MotoE™️ Test: Smith fastest as rain disrupts Day 2
The British rider topped the timesheets after a day of limited action in Jerez due to the weather
Tuesday, 12 April 2022
The returning Bradley Smith (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team) topped Day 2’s timesheets at the Official FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup Jerez Test as rain heavily disrupted proceedings on Tuesday.
There was little track action to be had in the tricky conditions as Smith and MotoE™ rookie Alex Escrig (Tech3 E-Racing) were the only two riders to venture out in the first session. Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) then joined Smith on track in the second, before Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE™), Marc Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team), Alessio Finello (Felo Gresini MotoE™), two-time Cup winner Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) and Maria Herrera (Openbank Aspar Team) headed into the fray in the final session.
At the end of the penultimate day of testing, Smith’s wet weather 1:58.080 – set in the second session – was the fastest lap as the riders and teams hope for the rain to clear ahead of the final day of pre-season running on Wednesday. Smith topped the final session too, with a 1:58.714, which was two and a bit tenths quicker than Casadei’s effort.
Check out interviews and more on motogp.com, and stay up to date with the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto’s live timing on the third and final day of the test for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. Then it’ll be full steam ahead into Round 1 at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España from the 29th of April to the 1st of May.
Munich/Berlin. The 20th edition of the BMW Motorrad Days will take place on 2 & 3 July 2022 at the exhibition grounds in Berlin. Directly after the Pure&Crafted Festival (1 July), the world’s largest BMW Motorrad meeting will attract the international fan community to the German capital for the first time.
“We believe Berlin is the perfect place for the BMW Motorrad Days. As an international city offering a rich cultural experience, a wide range of excursions in the surrounding area and a unique lifestyle, the capital of Germany has everything it takes to make the BMW Motorrad Days even more diverse and attractive,” says Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad. The heart of international BMW motorcycle production has been beating in Berlin for 53 years at the Berlin plant. And almost every BMW motorcycle has Berlin air in its tyres.
In addition to new products, spectacular stunts, test ride opportunities and ride-aways, there will also be a great deal more in store for visitors. Motorcycle fans from all over the world have already noted the event in their calendars as a must-attend event. Visitors from distant countries such as the USA, Japan or Australia, sports, touring and enduro riders, customizing freaks or motorsports enthusiasts will all find their personal highlight at the BMW Motorrad Days. Be it during the day in the extensive grounds between old and new motorbikes or in the evening with live music.
The Streetbike Stunt Show, the Trial Show and the FMX Show push the limits of riding physics. The great tradition of steep wall riders, on the other hand, is revived in the Original Motodrom, the oldest still travelling steep wall in the world. Here, Donald Ganslmeier and his team thunder over the wooden boards on historical motorcycles in breathtaking style. Motorcycle customizing fans are fully catered for in the Wheels Area.
In addition to the large number of test rides on offer featuring the entire product range, you can of course also discover the charming surroundings of Berlin and Brandenburg by motorcycle. Visitors can explore the countryside by taking part in test ride specials and guided enduro tours with local guides. Aspiring motorcyclists who have no driving licence yet can try themselves out on a BMW motorcycle. Enduro taster training sessions will also be available.
Another highlight are the plant tours at the BMW Motorrad plant, which now offer insights into international motorcycle manufacturing for the first time as part of the BMW Motorrad Days.
The extensive trade show and exhibition area reflects the full diversity of BMW Motorrad. In addition to the entire BMW Motorrad product portfolio, visitors can also expect one or two surprises. Around 50 exhibitors will be on site to advise potential customers and to present new ideas and innovative BMW Motorrad related accessories.
Young guests are excellently catered for as well: In the Kids Area there are lots of exciting games and a specially designed Kids Bike Course – an exciting and action-packed weekend is guaranteed.
A new item on the programme is the General Store known from the Pure&Crafted Festival with numerous other exhibitors from the lifestyle sector as well as “The House of Machines” bar featuring the Marshall Live Music Stage.
Everyone dreaming of faraway lands can watch one of the travelogues in the cinema, while motorsport enthusiasts can look forward to seeing the stars of the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.
The BMW Motorrad Days have long been considered a traditional event and have a permanent place in every biker’s calendar. In 2001, the event was held for the first time in Seefeld, Austria, followed by 18 editions in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. In 2020 and 2021, the event was not held due to the global corona pandemic. The
“BMW Motorrad Days goes Berlin” decision was taken with the aim of breaking new ground in brand development for the future and developing new concepts so as to give the BMW Motorrad Days a powerful fresh stimulus. At the same time, Berlin is an ideal platform for modern urban mobility concepts on two wheels as well.
The Pure&Crafted Festival will take place immediately before the BMW Motorrad Days on 1 July. The festival, which was launched in Berlin in 2015 and initiated by BMW Motorrad, will be held for the second time in the Summer Garden at the Berlin exhibition grounds, and of course BMW Motorrad is the title sponsor again this year. Fans can experience the special mix of live music, motorbike culture and new heritage lifestyle.
Advance ticket sales for the BMW Motorrad Days have already started. Day tickets for Saturday can be purchased for EUR 10,- and include a meal voucher worth of EUR 5,-. Day tickets for Sunday cost EUR 5,- and include a meal voucher worth of EUR 5,-. Combined tickets (Saturday and Sunday) cost EUR 15,- and include two food vouchers of EUR 5,- each. Children and youngsters up to and including the age of 15 are admitted free of charge (a free ticket must still be obtained). The whole program incl. shows, entertainment, riding activities such as test rides, enduro taster trainings etc. will not cause any further costs on-site. Tickets are available in the online shop at this link:
Featured In the April 2022 issue of Roadracing World:
“We had won the season opener but then lost the next two races, leaving us second in the championship points with two races left in the season. After taking some time to evaluate where we might have room for improvement, we had spent two full test days developing the geometry and electronics on the bike.
“When the test concluded we still had two items left on the to-do list: A) Ask our suspension tech to put some more valving into the shock; and B) Convince Chris Peris not to use the throttle grip to defeat the electronic rider aids. When we broached that topic with Chris he looked like someone was going to take away his puppy!”
—Army Of Darkness: N2/WERA Endurance 2021, by Sam Q. Fleming
Down but not out, endurance racing aces Army Of Darkness dug deep and battled back, fighting for the win of the nation’s premier endurance series. Read the exploits of the AOD team as it goes head-to-head with Twisted Speed Racing—they’re in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology is THE definitive source for motorcycle racing, riding, and tech information.
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats. SUBSCRIBE NOW . Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. Read the April 2022 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technologywith your online subscription. Log in HERE
Available at Cycle Gear and other motorcycle retailers.
Visit www.roadracingworld.com daily for breaking news and events.
Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/roadracingworld
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com @roadracingworld
Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com @roadracing_world
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Liam Grant.
Liam Grant
Age: 18.
Current home: Boulder, Colorado.
Current height/weight: 5’11”/145 pounds.
Current school grade level: 12th grade.
Began riding at age: 12 years.
First road race: 2018, Dacono, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Mini Moto, Formula One, 1st place.
Current racebike: Suzuki GSX-R600.
Current tuner/mechanic: Brian Robertson.
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Supersport.
Top sponsors: Vision Wheel, M4 Performance Exhausts, ECSTAR, Suzuki, Arai, RST, R&G, Shorai Dunlop, Hotbodies Racing, Vortex, EK Chains, TechSpec, Venhill, 1-833-CJ-KNOWS Accident and Injury Law, Roadracingworld.com, Team Hammer.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, tied for 12th in MotoAmerica Supersport Championship (best race finish was 5th); 2020 season, finished 5th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (best race finish was fourth-place – three times); 2019 season, won 3 UtahSBA Expert Championships (Production 500, Moto3, Lightweight Superbike), won CVMA 500 Supersport Amateur Championship, won 29 races overall in 2019.
2022 racing goal: Finish in top 5 in MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.
Racing career goal: Win multiple Superbike World Championships.
Racing hero: Toprak Razgatlioglu.
Favorite track: Barber Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Running.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Going to school full-time and playing ice hockey.
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne rode to a podium finish in yesterday’s Race 2 of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike season opener at the Circuit of The Americas. The defending champion put in a resolved ride to score some valuable points on a challenging weekend in Austin, Texas. His teammate Cameron Petersen finished fourth for a solid debut with the team.
After the MotoGP World Championship completed the Grand Prix of the Americas at the 3.41-mile track in Austin, Texas, the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship took to the grid. Both Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing riders got a good start with Petersen rocketing to the front aboard his Attack Performance Yamaha R1. Sitting in fourth, Gagne jostled for position in the top five on the opening lap and ultimately reclaimed fourth. He soon closed in on his teammate in third and passed him on Lap 3. With Petersen on his heels, the duo started to close the gap on the front runners around the halfway point, but ultimately Gagne crossed the line third to score some valuable points in the championship.
