Hugh Anderson Named MotoGP Legend

David Swarts

-

October 11, 2022

Hugh Anderson becomes a MotoGP™ Legend

A special ceremony in his home country of New Zealand inducts the four-time World Champion into the Hall of Fame

Hugh Anderson is now officially a MotoGP™ Legend! At a special ceremony in his home nation of New Zealand, the four-time World Champion received his medal as he was inducted into the MotoGP™ Hall of Fame. MotoGP™ Race Director Mike Webb and pitlane reporter Simon Crafar led proceedings for their compatriot at Hampton Downs Circuit, joined by over 100 NZ racers, friends, and members of the Hamilton Motorcycle Club to congratulate Anderson.

Hugh Anderson (left) received his MotoGP Legend medal from MotoGP Race Director Mike Webb (right). Photo courtesy Dorna.

Anderson made his first GP appearances in the 500cc and 350cc classes in 1960, taking a podium in the 350cc class, and after a 250cc entry in 1961, he added the 125cc and 50cc classes to his CV in 1962, becoming a race winner in both.

For 1963 the New Zealander raced in the 125cc and 50cc World Championships, and he became the Champion in both in the same year. He went on to retain the 50cc crown in 1964 to make it back-to-back titles and was third in the 125cc title fight, once again showing serious speed. In 1965 he regained the 125cc crown and was third in the 50cc class.

Anderson retired in 1966 after taking an impressive 25 Grand Prix wins and four titles in just six years, and is now recognised as a MotoGP™ Legend.

Hugh Anderson: “I’m incredibly grateful to Dorna for making me a MotoGP Legend. It is an honour for my career and World Championships to be recognised in the Hall of Fame, and I want to thank Dorna and Carmelo, and all my family, friends and supporters for this honour and their support over all these years. I’m also very thankful for this ceremony to have been organised in New Zealand, it has been a very special day.”

Via video link, Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta also expressed his thoughts: “It’s a great pleasure for us to be able to send this message. Unfortunately, we are not able to be together, but as you know it is a great honour for us to nominate you as a MotoGP Legend and see you become part of MotoGP’s Hall of Fame. I remember you racing in the Championship, because I am also old enough to remember that! It is a great pleasure for us, and I hope to see you soon, and to see you be with us as much as you can. Today we celebrate your achievements as we also bid farewell to another Legend, Phil Read, and we will always cherish those riders whose careers paved the way for our sport to become what it is.”

Anderson joins a long list of greats that have been made MotoGP™ Legends that includes Valentino Rossi, Giacomo Agostini, Mick Doohan, Geoff Duke, Wayne Gardner, Mike Hailwood, Daijiro Kato, Eddie Lawson, Anton Mang, Angel Nieto, Wayne Rainey, Phil Read, Jim Redman, Kenny Roberts, Kenny Roberts Jr, Jarno Saarinen, Kevin Schwantz, Barry Sheene, Marco Simoncelli, Freddie Spencer, Casey Stoner, John Surtees, Carlo Ubbiali, Alex Crivillé, Franco Uncini, Marco Lucchinelli, Randy Mamola, Kork Ballington, Dani Pedrosa, Stefan Dörflinger, Jorge Martinez, Jorge Lorenzo, Max Biaggi, Luigi Taveri and the late, great Nicky Hayden.

Ducati North America Announces Lower Intro MSRP For Multistrada V4 Rally

David Swarts

-

October 11, 2022

0

Ducati North America Announces Lower Intro MSRP For Multistrada V4 Rally

Multistrada V4 Rally Launches With Market Introduction MSRP

The Multistrada V4 Rally will debut in the U.S. with a market introduction MSRP of $29,995 for Ducati Red and $30,595 for the Brushed Aluminum & Matte Black

Available in North America in the Adventure Travel & Radar trim, equipped with adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection, aluminum side cases, heated rider and passenger seats, heated grips, center stand, engine guard plate, and black tubeless spoked rims. It also features a 7.9-gallon aluminum tank, updated suspension, a dedicated Enduro ride mode, and additional comfort features

The Multistrada V4 Rally has class-leading reliability and maintenance intervals with valve services every 37,000 miles and oil service every 9,000 miles

Sunnyvale, Calif. – The Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally will arrive in the U.S. with a special market introduction MSRP of $29,995 for Ducati Red and $30,595 for Brushed Aluminum & Matte Black.

