Toprak Razgatlioglu was quickest during FIM Superbike World Championship Free Practice 1 Friday morning at MotorLand Aragon, in Spain. Riding his Pirelli-shod ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR on the 3.15-mile (5.08 km) track, the Turkish rider recorded a 1:48.385 to lead the field of 23 riders.
Nicolo Bulega was the best of the rest with a 1:48.920 on his Aruba.It Racing – Ducati Panigale V4R, and his teammate, Alvaro Bautiste was third-fastest with a 1:49.386.
American Garrett Gerloff finished the opening session in 8th with a 1:49.556 on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.
Razgatlioglu half-a-second clear of Bulega as WorldSBK begins Aragon weekend with FP1. The reigning Champion finished with a big margin over his title rival as he begins his search for a 13th consecutive win.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) started the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship visit to MotorLand Aragon by claiming P1 ahead of title rival Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) at MotorLand Aragon. The duo were the only riders to lap in the 1’48s bracket during FP1 for the Tissot Aragon Round, with half-a-second between the top two.
Razgatlioglu started his search for a first Aragon win in the perfect fashion as he set a 1’48.385s. ‘El Turco’ was the first rider to lap in the 1’48s bracket during FP1 and he was half-a-second clear of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), despite not running as soon as the track went green. Bulega was 0.535s down on his title rival while Bulega’s teammate, Alvaro Bautista, completed the top three. The #19, who won twice at Aragon last season, was 1.001s down on Razgatlioglu.
Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) put in a late 1’49.409s as he claimed fourth place on the CBR1000RR-R machine, lapping 0.023s behind Bautista. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) is searching for redemption after a heavy crash at Aragon last season, while also aiming to bounce back from Magny-Cours disappointment, and he started the weekend with P5 in FP1, just 0.039s behind Bautista. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) was sixth at the circuit he claimed his sole win at in 2024.
Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finished the session in seventh on the timesheets, and in the gravel trap, after a crash at Turn 16 right at the end of the session, with the Dutchman able to walk away from the fall. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) finished in eighth ahead of Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha), with the #65 finishing as the lead Yamaha rider; three tenths ahead of teammate Andrea Locatelli.
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) completed just a handful of laps in the opening 45-minute session. He pulled off the track at Turn 12 with a technical problem, with smoke pouring out of his bike. It was later confirmed from pit lane to be an oil leak.
The top six from WorldSBK Free Practice 1, full results here:
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’48.385s
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.535s
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.001s
Former MotoAmerica Supersport regular Valentin Debise was quickest during FIM Supersport World Championship Free Practice Friday morning at MotorLand Aragon, in Spain. Riding his Renzi Corse Ducati Panigale V2 on Pirelli control tires, the Frenchman covered the 3.15-mile (5.08 km) road course in 1:52.663, topping the field of 33 riders.
Can Oncu was the best of the rest with a 1:53.151 on his Blu Cru Evan Bros Yamaha YZF-R9.
Mattia Casadei was third with a lap time of 1:53.525 on his Motozoo ME Air Racing MV Agusta F3 800 RR.
Marco Bezzecchi led MotoGP World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25 on spec Michelin tires, the Italian turned a lap time of 1:43.193 to lead the 23-rider field.
Pedro Acosta was the best of the rest with a 1:43.329 on his Red Bull KTM Factory RC16.
The current World Championship point leader, Marc Marquez was third at 1:43.360 on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
2020 MotoGP World Champion, Joan Mir finished the session fourth with a 1:43.361 on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.
Fabio Di Giannantonio got fifth on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Marquez’s teammate, Francesco Bagnaia finished the session 7th with a time of 1:43.539
Bezzecchi leads Acosta as Alex Marquez faces Q1 in Japan. Marc Marquez leaves it late to earn a Q2 spot as four manufacturers sit in the top four following a pulsating Friday at Motegi.
Well, that was fun. After two crashes in FP1, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) heads into Saturday as the rider to beat following a pulsating MotoGP Practice at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan that saw Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) finish P2, and Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) claim a late P3 after sitting outside the top 10 for most of the hour-long stint.
In addition, on the first match point weekend, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) is Q1-bound for the first time in 2025 after a P15 finish that throws a little extra spice on qualifying.
A Friday belter unfolds in Japan
After Bezzecchi’s double crash in FP1, Aprilia Racing’s Practice didn’t get off to an ideal start either as Jorge Martin went down unhurt at Turn 5, as we saw the top three from the opening session of the weekend sitting in P20, P21 and P22 with 15 minutes gone – Marc Marquez and Bagnaia sandwiching the reigning World Champion.
Midway through Practice, the factory Ducati pair had climbed the timesheets into P11 and P13, with Alex Marquez now sitting P23 and last. Elsewhere, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was setting the pace with a 1:44.044, Bezzecchi was 0.051s behind in P2, with Acosta third as Yamaha led Aprilia and KTM. Then, another crash – and it was Martin again. Turn 7 caught the #1 out this time before Alex Marquez was in the gravel at Turn 9. And at this stage, with 25 minutes to go, the #73 was still in P23.
Heading into the final quarter of an hour, both Marquez brothers and Bagnaia remained outside the top 10, but that changed as the latter leapt to P5. Up the road, Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) shot to P1 on HRC’s home turf before Bezzecchi moved the goalposts – a 1:43.623 was now the benchmark time. Not for long though. Acosta responded to beat the Italian by 0.066s, while Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) promoted himself into the top 10.
As we dipped into the final 10 minutes, Alex Marquez hauled himself into P5 and right behind him on track, Martin shot to P4. Marc Marquez’s first time attack lap, meanwhile, was only good enough for P11. Teammate Bagnaia, on his second time attack outing, went from P9 to P1, as full focus turned to the other red Ducati. Three and a half minutes left, P14… that equalled uncharted territory for the #93.
Two red splits were followed by a personal best through Sector 3, and across the line, Marquez climbed to P3 as top spot changed three times. First, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) was P1 before Acosta and Bezzecchi traded Friday afternoon honours, as we then saw Acosta crash at Turn 1 to end his session prematurely.
So where did that leave us? Well, with 30 seconds to go, Alex Marquez was P13, Martin was P12 and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) was P11 – all three had set the exact same time. And on his final attempt, Alex Marquez’s lap disappeared and for the first time in 2025, the #73 was Q1-bound on a weekend where Marc Marquez had his first match point.