Petersen led the first lap but was shuffled to third a lap later when his teammate advanced. He patiently waited behind Gagne, matching the pace of the reigning MotoAmerica Superbike Champion, but lost some ground after the halfway mark. He then rode on to finish comfortably in fourth and earn his second top-five finish after yesterday’s podium.
The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing gets a short break before heading to Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, for Round 2 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship on April 22-24.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“It was an unusual weekend, but we recovered and can take away some positives from it. Jake had little time on the bike but used his skill to change his style and adapt to the unfamiliar feeling of his motorcycle. Cameron was able to follow Jake and match his pace, so it was a good first weekend aboard our R1, and he learned a lot through the weekend. The team will now regroup. We are ready to bring the fight at our next round in Atlanta and look forward to seeing our fans at the podium celebration.”
Jake Gagne (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It’s been a tough weekend. We were dealing with a lot of weird little things, and we missed out on some good track time. I knew it was going to be tough to fight for the win after the warmup lap – a new bike and some different things that I wasn’t used to. After being out of the race yesterday, the priority was bringing it home and getting some points. I’m just happy to get on the podium and to roll on and get out of this place. So yeah, it was a rough start, but I know we are ready to rock the rest of the year.”
Cameron Petersen (45). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Cam Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a better race than the first one. I was more consistent and was a little bit closer to the front. So it was a good starting point, but I’ve got to be on the podium every single race. I’m not happy with finishing fourth, but I’m happy to walk away with two race finishes and have some solid points under our belt. Now we are going to some of the tracks that I really love going to and that I go good at. I think the rest of the season is going to go well; it was a great first weekend with the team.”
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:
Tytlers Cycle Racing competitive at COTA
PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera powered the all new Tytlers Racing BMW M1000 RR to a brace of top six finishes in the opening round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the Circuit of the Americas this past weekend.
Hector, who is in his sophomore MotoAmerica season, has previous racing experience of COTA and revelled at being back on track in Texas. A strong qualifying performance ensured the Spaniard was in the mix from lights out, the #80 crossing the line less than a second behind his team mate PJ Jacobsen. Barbera also fought hard in the second encounter of the weekend narrowly missing out his second top six of the event. He crossed the line seventh.
For PJ Jacobsen there was plenty to smile about. His racing return on Saturday saw him romp to a strong fourth place finish. A technical problem in Race 2 prevented what could have easily been an even better performance for the #99, who made a brilliant start and was in podium contention for the first half lap.
Travis Wyman and Corey Alexander, the team’s two Stock1000 challengers when the series kicks off at Road Atlanta in a fortnight, were also in action. Wyman raced to pair of ninth place finishes whilst Alexander finished tenth and thirteenth in the two fourteen lap encounters.
All things considered it was a successful first round of MotoAmerica for the all-new squad and the entire Tytlers Racing team is now even more motivated and excited for the season ahead after showing that the BMW M1000 RR, which makes its debut in the US national series this year, is competitive.
PJ Jacobsen: “After not racing for two years to get P4 in my first race bike with this new team was really good. I was pumped and excited when I was sitting on the grid to get the first race going. The team did a fantastic job and Saturday’s result is for them., for all their hard work to get us ready to go racing. We had no warm up session on Sunday, so we had to go straight into Race 2 on Sunday. We made some changes and even on the sighting lap to the grid it felt pretty good. My plan was to try to stay at the front longer. I was in the top three into Turn 1 and as we got onto the back straight, I was with the leaders, but we had a small issue and that put me out of the race. To come away with a fourth in race one and to feel as good as I do on the bike is positive for the rest of the year.”
Hector Barbera: “My first race with the new BMW M1000 RR was positive even if I started losing grip in the rear lap by lap. It became a harder to push and my lap times started to get slower. That said, for the first race it was not so bad. I am happy with how race two went because we were able to improve the setting with the bike. My feeling, especially in the first five laps was much better. For sure we need to find a way to be consistently fast later in the race, but I am confident that we will get there. The bike is very fast, and I feel like it will be possible to battle for the victory this year.”
Travis Wyman: “After missing FP1 on Friday I felt like I was a little behind. I qualified fourteenth and was just hoping to get a good start and be able to hang with the group when the lights went out. The second half of the race the settings we had came to me and I was able to progress forward and ended up fighting for the top eight. I eventually came home ninth which was a great start for me and for the team in our first race together. Race two was just as fulfilling as Saturday’s. I got off to a way better start and was able to feel much more comfortable on the bike. We improved our package but there is still a lot to learn. I am excited to start our championship season at Road Atlanta in a couple of weeks.”
Corey Alexander (23). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.
Corey Alexander: “It was good to get the first race of the season out of the way. Sunday was another productive day. I learned more about the bike, and we were able to make progress in understanding more things. Overall, it was a positive weekend for the team with no major technical issues which is encouraging for our first outing together as a four-rider team. I am looking forward to a more normal weekend in terms of timetable so we can keep moving forward. See you in Atlanta!”
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
FIRST SUPERBIKE TOP FIVE FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI’S RICHIE ESCALANTE IN TEXAS
BREA, Calif., April 11, 2022 — Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike effort found more speed on Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas as Superbike class rookie Richie Escalante spearheaded a 5-6 finish for the team in the second round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike season.
Superbike rookie Richie Escalante (54) continues to improve quickly and finished in the top five on Sunday. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Escalante and teammate Jake Lewis got away in seventh and eighth, respectively, and immediately started fighting forward aboard their factory-backed Suzuki GSX- R1000Rs.
Reigning Stock 1000 champion Lewis took point and the two positioned themselves to strike for a place inside the top five. Kentuckian Lewis was the first to do so, but he was then overhauled by impressive class newcomer Escalante, who is quickly finding his form on the bigger, faster machine after years of stardom on middleweight equipment.
Escalante not only ultimately scored his first premier-class top five, but he also effectively slashed the gap between himself and victory by half overnight.
Escalante said, “We made some changes on the bike and we surely improved, especially in the later laps. I’m super happy to put up consistent laps and finish P5. My entire Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki crew did an amazing job.
“I’m excited, but there’s still a lot of work to do to win in Superbike. I can’t wait until Road Atlanta to continue my process.”
Jake Lewis (85) rode strong this weekend delivering two sixth-place finishes aboard his GSX-R1000R. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Lewis finished one position back to walk away from a promising first weekend back with the team with a pair of sixths.
He said, “We picked up another sixth, but we made a little bit of progress in that race. I got a decent start and then got into a rhythm and kept charging and charging. When Richie came by, I had run out of tire a little bit and didn’t have anything for him.”
“Overall, it was a better day and a better race. We will continue to try some things and hopefully progress for the next round.”
Both athletes are tied for fourth in the points standings after a challenging first event of the season, with limited track time to dial in the settings on their Suzuki GSX-R race bikes.
The AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship will resume with all classes in action together for the first time this season in two weeks’ time at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, on April 22-24.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2022 season marks Team Hammer’s 42nd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 128 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 332 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
ABOUT SUZUKI
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
ALPINESTARS INTRODUCES TECH-AIR® 10 – THE TOP PROTECTION SYSTEM FROM MOTOGP – AT THE CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS, AUSTIN, TEXAS – Alpinestars is showcasing over 20 years of technology innovation and product development in motorcycling airbag protection with the introduction of Tech-Air® 10, and bringing to market the full upper-body and hips protection System developed with Alpinestars’ MotoGP riders. With nearly 100 professional MotoGP Moto2, Moto3, MotoE, AMA, and WSBK riders wearing Tech-Air® Airbag protection at the track during race weekends, and nearly 300 pro riders wearing Tech-Air®, Alpinestars’ launch of Tech-Air® 10 at COTA showcases the company’s continued commitment to bringing technology developments from its world-class Racing Program to motorcycle riders worldwide.
Alpinestars presented live demonstrations of the Tech-Air®10 Airbag System to the public in the Alpinestars area at the entrance to the Marketplace located in the Grand Plaza at the Circuit of the Americas during the Austin MotoGP weekend. In addition, Alpinestars hosted a launch event for the press with MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo, on Saturday, at the Alpinestars Paddock Hospitality.
Tech-Air® 10 is the latest innovative autonomous airbag to join the Alpinestars’ Tech-Air® family, which includes the Tech-Air® Race, Tech-Air® Street, and Tech-Air® 5 electronic Airbag Systems. Derived from Alpinestars’ airbag technology adopted by MotoGP riders, Tech-Air® 10 is a slim, self-contained wearable Airbag System that provides unrivalled body protection to racers, track day riders, and road riders by covering the rider’s shoulders, chest, full back, and hips.
