The MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series has followed the lead of the FIM MotoGP World Championship and added a Stewards Panel to its race event management staff.
Previously, the three-member Race Direction panel (Race Director, FIMNA Safety Officer, MotoAmerica Representative) was tasked with overseeing that races were run in accordance with the established schedule and procedures while policing compliance with regulations and issuing penalties for infringements.
Now, the three-member Race Direction panel will still be responsible for overseeing operations of race events, while the new two-member FIMNA Stewards Panel will take over responsibility for “taking decision as provided in the Regulations, imposing penalties for any infringements of the Regulations, and adjudicating on any protest relating to infringements of the Regulations,” according to MotoAmerica Competitor Bulletin 09-2022.
In short, Race Direction will now focus on running the race events, and the FIMNA Stewards Panel will decide if participants have broken any rules and if so, what penalties will be handed out.
The Race Direction panel will now be composed of Race Director Rick Hobbs, FIMNA Safety Officer Dan Argano, and MotoAmerica Representative Niccole Cox.
The new FIMNA Stewards Panel is composed of FIMNA/AMA Representative Ken Saillant and MotoAmerica Rider Representative Michael Martin.
This new race management structure was in place at the MotoAmerica event at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
Five important days in Misano for the Repsol Honda Team
A race weekend and a two-day test in Misano presents Pol Espargaro and Stefan Bradl with five days of track activity to fine tune the Honda RC213V.
The work continues inside the Repsol Honda Team box as the World Championship rolls into San Marino for Round 14. The Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini was host to a stunning one-two finish for the Repsol Honda Team in 2021, Marc Marquez winning just ahead of Pol Espargaro – who achieved his best MotoGP finish to date. This year’s objective is simple: make progress. Both Espargaro and Bradl will be looking to make the most of the track time to do just that.
Espargaro arrives at the San Marino GP after a tough Austrian weekend but with his trademark determination and never give up attitude. In 2021, the races on the Italian coast were a turning point in the season and Espargaro was able to end the year consistently challenging towards the front of the grid. He and the Repsol Honda Team will be looking to find this boost in performance again and continue the #44’s run of five top-ten finishes in Misano, including two podiums.
Familiar with the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli not just from testing, but also from frequent wildcards over the last few years, Stefan Bradl is again hunting improvements. Recent rounds have seen the German close the gap to the regulars on the MotoGP grid, frequently gaining seconds of time between each session. Bradl is hoping his experience at the Italian circuit will help him to make another step and fight further ahead this weekend.
Pol Espargaro
“Hopefully Misano can give us a boost after a hard weekend in Austria. I am fully focused and committed to continuing to give everything to the Repsol Honda Team and we are all working together to find solutions. The two-day test will be very useful and important for this, we have to work well over the whole event because we then head to a very intense period with the flyways. We stay focused, we stay motivated and we keep on pushing.”
Stefan Bradl
“Misano is a track that I know well from racing here in a the past and also my testing work with HRC. The results have not shown our potential recently and we have to keep working. My speed is coming much better with each race and there are just a few final small points to work out. We have the weekend to be a racer and then it will be back to test rider mode afterwards, let’s see what the full plan is.”
Davis Doubles in AHRMA Vintage Cup Action at Blackhawk Farms Raceway
(August 30, 2022, Elora, Tennessee) Jesse Davis rode a unique Yamaha big twin to twin victories in the latest rounds of the 2022 American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) Vintage Cup.
Davis took his wins during rounds 17 and 18 of the 2022 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series at Blackhawk Farms Raceway, South Beloit, IL, August 27 and 28.
The 2022 Vintage Cup, sponsored by RoadracingWorld.com, features the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class. Davis, from Long Beach, CA, won both rounds on his 1982 Yamaha XV920R.
On Saturday, it was all Davis from the green flag to the checkered flag. Jeremy Maddrill, from Steger, IL, on his 1979 Kawasaki KZ650 was second, and Matt Esterline from Portage, Michigan, on a 1977 Honda CB750F completing the podium. Warren Wilson, from Indianapolis, IN, was fourth on his 1982 Kawasaki GPZ750, with George Hernandez, from Lutz, FL fifth on his 1977 Kawasaki KZ650.
“Jesse does amazing things on a very unique bike,” said Brian Larrabure, 2022 Chair of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. Larrabure was referring to the XV920R which Davis has developed into a formidable weapon for the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class.
On Sunday, dramatically different conditions led to a very different race even though the results were similar to Saturday. Sunday’s morning practice sessions were marked by cooler temperatures and a downpour.
The rain ended just prior to the start of the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight race, but the track was dicey in some spots. This led Davis and Maddrill to both mount full rain tires. At the start, Davis led into Turn One, but Maddrill took, and held the lead for the second two laps. Starting with the third lap, the lead swapped between Davis and Maddrill several times, with Davis ultimately prevailing for the win, and Maddrill second. Wilson was third.
Maddrill currently leads the Vintage Cup Championship, but Davis closed the gap with his two wins at Blackhawk Farms. The championship is still up for grabs, with multiple riders still within striking distance of the top spot on the podium. This coming weekend AHRMA moves to GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, MI
The Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class is sponsored by International CBX Owners Association (ICOA).
AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series Vintage Superbike Heavy Weight – Vintage Cup Results
Saturday, August 27, 2022
Jesse Davis, 1982 Yamaha XV920R, Long Beach, CA
Jeremy Maddrill, 1979 Kawasaki KZ650, Steger, IL
Matt Esterline, 1977 Honda CB750F, Portage, MI
Warren Wilson, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ 750, Indianapolis, IN
George Hernandez, 1977 Kawasaki KZ 650, Lutz, FL
Sunday, August 28, 2022
Jesse Davis, 1982 Yamaha XV920R, Long Beach, CA
Jeremy Maddrill, 1979 Kawasaki KZ650, Steger, IL
Warren Wilson, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ 750, Indianapolis, IN
About AHRMA:
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated competing on fantastic classic and true vintage along with a wide range of modern motorcycles. With about 3,300 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.
WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team approaches Dovizioso’s farewell in Misano
The San Marino Grand Prix marks the final race for Andrea Dovizioso and round 14 for Darryn Binder in the premier class.
The final chapter is nearly written for the 36-year old Andrea Dovizioso as the Italian will compete in his ultimate Grand Prix at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli this weekend under the WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team banner. Therefore, all eyes are on the three times MotoGP Vice World Champion this weekend, who will hang up his leathers following a 20-year long successful career.