Were there any late changes for the top 10? Yes there was. Quartararo launched a late attack to go from P15 to P8, as fellow Frenchman Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda HRC) clinched P10 right at the end of the session to demote Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) to P11.
Your top 10 in Japan
Mir’s brilliant late pace earned the 2020 World Champion P4 ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), with Marini ending Practice in P6. Bagnaia slipped to P7 by the end of the session but it’s job done in terms of getting straight into Q2 for the Italian, as Quartararo, Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Zarco complete 10 of the 12 Q2 runners.
Coming up: Tissot Sprint Saturday at Motegi
If that’s not caught your attention then we’re not sure what will. A phenomenal Friday sets us up for a sensational Saturday in Japan, as we edge closer to seeing whether it’ll be a title-winning weekend for Marc Marquez.
Jake Dixon led Moto2 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Riding his ELF Marc VDS Racing Boscoscuro on Pirelli control tires, the Briton lapped the 2.98-mile (4.80 km) road course in 1:48.679, topping the field of 28 riders and breaking the All-Time Lap Record of 1:49.067 he set this morning in FP1.
Home hero, Ayumu Sasaki was second-best with a time of 1:48.828 on his RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP Kalex.
Spaniard Izan Guevara did a third-fastest 1:48.915 on his Blu Cru Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.
American Joe Roberts finished Friday afternoon’s practice session 7th with a best time of 1:49.000 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Dixon denies home hero Sasaki with late lap on Friday. The Japanese rider leads the way until late on, Canet and Baltus head for Q1.
Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) just edged out home hero Ayumu Sasaki (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) on Friday in Japan, taking to the top in Moto2™ Practice by a tenth and a half late on after the #71 set the pace for much of the session. Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) completes the top three – pushing Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) down to P4.
Still, Gonzalez remains in prime position. Third in the Championship, Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) is much further down the order, suffering a crash in the session and now heading for Q1, as is his teammate Barry Baltus, who holds P4 in the Championship.
Second in the standings, Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team), took P8 on Friday in a solid start to the weekend. He’s equal on points with Canet but has one more win so technically leads the Spaniard.
Between Gonzalez and Moreira, Tony Arbolino (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2), Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team) and Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) slot into fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. Zonta den van Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) is P9, with rookie Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top ten – just pipping Misano winner Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team).
David Muñoz led Moto3 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Muñoz used his Pirelli-shod Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex to lap the 2.98-mile (4.80 km) track in 1:55.234, to lead the field of 26 riders.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda was second-best with a time of 1:55.402.
Ryusei Yamanaka, piloting his Frinsa – MT Helmets -MSI KTM, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:55.590.
Muñoz takes Moto3™ honours at Motegi on Friday. The #64 was able to pip Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda to lead the way on the opening day.
David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) led the way on Friday at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Moto3™, topping the timesheets with a 1’55.234. He headed the session and was a late improver, getting the better of Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and home-hero Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI).
The #64 was on top having been in the top ten in the morning, whilst Rueda was just under two tenths away from P1. Yamanaka’s session was eventful with a trip to the medical centre after a Turn 9 fall before returning to the track to set his best lap time and bag P3 and a spot in Q2. Teammate Angel Piqueras was in P4 ahead of David Almansa (Leopard Racing), who led for most of the session but suffered two crashes – one at Turn 9 and another at Turn 11 – on his way to fifth.
Sixth place and bettering his lap time towards the end, Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was just ahead of Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), who fell at Turn 13 but stayed seventh. Joel Kelso (LEVEL-UP MTA), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) rounded out the top ten. Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) just avoided going through Q1, taking 13th at the chequered flag.
Francesco Bagnaia topped MotoGP World Championship Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Riding his Michelin-shod Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25, the Italian turned a lap of 1:44.857 around the 2.98-mile (4.80 km) track and led the 23-rider field.
The defending MotoGP World Champion, Jorge Martin was second-best with a 1:44.950 on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25.
Bagnaia’s teammate, Marc Marquez was third with a lap time of 1:44.959.
Bagnaia dusts off Misano woes to top Motegi FP1. The #63 was competitive straight out the crate in Japan and leads the charge after the first session of the weekend, with less than a second covering 21 riders.
A 1’44.857 saw Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) lead the way after an impressive opening session of the weekend in Japan. The #63 bounced back from his difficulties over the last two weekends in Barcelona and Misano and came out the blocks fighting on Friday, finishing ahead of Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) and Championship leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Pecco was the first rider into the 1’44s and led for much of the session until teammate Marc took over with just under 15 minutes remaining on the clock. The #63 struck back against his Championship-leading teammate with just nine minutes to go, growing in confidence after a bruising last couple of rounds. Both GP25s were in good shape throughout FP1 but it was Bagnaia who returned to the top of standings. Improving in the final five minutes, reigning Champion Martin moved into P2 ahead of Marc, whilst Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) secured fourth ahead of a fast Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), top Honda at the manufacturer’s home GP.
Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) was sixth but a late faller at Turn 5. Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) followed him into the gravel in similar fashion moments later; the Australian took P8, both split by Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who was the best for the Austrian manufacturer. It was a best session of 2025 for Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) who took ninth and was second Honda home, whereas Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) rounded out the top ten.
Less than five minutes into the session and there was already drama for Misano star Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) and fellow Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team). ‘Bez’ fell at Turn 11 under braking whilst Fernandez crashed at Turn 8, both having just set their third laps of the session. Managing to get back out, the day got worse for Bezzecchi, crashing for a second time, this time at Turn 5, another downhill right-hander.
There was more drama at the end of the session, this time for Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) who crashed at Turn 10. It wasn’t a session to remember for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who came away with 16th, just one place behind the rider second in the Championship overall, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP).
Jake Dixon was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice One Friday morning at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Riding his ELF Marc VDS Racing Boscoscuro on the 2.98-mile (4.80 km) track, the Brit recorded a 1:49.067 which led the field of 28 riders and broke Manuel Gonzalez’s All-Time Lap Record of 1:49.711 from 2024.
Tony Arbolino was the best of the rest with a 1:49.242 on his BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.