Tech-Air®10 Product HighlightsTech-Air® 10 provides the most comprehensive coverage of any airbag currently available.
The Tech-Air® 10 System is extremely easy to use; just zip up the front and close the belt to activate the Airbag System, and you’re ready to ride. The internal belt automatically activates the System once it is fastened and secured.
The state-of-the-art, wearable Tech-Air® 10 Airbag System comes with an active electronic System that features 12 sensors (3 triaxial accelerometers plus 1 triaxial gyroscope) and a crash detection algorithm that leverages AI to accurately monitor when to deploy the airbag in the event of a crash.
Tech-Air® 10 is designed for track and road use and can be used with both the RACE and the STREET Riding Modes which have specific AI crash detection algorithms. The RACE Riding mode must only be used for riding on closed racetracks and should not be used for any other types of riding.
Developed from decades of research with the world’s top MotoGP riders, and Alpinestars’ customers, data from millions of kilometers and thousands of crashes have been analyzed to continuously improve the intelligent crash detection algorithm.
Upon the detection of a crash situation, a protective airbag is deployed, providing unrivalled protection to the rider with a maximum inflation time of 40ms.
The impact absorption while wearing the airbag results in a decrease of the impact force by up to 95% compared to a passive protector.
The Tech-Air® 10 has CE certification Level 2 for both the chest and back.
A remote, wireless LED display indicates the airbag’s operational status.
The integrated, certified lithium-ion battery has a battery life of 24 hours of riding time.
Bluetooth connectivity to a Tech-Air® App provides riders with the Airbag System’s operational status, battery status, and MyRide trip information.
Via the Tech-Air® App, riders can also update the System’s firmware when new crash-detection algorithms are released.
The Tech-Air® 10 System features an airbag that is certified for up to three inflations.
With the availability of the Tech-Air® 10 Airbag System in the market, Alpinestars is enabling racing sport and track day riders to benefit from a standalone, wearable garment featuring all of the protection that Tech-Air® delivers to the top professional racers.
For more information regarding the operation of the Tech-Air® 10 System, please visit the Tech-Air® 10 site at: alpinestars.com/tech-air10.
MotoE™️ Test: Granado fastest in qualifying simulation
Day 1 in Jerez saw the MotoE™️ riders take part in a Q1-Q2 simulation and it’s the Brazilian who came out on top
Monday, 11 April 2022
First day honours at the second Official FIM Enel MotoE™️ World Cup Test went to Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) as the electric class riders completed a Q1-Q2 format qualifying simulation at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto.
It was a dry but windy day in Andalucia as the MotoE™️ field began their final test, which takes place ahead of the season kicking off at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España in the near future. Due to rain appearing on Wednesday’s forecast, the Q1-Q2 simulation was brought forward to Monday.
In the first of two test sessions, Granado was the rider to beat with a 1:49.765, before the quickest times were slashed in the second practice session. Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™️) was the pacesetter after clocking a 1:49.153, before the qualifying simulations got underway at the end of the day.
The Q2 simulation was topped by Granado with a 1:49.020, the fastest time of the day, with Ferrari and Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE™️) rounding out the top three in Q2, two tenths shy of Granado’s effort. Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) was a couple of tenths shy of his teammate in P4, while the returning Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing) completed the top five, as the three-time MotoE™️ podium finisher ended three tenths away from top spot.
The riders will be back on track on Tuesday for the penultimate day of pre-season testing, where we’ll see them take part in three more separate sessions. Interviews and coverage will be available on motogp.com, and the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto’s live timing tracks the times throughout the day.
Q2 SIMULATION: TOP THREE
1 Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) – Energica – 1’49.020
2 Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE) – Energica – +0.270
3 Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE™) – Energica – +0.276
Featured In the April 2022 issue of Roadracing World:
In late 2014 KRAVE Group acquired the rights to promote AMA-sanctioned professional motorcycle road racing in the United States and rebranded the series as MotoAmerica. KRAVE Group was, and still is, made up of Chief Marketing Officer Terry Karges (K), President Wayne Rainey (R), Chief Operating Officer Chuck Aksland (A), and Chief Financial Officer Richard Varner (V).
Some of those names were familiar to people following motorcycle racing. Rainey is a three-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion and a former Grand Prix team manager; and former racer Chuck Aksland ran King Kenny Roberts’ Team Roberts for over 20 Grand Prix World Championship seasons and later ran Circuit of The Americas. And although Karges isn’t well known in motorcycle racing, he’s very well known in the auto racing world; he’s run his own team, led motorsports marketing efforts for Ford, served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Roush Performance, and currently runs the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.
But who is Varner?
—Hanging With: Richard Varner, by David Swarts
Not only is Richard Varner the primary source of the funding that got MotoAmerica up and running, but he continues to drive the racing organization forward with his experience building and running several businesses, his passion for motorcycles and all motorsports, and his seemingly endless energy and enthusiasm. Meet one of the men responsible for reviving professional road racing in the U.S.—in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology is THE definitive source for motorcycle racing, riding, and tech information.
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats. SUBSCRIBE NOW . Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. Read the April 2022 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technologywith your online subscription. Log in HERE
Available at Cycle Gear and other motorcycle retailers.
Visit www.roadracingworld.com daily for breaking news and events.
Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/roadracingworld
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com @roadracingworld
Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com @roadracing_world
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Ben Gloddy. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Ben Gloddy
Age: 16.
Current home: Northfield, New Hampshire.
Current height/weight: 6’0”/155 pounds.
Current school grade level: 11th grade.
Began riding at age: 4 years.
First road race: 2018, Canaan, New Hampshire, NESBC, Formula 300 Class, 3rd place.
Current racebike: Aprilia RS 660.
Current tuners/mechanics: Robem Engineering, Keith Day (stepfather).
Top sponsors: Robem Engineering, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Aprilia, The Big S, American Supercamp, Penguin Racing School, Arai, Stump Racing Kids, Moto Liberty, Freedom Cycle NH, Woodcraft Technologies, Fast by Ferracci.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, finished 2nd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (4 wins and 16 total podium finishes in 18 races); 2020 season, finished 4th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (8 podium finishes); 2019 season, finished 9th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup (competed in 11 of 17 races, 1 podium, 3 top-5 finishes), won 2 LRRS Championships (12 race wins), won NESBC Lights Championship; 2018 season, named LRRS Rookie of the Year (youngest to ever receive the award), won 24 LRRS races and earned 46 podium finishes, won NESBC Intermediate B Championship; 2017 season, named NJMiniGP Rookie of the Year.
2022 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship.
Racing career goal: Make it to MotoGP World Championship.
Racing hero: Jamison Minor.
Favorite track: Barber Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Downhill mountain biking.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Downhill mountain biking.
Petrucci Perfect In MotoAmerica Superbike Series Opener At COTA
Ducati Rider Wins The First Two Races Of His MotoAmerica Career In Texas
PJ Jacobsen (66) got the jump on the field in Sunday’s MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two at Circuit of The Americas. Cameron Petersen (45), Mathew Scholtz (11), Danilo Petrucci (9), Jake Gagne (1) and the rest give chase. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
AUSTIN, TX (April 10, 2022) – Danilo Petrucci made his debut in the Auto Parts 4 Less MotoAmerica Championship a perfect one with his second victory of the weekend coming on a breezy Sunday afternoon at Circuit of The Americas in the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike class.
Petrucci won his first-ever MotoAmerica race on Saturday and came back on Sunday to match that performance. Although Sunday’s race featured a larger, 5.1-second margin of victory than Saturday’s race, it was actually the tougher of the two races for the Italian as it featured a heated battle early on with Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz. Petrucci and Scholtz traded the lead on several occasions until the South African started having moments sketchy enough for him to say enough was enough, and he opted to make certain of his second runner-up finish of the weekend in what was the season opener at COTA.
Behind the lead duo came defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Jake Gagne, the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha rider finishing third to salvage 16 valuable championship points after a miserable weekend for the Gagne side of the Yamaha rig. Yesterday’s race one was a disaster for Gagne and crew with his bike failing to start the race with another engine failure. On Sunday, Gagne rode his backup bike but suffered from a lack of track time due to the mechanical ills that plagued them all weekend. He will take his third-place finish and move on to Road Atlanta in two weeks for round two of the championship.
Fortunately, the Cameron Petersen side of the team fared better with the South African finishing third on Saturday and fourth on Sunday. Petersen hounded Gagne for the duration, coming up just a 10th of a second behind his teammate at the finish.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante didn’t botch the start of today’s race as he did in Saturday’s 14-lapper, and it made for a much better result. Escalante turned the tables from yesterday on his teammate Jake Lewis, passing him toward the end of the race and holding on to finish fifth. Lewis, who was sixth on Saturday, ended up matching that with a second sixth-place finish.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera was just off the back of Lewis and finished seventh, well clear of eighth-placed Hayden Gillim on Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Travis Wyman was ninth for the second straight day with Cycle World/Octane/Chuckwalla Racing’s Michael Gilbert rounding out the top 10, a day after the Californian crashed out of race one early on.