After his feeling aboard the Yamaha YZR-M1 improved and he managed to rescue one World Championship point last time out in Austria, Dovizioso, who did his first ever 125cc World Championship race in 2001, is seeking to resign in style this weekend at his home track under observation of his family, friends and many fans, before he will be replaced inside the WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team by Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow for the remainder of the season.
At the same time, Darryn Binder will contest his 14th premier class race. The MotoGP rookie delivered a sensational ride on race day in Austria to find himself well in the mix for the points scoring positions in the opening laps. Unfortunately, he went down just before half distance of the race and is aiming to repeat his strong performance in order to bring it over the finish line this Sunday.
The Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini is set to kick off this Friday with Free Practice one at 09:55 local time, followed by Free Practice two at 14:10 local time and will have some small surprises in store for the departing local hero.
ANDREA DOVIZIOSO
“San Marino is the last Grand Prix. It will be very unusual and strange after all my career. Yet, I’m very happy to finish in Misano with all my friends and fans. I hope it will be a great weekend. It’s going to be very important to be competitive, trying to score some points and I think we’ll have a good four days there and a great party.”
DARRYN BINDER
“I’m really looking forward to Misano this weekend, especially after the positives we had in Austria, so I’m looking to just keep building on what we’ve been doing there and just keep making steps forward. On top of that, we’ll have the test on Tuesday and Wednesday after the GP, that gives us some time to keep making steps forward and keep on improving. I’m trying to get a nice and good result in Misano.”
Razlan Razali, Founder and Team Principal WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team
“The Misano Grand Prix will be a special home coming round for the team, for most of ours sponsors, especially our title partner WithU. It will be a special and emotional one, being the last race for Andrea Dovizioso and at the same time his home GP. It’s going to be a exceptional and packed weekend for us and of course, on track, we hope that Andrea can do something well and score some points on his farewell race and we also hope that Darryn can continue his form, this time by trying to finish the race and to collect some points at the same time.”
“Of course, at the same time, it will be our last race together with Ramon (Forcada). It has been a pleasure to work with him since 2019. He is a person with great experience and knowledge, who has won several World Championships. We wish him all the best in his next endeavor and want to thank him for all he has done during his amazing career and contributed to our team since nearly four years now.”
Wilco Zeelenberg, Team Manager WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team
“Misano is always a special race, mainly because of the location on the seaside close to Rimini. Obviously, we have to go to work, but you always meet people that are on their holidays there. So, it’s always nice to come there. This year with round 14 coming up, it’s even more special. Andrea decided to end his career in MotoGP, so it will be his last round. Also due to the fact, that Cal Crutchlow is replacing him and Cal requested to take his crew chief with him during those last six rounds, it looks like it will also be the last round for Ramon (Forcada) with us. Of course, it’s a strange feeling for us, he has been four years with this team and I was working with him since 2010, which means it’s actually 13 seasons together, which is a long time. I’m not sure, how many GP’s he did, but we won three Championships together with Jorge (Lorenzo), which is a big achievement.”
“Saying that, we need to concentrate on the weekend, trying to get the best out of the package. I think we did a great step again last weekend in Austria with Darryn. He was really good there. Unfortunately, he crashed, but he was faster and more consistent. He managed to ride better and easier on his own, so he had a better feeling with the bike, which is important. In terms of Andrea, who scored a point last time out after pushing really hard directly behind factory rider Franky (Morbidelli), it’s obvious that these boys are all fast, but they are not finishing in the places they expect. This is the reason why he decided to stop. But I hope he can really enjoy his final round. We’ve got some nice things coming up together during the weekend, a big dinner and a great party on Sunday, so I only hope he can enjoy it, focusing on his riding. We will help maximum to get the best results.”
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA AND RAÚL FERNANDEZ JUMP ON THE APRILIA PROJECT
TWO YOUNG WINNERS FOR RAZLAN RAZALI’S RNF TEAM
RAZALI: “WE BELIEVE IN TALENT, THEY ARE THE RIDERS WE DREAMED OF”
RIVOLA: “TWO GREAT TALENTS TO MAKE APRILIA’S MOTOGP PROJECT GROW FASTER”
Riders Miguel Oliveira and Raúl Fernandez will be riding Team RNF’s Aprilia RS-GP machines for the next two seasons of the MotoGP World Championship.
After the confirmation of Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales in the official Aprilia Racing team, the pair of riders for the RNF Team is now also defined. Miguel and Raúl will race on the RS-GPs of the team captained by Razlan Razali. Both riders chose and strongly wanted Aprilia, despite several alternative offers, showing great confidence in the project and the potential of the new team.
This completes Aprilia’s rider line-up for 2023 and 2024, with significant timing of the solidity of the Italian project and its new ability to attract winning riders and young talent. The credit goes to the growth of the RS-GP, a protagonist in the current season and now firmly among the most interesting prototypes in the world’s premier motorbike championship.
Miguel Oliveira, Portuguese born in 1995, made his debut in MotoGP in 2019 after emerging as one of the best talents of his generation in the smaller classes. In the premier class he has already collected four victories and two podiums, an enviable list of honours but still not entirely truthful about the real potential of the rider from Almada.
Raul Fernandez (25) will spend his second season in MotoGP on the WithU RNF Aprilia team. Photo courtesy Tech3 KTM Factory Racing.
A Spaniard from Madrid, where he was born in 2000, Raúl Fernandez seized his first major result by winning the 2018 CEV Moto3. The promotion to the top-class came after an outstanding rookie season in Moto2. On his debut in 2021, the Spanish rider finished in second place, with a haul of 8 wins, 12 total podiums and 7 pole positions.
Razlan Razali – Founder and Team Principal WithU RNF MotoGP Team
“We are extremely excited to welcome Miguel Oliveira and Raúl Fernandez to the WithU RNF MotoGP Team from 2023. It has not been a simple process, but together with Aprilia we are very clear on the riders that we wanted. They are both young riders with a good combination of experience coming from Miguel and Raúl who I’m personally a fan of since he shocked the Moto2 category last year to become Vice Champion. To finally secure him, is fantastic. Both, Aprilia and we believe in the talent of both riders, so we can’t wait for them to ride for us next season!”
Massimo Rivola – CEO Aprilia Racing
“Our satellite project together with Team RNF is taking shape in the way we conceived it from the very beginning. We have succeeded in securing two extraordinary talents, two riders that I really respect both from a human point of view and for their technical skills. Miguel has shown his talent in all categories, although he is still very young he has already accumulated a lot of experience by winning four races in MotoGP, sometimes with dominant performances. At his side will be Raúl, a rider I make no secret of having sought out several times. I think he is one of the most crystal clear promises of recent years, what he did in Moto2 on his debut speaks volumes about his speed. We’ll have to be good at offering them both a technical package that will allow them to perform to their full potential. I would like to take this opportunity to thank KTM who, showing great sportsmanship, have allowed Miguel and Raúl to ride on our bike immediately after the end of the 2022 championship.”