Manuel Gonzalez was third-fastest with a 1:49.306 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished the opening session in fifth with a 1:49.479 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Adrian Fernandez was quickest during Moto3 World Championship practice Friday morning at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Riding his Leopard Racing Honda on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard covered the 2.98-mile (4.80 km) road course in 1:55.947, topping the field of 26 riders.
Angel Piqueras was the best of the rest with a 1:55.972 on his FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI KTM.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda was third with a lap time of 1:55.990.
Racer, Sponsor, Dealer, AMA Hall of Famer and Industry Icon Norm McDonald died September 25th in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was 93 years old.
According to his son (and former AMA Champion Sam McDonald), Norm “died peacefully with his family surrounding him so that was a blessing…He wanted no formal funeral and no flowers please. He would prefer a donation to the Roadracing World Action Fund.”
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Read Norm McDonald’s AMA Hall of Fame biography here:
(From left) Norm, Lucy, Sam, and Pat McDonald with the Daytona 200 Monument plaque for the late Phil McDonald, in 2021. Photo by Roger Lyle.
The CMRA Remembers Norm McDonald:
We lost a true motorsports icon with Norm McDonald passing earlier today. Norm was the “N” in K&N air filters, he was a racer, mechanic, team owner, inventor, entrepreneur, business owner, husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Anyone that knew him would agree that he was truly a force of nature! Norm served multiple terms on the CMRA Board of Directors and he also served as the CMRA’s Treasurer for many years. Our sincerest condolences go out to his wife Lucy and the entire McDonald family. 
Godspeed Norm……
Don Emde remembers Norm McDonald:
Norm McDonald 1932-2025. As he does too often these days, Father Time paid us a visit on Thursday to take another longtime friend of mine and many in the motorcycle sport and industry. Norm McDonald passed away at age 93.
My relationship with Norm (the “N” in K&N) and his business partner Ken Johnson (the “K”) began in 1969 on the first night of my professional racing career at Ascot Park. I didn’t really know anybody yet, but I was there with my father Floyd and the shiny new Suzuki X-6 flat tracker in a Sonic Weld frame that he built for me to race in the Novice class.
Norm and Ken were there with a Yamaha TD1-powered race bike and I’d say they were the pre-race favorite with #101R Freddie Edwards as their rider. Yamaha had the top Novice the year before with Keith Mashburn on the 101R Yamaha and it seemed K&N planned to continue that success.
We had a little surprise for them that night after getting through a couple of rounds of Heat races. I was finally getting the hang of riding that speedy X-6 with no brakes and was running third in the Main event behind Edwards and a rider named Rick Talbot on a Harley Sprint. They were having a good battle between themselves, but on the last lap they left me some room to get by as we went down the back stretch and I passed them both and went on take the opening night victory.
Norm congratulated me and Floyd after the race and now we had some new friends at Ascot. As it turned out, Freddie Edwards and I, and also John Hateley, would battle for Novice class wins every Friday night all that year with each of us winning about 1/3rd of the Novice Mains. In the final Ascot season points, Freddie edged me out and they did take top Ascot Novice points, just like Mashburn had done the year before.
The Emde and McDonald families became very close friends forever after and I always enjoyed seeing Norm and his dear wife Lucy, and their boys who were all racing or involved running the K&N dealership after they moved to Oklahoma.
In 2017, the Trailblazers honored Norm with an induction to our Hall of Fame. Here is a copy of the story we ran in the event program. As you will read, he had an amazing motorcycling life. Godspeed old friend.
2017 Trailblazers Hall of Fame Inductee
Norm McDonald
“Norm McDonald was born on October 20, 1932 in San Bernardino, California. Even as a youngster, Norm loved motorcycles and always wanted one, but his parent wouldn’t allow it. So Norm mowed lawns, sold scrap metal and saved his money. He had enough to buy his first motorcycle when he was 17, but kept it hidden at a friend’s house. Needless to say, Norm was hooked on motorcycles from then onward.
After graduating from high school, Norm served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1955. When he returned, he married Louise (Lucy) West, and started racing motorcycles and raising a family. He earned a living for his growing family as a surveyor for San Bernardino County.
He began racing in 1956 at De Anza Raceway and was soon riding every event he could in southern California from Ascot to Perris and Acton to Bakersfield. He drag raced at Fontana Raceway and Road Raced at Riverside and Las Vegas. He rode TT’s and desert races as well as major off-road events like B-to-V, Big Bear, and the Tecate Enduro. He loved everything about the sport from racing to building the bikes.
In 1957 Norm met Ken Johnson and together they opened their first motorcycle shop, K&N Motorcycles in Loma Linda, California. The first K&N was primarily a service shop, with Ken working days and Norm (who kept his job as a surveyor during the day) working nights. “We opened with $200 and three used motorcycles,” Norm remembers. “We took on Indian, which was Royal Enfield at the time, and in 1958, we took on Yamaha.” K&N was only the fourth dealer in the USA to be signed as a Yamaha dealership and is now the longest running Yamaha franchise in the United States. Through the years Norm owned other franchises including BSA, CZ, Hodaka, Tohatsu, Marusho, Greeves, and Harley Davidson.
As shop owners, Ken and Norm also happened to give a job to a 17-year-old kid who would make a name for himself in motorcycling: Malcolm Smith. “I knew him since he was a kid,” Ken says. “We watched him ride in the fields, and were impressed, and when we opened up the shop, I asked if he wanted to work for me.” Malcolm was one of the first of hundreds of riders who would eventually be sponsored by K&N.
In 1965, Ken and Norm formed K&N Engineering, focusing on a line of handlebars, fenders and fork braces. The next year, the K&N Air Filter was introduced and within five years the revolutionary filters could be found in virtually every form of racing.
Norm loved to race and he also loved to help other racers. Besides his sons: Phil McDonald (1973 Daytona 100-mile Junior Champion and Top Junior in the nation); Sam McDonald (1982 250cc National Champion and 1984 second-place Superbike Championship); son-in-law, Ted Boody and grandson Tyler McDonald, Norm sponsored hundreds of others with more than 30 of them going on to compete on the national level. For decades, the sight of the K&N log on a racer’s leathers meant that rider was a contender and potential champion.
