefit his family:
“Saturday evening, the Martinez Family tragically lost Marco Martinez, an amazing husband, #1 Dad, and super human to all of his family and friends. We met @2002 when our children attended St. Paul Preschool and later St. Bonaventure Catholic School/Church together. We became fast friends–he was so easy to love. There has been an outpouring of support to assist (his wife) Lisa Martinez, (and daughters) Alexandra Martinez and Angelina Rose Martinez in any way. Your support is so appreciated as Lisa and the girls navigate this immeasurable loss. Rest in peace my dear friend.”
A gofundme page has been set up benefit Marco Martinez’s family.
Ryan Rawls posted on Facebook,
“Very sad news I just received on this Monday afternoon about many-time CCS Florida Region Champion and former AMA Superbike racer Marco Martinez passing away on Saturday evening, December 14th. I remember first watching Marco down at Moroso Motorsports Park in 1999 aboard an E Powersports Yamaha R6 just giving the competition a very hard time and putting in a dominant ride to win every race he entered that day. Also remember watching him at Daytona that year at CCS the Race of Champions weekend and he was super fast and ran away with tons of championships that season. Marco will be truly missed and his battles in the shootout events at Moroso and Homestead Miami Speedway will always be remembered as legendary. R.I.P Marco Martinez, you not be forgotten!”
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Godspeed, Marco Martinez.
Marco Martinez (25) raced in AMA Pro Superbike in the US and in several other countries as well.
American Rossi Moor poses with his race-prepped Aprilia RSV4 practice bike. He'll use it to learn the tracks the FIM JuniorGP Moto2 series will run on in 2025. Photo by Revesz Racing NGRT
APRILIA RACING MOTOGP PROVIDES AMERICAN-BORN ROSSI MOOR AN APRILIA RSV4 FACTORY FOR TRAINING
Aprilia Racing MotoGP, directed by Massimo Rivola, is providing 17-year-old American-Hungarian Rossi Atilla Moor with a training bike to prepare for the 2025 FIM JuniorGP Moto2 racing season.
Aprilia Racing MotoGP has partnered with Team MMR to support the young Hungarian-American with a brand new Aprilia RSV4 Factory prepared by the Aprilia MotoGP racing team based in Noale, Italy. The new Aprilia RSV4 Factory is built for racing; with more than 220 horsepower, it is a monster in its class.
The Aprilia Racing team did not ignore a single detail during the preparation of the bike, starting with the engine, and including Aprilia MotoGP electronics, Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes, and SC exhaust, which are all technical partners of Aprilia MotoGP.
Rossi will train with this bike and use it to learn next year’s JuniorGP racetracks. On Sunday, he rode the bike for the first time at the Cartagena circuit.
During Sunday’s practice day, Rossi was also able to take part in a race held at the venue by the organizing club, and won. To his great surprise, many people recognized him and took photos with the talented 17-year-old member of the Révész Racing Next Generation Riders team. Rossi will end the year with a two-day training session scheduled for December 28 at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia.
Rossi Moor on top of the podium after a race held during the practice day. Photo by Revesz Racing NGRT.
Rossi thanks the Aprilia Racing department and Massimo Rivola for providing and preparing the bike; MMR team owner Massimiliano Morlacchi, who supports this project; to Bálint Révész, who continues to support Rossi’s career path aimed at Moto2 and ultimately, with luck, MotoGP.
MMR Racing team owner Massimiliano Morlacchi (left) and Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola pose with the RSV4 practice bike provided to Rossi Moor by Aprilia. Photo by Revesz Racing NGRT.
Rossi Attila Moor:
“I can’t find the words to describe how happy and very proud I am that Aprilia Racing, with the approval of Massimo Rivola and the collaboration of Massimiliano Morlacchi, is giving me the opportunity to prepare as well as possible for next season’s races, in the JuniorGP Moto2 category with Team MMR.
“Now it’s up to me to work hard to be ready to get the best possible results. I would also like to thank my supporter Bálint Révész and my manager Stefano Favaro, who are always helping me chase my dream!”
Lorenzo Savadori (32). Photo courtesy Aprilia Racing.
Lorenzo Savadori renews his commitment to Aprilia Racing, continuing in his role as official tester for the 2025 and 2026 MotoGP seasons. The Italian rider – an integral part of the Aprilia Racing project in MotoGP – will pursue the invaluable job of developing the RS-GP, which will include the entire official and private testing programme, as well as a series of participations as a wild card in the MotoGP Championship, as provided for by the regulations.