More, from a press release issued by Tech3 KTM Factory Racing:
Tech3 KTM Factory Racing Wishes the Best to Raul Fernandez
Following the recent news of Raul Fernandez joining the RNF team next season, the entire Tech3 KTM Factory Racing team would like to wish him the best in his new adventure. The team takes great pride in having had amongst us the Moto2 Vice-Champion make his MotoGP debuts this season. Raul is a great sportsman, very professional, hard worker and a talented rider, who has a bright future in the MotoGP category. With seven races left, Tech3 KTM Factory Racing, together with Raul Fernandez, will make the most of the remainder of 2022 and hope to finish this adventure on a high note.
Raul Fernandez and his Tech3 KTM Factory Racing Team. Photo courtesy Tech3 KTM Factory Racing.
Hervé Poncharal
Team Manager
“Tech3 KTM Factory Racing would like to wish Raul Fernandez the best of luck in MotoGP for next season. Our paths will split at the end of the season, but we were honoured to have the Moto2 Vice-Champion joining us for his debuts in the MotoGP class this year.
Although the results were not the ones expected by both parties in the first half of the season, Raul remained very professional and it was great working with him. He is an exceptional rider and I am confident that he has a bright future in the category.
We still have seven races left in 2022 so we will continue to work hard together to finish our adventure in the right way. Now that he has his future clear and less pressure on his shoulders, I hope that he will enjoy his last few months with us, and hopefully this includes good results.
We look forward to heading to Misano this week.”
More, from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
KTM CONVEY THANKS AND BEST WISHES TO MIGUEL OLIVEIRA AFTER OUTSTANDING JOINT MOTOGP™ STORY
2022 MotoGP news
Miguel Oliveira. Image courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Miguel Oliveira will bring a memorable MotoGP™ run to an end with the conclusion of the 2022 MotoGP season.
The Portuguese will leave the Austrian set-up and the KTM racing structure he has been a part of since 2017 in the Moto2™ class. The 27-year-old has won Grands Prix at every single level with KTM and after initially shining as a racer of promise in the 2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup (where he won two rounds in the UK and the Netherlands). His initial GP success, at the 2015 Moto3™ Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, was the first for a Portuguese in the world championship and he was runner-up at the end of that year for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team.
More wins and two top-three championship finishes in three years of Moto2 followed with the Red Bull KTM Ajo squad before Oliveira entered MotoGP in 2019 with Tech3 Racing. Miguel was the first athlete to have scaled each step of the Red Bull Rookies/Moto3/Moto2 and MotoGP KTM GP Academy ladder.
Oliveira completed an educational term in the premier class but used the progressive potential of the KTM RC16 to log two fantastic victories in 2020 – in Austria and at his first ever home Grand Prix appearance at the Algarve International Circuit.
After that campaign he joined the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing squad and was again successful: winning the 2021 Catalan round and appearing on the podium in Italy and Germany. Oliveira made it four wins in three seasons by claiming the inaugural MotoGP event at Mandalika in Indonesia this year. He currently sits 10th in the riders’ standings and has scored points in 11 of the 13 rounds to-date approaching the Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini.
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We’ve been lucky to have a rider of Miguel’s intelligence, talent and professionalism in the factory team. When we’ve been able to create the right package for him then he has shown his class and brought some important input into the development of the KTM RC16. It’s something we’ll always appreciate. Obrigado, Miguel!”
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “A big thanks to Miguel for everything he’s brought to our MotoGP programme and for all the strong values that he represents. He came through our KTM system but he also helped make each step valid and competitive by being on the podium 36 times and taking 16 wins for us, four of those in MotoGP. The victory in Austria in 2020 was simply amazing and only bettered by the dominance and emotion in Portugal later in the season. He really showed young riders the ‘orange way’ through the MotoGP pyramid. He’s a total Pro, a family man and he’ll be missed in our section of the paddock for sure. We wish him all the best for his future in the MotoGP class.”
Honda Racing Corporation are proud to announce the signing of Joan Mir. The 2020 MotoGP World Champion established himself as a World Champion-level talent from his first full season in Moto3 in 2016. In 2017 the #36 lifted the lightweight class crown aboard a Honda before moving to the intermediate class the following year. Alongside two World Championships, the Spanish rider has claimed 12 Grand Prix wins and 33 podiums. The 24-year-old will compete aboard the Honda RC213V in the Factory Team on a two-year contract alongside Marc Marquez.
Gary Powell and Jeff Schuster died from injuries sustained in two separate crashes during an N2 Track Days event held on Friday, August 12 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
Both riders were transported from the track to local hospitals by helicopters and succumbed to their injuries in the following days.
Track-day rider Powell, age 52, from Richmond, Virginia, crashed in a single-bike accident after locking the front brakes and going over the handlebars entering Turn One. He was not hit by his bike and did not impact a wall, according to N2 officials, and he died on August 20th. Roadracingworld.com has not been able to obtain information regarding survivors.
Schuster crashed after what an N2 official described as a minor side-to-side collision that sent two riders off track, and tumbled after falling; he did not impact a wall and was not hit by his bike after crashing. He died on August 22, after his organs were donated to other patients in need. A resident of Georgetown, Ohio, Schuster was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a welder who had retired from working for General Electric. Schuster was an active Expert racer with WERA and had competed with WERA as far back as 2016. He was 62 years old.
Schuster is survived by his wife Karen, mother Joyce Miller, brother Larry Schuster, and sisters Jennifer Burk and Tracy Tensing. A celebration of Jeff Schuster’s life has been tentatively planned for October 8.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Godspeed to them both, and may they rest in peace.
Lalande caps off inaugural Canadian MiniSBK season with another win in Lombardy
Benjamin Hardwick (19) was no match for champion and eventual race winner Vincent Lalande (13) in the final race of the CMSBK season at Lombardy. Photo by Colin Fraser, courtesy CSBK/PMP.
Lombardy, ON – Vincent Lalande added one more tally to his resumé before departing the Canadian Mini Superbike National Championship on Sunday, winning the season finale of the feature Motul Canada Cup at Lombardy Raceway.