By 1971, Norm decided to relocate. Ken opted to keep K&N Engineering, and Norm kept the dealership side of things and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, opening up dealerships in Tulsa and Wichita, Kansas. ‘That was the best decision I ever made,’ Norm says. ‘I’ve always loved motorcycles and motorcycle people. I know the air cleaner thing is a multi-million business today, but if you’re not happy with what you’re doing, why do it? Motorcycling is not a get-rich thing, but it’s made a living for all our families and kept us together.’
Now in his 80’s, Norm is far from retired and stays active in the industry. Along with wife Lucy he started the Motorcyclists against Cancer (MAC) Rally which has raised over $300,000 for cancer research. He also runs an MSF certified training school, promotes local street rides as well as the Oklahoma Gold Rush, the state’s premier off-road racing event.
The Trailblazers proudly welcome Norm McDonald to the Hall of Fame.”
Razgatlioglu is on the verge of equalling his own consecutive wins record while Bulega will hope he can continue Ducati’s winning run at MotorLand Aragon.
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to MotorLand Aragon for Round 10 of the 2025 season as the title race heats up. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) heads to the Tissot Aragon Round on the back of four consecutive hat-tricks, but it’s a circuit he’s never won at. ‘El Turco’ will go face-to-face with Ducati’s unbeaten run at the Spanish venue, and for either run to continue, one will have to give…
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1) at Magny-Cours during FP1. Photo courtesy Dorna.
RECORDS MADE TO BE BROKEN: two winning runs face off against each other
Razgatlioglu can equal his all-time winning run with a Race 1 victory at Aragon with ‘El Turco’ currently on 12 wins and the record standing at 13 – and doing so would mean a first win at Aragon for the two-time Champion. However, he faces the threat of Ducati’s unbeaten Aragon run: the Italian manufacturer has won the last eight races at the Spanish venue, a record streak for the track, and Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will hope he can make it nine in a row. Like his rival, he is yet to win at Aragon and both will believe now is the perfect time to change that stat. Of course, 2024 winners Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will want to be in contention too; can they find their form at a crucial time in the season?
Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Barni Racing Team.
ADVANTAGE PETRUCCI: ‘Petrux’ leads the battle for P3 as plenty of riders hit form
In the battle for third, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) currently leads Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) and Bautista with just 30 points separating the trio. ‘Petrux’ is yet to stand on the rostrum at Aragon, nor has ‘Loka’, so could this be the opportunity Bautista needs to make the fight for P3 even closer? The #19 is a perennial podium finisher at Aragon with 11 rostrums and that could hold him in good stead during the weekend. A rider who’s been in-form recently is Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), with three rostrums at Magny-Cours, and the #22 will aim to continue that streak going at a circuit he’s gone well at; he’s not been outside of the top ten when finishing a race there since 2017. His brother, Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), showed good pace in France but didn’t get the results he wanted. A winner here in Moto2 on two occasions, can the #14 bounce back at Aragon? Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) was in the podium fight at Magny-Cours and will be hoping to repeat that at Aragon, a circuit he’s enjoyed so much success at, while Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) will hope he can leap into the top ten of the standings with a strong result.
Xavi Vierge (97). Photo courtesy Honda HRC Team.
FUTURES UP IN THE AIR: can Aragon provide a platform to secure a seat?
Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) has stolen a march on his nearest rivals as he sits P8 in the standings and Aragon is a track he’s gone well at with eight top-ten finishes in nine races at the Spanish venue. Of course, the #97 is fighting for his WorldSBK future after it was announced he would be leaving Honda HRC at the end of the season. A recent Jerez test provided a step forward for Vierge with a new swingarm part of the testing programme. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) is another searching for a 2026 seat and he’ll be hoping he can go well at Aragon; he’s only had one round in WorldSBK at Aragon and has a best of P12. However, he has a victory in WorldSSP to his name at the Spanish circuit. Aegerter is 30 points behind Vierge in the standings, with both sitting in the top ten; Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) separates the duo and ‘El Bocia’ will be hoping he can find some of his best form to end the 2025 season in style, but he does have his future in the bag.
Garrett Gerloff (31) at Misano in June. Photo courtesy Puccetti Racing.
AIMING TO KEEP THE FORM GOING: will Aragon be a happy hunting ground?
Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) both enjoyed strong French Rounds, fighting comfortably in the top ten, and both will hope to repeat this at Aragon; Gerloff has two rostrums here, one of three he’s achieved this at, whereas van der Mark has a single rostrum. Tarran Mackenzie will continue with MGM BONOVO Action on their Ducati Panigale V4 R machine while rookies Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) will hope to bounce back from difficult trips to France. In contrast, Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) took his best result and first top-ten in France, with the Turkish youngster aiming to keep that form going. Teammate Michael Rinaldi also had his best result of the season last time out. Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) heads into Spain on the back of his first point in WorldSBK, while his teammate, Tito Rabat, will aim for the points on home soil.
REPLACEMENT RIDER: Bridewell stands in for Lecuona
Tommy Bridewell returns to WorldSBK at Aragon as a replacement rider this time, standing in for Iker Lecuona at Honda HRC. It will be the Brit’s second appearance of the season, and he was recently at the Aragon test with Honda as part of his test rider commitments.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1) at MotorLand Aragon. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Toprak Razgatlioglu was quickest during FIM Superbike World Championship Free Practice 1 Friday morning at MotorLand Aragon, in Spain. Riding his Pirelli-shod ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team M1000RR on the 3.15-mile (5.08 km) track, the Turkish rider recorded a 1:48.385 to lead the field of 23 riders.
Nicolo Bulega was the best of the rest with a 1:48.920 on his Aruba.It Racing – Ducati Panigale V4R, and his teammate, Alvaro Bautiste was third-fastest with a 1:49.386.
American Garrett Gerloff finished the opening session in 8th with a 1:49.556 on his Kawasaki ZX-10RR.
Razgatlioglu half-a-second clear of Bulega as WorldSBK begins Aragon weekend with FP1. The reigning Champion finished with a big margin over his title rival as he begins his search for a 13th consecutive win.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) started the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship visit to MotorLand Aragon by claiming P1 ahead of title rival Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) at MotorLand Aragon. The duo were the only riders to lap in the 1’48s bracket during FP1 for the Tissot Aragon Round, with half-a-second between the top two.