Ready for adventure straight from the factory, the Multistrada V4 Rally will arrive in the Adventure Travel & Radar trim in North American markets. Standard equipment includes adaptive cruise control and blind spot detection, aluminum side cases, heated rider and passenger seats, heated grips, center stand, a new extended engine guard plate, and black tubeless spoked rims.

As with the entire Multistrada V4 family, reliability and maintenance costs are class-leading. Valve service is recommended every 37,000 miles, and oil service every 9,000 miles/24 months.

The Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally furthers the globetrotting spirit of the Multistrada V4, setting a new standard of comfort, performance, and safety for long-distance travel on two wheels. Its new 7.9-gal aluminum tank announces its far-flung ambitions, while improved fuel economy further prolongs the journey. Debuting for the first time on a production motorcycle, the Rally model’s extended rear cylinder deactivation decreases consumption without sacrificing performance. In addition to switching off the rear cylinders at idle while the motorcycle is stationary—a fuel-saving strategy already utilized on the Granturismo V4—the latest innovation deactivates the rear cylinder bank even while the motorcycle is in motion. Given a specified power request from the throttle grip or at increasing speed, the rear cylinders are reactivated and full performance returns.

The Multistrada V4 Rally uses its own unique Enduro riding mode that matches direct throttle response with a limited power output of 114 hp. Additionally, the mode switches Ducati Traction Control (DTC) to a lower intervention level, deactivates Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC) and rear ABS, and suppresses the sensitivity of rear lift detection and cornering ABS.

The Multistrada V4 Rally has 7.9-inches of travel, increasing ground clearance and improving off-road capability. The Skyhook DSS EVO semi-active suspension has been further optimized for the Rally’s longer-travel suspension. Despite increased suspension travel compared to the non-Rally versions, ease of use has not been sacrificed. At Key-ON, the new Easy Lift function is activated, opening the compression valves in the forks and shock to reduce the effort required to lift the motorcycle from its side stand. During operation, the Minimum Preload function, first introduced on the Multistrada V4 S in 2022, reduces rear shock preload to “lower” the bike when coming to a stop and maneuvering at low speed.

The Multistrada V4 Rally has been designed to take the comfort of rider and passenger to the next level. A larger windshield that’s 1.6 inches taller and .8 inches wider increases protection from the elements, and new deflectors refine the aerodynamic package to decrease turbulence. To give passengers roomier accommodations and additional legroom, the top case mounting points have been moved further back and the tail section has been elongated. Passenger footrests with larger rubber inserts reduce vibration levels.

With extended fuel range and added off-road capability, riders can stretch the distance between point A and point B while riding in greater comfort and with more confidence—no matter the journey. Don’t let the journey be demanding. Ride what the journey demands.

The Multistrada V4 Rally will be available in Ducati dealerships in the United States and Canada beginning in May 2023.

Multistrada V4 Rally

Colors

Ducati Red with spoke wheels

Brushed Aluminum & Matte Black with spoke wheels

Main standard equipment

Ducati V4 Granturismo 1,158 cc engine with valve clearance check every 37,000 mi (60,000 km) and Extended Cylinders Deactivation

Aluminum monocoque frame, steel tube subframe and aluminum double-sided swingarm

Marzocchi semi-active electronic Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) Evolution with Auto leveling, Minimum Preload and Easy Lift functions. 7.9 in (200 mm) front and rear travel

Lightened spoke wheels 120/70-19” and 170/60-17” with Pirelli SCORPION™ Trail II tires

Bosch-Brembo ABS 10.3ME Cornering braking system

13 in (330 mm) diameter front discs with Brembo Stylema® 4-piston radial calipers

More protective front, with windshield increased by 1.6 in (40 mm) in height and .8 (20 mm) in width. Deflectors with modified trailing edge for more wind protection for rider and passenger.