Petrucci’s perfect weekend puts him at the head of the championship point standings with 50 points, 10 more than Scholtz’s 40 points. Petersen is third with 29 points, nine better than the three riders tied for fourth with 20 points: Escalante, Lewis and Barbera. After his rough weekend, Gagne is seventh with 16 points.
Danilo Petrucci – Winner
“Definitely I have to be happy for this weekend. I didn’t know what would be my level. The only thing I knew was this track. Fortunately, our bike is really good on braking and on maximum speed. I can carry that speed in the corner. I need to brake hard and pick up the bike in the straight. Definitely have to say thanks to all my team because we had really quite few chances to ride and to make experience. The bike was better now. It was really great to fight with Mat (Scholtz). As I told you yesterday, we go to Atlanta, which is a completely new tack for me.
Mathew Scholtz – Second
“I think Danilo (Petrucci) on lap two or three, I could see I was a little bit stronger in the middle part of the track. I just tried to kind of pass him in the corner. I just tried to make sure that he couldn’t drive and get me back. I thought Cam (Petersen) and (Jake) Gagne were a lot closer to us. I think Danilo maybe passed me at the halfway point. I’m really, really happy to be back. Two second places, I couldn’t be happier. Both of these guys are extremely talented motorcycle riders and I’m honored to be up here on the podium with them.
Jake Gagne – Third
“Just hats off to the team. It wasn’t an easy weekend for them. After the warmup, we did a couple of sighting laps. The bike was running okay, but I knew the race would be tough. Figured out what I could to kind of roll in this. I’m just glad I got on the podium. It was a tough weekend. Good to get a couple points because these guys are going to be working. Keep the ball rolling.
“I kind of sat at my pace and just rode how I could. I could see those guys go back and forth. I’m like, ‘come on, let’s keep roughing these guys up, make it interesting.’ There was one of the laps I saw Danilo (Petrucci) started pulling away because he had the pace. Mat (Scholtz) was trying. Mat had some big moments. It was good to get out this weekend again. Just keep on fighting.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Danilo Petrucci Creates a Dream Debut in MotoAmerica
Two Wins From Two Starts Signal The Italian Stallion Has Arrived in MotoAmerica
Danilo Petrucci (9) leads Mathew Scholtz (11) during MotoAmerica Superbike Race Two at COTA. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Sunnyvale, Calif., April 10, 2022 – Danilo Petrucci and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC team started the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike season at Circuit of The Americas in perfect style with two dominant victories on the factory-backed Ducati Panigale V4 SBK.
The former double MotoGP race winner was in fine form across the two days of competition, dominating in both races despite this being his first competition on the Panigale.
Petrucci also had to content with the Dunlop control tire used in MotoAmerica, but that didn’t stop him as the stunning red and white Panigale roared to the win in front of Petrucci’s MotoGP friends and family, the paddock he’s spent the last 10 years competing in.
The wins place Petrucci on a perfect 50 point haul to lead the championship from Scholtz on 40 points heading into round two of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Road Atlanta on April 22-24.
2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Standing – Top 5
P1 – Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 50
P2 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 40
P3 – Cameron Petersen (Yamaha) 29
P4 – Richie Escalante (Suzuki) 20
P5 – Jake Lewis (Suzuki) 20
Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #9) : “It was a great day. We were concerned about the tire wear because we didn’t know which tire compound was better. Yesterday, we suffered a little with the rear tire but today we made a few changes on the set up because we didn’t have the chance to ride in the warm up, just straight into the race.”
Petrucci said after race two. “Mathew Scholtz was really hard on braking and I didn’t want to crash with him so I got in front, closed the door a bit and tried to push as hard as possible. I created a gap and it was so nice to make a double victory on my MotoAmerica debut. I want to say thanks to the whole Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC team. We did an amazing job and now it’s onto Road Atlanta.”
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz Notches A Runner-Up Two-fer In Texas
Mathew Scholtz (11). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Austin, TX – April 10, 2022 – The Westby Racing team couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship than the one they had this weekend at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. Last year’s championship runner-up Mathew Scholtz notched two second-place finishes at COTA aboard the #11 Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1, and he led each of the two races on the weekend.
Starting from second on the grid, Mathew got a decent start off the line, but was shuffled back one spot on the opening lap. He quickly went to work, however, moving back up to second, and then he overtook former MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci for the lead. The two fierce riders battled back-and-forth and swapped positions several times, with Mathew asserting himself at the front on lap three and being credited with leading laps four, five, and six. A casualty of the fight, however, was Mathew’s tires, which began to lose grip as the laps wound down. Petrucci overtook Mathew on lap seven and didn’t relinquish it for the remainder of the 14-lap race. Mathew held strong to his position and took the checkered flag in second place for the second day in a row.
“I could see that Danilo was a little bit stronger than he was yesterday in the middle part of the track,” Mathew said. “So, I passed him in the corner and just tried to make sure that he couldn’t drive and get me back. I thought Cam Petersen and Jake Gagne were a lot closer to us than they were. I think Danilo maybe passed me around the halfway point of the race. I’m really, really happy to be back up here on the podium, though. Two second-place finishes. I couldn’t be happier. Both of these guys (Petrucci and Gagne) are extremely talented motorcycle riders. I’m honored to be up here on the podium with them.”
Mathew and the Westby Racing team will be back in action for round two of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, which takes place at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, on April 22 through 24.
Bradley Smith (38) riding in mixed conditions during Day Two of MotoE testing at Jerez. Photo courtesy Dorna.
MotoE™️ Test: Smith fastest as rain disrupts Day 2
The British rider topped the timesheets after a day of limited action in Jerez due to the weather
Tuesday, 12 April 2022
The returning Bradley Smith (WithU GRT RNF MotoE™ Team) topped Day 2’s timesheets at the Official FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup Jerez Test as rain heavily disrupted proceedings on Tuesday.
There was little track action to be had in the tricky conditions as Smith and MotoE™ rookie Alex Escrig (Tech3 E-Racing) were the only two riders to venture out in the first session. Kevin Zannoni (Ongetta SIC58 Squadra Corse) and Mattia Casadei (Pons Racing 40) then joined Smith on track in the second, before Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE™), Marc Alcoba (Openbank Aspar Team), Alessio Finello (Felo Gresini MotoE™), two-time Cup winner Jordi Torres (Pons Racing 40) and Maria Herrera (Openbank Aspar Team) headed into the fray in the final session.
At the end of the penultimate day of testing, Smith’s wet weather 1:58.080 – set in the second session – was the fastest lap as the riders and teams hope for the rain to clear ahead of the final day of pre-season running on Wednesday. Smith topped the final session too, with a 1:58.714, which was two and a bit tenths quicker than Casadei’s effort.
Check out interviews and more on motogp.com, and stay up to date with the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto’s live timing on the third and final day of the test for the FIM Enel MotoE™ World Cup. Then it’ll be full steam ahead into Round 1 at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España from the 29th of April to the 1st of May.
BMW motorcycle fans will converge on Berlin July 2-3 for the 20th BMW Motorrad Days event. Photo courtesy BMW Motorrad.
Munich/Berlin. The 20th edition of the BMW Motorrad Days will take place on 2 & 3 July 2022 at the exhibition grounds in Berlin. Directly after the Pure&Crafted Festival (1 July), the world’s largest BMW Motorrad meeting will attract the international fan community to the German capital for the first time.
“We believe Berlin is the perfect place for the BMW Motorrad Days. As an international city offering a rich cultural experience, a wide range of excursions in the surrounding area and a unique lifestyle, the capital of Germany has everything it takes to make the BMW Motorrad Days even more diverse and attractive,” says Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad. The heart of international BMW motorcycle production has been beating in Berlin for 53 years at the Berlin plant. And almost every BMW motorcycle has Berlin air in its tyres.
In addition to new products, spectacular stunts, test ride opportunities and ride-aways, there will also be a great deal more in store for visitors. Motorcycle fans from all over the world have already noted the event in their calendars as a must-attend event. Visitors from distant countries such as the USA, Japan or Australia, sports, touring and enduro riders, customizing freaks or motorsports enthusiasts will all find their personal highlight at the BMW Motorrad Days. Be it during the day in the extensive grounds between old and new motorbikes or in the evening with live music.
The Streetbike Stunt Show, the Trial Show and the FMX Show push the limits of riding physics. The great tradition of steep wall riders, on the other hand, is revived in the Original Motodrom, the oldest still travelling steep wall in the world. Here, Donald Ganslmeier and his team thunder over the wooden boards on historical motorcycles in breathtaking style. Motorcycle customizing fans are fully catered for in the Wheels Area.