Razgatlioglu started his search for a first Aragon win in the perfect fashion as he set a 1’48.385s. ‘El Turco’ was the first rider to lap in the 1’48s bracket during FP1 and he was half-a-second clear of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), despite not running as soon as the track went green. Bulega was 0.535s down on his title rival while Bulega’s teammate, Alvaro Bautista, completed the top three. The #19, who won twice at Aragon last season, was 1.001s down on Razgatlioglu.
Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) put in a late 1’49.409s as he claimed fourth place on the CBR1000RR-R machine, lapping 0.023s behind Bautista. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) is searching for redemption after a heavy crash at Aragon last season, while also aiming to bounce back from Magny-Cours disappointment, and he started the weekend with P5 in FP1, just 0.039s behind Bautista. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) was sixth at the circuit he claimed his sole win at in 2024.
Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finished the session in seventh on the timesheets, and in the gravel trap, after a crash at Turn 16 right at the end of the session, with the Dutchman able to walk away from the fall. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) finished in eighth ahead of Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha), with the #65 finishing as the lead Yamaha rider; three tenths ahead of teammate Andrea Locatelli.
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) completed just a handful of laps in the opening 45-minute session. He pulled off the track at Turn 12 with a technical problem, with smoke pouring out of his bike. It was later confirmed from pit lane to be an oil leak.
The top six from WorldSBK Free Practice 1, full results here:
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’48.385s
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.535s
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.001s
Valentin Debise (53) at Magny-Cours. Photo courtesy Renzi Corse Team.
Former MotoAmerica Supersport regular Valentin Debise was quickest during FIM Supersport World Championship Free Practice Friday morning at MotorLand Aragon, in Spain. Riding his Renzi Corse Ducati Panigale V2 on Pirelli control tires, the Frenchman covered the 3.15-mile (5.08 km) road course in 1:52.663, topping the field of 33 riders.
Can Oncu was the best of the rest with a 1:53.151 on his Blu Cru Evan Bros Yamaha YZF-R9.
Mattia Casadei was third with a lap time of 1:53.525 on his Motozoo ME Air Racing MV Agusta F3 800 RR.
Marco Bezzecchi (72) at Motegi. Photo courtesy Dorna.
Marco Bezzecchi led MotoGP World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Riding his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25 on spec Michelin tires, the Italian turned a lap time of 1:43.193 to lead the 23-rider field.
Pedro Acosta was the best of the rest with a 1:43.329 on his Red Bull KTM Factory RC16.
The current World Championship point leader, Marc Marquez was third at 1:43.360 on his Lenovo Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
2020 MotoGP World Champion, Joan Mir finished the session fourth with a 1:43.361 on his Honda HRC Castrol RC213V.
Fabio Di Giannantonio got fifth on his Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Ducati Desmosedici GP25.
Marquez’s teammate, Francesco Bagnaia finished the session 7th with a time of 1:43.539
Bezzecchi leads Acosta as Alex Marquez faces Q1 in Japan. Marc Marquez leaves it late to earn a Q2 spot as four manufacturers sit in the top four following a pulsating Friday at Motegi.
Well, that was fun. After two crashes in FP1, Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) heads into Saturday as the rider to beat following a pulsating MotoGP Practice at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan that saw Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) finish P2, and Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team) claim a late P3 after sitting outside the top 10 for most of the hour-long stint.
In addition, on the first match point weekend, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) is Q1-bound for the first time in 2025 after a P15 finish that throws a little extra spice on qualifying.
A Friday belter unfolds in Japan
After Bezzecchi’s double crash in FP1, Aprilia Racing’s Practice didn’t get off to an ideal start either as Jorge Martin went down unhurt at Turn 5, as we saw the top three from the opening session of the weekend sitting in P20, P21 and P22 with 15 minutes gone – Marc Marquez and Bagnaia sandwiching the reigning World Champion.
Midway through Practice, the factory Ducati pair had climbed the timesheets into P11 and P13, with Alex Marquez now sitting P23 and last. Elsewhere, Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) was setting the pace with a 1:44.044, Bezzecchi was 0.051s behind in P2, with Acosta third as Yamaha led Aprilia and KTM. Then, another crash – and it was Martin again. Turn 7 caught the #1 out this time before Alex Marquez was in the gravel at Turn 9. And at this stage, with 25 minutes to go, the #73 was still in P23.
Heading into the final quarter of an hour, both Marquez brothers and Bagnaia remained outside the top 10, but that changed as the latter leapt to P5. Up the road, Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol) shot to P1 on HRC’s home turf before Bezzecchi moved the goalposts – a 1:43.623 was now the benchmark time. Not for long though. Acosta responded to beat the Italian by 0.066s, while Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) promoted himself into the top 10.
As we dipped into the final 10 minutes, Alex Marquez hauled himself into P5 and right behind him on track, Martin shot to P4. Marc Marquez’s first time attack lap, meanwhile, was only good enough for P11. Teammate Bagnaia, on his second time attack outing, went from P9 to P1, as full focus turned to the other red Ducati. Three and a half minutes left, P14… that equalled uncharted territory for the #93.
Two red splits were followed by a personal best through Sector 3, and across the line, Marquez climbed to P3 as top spot changed three times. First, Joan Mir (Honda HRC Castrol) was P1 before Acosta and Bezzecchi traded Friday afternoon honours, as we then saw Acosta crash at Turn 1 to end his session prematurely.
So where did that leave us? Well, with 30 seconds to go, Alex Marquez was P13, Martin was P12 and Ai Ogura (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) was P11 – all three had set the exact same time. And on his final attempt, Alex Marquez’s lap disappeared and for the first time in 2025, the #73 was Q1-bound on a weekend where Marc Marquez had his first match point.
Were there any late changes for the top 10? Yes there was. Quartararo launched a late attack to go from P15 to P8, as fellow Frenchman Johann Zarco (CASTROL Honda HRC) clinched P10 right at the end of the session to demote Fermin Aldeguer (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP) to P11.
Your top 10 in Japan
Mir’s brilliant late pace earned the 2020 World Champion P4 ahead of Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), with Marini ending Practice in P6. Bagnaia slipped to P7 by the end of the session but it’s job done in terms of getting straight into Q2 for the Italian, as Quartararo, Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team) and Zarco complete 10 of the 12 Q2 runners.
Coming up: Tissot Sprint Saturday at Motegi
If that’s not caught your attention then we’re not sure what will. A phenomenal Friday sets us up for a sensational Saturday in Japan, as we edge closer to seeing whether it’ll be a title-winning weekend for Marc Marquez.