Wider steel micro-cast rider footpegs with a more aggressive profile for off-road use and removable rubber insert. Passenger footpegs with oversized rubber insert to reduce the level of transmitted vibrations.

Full LED headlight with DRL and Ducati Cornering Lights (DCL)

Dashboard with 6.5″ full-TFT color screen

Bosch Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)

4 Power Modes

4 Riding Modes (Sport, Touring, Urban, Enduro)

Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC)

Ducati Traction Control (DTC)

Engine Brake Control (EBC)

Hands-Free ignition

Ducati Connect with phone, music and map navigator applications

Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) Up & Down

Cruise control

Vehicle Hold Control (VHC)

Center stand

Equipment

Adventure Travel & Radar (front/rear, aluminum cases, heated saddle, heated grips)

#MultistradaV4Rally #UnlockEarth

WorldSBK: More On Gagne’s Adventure In Portugal

David Swarts

-

October 10, 2022

0

WorldSBK: More On Gagne’s Adventure In Portugal

Positive Weekend at Portimao for Gagne and Attack Performance Yamaha Racing

Attack Performance Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne continued to make progress during a challenging wild card weekend and finished in the points Sunday in WorldSBK Race 2 at the Algarve International Circuit.

Gagne and his Attack Performance Yamaha team headed over to Portugal just a couple of weeks after securing a second-consecutive MotoAmerica Superbike Championship aboard his Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha Racing R1. With little track time at the 2.89-mile circuit in Portimao and different tires, he and the team went to work and made progress every session.

After a tough Friday, Gagne improved his times to qualify 16th and then got a decent start in the opening race from the sixth row of the grid in 18th, ultimately crossing the line one position further back. With more track time, his forward momentum continued with a better start in Sunday’s Superpole race in 15th before finishing 16th in the sprint. Although he was unable to match his start in Race 2, he charged back from 20th to 15th to finish inside the points and complete a positive learning weekend in the FIM Superbike World Championship.

Richard Stanboli – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing Team Manager

“First of all, I want to thank Yamaha Europe for all their hospitality and support. They made us feel like part of their family. The event was a pretty good test to see how we compare to the best in the world. We made constant improvements through every session, but we just did not have enough laps to get to where we would like to be. Realistically, we would need more time on these tracks with these tires racing against these teams to be truly competitive. In the end, we are confident that the potential of our R1 and Jake is there to race competitively at the world level.”

Jake Gagne – Attack Performance Yamaha Racing

“It was definitely a challenging weekend. Being with some of the best superbike racers in the world and racing on different tires made for some adjustments that took some time, but we got better and better every single session. For sure, figuring out the bike setup with the Pirellis was a big part, and trying to figure out how to ride the Pirellis differently was the biggest challenge for me as a rider. But I’m glad we were able to put it all together and be here as a team. We all really learned a lot about the bike and things that we can apply even at home in MotoAmerica. I was able to really push my limits riding with some of these guys and understand different things that we can do with the bike to try and be better. So I’m really happy we made it happen.

“Looking back at the weekend, it was a tough start on Friday. These guys have been coming here for years, so we started a little behind on the first day, but I’m happy that we made progress in every single session. It’s one of those things where now that the weekend is over, we wish we could kind of start over with what we know now and keep building. If we had more track time or another race weekend, we could just continue going faster. Again, I have to say thanks to the team for putting it all together. To be back in the paddock with some of the best superbike racers in the world was a really great experience, and I hope we can try it again sometime.”

World Supersport: Yamaha Clinches Two Manufacturer’s Championships

David Swarts

-

October 10, 2022

0

World Supersport: Yamaha Clinches Two Manufacturer’s Championships

Yamaha crowned 2022 WorldSSP Manufacturers’ Champions at Portimao

Aegerter’s victory in Race 2 ensures Yamaha’s sixth consecutive Manufacturers’ Championship in the FIM Supersport World Championship

Yamaha has won the 2022 Manufacturers’ Championship with 445 points claimed over the season. The Japanese Manufacturer has dominated the 2022 season with two of its riders leading the Riders’ Championship.