After clinching the inaugural national title on Saturday, the 14-year-old returned with only pride to play for on Sunday, but the situation didn’t change Lalande’s determination as he continued to set the pace over rival Benjamin Hardwick – albeit in finer margins than usual.
Lalande secured pole position earlier in the day but faced intense pressure doing so, with Hardwick smashing a new outright track record with a time of 36.767 and nearly snatching the heat race victory aboard their mandatory Pirell-mounted Ohvale machines.
The 13-year-old Hardwick wouldn’t be able to replicate his late comeback in the final race, however, as Lalande crushed the field off the start and never looked back en route to a comfortable victory.
The win – his tenth in eleven races this season – will put a bow on what was an illustrious debut season in the Canadian MiniSBK paddock, making himself known as a future racing star as he graduates to the Canadian Superbike Championship for 2023.
As for Hardwick, the youngster will return to the Motul Canada Cup grid to battle it out for next year’s championship alongside Michael Galvis, who completed the podium once again in third. The 10-year-old Galvis won’t be CSBK eligible for a number of years, leaving him and Hardwick to stake their claim as the next CMSBK champion.
Lalande added another pair of support-class victories to close out the year aboard his own SpeedFactory67 Buccimoto machine, winning the GP-1 and Moto-1 classes despite more pressure from Hardwick.
The two rivals traded fast laps early, with Hardwick showing better late pace aboard his Ohvale GP-190, but it wasn’t enough on either occasion as he was forced to settle for second in both races.
Galvis, meanwhile, would score added victories in the Sport-1 and Moto-2 ranks, coming out on top of a pair of close battles with Pierre Lalande, as the Colombian continues to shine aboard both the Ohvale and his Kawasaki KX65 machine.
Newcomer Jack Dunwoodie would win the Moto-3 and Sport-3 classes with a couple of strong efforts, as the 11-year-old celebrated his CMSBK debut with four victories on the weekend as he potentially turns his focus to the Canada Cup next season.
The inaugural season of the Canadian Mini Superbike National Championship will officially come to a close after a successful campaign that brought a number of future racing stars to the forefront, most notably Lalande – who will continue his progression into CSBK, likely as a member of the Super Sonic Race School Lightweight category.
As for the remainder of the CMSBK field, youngsters like Hardwick and Galvis will return to duel it out for the second edition of the Canada Cup, with many other names sure to join them in the quest to become Canada’s next national MiniSBK champion.
More, from another press release issued by CSBK/PMP:
Lalande clinches Canadian MiniSBK title with race one victory in Lombardy
Lombardy, ON – Vincent Lalande will head into the final Canadian Mini Superbike Championship race with only pride to play for, after securing the Motul Canada Cup national title with another dominant victory at Lombardy Raceway on Saturday.
The 14-year-old MiniSBK star looked set for a perfect campaign after winning the first eight races of the season, but a crash in last weekend’s race two handed the victory to rival Benjamin Hardwick and kept his championship hopes on hold.
That sentiment didn’t last long into the final weekend of the year, however, with Lalande comfortably pacing the initial timed qualifying session and dominating the heat race to put Hardwick on the brink entering race one of the season finale aboard their Pirelli-mounted Ohvale machines.
As has been the case in almost every race this season, Lalande got a brilliant start from pole position and grabbed the holeshot into turn one, but with Hardwick pressuring close behind in second. The latter would pressure him throughout the early part of the lap, but it was only a matter of time as Lalande put the hammer down and quickly pulled away out front.
Despite what looked like a late comeback from the 13-year-old Hardwick, Lalande’s pace was too much to match as he cruised to a ninth victory in ten races, clinching the inaugural Motul Canada Cup national championship in the process.
“I feel really proud to be up here, thanks so much to everyone that helped us this season,” Lalande said. “It was another hard race, but I got a great start again and was able to hold off Ben.”
Vincent Lalande (center) was joined by rival Benjamin Hardwick (left) and newcomer Michael Galvis (right) on the Canada Cup national podium. Photo by Colin Fraser, courtesy CSBK/PMP.
The Canadian Superbike Championship-bound phenom would beat his title rival Hardwick once again, who will return to the MiniSBK paddock again in 2023 as the title favourite – but not before ending his 2022 season with one more shot at Lalande on Sunday.
Completing the podium was debutant Michael Galvis, a star of the support classes who joined the feature Motul Canada Cup national class after just recently turning ten years old to meet the category’s minimum age. Galvis would celebrate his birthday with a brilliant third-place finish, joining Lalande and Hardwick on the rostrum.
Lalande would add two more victories onto his historic day, winning the GP-1 and Moto-1 class races aboard his SpeedFactory67 Buccimoto machine as he inches closer to two more championships on Sunday.
Both victories would come in front of Hardwick, who alternated between his own Ohvale 190 machine and the spec-class 160, while newcomer Benoit Belair completed the podium on both occasions.
Galvis would add two extra trophies of his own on the day, winning the Sport-1 and Moto-2 category races aboard his Kawasaki KX65 to cap off a three-podium day. The ten-year old Colombia native managed to fend off Pierre Lalande in the former race, before winning a thrilling battle with newcomer Fiona Koenig in the Moto-2 class.
Koenig would get some revenge in the Sport-2 category, winning her first MiniSBK race against fellow debutant Jeff Rilley. The first female winner in CMSBK action quickly got up to speed on Saturday, running similar times to Galvis at the front.
The final two races of the day were won by eleven-year-old Jack Dunwoodie, who captured the Moto-3 and Sport-3 trophies ahead of Mason Archer. One of the youngest names in the CMSBK paddock quickly made a name for himself, running near the front in the combined class races late in the day.
The entire slate of support class championships will be handed out on Sunday, with titles still available in the GP-1, Moto-1, Moto-2, Moto-3, Sport-1, Sport-2, and Sport-3 categories, on top of one final national Motul Canada Cup battle between Lalande and Hardwick.
The inaugural Canadian Mini Superbike Championship season will wrap up on Sunday with more action from Lombardy Raceway, concluding a thrilling first campaign of the junior racing series.
NEMRR – August 27-28, New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Mother Nature was smiling on the NEMRR paddock as round 5 of the 2022 season was held at New Hampshire Motor Speedway under near perfect conditions. Temperatures in the upper 70’s, a light breeze and sunny skies greeted a paddock that was anxious to get back on track after having a full month for a summer break.