Jake Dixon (96) at Motegi. Photo courtesy Marc VDS Racing.
Jake Dixon led Moto2 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Riding his ELF Marc VDS Racing Boscoscuro on Pirelli control tires, the Briton lapped the 2.98-mile (4.80 km) road course in 1:48.679, topping the field of 28 riders and breaking the All-Time Lap Record of 1:49.067 he set this morning in FP1.
Home hero, Ayumu Sasaki was second-best with a time of 1:48.828 on his RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP Kalex.
Spaniard Izan Guevara did a third-fastest 1:48.915 on his Blu Cru Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.
American Joe Roberts finished Friday afternoon’s practice session 7th with a best time of 1:49.000 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Dixon denies home hero Sasaki with late lap on Friday. The Japanese rider leads the way until late on, Canet and Baltus head for Q1.
Jake Dixon (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) just edged out home hero Ayumu Sasaki (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) on Friday in Japan, taking to the top in Moto2™ Practice by a tenth and a half late on after the #71 set the pace for much of the session. Izan Guevara (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2) completes the top three – pushing Championship leader Manuel Gonzalez (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) down to P4.
Still, Gonzalez remains in prime position. Third in the Championship, Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) is much further down the order, suffering a crash in the session and now heading for Q1, as is his teammate Barry Baltus, who holds P4 in the Championship.
Second in the standings, Diogo Moreira (Italtrans Racing Team), took P8 on Friday in a solid start to the weekend. He’s equal on points with Canet but has one more win so technically leads the Spaniard.
Between Gonzalez and Moreira, Tony Arbolino (BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Moto2), Daniel Holgado (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team) and Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) slot into fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. Zonta den van Goorbergh (RW-Idrofoglia Racing GP) is P9, with rookie Collin Veijer (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top ten – just pipping Misano winner Celestino Vietti (Beta Tools SpeedRS Team).
David Muñoz led Moto3 World Championship practice Friday afternoon at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Muñoz used his Pirelli-shod Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP Kalex to lap the 2.98-mile (4.80 km) track in 1:55.234, to lead the field of 26 riders.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda was second-best with a time of 1:55.402.
Ryusei Yamanaka, piloting his Frinsa – MT Helmets -MSI KTM, claimed the third and final spot on the front with a lap time of 1:55.590.
Muñoz takes Moto3™ honours at Motegi on Friday. The #64 was able to pip Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda to lead the way on the opening day.
David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) led the way on Friday at the Mobility Resort Motegi in Moto3™, topping the timesheets with a 1’55.234. He headed the session and was a late improver, getting the better of Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and home-hero Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI).
The #64 was on top having been in the top ten in the morning, whilst Rueda was just under two tenths away from P1. Yamanaka’s session was eventful with a trip to the medical centre after a Turn 9 fall before returning to the track to set his best lap time and bag P3 and a spot in Q2. Teammate Angel Piqueras was in P4 ahead of David Almansa (Leopard Racing), who led for most of the session but suffered two crashes – one at Turn 9 and another at Turn 11 – on his way to fifth.
Sixth place and bettering his lap time towards the end, Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Ajo) was just ahead of Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), who fell at Turn 13 but stayed seventh. Joel Kelso (LEVEL-UP MTA), Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) rounded out the top ten. Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) just avoided going through Q1, taking 13th at the chequered flag.
Francesco Bagnaia (63) at Motegi. Photo courtesy Ducati Team.
Francesco Bagnaia topped MotoGP World Championship Free Practice One (FP1) Friday morning at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Riding his Michelin-shod Lenovo Team Ducati Desmosedici GP25, the Italian turned a lap of 1:44.857 around the 2.98-mile (4.80 km) track and led the 23-rider field.
The defending MotoGP World Champion, Jorge Martin was second-best with a 1:44.950 on his Aprilia Racing RS-GP25.
Bagnaia’s teammate, Marc Marquez was third with a lap time of 1:44.959.
Bagnaia dusts off Misano woes to top Motegi FP1. The #63 was competitive straight out the crate in Japan and leads the charge after the first session of the weekend, with less than a second covering 21 riders.
A 1’44.857 saw Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) lead the way after an impressive opening session of the weekend in Japan. The #63 bounced back from his difficulties over the last two weekends in Barcelona and Misano and came out the blocks fighting on Friday, finishing ahead of Jorge Martin (Aprilia Racing) and Championship leader Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo Team).
Pecco was the first rider into the 1’44s and led for much of the session until teammate Marc took over with just under 15 minutes remaining on the clock. The #63 struck back against his Championship-leading teammate with just nine minutes to go, growing in confidence after a bruising last couple of rounds. Both GP25s were in good shape throughout FP1 but it was Bagnaia who returned to the top of standings. Improving in the final five minutes, reigning Champion Martin moved into P2 ahead of Marc, whilst Fabio Di Giannantonio (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) secured fourth ahead of a fast Luca Marini (Honda HRC Castrol), top Honda at the manufacturer’s home GP.
Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team) was sixth but a late faller at Turn 5. Jack Miller (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) followed him into the gravel in similar fashion moments later; the Australian took P8, both split by Pedro Acosta (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) who was the best for the Austrian manufacturer. It was a best session of 2025 for Somkiat Chantra (IDEMITSU Honda LCR) who took ninth and was second Honda home, whereas Miguel Oliveira (Prima Pramac Yamaha MotoGP) rounded out the top ten.
Less than five minutes into the session and there was already drama for Misano star Marco Bezzecchi (Aprilia Racing) and fellow Aprilia rider Raul Fernandez (Trackhouse MotoGP Team). ‘Bez’ fell at Turn 11 under braking whilst Fernandez crashed at Turn 8, both having just set their third laps of the session. Managing to get back out, the day got worse for Bezzecchi, crashing for a second time, this time at Turn 5, another downhill right-hander.
There was more drama at the end of the session, this time for Enea Bastianini (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) who crashed at Turn 10. It wasn’t a session to remember for Fabio Quartararo (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), who came away with 16th, just one place behind the rider second in the Championship overall, Alex Marquez (BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP).
Jake Dixon (96) at Balaton Park. Photo courtesy Marc VDS Team.