In addition to the large number of test rides on offer featuring the entire product range, you can of course also discover the charming surroundings of Berlin and Brandenburg by motorcycle. Visitors can explore the countryside by taking part in test ride specials and guided enduro tours with local guides. Aspiring motorcyclists who have no driving licence yet can try themselves out on a BMW motorcycle. Enduro taster training sessions will also be available.
Another highlight are the plant tours at the BMW Motorrad plant, which now offer insights into international motorcycle manufacturing for the first time as part of the BMW Motorrad Days.
The extensive trade show and exhibition area reflects the full diversity of BMW Motorrad. In addition to the entire BMW Motorrad product portfolio, visitors can also expect one or two surprises. Around 50 exhibitors will be on site to advise potential customers and to present new ideas and innovative BMW Motorrad related accessories.
Young guests are excellently catered for as well: In the Kids Area there are lots of exciting games and a specially designed Kids Bike Course – an exciting and action-packed weekend is guaranteed.
A new item on the programme is the General Store known from the Pure&Crafted Festival with numerous other exhibitors from the lifestyle sector as well as “The House of Machines” bar featuring the Marshall Live Music Stage.
Everyone dreaming of faraway lands can watch one of the travelogues in the cinema, while motorsport enthusiasts can look forward to seeing the stars of the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team.
The BMW Motorrad Days have long been considered a traditional event and have a permanent place in every biker’s calendar. In 2001, the event was held for the first time in Seefeld, Austria, followed by 18 editions in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. In 2020 and 2021, the event was not held due to the global corona pandemic. The
“BMW Motorrad Days goes Berlin” decision was taken with the aim of breaking new ground in brand development for the future and developing new concepts so as to give the BMW Motorrad Days a powerful fresh stimulus. At the same time, Berlin is an ideal platform for modern urban mobility concepts on two wheels as well.
The Pure&Crafted Festival will take place immediately before the BMW Motorrad Days on 1 July. The festival, which was launched in Berlin in 2015 and initiated by BMW Motorrad, will be held for the second time in the Summer Garden at the Berlin exhibition grounds, and of course BMW Motorrad is the title sponsor again this year. Fans can experience the special mix of live music, motorbike culture and new heritage lifestyle.
Advance ticket sales for the BMW Motorrad Days have already started. Day tickets for Saturday can be purchased for EUR 10,- and include a meal voucher worth of EUR 5,-. Day tickets for Sunday cost EUR 5,- and include a meal voucher worth of EUR 5,-. Combined tickets (Saturday and Sunday) cost EUR 15,- and include two food vouchers of EUR 5,- each. Children and youngsters up to and including the age of 15 are admitted free of charge (a free ticket must still be obtained). The whole program incl. shows, entertainment, riding activities such as test rides, enduro taster trainings etc. will not cause any further costs on-site. Tickets are available in the online shop at this link:
Xavier Zayat applies his 600 lean angles to the big AOD Yamaha 1000 on the way to the overall win at PittRace.
Featured In the April 2022 issue of Roadracing World:
“We had won the season opener but then lost the next two races, leaving us second in the championship points with two races left in the season. After taking some time to evaluate where we might have room for improvement, we had spent two full test days developing the geometry and electronics on the bike.
“When the test concluded we still had two items left on the to-do list: A) Ask our suspension tech to put some more valving into the shock; and B) Convince Chris Peris not to use the throttle grip to defeat the electronic rider aids. When we broached that topic with Chris he looked like someone was going to take away his puppy!”
—Army Of Darkness: N2/WERA Endurance 2021, by Sam Q. Fleming
Down but not out, endurance racing aces Army Of Darkness dug deep and battled back, fighting for the win of the nation’s premier endurance series. Read the exploits of the AOD team as it goes head-to-head with Twisted Speed Racing—they’re in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology is THE definitive source for motorcycle racing, riding, and tech information.
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats. SUBSCRIBE NOW . Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. Read the April 2022 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technologywith your online subscription. Log in HERE
Available at Cycle Gear and other motorcycle retailers.
Visit www.roadracingworld.com daily for breaking news and events.
Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/roadracingworld
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com @roadracingworld
Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com @roadracing_world
Liam Grant (90). Photo by Karen E. Ott Photography.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Liam Grant.
Liam Grant
Age: 18.
Current home: Boulder, Colorado.
Current height/weight: 5’11”/145 pounds.
Current school grade level: 12th grade.
Began riding at age: 12 years.
First road race: 2018, Dacono, Colorado, Rocky Mountain Mini Moto, Formula One, 1st place.
Current racebike: Suzuki GSX-R600.
Current tuner/mechanic: Brian Robertson.
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Supersport.
Top sponsors: Vision Wheel, M4 Performance Exhausts, ECSTAR, Suzuki, Arai, RST, R&G, Shorai Dunlop, Hotbodies Racing, Vortex, EK Chains, TechSpec, Venhill, 1-833-CJ-KNOWS Accident and Injury Law, Roadracingworld.com, Team Hammer.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, tied for 12th in MotoAmerica Supersport Championship (best race finish was 5th); 2020 season, finished 5th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (best race finish was fourth-place – three times); 2019 season, won 3 UtahSBA Expert Championships (Production 500, Moto3, Lightweight Superbike), won CVMA 500 Supersport Amateur Championship, won 29 races overall in 2019.
2022 racing goal: Finish in top 5 in MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.
Racing career goal: Win multiple Superbike World Championships.
Racing hero: Toprak Razgatlioglu.
Favorite track: Barber Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Running.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Going to school full-time and playing ice hockey.
Jake Gagne (1) and Cameron Petersen (45) in action during MotoAmerica Superbike Race Two at COTA. Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Gagne Bounces Back to Podium Finish in Texas
Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne rode to a podium finish in yesterday’s Race 2 of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike season opener at the Circuit of The Americas. The defending champion put in a resolved ride to score some valuable points on a challenging weekend in Austin, Texas. His teammate Cameron Petersen finished fourth for a solid debut with the team.
After the MotoGP World Championship completed the Grand Prix of the Americas at the 3.41-mile track in Austin, Texas, the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship took to the grid. Both Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing riders got a good start with Petersen rocketing to the front aboard his Attack Performance Yamaha R1. Sitting in fourth, Gagne jostled for position in the top five on the opening lap and ultimately reclaimed fourth. He soon closed in on his teammate in third and passed him on Lap 3. With Petersen on his heels, the duo started to close the gap on the front runners around the halfway point, but ultimately Gagne crossed the line third to score some valuable points in the championship.
Petersen led the first lap but was shuffled to third a lap later when his teammate advanced. He patiently waited behind Gagne, matching the pace of the reigning MotoAmerica Superbike Champion, but lost some ground after the halfway mark. He then rode on to finish comfortably in fourth and earn his second top-five finish after yesterday’s podium.
The Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing gets a short break before heading to Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, for Round 2 of the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship on April 22-24.
Richard Stanboli – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing Team Manager
“It was an unusual weekend, but we recovered and can take away some positives from it. Jake had little time on the bike but used his skill to change his style and adapt to the unfamiliar feeling of his motorcycle. Cameron was able to follow Jake and match his pace, so it was a good first weekend aboard our R1, and he learned a lot through the weekend. The team will now regroup. We are ready to bring the fight at our next round in Atlanta and look forward to seeing our fans at the podium celebration.”
Jake Gagne (1). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Jake Gagne – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It’s been a tough weekend. We were dealing with a lot of weird little things, and we missed out on some good track time. I knew it was going to be tough to fight for the win after the warmup lap – a new bike and some different things that I wasn’t used to. After being out of the race yesterday, the priority was bringing it home and getting some points. I’m just happy to get on the podium and to roll on and get out of this place. So yeah, it was a rough start, but I know we are ready to rock the rest of the year.”
Cameron Petersen (45). Photo courtesy Yamaha.
Cam Petersen – Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing
“It was a better race than the first one. I was more consistent and was a little bit closer to the front. So it was a good starting point, but I’ve got to be on the podium every single race. I’m not happy with finishing fourth, but I’m happy to walk away with two race finishes and have some solid points under our belt. Now we are going to some of the tracks that I really love going to and that I go good at. I think the rest of the season is going to go well; it was a great first weekend with the team.”
More, from a press release issued by Tytlers Cycle Racing:
Tytlers Cycle Racing competitive at COTA
PJ Jacobsen and Hector Barbera powered the all new Tytlers Racing BMW M1000 RR to a brace of top six finishes in the opening round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at the Circuit of the Americas this past weekend.