Veteran racer Scott Greenwood dominated the weekend with a second consecutive weekend scoring eight wins on his Argo Cycles Yamaha R6. Greenwood started the weekend off with wire-to-wire wins in the Dunlop Tires GTU and Bauce Racing GTO classes. He then backed those wins up with a dominant victory in the Antham Racing Heavyweight Supersport class, which featured many of the same riders he would later face in the feature race of the weekend – the Michelin/Motorace $1500 dash for cash.
As the green flag dropped for the Saturday afternoon race, Greenwood made a mistake getting off the line and entered Turn One behind the likes of top NEMRR riders Ian Beam and Paul Duval. Greenwood wasted no time in his charge to the front as he went deep on the brakes into Turn Three on the opening lap to get by fellow Yamaha rider Duval.
He then set his sights on the speedy Triumph of Beam, closing up to the back wheel over the fast Turn Eight sweeper and making his move to the front around the back section of NHMS. Beam was not giving up easily and surprised the crowd as he momentarily re-passed Greenwood into Turn One. As determined as Beams’ attempt was, the cagey Greenwood drove it in even harder and held his position at the front of the field.
As the race unfolded, young gun Eli Block charged towards the front to finish a strong second place. Third place turned into an exciting back and forth battle between Beam and Harlan Hildbrand, who prevailed by a scant 0.3 second at the end.
Saturday evening featured a fundraiser for the Roadracing World Action Fund held in honor of Scott Briody. Dozens of industry supporters donated items for a combination silent and live auction, followed by a cornhole tournament. The NEMRR community came together to raise nearly $20,000 for the fund, which is the leader in our industry for promoting rider safety and one that these riders supported wholeheartedly. NEMRR wants to extend a heartfelt thanks to all those who participated.
Renee Franco. Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy NEMRR.
The other top performers in the Expert ranks were Renee Franco and Eric Wood, both of whom won four out of four races and set season-best lap times in their final races of the weekend. In the premier Sunday race, Franco took a solid victory in the Dunlop Tires 500 Superbike field, the Dunlop contingency and a new personal best 1:17.1 lap time. In the very next race, Wood followed up with a win in the Scott Mullin Memorial Unlimited Superbike class with a 1:11.2 lap time, Wood’s fastest lap in three seasons and the quickest lap run since NEMRR was founded in 2021.
Other weekend standouts were Jacob Crossman, winning the Lightweight Supersport contest and setting a new personal best of a 1:15.4 as he prepares for his first MotoAmerica Twins Cup race at NJMP. Fletcher Rood scored a win in his very first weekend as an Amateur in the Bay Radiology Ultralight GP class. The ever popular Tim Rinaldi put in an incredible performance as he started from the very back of the Formula 40 Unlimited Amateur race to take a last-corner, last-lap victory from the clutches of John Beaulieu.
Tim Rinaldi (187). Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy NEMRR.
Geoffrey Bonnard won three Amateur middleweight races as he continues his march towards advancing to the expert ranks, and Superstreet rider Joshua Stewart impressed as he and fellow Super Street rider Conner McCormack stormed away from the field and ran lap times in the 1:19 & 1:20 range!
NEMRR will run round 6 of the of the 7-round series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 16-18.
MotoAmerica track marshals and safety workers at Brainerd International Raceway. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.
The MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series has followed the lead of the FIM MotoGP World Championship and added a Stewards Panel to its race event management staff.
Previously, the three-member Race Direction panel (Race Director, FIMNA Safety Officer, MotoAmerica Representative) was tasked with overseeing that races were run in accordance with the established schedule and procedures while policing compliance with regulations and issuing penalties for infringements.
Now, the three-member Race Direction panel will still be responsible for overseeing operations of race events, while the new two-member FIMNA Stewards Panel will take over responsibility for “taking decision as provided in the Regulations, imposing penalties for any infringements of the Regulations, and adjudicating on any protest relating to infringements of the Regulations,” according to MotoAmerica Competitor Bulletin 09-2022.
In short, Race Direction will now focus on running the race events, and the FIMNA Stewards Panel will decide if participants have broken any rules and if so, what penalties will be handed out.
The Race Direction panel will now be composed of Race Director Rick Hobbs, FIMNA Safety Officer Dan Argano, and MotoAmerica Representative Niccole Cox.
The new FIMNA Stewards Panel is composed of FIMNA/AMA Representative Ken Saillant and MotoAmerica Rider Representative Michael Martin.
This new race management structure was in place at the MotoAmerica event at Pittsburgh International Race Complex.
Pol Espargaro (44) in action at Sachsenring. Photo courtesy Repsol Honda.
Five important days in Misano for the Repsol Honda Team
A race weekend and a two-day test in Misano presents Pol Espargaro and Stefan Bradl with five days of track activity to fine tune the Honda RC213V.
The work continues inside the Repsol Honda Team box as the World Championship rolls into San Marino for Round 14. The Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini was host to a stunning one-two finish for the Repsol Honda Team in 2021, Marc Marquez winning just ahead of Pol Espargaro – who achieved his best MotoGP finish to date. This year’s objective is simple: make progress. Both Espargaro and Bradl will be looking to make the most of the track time to do just that.
Espargaro arrives at the San Marino GP after a tough Austrian weekend but with his trademark determination and never give up attitude. In 2021, the races on the Italian coast were a turning point in the season and Espargaro was able to end the year consistently challenging towards the front of the grid. He and the Repsol Honda Team will be looking to find this boost in performance again and continue the #44’s run of five top-ten finishes in Misano, including two podiums.
Familiar with the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli not just from testing, but also from frequent wildcards over the last few years, Stefan Bradl is again hunting improvements. Recent rounds have seen the German close the gap to the regulars on the MotoGP grid, frequently gaining seconds of time between each session. Bradl is hoping his experience at the Italian circuit will help him to make another step and fight further ahead this weekend.
Pol Espargaro
“Hopefully Misano can give us a boost after a hard weekend in Austria. I am fully focused and committed to continuing to give everything to the Repsol Honda Team and we are all working together to find solutions. The two-day test will be very useful and important for this, we have to work well over the whole event because we then head to a very intense period with the flyways. We stay focused, we stay motivated and we keep on pushing.”
Stefan Bradl
“Misano is a track that I know well from racing here in a the past and also my testing work with HRC. The results have not shown our potential recently and we have to keep working. My speed is coming much better with each race and there are just a few final small points to work out. We have the weekend to be a racer and then it will be back to test rider mode afterwards, let’s see what the full plan is.”
Jesse Davis (03) leads Jeremy Maddrill (1P) during AHRMA Vintage Cup Race Two at Blackhawk Farms Raceway. Photo by Kevin McIntosh, courtesy AHRMA.