The Reigning WorldSSP Champion and current Championship leader Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) and Italian Rookie Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) both claimed valuable points for Yamaha, helping them to all-but-one race win so far this year.

Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Motor Europe, Road Racing Manager: “This is now the sixth title in a row for Yamaha in the WorldSSP class and I would like to congratulate all the riders, teams and everybody at Yamaha who have been working very hard to make this possible. Obviously, this year there have been several changes in the World Supersport category, with new manufacturers and bikes joining the grid, but it’s nice to see that the Yamaha R6, in the hands of our talented riders and teams, is very competitive, winning almost every race so far this season.”

Yamaha WorldSSP Season Statistics

Wins: 17

Podium places: 34

Pole positions: 8

Fastest laps: 14

Yamaha WorldSSP Overall Statistics

Wins: 134

Pole positions: 103

Fastest laps: 133

Titles: 9

Manufacturers’ Standings (after Round 9)

1. Yamaha (445 points)

2. Ducati (255 points)

3. Kawasaki (221 points)

Alvaro Diaz (27), the current World Supersport 300 Championship point leader. Photo courtesy Dorna.

Yamaha wins second Manufacturers’ Title at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve

344 points means the Japanese brand claimed their first WorldSSP300 Manufacturers’ Championship since 2017

Yamaha has won the 2022 Manufacturers’ WorldSSP300 Championship with 344 points. With an 18-point advantage over Kawasaki, Yamaha dethroned their Japanese rivals, claiming the 2022 Manufacturers’ Title at Portimao.

Two Yamaha riders were fighting for the Riders’ Championship throughout the 2022 season which helped Yamaha to secure the Manufacturers’ Championship. Current WorldSSP300 Champion Alvaro Diaz (Arco Motor University Team), 2017 WorldSSP300 Champion Marc Garcia (Yamaha MS Racing), Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse), Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) and Humberto Maier (AD78 Team Brasil by MS Racing) all brought important points to the manufacturer.

Andrea Dosoli, Yamaha Motor Europe, Road Racing Manager: “It has been a fantastic season for Yamaha in the WorldSSP300 class. First, we had one of our bLU cRU graduates, Alvaro Diaz, win the Riders’ Championship in Race 1, and now we end 2022 with our first Manufacturers’ Championship since 2017. We have really seen a lot of young talent on our R3 bikes this season, with eight victories from four different riders, so it’s thanks to them, as well as the hard work done by the teams, that we can celebrate this title. We have a lot of promising riders coming from our bLU cRU program, so we’re excited to see what they can achieve next year as well.”

Yamaha WorldSSP300 Season Statistics

Wins: 8

Podium places: 24

Pole positions: 2

Fastest laps: 7

Yamaha WorldSSP300 Overall Statistics

Wins: 20

Pole positions: 16

Fastest laps: 29

Titles: 2

Manufacturers’ Standings (after Round 8)

1. Yamaha (344 points)

2. Kawasaki (326 points)

3. KTM (119 points)

MotoGP: Nagashima Subbing For Injured Nakagami Again In Australia

David Swarts

-

October 10, 2022

0

MotoGP: Nagashima Subbing For Injured Nakagami Again In Australia

NAGASHIMA TO REPLACE NAKAGAMI AT THE AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX

10 October 2022

Following doctors’ recommendations, Takaaki Nakagami will miss the 18th round of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship at Phillip Island in Australia. Tetsuta Nagashima will once again stand in for his compatriot as Taka recovers from the operation he underwent after the Japanese GP.

Despite an unfortunate crash at the Aragon GP last month, Nakagami bravely competed at his home GP in Motegi. However, but due to the condition of his hand injury after the race, it was decided that he required another surgery which consisted of a skin graft to help close the wounds on his 4th and 5th fingers.

Nakagami missed the #ThaiGP and spent several days at the Chiba University Hospital recovering. After his medical check this morning, he confirmed to LCR Honda IDEMITSU Team Principal Lucio Cecchinello that he will not race at the Australian GP this week. He hopes to return to racing action in the Malaysian GP next week, but will have to undergo yet another medical check with a specialist next Monday.

Following that advice, he will then decide if it’s possible to race at the Malaysian GP.