Jake Dixon was quickest during Moto2 World Championship Free Practice One Friday morning at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Riding his ELF Marc VDS Racing Boscoscuro on the 2.98-mile (4.80 km) track, the Brit recorded a 1:49.067 which led the field of 28 riders and broke Manuel Gonzalez’s All-Time Lap Record of 1:49.711 from 2024.
Tony Arbolino was the best of the rest with a 1:49.242 on his BLU CRU Pramac Yamaha Boscoscuro.
Manuel Gonzalez was third-fastest with a 1:49.306 on his Liqui Moly Dynavolt IntactGP Kalex.
American Joe Roberts finished the opening session in fifth with a 1:49.479 on his OnlyFans American Racing Team Kalex.
Adrian Fernandez (31) on his Leopard Racing Honda at Motegi. Photo courtesy Leopard Racing.
Adrian Fernandez was quickest during Moto3 World Championship practice Friday morning at Mobility Resort Motegi, in Japan. Riding his Leopard Racing Honda on Pirelli control tires, the Spaniard covered the 2.98-mile (4.80 km) road course in 1:55.947, topping the field of 26 riders.
Angel Piqueras was the best of the rest with a 1:55.972 on his FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI KTM.
Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda was third with a lap time of 1:55.990.
Rest In Peace Norm McDonald. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
Racer, Sponsor, Dealer, AMA Hall of Famer and Industry Icon Norm McDonald died September 25th in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He was 93 years old.
According to his son (and former AMA Champion Sam McDonald), Norm “died peacefully with his family surrounding him so that was a blessing…He wanted no formal funeral and no flowers please. He would prefer a donation to the Roadracing World Action Fund.”
More information will be posted as it becomes available.
Read Norm McDonald’s AMA Hall of Fame biography here:
(From left) Norm, Lucy, Sam, and Pat McDonald with the Daytona 200 Monument plaque for the late Phil McDonald, in 2021. Photo by Roger Lyle.
The CMRA Remembers Norm McDonald:
We lost a true motorsports icon with Norm McDonald passing earlier today. Norm was the “N” in K&N air filters, he was a racer, mechanic, team owner, inventor, entrepreneur, business owner, husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Anyone that knew him would agree that he was truly a force of nature! Norm served multiple terms on the CMRA Board of Directors and he also served as the CMRA’s Treasurer for many years. Our sincerest condolences go out to his wife Lucy and the entire McDonald family. 
Godspeed Norm……
Don Emde remembers Norm McDonald:
Norm McDonald 1932-2025. As he does too often these days, Father Time paid us a visit on Thursday to take another longtime friend of mine and many in the motorcycle sport and industry. Norm McDonald passed away at age 93.
My relationship with Norm (the “N” in K&N) and his business partner Ken Johnson (the “K”) began in 1969 on the first night of my professional racing career at Ascot Park. I didn’t really know anybody yet, but I was there with my father Floyd and the shiny new Suzuki X-6 flat tracker in a Sonic Weld frame that he built for me to race in the Novice class.
Norm and Ken were there with a Yamaha TD1-powered race bike and I’d say they were the pre-race favorite with #101R Freddie Edwards as their rider. Yamaha had the top Novice the year before with Keith Mashburn on the 101R Yamaha and it seemed K&N planned to continue that success.
We had a little surprise for them that night after getting through a couple of rounds of Heat races. I was finally getting the hang of riding that speedy X-6 with no brakes and was running third in the Main event behind Edwards and a rider named Rick Talbot on a Harley Sprint. They were having a good battle between themselves, but on the last lap they left me some room to get by as we went down the back stretch and I passed them both and went on take the opening night victory.
Norm congratulated me and Floyd after the race and now we had some new friends at Ascot. As it turned out, Freddie Edwards and I, and also John Hateley, would battle for Novice class wins every Friday night all that year with each of us winning about 1/3rd of the Novice Mains. In the final Ascot season points, Freddie edged me out and they did take top Ascot Novice points, just like Mashburn had done the year before.
The Emde and McDonald families became very close friends forever after and I always enjoyed seeing Norm and his dear wife Lucy, and their boys who were all racing or involved running the K&N dealership after they moved to Oklahoma.
In 2017, the Trailblazers honored Norm with an induction to our Hall of Fame. Here is a copy of the story we ran in the event program. As you will read, he had an amazing motorcycling life. Godspeed old friend.
2017 Trailblazers Hall of Fame Inductee
Norm McDonald
“Norm McDonald was born on October 20, 1932 in San Bernardino, California. Even as a youngster, Norm loved motorcycles and always wanted one, but his parent wouldn’t allow it. So Norm mowed lawns, sold scrap metal and saved his money. He had enough to buy his first motorcycle when he was 17, but kept it hidden at a friend’s house. Needless to say, Norm was hooked on motorcycles from then onward.
After graduating from high school, Norm served his country in the U.S. Navy from 1952 to 1955. When he returned, he married Louise (Lucy) West, and started racing motorcycles and raising a family. He earned a living for his growing family as a surveyor for San Bernardino County.
He began racing in 1956 at De Anza Raceway and was soon riding every event he could in southern California from Ascot to Perris and Acton to Bakersfield. He drag raced at Fontana Raceway and Road Raced at Riverside and Las Vegas. He rode TT’s and desert races as well as major off-road events like B-to-V, Big Bear, and the Tecate Enduro. He loved everything about the sport from racing to building the bikes.
In 1957 Norm met Ken Johnson and together they opened their first motorcycle shop, K&N Motorcycles in Loma Linda, California. The first K&N was primarily a service shop, with Ken working days and Norm (who kept his job as a surveyor during the day) working nights. “We opened with $200 and three used motorcycles,” Norm remembers. “We took on Indian, which was Royal Enfield at the time, and in 1958, we took on Yamaha.” K&N was only the fourth dealer in the USA to be signed as a Yamaha dealership and is now the longest running Yamaha franchise in the United States. Through the years Norm owned other franchises including BSA, CZ, Hodaka, Tohatsu, Marusho, Greeves, and Harley Davidson.
As shop owners, Ken and Norm also happened to give a job to a 17-year-old kid who would make a name for himself in motorcycling: Malcolm Smith. “I knew him since he was a kid,” Ken says. “We watched him ride in the fields, and were impressed, and when we opened up the shop, I asked if he wanted to work for me.” Malcolm was one of the first of hundreds of riders who would eventually be sponsored by K&N.