Hector, who is in his sophomore MotoAmerica season, has previous racing experience of COTA and revelled at being back on track in Texas. A strong qualifying performance ensured the Spaniard was in the mix from lights out, the #80 crossing the line less than a second behind his team mate PJ Jacobsen. Barbera also fought hard in the second encounter of the weekend narrowly missing out his second top six of the event. He crossed the line seventh.
For PJ Jacobsen there was plenty to smile about. His racing return on Saturday saw him romp to a strong fourth place finish. A technical problem in Race 2 prevented what could have easily been an even better performance for the #99, who made a brilliant start and was in podium contention for the first half lap.
Travis Wyman and Corey Alexander, the team’s two Stock1000 challengers when the series kicks off at Road Atlanta in a fortnight, were also in action. Wyman raced to pair of ninth place finishes whilst Alexander finished tenth and thirteenth in the two fourteen lap encounters.
All things considered it was a successful first round of MotoAmerica for the all-new squad and the entire Tytlers Racing team is now even more motivated and excited for the season ahead after showing that the BMW M1000 RR, which makes its debut in the US national series this year, is competitive.
PJ Jacobsen: “After not racing for two years to get P4 in my first race bike with this new team was really good. I was pumped and excited when I was sitting on the grid to get the first race going. The team did a fantastic job and Saturday’s result is for them., for all their hard work to get us ready to go racing. We had no warm up session on Sunday, so we had to go straight into Race 2 on Sunday. We made some changes and even on the sighting lap to the grid it felt pretty good. My plan was to try to stay at the front longer. I was in the top three into Turn 1 and as we got onto the back straight, I was with the leaders, but we had a small issue and that put me out of the race. To come away with a fourth in race one and to feel as good as I do on the bike is positive for the rest of the year.”
Hector Barbera: “My first race with the new BMW M1000 RR was positive even if I started losing grip in the rear lap by lap. It became a harder to push and my lap times started to get slower. That said, for the first race it was not so bad. I am happy with how race two went because we were able to improve the setting with the bike. My feeling, especially in the first five laps was much better. For sure we need to find a way to be consistently fast later in the race, but I am confident that we will get there. The bike is very fast, and I feel like it will be possible to battle for the victory this year.”
Travis Wyman: “After missing FP1 on Friday I felt like I was a little behind. I qualified fourteenth and was just hoping to get a good start and be able to hang with the group when the lights went out. The second half of the race the settings we had came to me and I was able to progress forward and ended up fighting for the top eight. I eventually came home ninth which was a great start for me and for the team in our first race together. Race two was just as fulfilling as Saturday’s. I got off to a way better start and was able to feel much more comfortable on the bike. We improved our package but there is still a lot to learn. I am excited to start our championship season at Road Atlanta in a couple of weeks.”
Corey Alexander (23). Photo courtesy Tytlers Cycle Racing.
Corey Alexander: “It was good to get the first race of the season out of the way. Sunday was another productive day. I learned more about the bike, and we were able to make progress in understanding more things. Overall, it was a positive weekend for the team with no major technical issues which is encouraging for our first outing together as a four-rider team. I am looking forward to a more normal weekend in terms of timetable so we can keep moving forward. See you in Atlanta!”
More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Motor USA, LLC:
FIRST SUPERBIKE TOP FIVE FOR VISION WHEEL M4 ECSTAR SUZUKI’S RICHIE ESCALANTE IN TEXAS
BREA, Calif., April 11, 2022 — Suzuki Motor USA and Team Hammer’s Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki Superbike effort found more speed on Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas as Superbike class rookie Richie Escalante spearheaded a 5-6 finish for the team in the second round of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike season.
Superbike rookie Richie Escalante (54) continues to improve quickly and finished in the top five on Sunday. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Escalante and teammate Jake Lewis got away in seventh and eighth, respectively, and immediately started fighting forward aboard their factory-backed Suzuki GSX- R1000Rs.
Reigning Stock 1000 champion Lewis took point and the two positioned themselves to strike for a place inside the top five. Kentuckian Lewis was the first to do so, but he was then overhauled by impressive class newcomer Escalante, who is quickly finding his form on the bigger, faster machine after years of stardom on middleweight equipment.
Escalante not only ultimately scored his first premier-class top five, but he also effectively slashed the gap between himself and victory by half overnight.
Escalante said, “We made some changes on the bike and we surely improved, especially in the later laps. I’m super happy to put up consistent laps and finish P5. My entire Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki crew did an amazing job.
“I’m excited, but there’s still a lot of work to do to win in Superbike. I can’t wait until Road Atlanta to continue my process.”
Jake Lewis (85) rode strong this weekend delivering two sixth-place finishes aboard his GSX-R1000R. Photo courtesy Suzuki Motor USA.
Lewis finished one position back to walk away from a promising first weekend back with the team with a pair of sixths.
He said, “We picked up another sixth, but we made a little bit of progress in that race. I got a decent start and then got into a rhythm and kept charging and charging. When Richie came by, I had run out of tire a little bit and didn’t have anything for him.”
“Overall, it was a better day and a better race. We will continue to try some things and hopefully progress for the next round.”
Both athletes are tied for fourth in the points standings after a challenging first event of the season, with limited track time to dial in the settings on their Suzuki GSX-R race bikes.
The AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship will resume with all classes in action together for the first time this season in two weeks’ time at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, on April 22-24.
ABOUT TEAM HAMMER
The 2022 season marks Team Hammer’s 42nd consecutive year of operating as a professional road racing team. Racebikes built and fielded by Team Hammer have won 128 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National races, have finished on AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National podiums 332 times, and have won 11 AMA Pro and MotoAmerica National Championships, as well as two FIM South American Championships (in Superbike and Supersport.) The team has also won 137 endurance races overall (including seven 24-hour races) and 13 Overall WERA National Endurance Championships with Suzuki motorcycles and holds the U.S. record for mileage covered in a 24-hour race. The team also competed in the televised 1990s Formula USA National Championship, famously running “Methanol Monster” GSX-R1100 Superbikes fueled by methanol, and won four F-USA Championships.
ABOUT VISION WHEEL
Founded in 1976, Vision Wheel is one of the nation’s leading providers of custom wheels for cars and trucks, and one of the first manufacturers of custom wheels and tires for ATVs, UTVs, and golf carts. Vision Wheel looks beyond the current trends and to the future in developing, manufacturing, and distributing its wheels. Vision’s lines of street, race, off-road, American Muscle, and Milanni wheels are distributed nationally and internationally through a trusted network of distributors. Vision Wheel also produces the Vision It AR app to allow users to see how their wheel of choice will look on their vehicle before purchase and installation. For more information on Vision Wheel, visit www.visionwheel.com.
ABOUT SUZUKI
Suzuki Motor USA, LLC. (SMO) distributes Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automotive Parts, Accessories, and ECSTAR Oils & Chemicals via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of Motorcycles, ATVs, Scooters, Automobiles, Outboard Motors, and related products. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, SMC has business relations with 201 countries/regions. For more information, visit www.suzuki.com.
The Alpinestars Tech-Air 10 airbag system deployed. Photo courtesy Alpinestars.
ALPINESTARS INTRODUCES TECH-AIR® 10 – THE TOP PROTECTION SYSTEM FROM MOTOGP – AT THE CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS IN AUSTIN, TEXAS
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS, AUSTIN, TEXAS – Alpinestars is showcasing over 20 years of technology innovation and product development in motorcycling airbag protection with the introduction of Tech-Air® 10, and bringing to market the full upper-body and hips protection System developed with Alpinestars’ MotoGP riders. With nearly 100 professional MotoGP Moto2, Moto3, MotoE, AMA, and WSBK riders wearing Tech-Air® Airbag protection at the track during race weekends, and nearly 300 pro riders wearing Tech-Air®, Alpinestars’ launch of Tech-Air® 10 at COTA showcases the company’s continued commitment to bringing technology developments from its world-class Racing Program to motorcycle riders worldwide.
Alpinestars presented live demonstrations of the Tech-Air®10 Airbag System to the public in the Alpinestars area at the entrance to the Marketplace located in the Grand Plaza at the Circuit of the Americas during the Austin MotoGP weekend. In addition, Alpinestars hosted a launch event for the press with MotoGP World Champion Fabio Quartararo, on Saturday, at the Alpinestars Paddock Hospitality.
Tech-Air® 10 is the latest innovative autonomous airbag to join the Alpinestars’ Tech-Air® family, which includes the Tech-Air® Race, Tech-Air® Street, and Tech-Air® 5 electronic Airbag Systems. Derived from Alpinestars’ airbag technology adopted by MotoGP riders, Tech-Air® 10 is a slim, self-contained wearable Airbag System that provides unrivalled body protection to racers, track day riders, and road riders by covering the rider’s shoulders, chest, full back, and hips.