Takaaki Nakagami

“After the Japanese GP I had another surgery on my fingers and they are getting better day by day but it is still a bit difficult to grab some items. I feel fine, I don’t feel any pain but the doctor recommended that I have to rest at least two more weeks which means that I will miss the Australian GP. Next Monday I have another medical check to take out the stitches and then we’ll decide if I can race in Malaysia. Meantime, I wish to Nagashima san and my team all the best in Phillip Island.”

MotoGP: Five Riders Separated By 40 Points Heading To Phillip Island

David Swarts

-

October 10, 2022

0

MotoGP: Five Riders Separated By 40 Points Heading To Phillip Island

5 riders. 40 points. 1 Phillip Island.

Buckle up to rumble Down Under as the fight for the crown reaches fever pitch

Monday, 10 October 2022

It’s an overused phrase, but there truly is nowhere like Phillip Island. A Grand Prix circuit so perfectly poised to deliver great racing – and serve up an incredible experience in the saddle – that it’s almost a myth unto itself, there could be no better stage to kick off the next double header. If that wasn’t enough, there are also now five riders within 40 points, with 75 still up for grabs. Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) remains the Championship leader, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) is now within just two points, Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) within 20, Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) 39 and, last but by absolutely no means least, Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) is the rider at a deficit of 40. But they say there’s no place like home…

Miller will be firmly in the spotlight this weekend as he rides with the factory Ducati on home turf for the first time, and he has chance to turn that into even more momentum. Of the top five in the title fight he’s scored the most points across the triple header – 56, with the next best being Bastianini on 42 – and over the two flyaways it’s a whopping 45/50 for the number 43. For comparison, across Motegi and Buriram Bastianini has scored 17, Bagnaia 16, Quartararo eight and Aleix Espargaro just five points. It’s closed at the top as one rider or another has faltered, but Miller has chased down that gap because he absolutely hasn’t. So what has he got on home turf?

Far enough back to ride without too much pressure from the standings and with good speed shown at the Island, he’ll be one to watch, and in terms of pressure the same can be said of Bastianini, although the Italian doesn’t have the best record at the track. Aleix Espargaro has a pretty good one and Bagnaia impressed the last (and first) time he rode a premier class machine there, and then there’s Quartararo. The Frenchman hasn’t had the best results or luck Down Under, but he’ll be hoping to turn that around at a circuit that should be much more Yamaha, flowing territory.

When it comes to track records, however, there are two names that immediately stand out. The first is Maverick Viñales (Aprilia Racing), who brought a Yamaha win drought to an end in 2018 and was then the only rider able to stay anywhere near Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) in 2019 before a crash out as they battled on the final lap. Viñales returns to the track on a newer machine to him, but one he’s getting more and more consistently fast on. Is Phillip Island underlined as another real shot at victory? At Silverstone he was less than half a second shy.

The other name is the aforementioned Marc Marquez, and the number 93 has been miraculously, poetically fast Down Under. As his return continues to gain momentum, it would be no surprise to see Marquez fire up a little Jaws music for the rest of the field this weekend. Is it too soon? Is it just soon enough? Physically, the circuit flows in a kinder layout to take on when not at 100%, and it’s a leftie tailor-made for the king of anti-clockwise circuits. It would be quite a story, but if there’s anyone who loves writing a story on a motorcycle, it’s Marc Marquez.

Experience could also work in the favour of the more veteran riders on the grid – including Marquez – as the field once again prepare for a first visit since 2019. The list of those who’ve never raced Phillip Island in the premier class is longer than just the 2022 rookies, with even the likes of 2020 debutants Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Alex Marquez (LCR Honda Castrol) facing it down for the first time. In terms of racing you can also add Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) to that list as he was unfit for Sunday on our last visit, and even, arguably, Quartararo. The Frenchman didn’t make it to Stoner Corner on Lap 1.

In terms of the full-blown rookies, it will be a big weekend for Remy Gardner (Tech3 KTM Factory Racing) as he races on home turf, and the Aussie will want some more points after a tougher season. Phillip Island could prove be the deciding showdown in the fight for Rookie of the Year, with Marco Bezzecchi (Mooney VR46 Racing Team), fresh from his first premier class pole position, facing another shot at that title.