The relationship between Aprilia Racing and Lorenzo Savadori began in 2015 with the FIM Superstock 1000 title astride his Aprilia RSV4 RF and it later continued in the World Superbike Championship. In 2020, Savadori took on the role of Aprilia Racing test rider in MotoGP, becoming a key figure in the project and contributing to the RS-GP’s growth. The tests and the wild cards, during which Savadori and the Aprilia Racing Test Team often took innovative solutions onto the track, currently cover a fundamental role in an increasingly more competitive and demanding MotoGP Championship.
Savadori, in addition to his work on the RS-GP for MotoGP, will also continue to develop of all the “track ready” products from the Noale-based Manufacturer in order to make not only the performance, but also the technology of racing bikes available to all enthusiasts.
With this renewal, Aprilia Racing consolidates yet another essential anchor on its team, reconfirming for the next two years the importance of the tie with Lorenzo Savadori for the present and future of the MotoGP project.
LORENZO SAVADORI
“I am extremely happy to continue this adventure and to pursue my work along with Aprilia Racing for the next two seasons. In recent years, we have done an outstanding job, and I am certain that we will continue to improve more and more. Our growth has been consistent, step by step, with a rather clear goal that we always have at the forefront of our minds: contributing to taking the RS-GP to the top of MotoGP. I can’t wait to start the season!”
APRILIA RACING CEO MASSIMO RIVOLA
“We are proud to confirm that Aprilia Racing will continue working with Lorenzo Savadori, one of the pillars of our project which, along with the Test Team, has allowed for the extraordinary development of recent years. Sava also represents continuity for us – a fundamental aspect of working with a highly trusted test rider, especially in such an important year where two new riders will be joining the Factory Team. He will also be a valuable resource at some Grands Prix, where we will continue to see him as a wild card with experimental solutions.”
Augusto Fernandez, second from right, joins the Yamaha MotoGP effort as test rider. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. and Yamaha Motor Racing are delighted to announce that experienced MotoGP rider Augusto Fernández will be reinforcing the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team for the 2025 season.
Fernández has two years of experience in MotoGP (2023-2024) and six years in Moto2 (2017-2022), including a Moto2 World Championship title achieved in 2022, making him a well-established name amongst motorsports fans and someone very familiar with the MotoGP paddock.
Starting from the upcoming MotoGP shakedown test (scheduled in Sepang, Malaysia from 31 January – 2 February), Fernández will start his new testing job, riding the YZR-M1.
Throughout 2025, he will take part in Official IRTA Tests and private Yamaha tests as well as various wildcard events with the aim of helping Yamaha’s engineers with their MotoGP bike development programme.
“I’m very happy and super excited to join Yamaha as a test rider for 2025. It’s a huge honour to be part of the Yamaha family, and I want to thank everyone who made it happen.
“In this amazing new project, I will do my best to help Yamaha to be back where they deserve to be.
“Can’t wait to start our journey together!”
— Augusto Fernández, Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Rider
“I am delighted to confirm that Augusto Fernández is officially joining Yamaha for the 2025 season as a Yamaha Factory MotoGP Test Rider. Bike development is a priority for Yamaha as we challenge to return to winning ways at the earliest opportunity.
We have signed Augusto to be our second Yamaha Test Rider alongside Cal Crutchlow. Cal was unfortunately unable to fulfil all his testing duties in 2024 and it became obvious that we needed to recruit a second rider to assist us with completing all essential activities for 2025.
We believe Augusto will be a good fit for both the Yamaha Factory Racing MotoGP Test Team and the YZR-M1 bike. Augusto is young and is fast, and he can test alongside Cal and learn the special methodology required from a full-time test rider.
Our current performance ranking permits us to take full advantage of the maximum limit for the testing programme. In addition to the tests, we have the idea to participate at up to six wild-card rides, and Augusto will also be the go-to replacement rider in case any one of the Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP Team riders or Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP riders are unable to race at any time in 2025. The many riding opportunities should allow Augusto to maintain his racing speed while he proceeds with the intensive testing obligations.
Augusto has already started to work with us off track and his first real test participation will be at the shakedown test in Sepang at the end of January 2025.
In the meantime, we are following closely Cal’s improving physical condition after his arm issues this year, and we hope he will be able to return as soon as possible to resume his testing duties.”