Tech-Air®10 Product HighlightsTech-Air® 10 provides the most comprehensive coverage of any airbag currently available.
The Tech-Air® 10 System is extremely easy to use; just zip up the front and close the belt to activate the Airbag System, and you’re ready to ride. The internal belt automatically activates the System once it is fastened and secured.
The state-of-the-art, wearable Tech-Air® 10 Airbag System comes with an active electronic System that features 12 sensors (3 triaxial accelerometers plus 1 triaxial gyroscope) and a crash detection algorithm that leverages AI to accurately monitor when to deploy the airbag in the event of a crash.
Tech-Air® 10 is designed for track and road use and can be used with both the RACE and the STREET Riding Modes which have specific AI crash detection algorithms. The RACE Riding mode must only be used for riding on closed racetracks and should not be used for any other types of riding.
Developed from decades of research with the world’s top MotoGP riders, and Alpinestars’ customers, data from millions of kilometers and thousands of crashes have been analyzed to continuously improve the intelligent crash detection algorithm.
Upon the detection of a crash situation, a protective airbag is deployed, providing unrivalled protection to the rider with a maximum inflation time of 40ms.
The impact absorption while wearing the airbag results in a decrease of the impact force by up to 95% compared to a passive protector.
The Tech-Air® 10 has CE certification Level 2 for both the chest and back.
A remote, wireless LED display indicates the airbag’s operational status.
The integrated, certified lithium-ion battery has a battery life of 24 hours of riding time.
Bluetooth connectivity to a Tech-Air® App provides riders with the Airbag System’s operational status, battery status, and MyRide trip information.
Via the Tech-Air® App, riders can also update the System’s firmware when new crash-detection algorithms are released.
The Tech-Air® 10 System features an airbag that is certified for up to three inflations.
With the availability of the Tech-Air® 10 Airbag System in the market, Alpinestars is enabling racing sport and track day riders to benefit from a standalone, wearable garment featuring all of the protection that Tech-Air® delivers to the top professional racers.
For more information regarding the operation of the Tech-Air® 10 System, please visit the Tech-Air® 10 site at: alpinestars.com/tech-air10.
Eric Granado (51), as seen earlier in 2022. Photo courtesy Dorna.
MotoE™️ Test: Granado fastest in qualifying simulation
Day 1 in Jerez saw the MotoE™️ riders take part in a Q1-Q2 simulation and it’s the Brazilian who came out on top
Monday, 11 April 2022
First day honours at the second Official FIM Enel MotoE™️ World Cup Test went to Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) as the electric class riders completed a Q1-Q2 format qualifying simulation at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto.
It was a dry but windy day in Andalucia as the MotoE™️ field began their final test, which takes place ahead of the season kicking off at the Gran Premio Red Bull de España in the near future. Due to rain appearing on Wednesday’s forecast, the Q1-Q2 simulation was brought forward to Monday.
In the first of two test sessions, Granado was the rider to beat with a 1:49.765, before the quickest times were slashed in the second practice session. Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE™️) was the pacesetter after clocking a 1:49.153, before the qualifying simulations got underway at the end of the day.
The Q2 simulation was topped by Granado with a 1:49.020, the fastest time of the day, with Ferrari and Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE™️) rounding out the top three in Q2, two tenths shy of Granado’s effort. Miquel Pons (LCR E-Team) was a couple of tenths shy of his teammate in P4, while the returning Hector Garzo (Tech3 E-Racing) completed the top five, as the three-time MotoE™️ podium finisher ended three tenths away from top spot.
The riders will be back on track on Tuesday for the penultimate day of pre-season testing, where we’ll see them take part in three more separate sessions. Interviews and coverage will be available on motogp.com, and the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto’s live timing tracks the times throughout the day.
Q2 SIMULATION: TOP THREE
1 Eric Granado (LCR E-Team) – Energica – 1’49.020
2 Matteo Ferrari (Felo Gresini MotoE) – Energica – +0.270
3 Hikari Okubo (Avant Ajo MotoE™) – Energica – +0.276
MotoAmerica's Richard Varner (center) with partner Terry Kargis (right) and FIM North America's Bill Cumbow, at Barber 2016. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Featured In the April 2022 issue of Roadracing World:
In late 2014 KRAVE Group acquired the rights to promote AMA-sanctioned professional motorcycle road racing in the United States and rebranded the series as MotoAmerica. KRAVE Group was, and still is, made up of Chief Marketing Officer Terry Karges (K), President Wayne Rainey (R), Chief Operating Officer Chuck Aksland (A), and Chief Financial Officer Richard Varner (V).
Some of those names were familiar to people following motorcycle racing. Rainey is a three-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion and a former Grand Prix team manager; and former racer Chuck Aksland ran King Kenny Roberts’ Team Roberts for over 20 Grand Prix World Championship seasons and later ran Circuit of The Americas. And although Karges isn’t well known in motorcycle racing, he’s very well known in the auto racing world; he’s run his own team, led motorsports marketing efforts for Ford, served as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Roush Performance, and currently runs the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.
But who is Varner?
—Hanging With: Richard Varner, by David Swarts
Not only is Richard Varner the primary source of the funding that got MotoAmerica up and running, but he continues to drive the racing organization forward with his experience building and running several businesses, his passion for motorcycles and all motorsports, and his seemingly endless energy and enthusiasm. Meet one of the men responsible for reviving professional road racing in the U.S.—in the latest issue of Roadracing World!
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology is THE definitive source for motorcycle racing, riding, and tech information.
Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine is available in print and digital formats. SUBSCRIBE NOW . Or call (909) 654-4779, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. Read the April 2022 issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technologywith your online subscription. Log in HERE
Available at Cycle Gear and other motorcycle retailers.
Visit www.roadracingworld.com daily for breaking news and events.
Like us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/roadracingworld
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com @roadracingworld
Follow us on Instagram https://instagram.com @roadracing_world
Ben Gloddy (72). Photo by Rick Hentz/Rick's Pics, courtesy Ben Gloddy Racing.
Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Ben Gloddy. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Ben Gloddy
Age: 16.
Current home: Northfield, New Hampshire.
Current height/weight: 6’0”/155 pounds.
Current school grade level: 11th grade.
Began riding at age: 4 years.
First road race: 2018, Canaan, New Hampshire, NESBC, Formula 300 Class, 3rd place.
Current racebike: Aprilia RS 660.
Current tuners/mechanics: Robem Engineering, Keith Day (stepfather).
Top sponsors: Robem Engineering, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Aprilia, The Big S, American Supercamp, Penguin Racing School, Arai, Stump Racing Kids, Moto Liberty, Freedom Cycle NH, Woodcraft Technologies, Fast by Ferracci.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, finished 2nd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (4 wins and 16 total podium finishes in 18 races); 2020 season, finished 4th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (8 podium finishes); 2019 season, finished 9th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup (competed in 11 of 17 races, 1 podium, 3 top-5 finishes), won 2 LRRS Championships (12 race wins), won NESBC Lights Championship; 2018 season, named LRRS Rookie of the Year (youngest to ever receive the award), won 24 LRRS races and earned 46 podium finishes, won NESBC Intermediate B Championship; 2017 season, named NJMiniGP Rookie of the Year.
2022 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship.
Racing career goal: Make it to MotoGP World Championship.
Racing hero: Jamison Minor.
Favorite track: Barber Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Downhill mountain biking.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Downhill mountain biking.
Petrucci Perfect In MotoAmerica Superbike Series Opener At COTA
Ducati Rider Wins The First Two Races Of His MotoAmerica Career In Texas
PJ Jacobsen (66) got the jump on the field in Sunday’s MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Race Two at Circuit of The Americas. Cameron Petersen (45), Mathew Scholtz (11), Danilo Petrucci (9), Jake Gagne (1) and the rest give chase. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy MotoAmerica.
AUSTIN, TX (April 10, 2022) – Danilo Petrucci made his debut in the Auto Parts 4 Less MotoAmerica Championship a perfect one with his second victory of the weekend coming on a breezy Sunday afternoon at Circuit of The Americas in the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike class.
Petrucci won his first-ever MotoAmerica race on Saturday and came back on Sunday to match that performance. Although Sunday’s race featured a larger, 5.1-second margin of victory than Saturday’s race, it was actually the tougher of the two races for the Italian as it featured a heated battle early on with Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz. Petrucci and Scholtz traded the lead on several occasions until the South African started having moments sketchy enough for him to say enough was enough, and he opted to make certain of his second runner-up finish of the weekend in what was the season opener at COTA.
Behind the lead duo came defending MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Champion Jake Gagne, the Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha rider finishing third to salvage 16 valuable championship points after a miserable weekend for the Gagne side of the Yamaha rig. Yesterday’s race one was a disaster for Gagne and crew with his bike failing to start the race with another engine failure. On Sunday, Gagne rode his backup bike but suffered from a lack of track time due to the mechanical ills that plagued them all weekend. He will take his third-place finish and move on to Road Atlanta in two weeks for round two of the championship.