The Teams’ Championship is on the line too, with Ducati Lenovo Team ahead and needing to outscore Aprilia by 16 points to tick off two out of three in their mission to take the triple crown. Top Independent Team rider could also be wrapped up by Bastianini, although the Italian isn’t too far clear of Johann Zarco (Prima Pramac Racing) as it stands. Zarco is also in play as Prima Pramac look to secure the Independent Teams’ title. Finally, another one to watch of a different kind is the return of Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar), as he plans to try and get back on track at Phillip Island, a circuit that holds some good memories for the two-time World Champion.

Five riders, 40 points, and one ribbon of poetry written in tarmac. This weekend the Animoca Brands Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix promises much and will likely deliver even more, with too many headlines already drafted as we make the journey south to Phillip Island. Join us for another stunner on Sunday at 14:00 (GMT +11) as the screw turns on the title fight once again.

MotoGP™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 5

1 Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™) – Yamaha – 219

2 Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 217

3 Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing) – Aprilia – 199

4 Enea Bastianini (Gresini Racing MotoGP™) – Ducati – 180

5 Jack Miller (Ducati Lenovo Team) – Ducati – 179

1.5 points in it as Moto2™ arrives on the island

Who will blink first? Fernandez vs Ogura revs up Down Under

Despite torrential conditions that seemed tailor made for either Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) or Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) to blink first in the brutally close 2022 Moto2™ Championship fight, both remained poised and pretty fast at Buriram – and they finished right next to each other once again. With half points awarded, it’s now just 1.5 splitting the two with three rounds remaining, and it’s quite literally never been closer at this stage of the season.

Now, it’s time for Phillip Island. Experience could be key for many as the paddock returns to the track for the first time since 2019, but Fernandez and Ogura will likely remain pretty closely matched. That said, it is Fernandez who’s got the lap count Down Under, and in Moto2™…

1.5 isn’t much to separate two riders as the Moto2™ field prepare to fight it out for the final 75, so tune in for the first showdown of the deciders as the intermediate class take on the stunning Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit at 12:20 (GMT +11).

Moto2™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 3

1 Augusto Fernandez (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – Kalex – 238.5

2 Ai Ogura (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) – Kalex – 237

3 Aron Canet (Flexbox HP 40) – Kalex – 185

Moto3™: match point Guevara

The GASGAS rider is on the edge of glory with three rounds remaining

After a stunning season so far, Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) heads into Phillip Island with his first match point in Moto3™. With two rounds remaining, 50 is the magic number in terms of the points advantage he needs by the flag – and he’s got 49 on the way in. Still, the challenge is a real one as the number 28 rides Phillip Island for the very first time, with key rivals already counting on a little more experience.

Guevara’s closest rival is now Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) as the Italian took another impressive win at Buriram, and he was joined on the podium by Ayumu Sasaki (Sterilgarda Mx Racing Team) once again – who remains fourth overall but is getting closer. Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team), meanwhile, crashed out in Thailand through no fault of his own, but had been left back in the pack after a difficult qualifying. Can he fight back at Phillip Island?

With 50 needed and 49 in hand, Phillip Island is quite the playing field for Guevara to face down his first match point. Tune in as Moto3™ go racing at 11:00 (GMT +11) to see if the first World Champion of the season will be crowned!

Moto3™ CHAMPIONSHIP: TOP 3

1 Izan Guevara (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 265

2 Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) – Honda – 216

3 Sergio Garcia (Gaviota GASGAS Aspar Team) – GASGAS – 209

WERA Previews 50th Grand National Finals Oct. 20-23 At Barber

David Swarts

-

October 10, 2022

0

WERA Previews 50th Grand National Finals Oct. 20-23 At Barber

50TH WERA GRAND NATIONAL FINALS PREVIEW

The 50th WERA Grand National Finals will be held at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama on October 20th to 23rd. Everyone is invited to join us and celebrate 50 years of this tradition!

Thursday will be a Practice Day.