Davis Doubles in AHRMA Vintage Cup Action at Blackhawk Farms Raceway
(August 30, 2022, Elora, Tennessee) Jesse Davis rode a unique Yamaha big twin to twin victories in the latest rounds of the 2022 American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) Vintage Cup.
Davis took his wins during rounds 17 and 18 of the 2022 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series at Blackhawk Farms Raceway, South Beloit, IL, August 27 and 28.
The 2022 Vintage Cup, sponsored by RoadracingWorld.com, features the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class. Davis, from Long Beach, CA, won both rounds on his 1982 Yamaha XV920R.
On Saturday, it was all Davis from the green flag to the checkered flag. Jeremy Maddrill, from Steger, IL, on his 1979 Kawasaki KZ650 was second, and Matt Esterline from Portage, Michigan, on a 1977 Honda CB750F completing the podium. Warren Wilson, from Indianapolis, IN, was fourth on his 1982 Kawasaki GPZ750, with George Hernandez, from Lutz, FL fifth on his 1977 Kawasaki KZ650.
“Jesse does amazing things on a very unique bike,” said Brian Larrabure, 2022 Chair of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. Larrabure was referring to the XV920R which Davis has developed into a formidable weapon for the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class.
On Sunday, dramatically different conditions led to a very different race even though the results were similar to Saturday. Sunday’s morning practice sessions were marked by cooler temperatures and a downpour.
The rain ended just prior to the start of the Vintage Superbike Heavyweight race, but the track was dicey in some spots. This led Davis and Maddrill to both mount full rain tires. At the start, Davis led into Turn One, but Maddrill took, and held the lead for the second two laps. Starting with the third lap, the lead swapped between Davis and Maddrill several times, with Davis ultimately prevailing for the win, and Maddrill second. Wilson was third.
Maddrill currently leads the Vintage Cup Championship, but Davis closed the gap with his two wins at Blackhawk Farms. The championship is still up for grabs, with multiple riders still within striking distance of the top spot on the podium. This coming weekend AHRMA moves to GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, MI
The Vintage Superbike Heavyweight class is sponsored by International CBX Owners Association (ICOA).
AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series Vintage Superbike Heavy Weight – Vintage Cup Results
Saturday, August 27, 2022
Jesse Davis, 1982 Yamaha XV920R, Long Beach, CA
Jeremy Maddrill, 1979 Kawasaki KZ650, Steger, IL
Matt Esterline, 1977 Honda CB750F, Portage, MI
Warren Wilson, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ 750, Indianapolis, IN
George Hernandez, 1977 Kawasaki KZ 650, Lutz, FL
Sunday, August 28, 2022
Jesse Davis, 1982 Yamaha XV920R, Long Beach, CA
Jeremy Maddrill, 1979 Kawasaki KZ650, Steger, IL
Warren Wilson, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ 750, Indianapolis, IN
About AHRMA:
The American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated competing on fantastic classic and true vintage along with a wide range of modern motorcycles. With about 3,300 members, AHRMA is the largest vintage racing group in North America and one of the biggest in the world. The association has grown steadily over the years, reflecting the increasing interest in classic bikes.
Andrea Dovizioso (04). Photo courtesy WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team.
WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team approaches Dovizioso’s farewell in Misano
The San Marino Grand Prix marks the final race for Andrea Dovizioso and round 14 for Darryn Binder in the premier class.
The final chapter is nearly written for the 36-year old Andrea Dovizioso as the Italian will compete in his ultimate Grand Prix at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli this weekend under the WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team banner. Therefore, all eyes are on the three times MotoGP Vice World Champion this weekend, who will hang up his leathers following a 20-year long successful career.
After his feeling aboard the Yamaha YZR-M1 improved and he managed to rescue one World Championship point last time out in Austria, Dovizioso, who did his first ever 125cc World Championship race in 2001, is seeking to resign in style this weekend at his home track under observation of his family, friends and many fans, before he will be replaced inside the WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team by Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow for the remainder of the season.
At the same time, Darryn Binder will contest his 14th premier class race. The MotoGP rookie delivered a sensational ride on race day in Austria to find himself well in the mix for the points scoring positions in the opening laps. Unfortunately, he went down just before half distance of the race and is aiming to repeat his strong performance in order to bring it over the finish line this Sunday.
The Gran Premio di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini is set to kick off this Friday with Free Practice one at 09:55 local time, followed by Free Practice two at 14:10 local time and will have some small surprises in store for the departing local hero.
ANDREA DOVIZIOSO
“San Marino is the last Grand Prix. It will be very unusual and strange after all my career. Yet, I’m very happy to finish in Misano with all my friends and fans. I hope it will be a great weekend. It’s going to be very important to be competitive, trying to score some points and I think we’ll have a good four days there and a great party.”
DARRYN BINDER
“I’m really looking forward to Misano this weekend, especially after the positives we had in Austria, so I’m looking to just keep building on what we’ve been doing there and just keep making steps forward. On top of that, we’ll have the test on Tuesday and Wednesday after the GP, that gives us some time to keep making steps forward and keep on improving. I’m trying to get a nice and good result in Misano.”
Razlan Razali, Founder and Team Principal WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team
“The Misano Grand Prix will be a special home coming round for the team, for most of ours sponsors, especially our title partner WithU. It will be a special and emotional one, being the last race for Andrea Dovizioso and at the same time his home GP. It’s going to be a exceptional and packed weekend for us and of course, on track, we hope that Andrea can do something well and score some points on his farewell race and we also hope that Darryn can continue his form, this time by trying to finish the race and to collect some points at the same time.”
“Of course, at the same time, it will be our last race together with Ramon (Forcada). It has been a pleasure to work with him since 2019. He is a person with great experience and knowledge, who has won several World Championships. We wish him all the best in his next endeavor and want to thank him for all he has done during his amazing career and contributed to our team since nearly four years now.”
Wilco Zeelenberg, Team Manager WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team
“Misano is always a special race, mainly because of the location on the seaside close to Rimini. Obviously, we have to go to work, but you always meet people that are on their holidays there. So, it’s always nice to come there. This year with round 14 coming up, it’s even more special. Andrea decided to end his career in MotoGP, so it will be his last round. Also due to the fact, that Cal Crutchlow is replacing him and Cal requested to take his crew chief with him during those last six rounds, it looks like it will also be the last round for Ramon (Forcada) with us. Of course, it’s a strange feeling for us, he has been four years with this team and I was working with him since 2010, which means it’s actually 13 seasons together, which is a long time. I’m not sure, how many GP’s he did, but we won three Championships together with Jorge (Lorenzo), which is a big achievement.”