Fortunately, the Cameron Petersen side of the team fared better with the South African finishing third on Saturday and fourth on Sunday. Petersen hounded Gagne for the duration, coming up just a 10th of a second behind his teammate at the finish.
Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Richie Escalante didn’t botch the start of today’s race as he did in Saturday’s 14-lapper, and it made for a much better result. Escalante turned the tables from yesterday on his teammate Jake Lewis, passing him toward the end of the race and holding on to finish fifth. Lewis, who was sixth on Saturday, ended up matching that with a second sixth-place finish.
Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Hector Barbera was just off the back of Lewis and finished seventh, well clear of eighth-placed Hayden Gillim on Disrupt Racing Suzuki GSX-R1000.
Tytlers Cycle/RideHVMC Racing’s Travis Wyman was ninth for the second straight day with Cycle World/Octane/Chuckwalla Racing’s Michael Gilbert rounding out the top 10, a day after the Californian crashed out of race one early on.
Petrucci’s perfect weekend puts him at the head of the championship point standings with 50 points, 10 more than Scholtz’s 40 points. Petersen is third with 29 points, nine better than the three riders tied for fourth with 20 points: Escalante, Lewis and Barbera. After his rough weekend, Gagne is seventh with 16 points.
Danilo Petrucci – Winner
“Definitely I have to be happy for this weekend. I didn’t know what would be my level. The only thing I knew was this track. Fortunately, our bike is really good on braking and on maximum speed. I can carry that speed in the corner. I need to brake hard and pick up the bike in the straight. Definitely have to say thanks to all my team because we had really quite few chances to ride and to make experience. The bike was better now. It was really great to fight with Mat (Scholtz). As I told you yesterday, we go to Atlanta, which is a completely new tack for me.
Mathew Scholtz – Second
“I think Danilo (Petrucci) on lap two or three, I could see I was a little bit stronger in the middle part of the track. I just tried to kind of pass him in the corner. I just tried to make sure that he couldn’t drive and get me back. I thought Cam (Petersen) and (Jake) Gagne were a lot closer to us. I think Danilo maybe passed me at the halfway point. I’m really, really happy to be back. Two second places, I couldn’t be happier. Both of these guys are extremely talented motorcycle riders and I’m honored to be up here on the podium with them.
Jake Gagne – Third
“Just hats off to the team. It wasn’t an easy weekend for them. After the warmup, we did a couple of sighting laps. The bike was running okay, but I knew the race would be tough. Figured out what I could to kind of roll in this. I’m just glad I got on the podium. It was a tough weekend. Good to get a couple points because these guys are going to be working. Keep the ball rolling.
“I kind of sat at my pace and just rode how I could. I could see those guys go back and forth. I’m like, ‘come on, let’s keep roughing these guys up, make it interesting.’ There was one of the laps I saw Danilo (Petrucci) started pulling away because he had the pace. Mat (Scholtz) was trying. Mat had some big moments. It was good to get out this weekend again. Just keep on fighting.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
Danilo Petrucci Creates a Dream Debut in MotoAmerica
Two Wins From Two Starts Signal The Italian Stallion Has Arrived in MotoAmerica
Danilo Petrucci (9) leads Mathew Scholtz (11) during MotoAmerica Superbike Race Two at COTA. Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Ducati.
Sunnyvale, Calif., April 10, 2022 – Danilo Petrucci and the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC team started the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike season at Circuit of The Americas in perfect style with two dominant victories on the factory-backed Ducati Panigale V4 SBK.
The former double MotoGP race winner was in fine form across the two days of competition, dominating in both races despite this being his first competition on the Panigale.
Petrucci also had to content with the Dunlop control tire used in MotoAmerica, but that didn’t stop him as the stunning red and white Panigale roared to the win in front of Petrucci’s MotoGP friends and family, the paddock he’s spent the last 10 years competing in.
The wins place Petrucci on a perfect 50 point haul to lead the championship from Scholtz on 40 points heading into round two of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship at Road Atlanta on April 22-24.
2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Standing – Top 5
P1 – Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) 50
P2 – Mathew Scholtz (Yamaha) 40
P3 – Cameron Petersen (Yamaha) 29
P4 – Richie Escalante (Suzuki) 20
P5 – Jake Lewis (Suzuki) 20
Danilo Petrucci (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC – Ducati #9) : “It was a great day. We were concerned about the tire wear because we didn’t know which tire compound was better. Yesterday, we suffered a little with the rear tire but today we made a few changes on the set up because we didn’t have the chance to ride in the warm up, just straight into the race.”
Petrucci said after race two. “Mathew Scholtz was really hard on braking and I didn’t want to crash with him so I got in front, closed the door a bit and tried to push as hard as possible. I created a gap and it was so nice to make a double victory on my MotoAmerica debut. I want to say thanks to the whole Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC team. We did an amazing job and now it’s onto Road Atlanta.”
More, from a press release issued by Westby Racing:
Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz Notches A Runner-Up Two-fer In Texas
Mathew Scholtz (11). Photo by Brian J. Nelson, courtesy Westby Racing.
Austin, TX – April 10, 2022 – The Westby Racing team couldn’t have asked for a much better start to the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship than the one they had this weekend at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. Last year’s championship runner-up Mathew Scholtz notched two second-place finishes at COTA aboard the #11 Westby Racing Yamaha YZF-R1, and he led each of the two races on the weekend.
Starting from second on the grid, Mathew got a decent start off the line, but was shuffled back one spot on the opening lap. He quickly went to work, however, moving back up to second, and then he overtook former MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci for the lead. The two fierce riders battled back-and-forth and swapped positions several times, with Mathew asserting himself at the front on lap three and being credited with leading laps four, five, and six. A casualty of the fight, however, was Mathew’s tires, which began to lose grip as the laps wound down. Petrucci overtook Mathew on lap seven and didn’t relinquish it for the remainder of the 14-lap race. Mathew held strong to his position and took the checkered flag in second place for the second day in a row.
“I could see that Danilo was a little bit stronger than he was yesterday in the middle part of the track,” Mathew said. “So, I passed him in the corner and just tried to make sure that he couldn’t drive and get me back. I thought Cam Petersen and Jake Gagne were a lot closer to us than they were. I think Danilo maybe passed me around the halfway point of the race. I’m really, really happy to be back up here on the podium, though. Two second-place finishes. I couldn’t be happier. Both of these guys (Petrucci and Gagne) are extremely talented motorcycle riders. I’m honored to be up here on the podium with them.”
Mathew and the Westby Racing team will be back in action for round two of the 2022 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, which takes place at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia, on April 22 through 24.
A “press release” is promotional text issued by a rider, team, company or organization to inform
the public about an event, product, or service from the issuer’s own point of view, and if deemed
to have news value, may be placed on roadracingworld.com as a service to our readers.
A press release is not an article written by Roadracingworld.com staffers. When a post is labeled with the words “press release”, it means that Roadracingworld.com is not responsible for its content and that Roadracingworld.com makes no guarantee that it is accurate. Not all press releases are posted and Roadracingworld.com may reject press releases if the content is too heavy on commercial promotion with little or no news value or if the press release contains obvious errors.
Accessibility
Accessibility modes
Epilepsy Safe Mode
Dampens color and removes blinks
This mode enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode
Improves website's visuals
This mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode
Helps to focus on specific content
This mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode
Reduces distractions and improve focus
This mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode
Allows using the site with your screen-reader
This mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Online Dictionary
Readable Experience
Content Scaling
Default
Text Magnifier
Readable Font
Dyslexia Friendly
Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Font Sizing
Default
Line Height
Default
Letter Spacing
Default
Left Aligned
Center Aligned
Right Aligned
Visually Pleasing Experience
Dark Contrast
Light Contrast
Monochrome
High Contrast
High Saturation
Low Saturation
Adjust Text Colors
Adjust Title Colors
Adjust Background Colors
Easy Orientation
Mute Sounds
Hide Images
Hide Emoji
Reading Guide
Stop Animations
Reading Mask
Highlight Hover
Highlight Focus
Big Dark Cursor
Big Light Cursor
Cognitive Reading
Virtual Keyboard
Navigation Keys
Voice Navigation
Accessibility Statement
www.roadracingworld.com
April 5, 2026
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience,
regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level.
These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible
to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific
disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML,
adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Screen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with
screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive
a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements,
alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website.
In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels;
descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups),
and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag
for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology.
To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on
as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over seven different coloring options.
Animations – person with epilepsy can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.
Browser and assistive technology compatibility
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Notes, comments, and feedback
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to