Friday will host the final round of the N2/WERA National Endurance Series presented by Dunlop with the two-hour small-bike endurance race starting at 10:00 a.m. and the four- hour big-bike endurance race starting at 1:00 p.m.

Saturday will be WERA Sportsman Finals where the best in each region vie for the National Champion in their class with a winner-take-all-Championship runoff. Riders must have run or entered in the class once during the season. Also, the 400cc AMA Superstock class will run on Saturday.

Sunday will be the final round for the Pirelli/WERA National Challenge Series featuring the Michelin/WERA Superbike class. WERA is also hosting the AMA Road Race Grand Championship Classes at the 50th WERA GNF. These classes will run and winners will be crowned AMA Road Race Grand Champions. These classes will also help determine the 2022 AMA Road Race Horizon Award winner.

On-Line entry is available for riders with a valid WERA license and will remain open until 10/16/2022. If you are running the AMA Road Race Grand Championship classes and need a WERA license please email: [email protected]. In the case of the N2/WERA National Endurance race, pre-entry needs to go through N2.

Come on out and join us for this historic event and help us celebrate!

WERA Motorcycle Roadracing was founded in 1973 and remains the foremost place to develop talent in the sport of motorcycle road racing. The legacy of Pro Riders on a National and World level is legendary. All events are run by WERA Motorcycle Roadracing with a co-sanction by the AMA and they go coast to coast offering entry-level racing with the WERA Sportsman Series as well as a Pro-Am Series which is the Pirelli/WERA National Challenge Series. WERA also offers Vintage Racing and hosts the Concours de ’Competition and Concours d’ Elegance in July at Barber Motorsports Park. Endurance racing is also on the menu with our partner N2 and runs 4-5 events a year with a big-bike endurance race and an ultralightweight endurance race. WERA Motorcycle Roadracing was voted the 2017 AMA Track Organizer of the year.

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

Yamaha R3 SuperFinale: More On Kayla Yaakov’s Podium

David Swarts

-

October 9, 2022

0

Yamaha R3 SuperFinale: More On Kayla Yaakov’s Podium

American Kayla Yaakov Podiums In Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European SuperFinale in Portugal:

“I Had A Lot Of Confidence…”

by Michael Gougis

Kayla Yaakov had an awesome year of racing before she even got on the plane to Portugal. At 15, she became the first -ever female race winner in MotoAmerica competition when she led most of the second Junior Cup race at Ridge Motorsports Park and crossed the line first.

But at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Yaakov showed that she could be a force at the International level as well. Taking to the grid in the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European SuperFinale two-race shootout on Saturday, Yaakov just missed out on the podium in Race One – and stormed to second place in Race Two, standing on the podium at a Superbike World Championship event weekend.

“It shows that Americans can do it, that we’re fast, and that MotoAmerica is at a really high level,” said Yaakov.

The young racer says that Tom Halverson, Assistant Manager of Yamaha’s U.S. Racing Department, was looking for a rider to bring over to the R3 event, since Attack Racing was bringing two-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Jake Gagne to race as a wild card in World Superbike. Yaakov got the nod.

The series pits contestants against each other on identically prepared Yamaha YZF-R3 racebikes. They are basically stock except for a racing exhaust and suspension work, Yaakov says. She raced the series in 2021, so when she showed up at Portimao, she was already familiar with the bike – and with Yamaha.

“We thought it was a great opportunity to come over here, be with Yamaha, learn the track, see some people that I knew from doing this last year and have a good time,” Yaakov said. “With Jake (Gagne) and (former MotoAmerica Yamaha Superbike winner Garrett) Gerloff being here, it was cool to be here with a bunch of Americans.”

After qualifying, Yaakov had a pretty good idea she was going to be competitive. “I had a bit of confidence going into the race – I basically qualified without any draft,” she said. “I knew it was going to be a little bit difficult, because of starting 10th, but either way I’m going for it. The goal’s to have a lot of fun, stay out of trouble and put it all on the table in the last couple of laps.”

Kayla Yaakov (31) says that racing at the front of an International field of riders “shows that Americans can do it, that we're fast, and that MotoAmerica is at a really high level.” Photo by Michael Gougis. — Kayla Yaakov (31) says that racing at the front of an International field of riders “shows that Americans can do it, that we’re fast, and that MotoAmerica is at a really high level.” Photo by Michael Gougis.