“Saying that, we need to concentrate on the weekend, trying to get the best out of the package. I think we did a great step again last weekend in Austria with Darryn. He was really good there. Unfortunately, he crashed, but he was faster and more consistent. He managed to ride better and easier on his own, so he had a better feeling with the bike, which is important. In terms of Andrea, who scored a point last time out after pushing really hard directly behind factory rider Franky (Morbidelli), it’s obvious that these boys are all fast, but they are not finishing in the places they expect. This is the reason why he decided to stop. But I hope he can really enjoy his final round. We’ve got some nice things coming up together during the weekend, a big dinner and a great party on Sunday, so I only hope he can enjoy it, focusing on his riding. We will help maximum to get the best results.”
Miguel Oliveira (88) has won four times, so far, in MotoGP. Photo courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
MIGUEL OLIVEIRA AND RAÚL FERNANDEZ JUMP ON THE APRILIA PROJECT
TWO YOUNG WINNERS FOR RAZLAN RAZALI’S RNF TEAM
RAZALI: “WE BELIEVE IN TALENT, THEY ARE THE RIDERS WE DREAMED OF”
RIVOLA: “TWO GREAT TALENTS TO MAKE APRILIA’S MOTOGP PROJECT GROW FASTER”
Riders Miguel Oliveira and Raúl Fernandez will be riding Team RNF’s Aprilia RS-GP machines for the next two seasons of the MotoGP World Championship.
After the confirmation of Aleix Espargaró and Maverick Viñales in the official Aprilia Racing team, the pair of riders for the RNF Team is now also defined. Miguel and Raúl will race on the RS-GPs of the team captained by Razlan Razali. Both riders chose and strongly wanted Aprilia, despite several alternative offers, showing great confidence in the project and the potential of the new team.
This completes Aprilia’s rider line-up for 2023 and 2024, with significant timing of the solidity of the Italian project and its new ability to attract winning riders and young talent. The credit goes to the growth of the RS-GP, a protagonist in the current season and now firmly among the most interesting prototypes in the world’s premier motorbike championship.
Miguel Oliveira, Portuguese born in 1995, made his debut in MotoGP in 2019 after emerging as one of the best talents of his generation in the smaller classes. In the premier class he has already collected four victories and two podiums, an enviable list of honours but still not entirely truthful about the real potential of the rider from Almada.
Raul Fernandez (25) will spend his second season in MotoGP on the WithU RNF Aprilia team. Photo courtesy Tech3 KTM Factory Racing.
A Spaniard from Madrid, where he was born in 2000, Raúl Fernandez seized his first major result by winning the 2018 CEV Moto3. The promotion to the top-class came after an outstanding rookie season in Moto2. On his debut in 2021, the Spanish rider finished in second place, with a haul of 8 wins, 12 total podiums and 7 pole positions.
Razlan Razali – Founder and Team Principal WithU RNF MotoGP Team
“We are extremely excited to welcome Miguel Oliveira and Raúl Fernandez to the WithU RNF MotoGP Team from 2023. It has not been a simple process, but together with Aprilia we are very clear on the riders that we wanted. They are both young riders with a good combination of experience coming from Miguel and Raúl who I’m personally a fan of since he shocked the Moto2 category last year to become Vice Champion. To finally secure him, is fantastic. Both, Aprilia and we believe in the talent of both riders, so we can’t wait for them to ride for us next season!”
Massimo Rivola – CEO Aprilia Racing
“Our satellite project together with Team RNF is taking shape in the way we conceived it from the very beginning. We have succeeded in securing two extraordinary talents, two riders that I really respect both from a human point of view and for their technical skills. Miguel has shown his talent in all categories, although he is still very young he has already accumulated a lot of experience by winning four races in MotoGP, sometimes with dominant performances. At his side will be Raúl, a rider I make no secret of having sought out several times. I think he is one of the most crystal clear promises of recent years, what he did in Moto2 on his debut speaks volumes about his speed. We’ll have to be good at offering them both a technical package that will allow them to perform to their full potential. I would like to take this opportunity to thank KTM who, showing great sportsmanship, have allowed Miguel and Raúl to ride on our bike immediately after the end of the 2022 championship.”
More, from a press release issued by Tech3 KTM Factory Racing:
Tech3 KTM Factory Racing Wishes the Best to Raul Fernandez
Following the recent news of Raul Fernandez joining the RNF team next season, the entire Tech3 KTM Factory Racing team would like to wish him the best in his new adventure. The team takes great pride in having had amongst us the Moto2 Vice-Champion make his MotoGP debuts this season. Raul is a great sportsman, very professional, hard worker and a talented rider, who has a bright future in the MotoGP category. With seven races left, Tech3 KTM Factory Racing, together with Raul Fernandez, will make the most of the remainder of 2022 and hope to finish this adventure on a high note.
Raul Fernandez and his Tech3 KTM Factory Racing Team. Photo courtesy Tech3 KTM Factory Racing.
Hervé Poncharal
Team Manager
“Tech3 KTM Factory Racing would like to wish Raul Fernandez the best of luck in MotoGP for next season. Our paths will split at the end of the season, but we were honoured to have the Moto2 Vice-Champion joining us for his debuts in the MotoGP class this year.
Although the results were not the ones expected by both parties in the first half of the season, Raul remained very professional and it was great working with him. He is an exceptional rider and I am confident that he has a bright future in the category.
We still have seven races left in 2022 so we will continue to work hard together to finish our adventure in the right way. Now that he has his future clear and less pressure on his shoulders, I hope that he will enjoy his last few months with us, and hopefully this includes good results.
We look forward to heading to Misano this week.”
More, from a press release issued by KTM Factory Racing:
KTM CONVEY THANKS AND BEST WISHES TO MIGUEL OLIVEIRA AFTER OUTSTANDING JOINT MOTOGP™ STORY
2022 MotoGP news
Miguel Oliveira. Image courtesy KTM Factory Racing.
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing and Miguel Oliveira will bring a memorable MotoGP™ run to an end with the conclusion of the 2022 MotoGP season.
The Portuguese will leave the Austrian set-up and the KTM racing structure he has been a part of since 2017 in the Moto2™ class. The 27-year-old has won Grands Prix at every single level with KTM and after initially shining as a racer of promise in the 2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup (where he won two rounds in the UK and the Netherlands). His initial GP success, at the 2015 Moto3™ Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, was the first for a Portuguese in the world championship and he was runner-up at the end of that year for the Red Bull KTM Ajo team.