— Lin Jarvis, Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Racing
He came, he saw, he conquered: Troy Herfoss won the 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers Championship in his rookie season. Photo by Brian J. Nelson/MotoAmerica.
We Are The Champions: Mission King Of The Baggers Champion Troy Herfoss
By Paul Carruthers/MotoAmerica.com
It’s a well-known fact that you win championships on your bad days, not your good ones. For Troy Herfoss there were two bad days in his 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers Championship run, and they came in succession in race two at Brainerd International Raceway and in race one at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Herfoss crashed in both, remounted in both, and scored nine points and five points, respectively, in the two races, points that would prove to be valuable at season’s end.
It wasn’t quite rock bottom, but it was vastly different from how his season began with nine consecutive podium finishes (four wins, four seconds and a third) in the first nine races on his S&S/Indian Motorcycle Challenger. He’d started like Superman but was suddenly Clark Kent. Still, the unflappable Aussie didn’t panic. He just went home to Australia’s Gold Coast to get his mojo back.
“I was in terrible physical shape, so I knew that I wasn’t getting the most out of the bike because I had been sick and then a little bit injured,” Herfoss said. “Things weren’t going great for me. At that point, I just kept showing up and putting my best foot forward and riding the wave. You’ve got ups and downs in this sport and what goes up must come down. I knew I wasn’t going to be down forever. I just needed to get through those few rounds as good as I could and ride the wave. That’s what I did. I got home and got healthy, and that showed when I got back to Mid-Ohio.”
With three straight Australian Superbike titles, an AMA Supermoto title and an Australian flat track championship, Herfoss is no stranger to racing success. Did winning the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship have the same feel or was it different?
“They’re all the same in that moment when you cross the line, I guess,” Herfoss said. “That feeling, especially in a championship as close as the one this year, the surprise I guess and the anticipation, buildup and everything. The excitement is always the same. Once you reflect on it all, I guess some mean more than others. It’s all about the hard work you put in. For me, it’s about doing something that, when the odds are against you, it makes it more exciting. That was probably the thing that separated this championship from others – being in there with the odds sort of against me a little bit. Trying to learn a new series and new bike, new tires and tracks and everything. So that made it more exciting.”
Herfoss made his MotoAmerica debut at Daytona International Speedway of all places. He admitted at the time that those first laps around the high banks of one of the most famous racetracks in the world scared him.
Troy Herfoss found Daytona International Speedway to be a bit daunting, but he finished a close second in both races in what was the opening round of the championship. Photo by Brian J. Nelson/MotoAmerica.
“It was really daunting,” Herfoss said. “It was super scary for me to go around the banking in the first set of practice knowing that I had 20 minutes to learn the track and then go into qualifying. You definitely skip a few levels. When I go to a new track, it’s always nice to have a day of testing and you can work out the runoff areas on the track and where you can push and can’t push safely. To go to Daytona and not have any practice really, just straight into it, I just rode the track for what it was. It wasn’t until after the session when I think I spoke to you on camera briefly and I’m like, ‘Shit, that was dangerous.’ You’re doing such high speeds, and I didn’t pay any thought to anything except going as fast as I could. It makes it exciting, but at my age it’s about keeping the brain active and interested in the sport and going to new tracks. So that one definitely gave me huge motivation and then satisfaction to be competitive.”
Competitive he was and he won his first MotoAmerica race in his first go, taking the first of two Mission Super Hooligan National Championship races on Friday and a fighting fifth on Sunday. And in the big show – the Mission King Of The Baggers races – Herfoss was second in both behind the man he would fight for the championship all season long, Harley-Davidson Factory Racing’s Kyle Wyman.
Was it important for Herfoss to start fast to let the competition know he was for real?
“At my age, and at the level I think I can ride a bike at, it was important,” Herfoss said of his fast start. “Not a lot of guys can do that, can go and race in a new championship and win straightaway. So, I knew if I could do that, that would create some interest. It was a special feeling to be able to be competitive right away. It was a lot of fun, to be honest. I always pride myself on being well-prepared and always putting a big effort in. It’s taken me a lot of years to get out of Australia to do a bit of riding internationally and show what I’ve got, but it was really exciting and nerve-racking for me to get through Daytona. There was always that little bit of doubt in your mind of whether you are actually good enough or not. So, I backed myself at the end of 2023 and it all paid off. It was exciting to go to Daytona and almost win in my debut (on the Bagger), but not quite good enough.”