Race One saw her pushed out wide into the first turn. But Yaakov started picking her way through the field and was in the podium places on the final lap. But coming out of the final turn, the rear slid and “it killed my drive going onto the front straight, so I just missed out on the podium. Either way, though, it was good,” she said.

If Yaakov thought she could be competitive before the first race, she absolutely knew she could be in the second one. “I had a lot of confidence from Race One because I knew I could run the pace,” she said. “With the laps shortened, I knew I was going to have to make my passes quick.”

Kayla Yaakov celebrates after finishing runner-up in the second Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European SuperFinale race in Portugal. Photo by Michael Gougis.

WorldSBK: Attack The World! Gagne’s Superpole Race And R2 From Portugal

David Swarts

-

October 9, 2022

0

WorldSBK: Attack The World! Gagne’s Superpole Race And R2 From Portugal

Attack The World! Gagne In The WorldSBK Points At Portimao

By Michael Gougis

In the end, it was hot, hard work, but the reward for Attack Racing’s foray into WSBK competition was a WorldSBK point for its 15th-place finish in Race Two.

It’s hard to overstate how complicated showing up for a single race weekend in a new series actually is. For example, the team had to try all of the available tires, rather than relying on their notes from the previous visit to the Algarve circuit to simplify their evaluation of the available Pirelli rubber.

Unlike the other teams that had data from prior visits to the circuit, Attack Racing had to throw all of the available Pirelli tires at Jake Gagne to figure out what would work, and decided to use the Sunday warmup simply to evaluate suspension. “We were using anything that still held air,” Pirelli's U.S. road racing manager Oscar Solis said. Photo by Michael Gougis. — Unlike the other teams that had data from prior visits to the circuit, Attack Racing had to throw all of the available Pirelli tires at Jake Gagne to figure out what would work, and decided to use the Sunday warmup simply to evaluate suspension. “We were using anything that still held air,” Pirelli’s U.S. Road Racing Manager Oscar Solis said. Photo by Michael Gougis.

With the number of tires limited by WorldSBK regulations, and with practice time limited, the team decided to test all of the available compounds as early as possible during the weekend. This meant that their supply of tires was limited, and they made the strategic decision to simply use Sunday morning’s warm up session to test suspension settings on worn rubber and not go for a time.

A quick debrief and congratulations back at the Attack Racing garage after a hard weekend's work. Photo by Michael Gougis. — A quick debrief and congratulations back at the Attack Racing garage after a hard weekend’s work. Photo by Michael Gougis.

Things got better in the Superpole Race. Rider Jake Gagne’s best lap was just a tick over 1.4 seconds slower then race winner Toprak Razgatlioglu’s fastest time. Gagne notched a 16th, just behind extremely experienced World Superbike racer Eugene Laverty.

Race Two started out challenging, with Gagne stuck in the all-too-typical mid-pack World Superbike first-corner scrum. Once Gagne found his rhythm and a bit of clear track, he was able to start to put all of the team’s knowledge from the weekend and his experience from his track time to use.

Get stuck in a scrum mid-pack at the start of a Superbike World Championship race, get pushed off the track and it's easy to lose six full seconds to the leaders. Jake Gagne (33) found himself having to deal with close-quarters racing at the world's highest level of Superbike competition. Photo by Michael Gougis. — Get stuck in a scrum mid-pack at the start of a Superbike World Championship race, get pushed off the track and it’s easy to lose six full seconds to the leaders. Jake Gagne (33) found himself having to deal with close-quarters racing at the world’s highest level of Superbike competition. Photo by Michael Gougis.

AHRMA: Mesa Wins 4SR Pro Challenge At Barber

David Swarts

-

October 9, 2022

0

AHRMA: Mesa Wins 4SR Pro Challenge At Barber

AHRMA 4SR Pro Challenge

Hugh Anderson Named MotoGP Legend

October 11, 2022

Hugh Anderson (1) in action back in the day. Photo courtesy Dorna.