In 1965, Ken and Norm formed K&N Engineering, focusing on a line of handlebars, fenders and fork braces. The next year, the K&N Air Filter was introduced and within five years the revolutionary filters could be found in virtually every form of racing.
Norm loved to race and he also loved to help other racers. Besides his sons: Phil McDonald (1973 Daytona 100-mile Junior Champion and Top Junior in the nation); Sam McDonald (1982 250cc National Champion and 1984 second-place Superbike Championship); son-in-law, Ted Boody and grandson Tyler McDonald, Norm sponsored hundreds of others with more than 30 of them going on to compete on the national level. For decades, the sight of the K&N log on a racer’s leathers meant that rider was a contender and potential champion.
By 1971, Norm decided to relocate. Ken opted to keep K&N Engineering, and Norm kept the dealership side of things and moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, opening up dealerships in Tulsa and Wichita, Kansas. ‘That was the best decision I ever made,’ Norm says. ‘I’ve always loved motorcycles and motorcycle people. I know the air cleaner thing is a multi-million business today, but if you’re not happy with what you’re doing, why do it? Motorcycling is not a get-rich thing, but it’s made a living for all our families and kept us together.’
Now in his 80’s, Norm is far from retired and stays active in the industry. Along with wife Lucy he started the Motorcyclists against Cancer (MAC) Rally which has raised over $300,000 for cancer research. He also runs an MSF certified training school, promotes local street rides as well as the Oklahoma Gold Rush, the state’s premier off-road racing event.
The Trailblazers proudly welcome Norm McDonald to the Hall of Fame.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu on his ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team (1) and Nicolo Bulega on his Aruba.it Racing - Ducati (11). Photo courtesy Dorna.
Razgatlioglu is on the verge of equalling his own consecutive wins record while Bulega will hope he can continue Ducati’s winning run at MotorLand Aragon.
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship heads to MotorLand Aragon for Round 10 of the 2025 season as the title race heats up. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) heads to the Tissot Aragon Round on the back of four consecutive hat-tricks, but it’s a circuit he’s never won at. ‘El Turco’ will go face-to-face with Ducati’s unbeaten run at the Spanish venue, and for either run to continue, one will have to give…
Toprak Razgatlioglu (1) at Magny-Cours during FP1. Photo courtesy Dorna.
RECORDS MADE TO BE BROKEN: two winning runs face off against each other
Razgatlioglu can equal his all-time winning run with a Race 1 victory at Aragon with ‘El Turco’ currently on 12 wins and the record standing at 13 – and doing so would mean a first win at Aragon for the two-time Champion. However, he faces the threat of Ducati’s unbeaten Aragon run: the Italian manufacturer has won the last eight races at the Spanish venue, a record streak for the track, and Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will hope he can make it nine in a row. Like his rival, he is yet to win at Aragon and both will believe now is the perfect time to change that stat. Of course, 2024 winners Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will want to be in contention too; can they find their form at a crucial time in the season?
Danilo Petrucci (9). Photo courtesy Barni Racing Team.
ADVANTAGE PETRUCCI: ‘Petrux’ leads the battle for P3 as plenty of riders hit form
In the battle for third, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) currently leads Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) and Bautista with just 30 points separating the trio. ‘Petrux’ is yet to stand on the rostrum at Aragon, nor has ‘Loka’, so could this be the opportunity Bautista needs to make the fight for P3 even closer? The #19 is a perennial podium finisher at Aragon with 11 rostrums and that could hold him in good stead during the weekend. A rider who’s been in-form recently is Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), with three rostrums at Magny-Cours, and the #22 will aim to continue that streak going at a circuit he’s gone well at; he’s not been outside of the top ten when finishing a race there since 2017. His brother, Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), showed good pace in France but didn’t get the results he wanted. A winner here in Moto2 on two occasions, can the #14 bounce back at Aragon? Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) was in the podium fight at Magny-Cours and will be hoping to repeat that at Aragon, a circuit he’s enjoyed so much success at, while Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) will hope he can leap into the top ten of the standings with a strong result.
Xavi Vierge (97). Photo courtesy Honda HRC Team.
FUTURES UP IN THE AIR: can Aragon provide a platform to secure a seat?
Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) has stolen a march on his nearest rivals as he sits P8 in the standings and Aragon is a track he’s gone well at with eight top-ten finishes in nine races at the Spanish venue. Of course, the #97 is fighting for his WorldSBK future after it was announced he would be leaving Honda HRC at the end of the season. A recent Jerez test provided a step forward for Vierge with a new swingarm part of the testing programme. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) is another searching for a 2026 seat and he’ll be hoping he can go well at Aragon; he’s only had one round in WorldSBK at Aragon and has a best of P12. However, he has a victory in WorldSSP to his name at the Spanish circuit. Aegerter is 30 points behind Vierge in the standings, with both sitting in the top ten; Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) separates the duo and ‘El Bocia’ will be hoping he can find some of his best form to end the 2025 season in style, but he does have his future in the bag.
Garrett Gerloff (31) at Misano in June. Photo courtesy Puccetti Racing.
AIMING TO KEEP THE FORM GOING: will Aragon be a happy hunting ground?
Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) both enjoyed strong French Rounds, fighting comfortably in the top ten, and both will hope to repeat this at Aragon; Gerloff has two rostrums here, one of three he’s achieved this at, whereas van der Mark has a single rostrum. Tarran Mackenzie will continue with MGM BONOVO Action on their Ducati Panigale V4 R machine while rookies Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) will hope to bounce back from difficult trips to France. In contrast, Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) took his best result and first top-ten in France, with the Turkish youngster aiming to keep that form going. Teammate Michael Rinaldi also had his best result of the season last time out. Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) heads into Spain on the back of his first point in WorldSBK, while his teammate, Tito Rabat, will aim for the points on home soil.
REPLACEMENT RIDER: Bridewell stands in for Lecuona
Tommy Bridewell returns to WorldSBK at Aragon as a replacement rider this time, standing in for Iker Lecuona at Honda HRC. It will be the Brit’s second appearance of the season, and he was recently at the Aragon test with Honda as part of his test rider commitments.
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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 3, 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