Fast forward to the season finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park. It was another new track for Herfoss to learn, but it didn’t faze him. He had an air of confidence that went against the grain of the challenges he was facing. He was seven points behind Wyman heading into the two races in Jersey.
In race one, Herfoss came out second best in a battle with RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s impressive class rookie Rocco Landers (with Wyman third), In race two, Herfoss went out and won the race with Wyman third. And just like that, he was the 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers Champion.
Troy Herfoss at speed at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Photo by Brian J. Nelson/MotoAmerica.
“I really had no reason not to be confident,” Herfoss said of his mental state heading to the series finale. “Just because I knew by the time we got to the last round that I could adapt to tracks really quickly. I knew there had been a surface change there at the track, so it wasn’t going to be exactly the same for everybody else. The weather did put some doubts in my mind. I definitely was very nervous when I rode out to the start of the first race, having it be my first actual dry laps on the track. But I feel like I just enjoy the big game days. It’s really the main reason I go racing is for that really competitive feeling and that high-pressure moment when something is going to happen. It’s interesting to see how people react in situations, and I sort of have made my career on winning those close battles. I was definitely confident I was going to be able to do it, but the weather did throw a curveball at me. The way it all turned out; I definitely feel like I executed the plan with the confidence I came in with.”
With three Aussie Superbike titles under his belt, it’s obvious that Herfoss is a Superbike racer. Coming here to race the Baggers was a massive challenge, but one that he enjoyed. He also got the chance to throw his leg over Cameron Beaubier’s Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR Superbike at Brainerd while Beaubier was recovering from injury. Riding a Superbike in addition to his Bagger commitments was a big ask, especially at a difficult racetrack like Brainerd International Raceway.
“I don’t regret it,” Herfoss said of taking the option to ride the BMW. “I want to ride Superbikes. I love racing Superbikes. I know I’m competitive on a Superbike and I just finished out the year in Australia with a win in the final (Superbike) race of the year. I bit off a lot going to Brainerd, and at the time I didn’t know the track was as quirky as it was, and the grip level was so quirky. It was a lot. You’re walking into one of the, if not the best bikes on the grid, replacing the best rider on the grid. Here’s the bike, here’s the track, and good luck. It was just a lot. I’m 100 percent certain if there had been a Thursday test, or I got to ride the bike at any other track, my results would have been a lot better (he was eighth and seventh in the two races). A few things happened. It was a deal where I thought I was going to be on the bike for two rounds, for sure, possibly three rounds. So, it was just let’s just work into it. The way the weekend started with that crash on the Bagger, I had to be a little bit careful. Then after the weekend obviously Cam (Beaubier) made a comeback, which I was happy to see. I didn’t want him to be off the grid any longer than he had to be, but that meant that I couldn’t get another weekend on the bike. I didn’t get to show anywhere near my potential on a Superbike, but I don’t regret doing it. It was a lot of fun to work with a new team and ride a bike like that. But I didn’t get to put my best foot forward. That’s for sure.”
Although nothing has been finalized, it’s likely that Herfoss will be back in the MotoAmerica paddock in 2025 racing for the same S&S/Indian Motorcycle team with which he won the title. He will be back with his wife, his two little girls, traveling the country with his fifth-wheel trailer.
“I think I’ll fly in and fly out for the races like I did this year and travel with the camper,” Herfoss said. “It’s just easier to do that when testing comes up or when we’ve got to stay a bit longer. It’s a much more affordable way to do it. It was kind of fun to travel around the States a bit. There was a lot going on this year trying to set it all up. Obviously, I’ve got a plan to be in America for a couple of years and hopefully seeing my years out racing in MotoAmerica would be nice. So, it was important to get set up early and really commit to it. I think if you don’t commit to something, you leave too many excuses not to get the result you’re after. I was all-in. Get the camper set up, get the family over here. All-in, all the time.”
When asked if there was a particular race that he was most proud of, Herfoss paused briefly.
“There were a lot of moments that I was really proud of and happy about, but no real win sort of stands out,” he said. “They’re all so fun and intense. I guess the last race of the year, really, is probably my proudest moment just because there were two guys going for a championship. I holeshotted the race and I was able to pass Kyle (Wyman) and make a gap and ride a flawless few laps, no mistakes, on his home track. It was sort of a weird feeling, to be honest, riding around the track with so little time. It just felt like I was so comfortable and so at home doing it. It was a lot of fun.”
As far as the training goes, road racing is not motocross, it’s not Supermoto and It’s not Supercross. But the mental side is difficult, and, in turn, it makes a high level of physical fitness a must.
My question on the subject went like this: I don’t know if you’re the fittest guy in the paddock, but you’ve got to be one of them. Does it bring confidence to you when you’re racing with somebody and you’re in a battle and you can think, “I know I’ve done more than this guy and I know I’m in better shape?” Or is that not important?
Uh, oh. I should have known better.
“It’s important,” Herfoss said, before taking a jab. “It’s funny, you don’t know whether I’m the fittest guy in the paddock. I’d be 99 percent sure I am. That makes a huge difference. Everyone is struggling at the end of the race no matter how hard you’re pushing. Knowing when that guy looks across at me with two laps to go and he’s already hurting and he knows the level of fitness I’m at, not only is my fitness going to get me to the line but my opponent knowing how fit I am is going to help me, as well.
“I’ve always made sure I’m at a high aerobic level. Unlike motocross, we don’t need to be super strong and super fit to go fast on a road bike, but you need to be able to make decisions at 300k an hour and hit the same few feet of tarmac from 200 or 300 meters of braking every lap. When your heart rate is 20 or 30 beats lower, it’s a lot easier to do that. For that reason, you do still need to be in really good physical shape. That’s why, for me a huge aerobic fitness is so important. Probably more so than the strength of riding a Superbike. There’s a lot of really fit guys out there. I think all motorsports are very underrated. I bet if you tested the top 10 Superbike guys in MotoAmerica versus some of the best football players in the country in an all-around fitness test, you’d be surprised how strong and fit a Superbike rider is.”
Winning the Mission King Of The Baggers title brought a lot of attention to Herfoss and to MotoAmerica and its Bagger class. Not just in Australia, but internationally, as well. Herfoss was surprised at the amount of attention people were paying to the series and the class.
“Yeah, it really surprised me,” he said. “It’s been such a pleasure to be a part of it. Internationally I’m sort of, I wouldn’t say a nobody, but I’m a lesser-known international rider. So, to come in and start racing in that championship and get the response I did, it was super refreshing. Even coming back to Australia, I’d say a lot more people recognize me than ever, even in Australia, just because the Baggers is such a cool series. I guess there’s the surprise factor of winning in my first year. I just find the King Of The Baggers fans are really old-school fans and they get right in amongst it there at the track. They’re passionate. The rivalry was like none other to me. The Harley fans, they almost wanted to hate the Indian and the Australian guy, but that was my job to be as good an opponent as I could to make sure they can’t hate me. So, it was sort of a fun dynamic, really. You’re trying to have a rivalry but you’re also there having fun racing bikes. It’s funny. We’re all at the track together and there was a big rivalry, but I can tell that every guy that rides a Bagger, whether it’s an Indian Challenger or the Harley, they all want to hang out really at the end of the day. So, it was a really fun atmosphere. One of the most enjoyable years I’ve had with spectators and fans.”
Herfoss checked another box in 2024 when he competed in the Melbourne Marathon and completed it in under three hours – two hours and 53 minutes. Photo courtesy of Herfoss
In 2021, Herfoss suffered a crash that nearly ended his career. His right humerus (upper arm) was broken, his right hip was smashed, and his right tibia (lower leg) was also fractured. He underwent six hours of surgery and spent the next month in a wheelchair. Herfoss was able to come back from that to win the 2023 Australian Superbike title.
Yeah, but could he run a marathon?
The answer is a resounding yes, and the marathon box was checked shortly after he won the 2024 Mission King Of The Baggers Championship. 1.3 million people run a marathon every year, which is just 0.17 percent of the population. Just a tick over four percent of those who do manage to finish the 26.2-mile marathon complete the race in under three hours. Herfoss did it in 2 hours and 53 minutes. That’s a 6:35 average mile time for 26.2 miles, and it placed him 307th out of the nearly 9000 runners who started the race.
“Like a lot of people that have bad injuries, you get sort of the thought that you won’t be able to do a few things that you used to be able to do and one of those things was running,” Herfoss said. “It was going to be maybe hard for me. About 18 months ago, I started doing a few 20- to 30-minute walk/runs to try and see if my body would hold up. One thing led to another, and I was running further and further and faster and faster. I wanted to tick the marathon off the list, and I wanted to do it before my injury, as well. Before my injury, I sort of joked that it would be easy to do a sub-three-hour marathon. But it definitely wasn’t easy. I’m glad I was able to do it in the end. It was a lot of fun.”
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