More wins and two top-three championship finishes in three years of Moto2 followed with the Red Bull KTM Ajo squad before Oliveira entered MotoGP in 2019 with Tech3 Racing. Miguel was the first athlete to have scaled each step of the Red Bull Rookies/Moto3/Moto2 and MotoGP KTM GP Academy ladder.
Oliveira completed an educational term in the premier class but used the progressive potential of the KTM RC16 to log two fantastic victories in 2020 – in Austria and at his first ever home Grand Prix appearance at the Algarve International Circuit.
After that campaign he joined the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing squad and was again successful: winning the 2021 Catalan round and appearing on the podium in Italy and Germany. Oliveira made it four wins in three seasons by claiming the inaugural MotoGP event at Mandalika in Indonesia this year. He currently sits 10th in the riders’ standings and has scored points in 11 of the 13 rounds to-date approaching the Gran Premio Gryfyn di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini.
Francesco Guidotti, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager: “We’ve been lucky to have a rider of Miguel’s intelligence, talent and professionalism in the factory team. When we’ve been able to create the right package for him then he has shown his class and brought some important input into the development of the KTM RC16. It’s something we’ll always appreciate. Obrigado, Miguel!”
Pit Beirer, KTM Motorsports Director: “A big thanks to Miguel for everything he’s brought to our MotoGP programme and for all the strong values that he represents. He came through our KTM system but he also helped make each step valid and competitive by being on the podium 36 times and taking 16 wins for us, four of those in MotoGP. The victory in Austria in 2020 was simply amazing and only bettered by the dominance and emotion in Portugal later in the season. He really showed young riders the ‘orange way’ through the MotoGP pyramid. He’s a total Pro, a family man and he’ll be missed in our section of the paddock for sure. We wish him all the best for his future in the MotoGP class.”
Honda Racing Corporation are proud to announce the signing of Joan Mir. The 2020 MotoGP World Champion established himself as a World Champion-level talent from his first full season in Moto3 in 2016. In 2017 the #36 lifted the lightweight class crown aboard a Honda before moving to the intermediate class the following year. Alongside two World Championships, the Spanish rider has claimed 12 Grand Prix wins and 33 podiums. The 24-year-old will compete aboard the Honda RC213V in the Factory Team on a two-year contract alongside Marc Marquez.
R.I.P. Jeff Schuster (left) and Gary Powell (right).
Gary Powell and Jeff Schuster died from injuries sustained in two separate crashes during an N2 Track Days event held on Friday, August 12 at Pittsburgh International Race Complex, in Wampum, Pennsylvania.
Both riders were transported from the track to local hospitals by helicopters and succumbed to their injuries in the following days.
Track-day rider Powell, age 52, from Richmond, Virginia, crashed in a single-bike accident after locking the front brakes and going over the handlebars entering Turn One. He was not hit by his bike and did not impact a wall, according to N2 officials, and he died on August 20th. Roadracingworld.com has not been able to obtain information regarding survivors.
Schuster crashed after what an N2 official described as a minor side-to-side collision that sent two riders off track, and tumbled after falling; he did not impact a wall and was not hit by his bike after crashing. He died on August 22, after his organs were donated to other patients in need. A resident of Georgetown, Ohio, Schuster was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a welder who had retired from working for General Electric. Schuster was an active Expert racer with WERA and had competed with WERA as far back as 2016. He was 62 years old.
Schuster is survived by his wife Karen, mother Joyce Miller, brother Larry Schuster, and sisters Jennifer Burk and Tracy Tensing. A celebration of Jeff Schuster’s life has been tentatively planned for October 8.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Godspeed to them both, and may they rest in peace.
Christopher Akaydin (784), riding a 2004 Honda RC51, leads
a group of riders during Saturday's NextGen Superbike 2 race at Blackhawk Farms Raceway. Photo courtesy Kevin McIntosh, courtesy AHRMA.
Vincent Lalande (13), the 2022 Canadian MiniSBK Champion. Photo by Colin Fraser, courtesy CSBK/PMP.
Lalande caps off inaugural Canadian MiniSBK season with another win in Lombardy
Benjamin Hardwick (19) was no match for champion and eventual race winner Vincent Lalande (13) in the final race of the CMSBK season at Lombardy. Photo by Colin Fraser, courtesy CSBK/PMP.
Lombardy, ON – Vincent Lalande added one more tally to his resumé before departing the Canadian Mini Superbike National Championship on Sunday, winning the season finale of the feature Motul Canada Cup at Lombardy Raceway.
After clinching the inaugural national title on Saturday, the 14-year-old returned with only pride to play for on Sunday, but the situation didn’t change Lalande’s determination as he continued to set the pace over rival Benjamin Hardwick – albeit in finer margins than usual.
Lalande secured pole position earlier in the day but faced intense pressure doing so, with Hardwick smashing a new outright track record with a time of 36.767 and nearly snatching the heat race victory aboard their mandatory Pirell-mounted Ohvale machines.
The 13-year-old Hardwick wouldn’t be able to replicate his late comeback in the final race, however, as Lalande crushed the field off the start and never looked back en route to a comfortable victory.
The win – his tenth in eleven races this season – will put a bow on what was an illustrious debut season in the Canadian MiniSBK paddock, making himself known as a future racing star as he graduates to the Canadian Superbike Championship for 2023.
As for Hardwick, the youngster will return to the Motul Canada Cup grid to battle it out for next year’s championship alongside Michael Galvis, who completed the podium once again in third. The 10-year-old Galvis won’t be CSBK eligible for a number of years, leaving him and Hardwick to stake their claim as the next CMSBK champion.
Lalande added another pair of support-class victories to close out the year aboard his own SpeedFactory67 Buccimoto machine, winning the GP-1 and Moto-1 classes despite more pressure from Hardwick.
The two rivals traded fast laps early, with Hardwick showing better late pace aboard his Ohvale GP-190, but it wasn’t enough on either occasion as he was forced to settle for second in both races.
Galvis, meanwhile, would score added victories in the Sport-1 and Moto-2 ranks, coming out on top of a pair of close battles with Pierre Lalande, as the Colombian continues to shine aboard both the Ohvale and his Kawasaki KX65 machine.
Newcomer Jack Dunwoodie would win the Moto-3 and Sport-3 classes with a couple of strong efforts, as the 11-year-old celebrated his CMSBK debut with four victories on the weekend as he potentially turns his focus to the Canada Cup next season.
The inaugural season of the Canadian Mini Superbike National Championship will officially come to a close after a successful campaign that brought a number of future racing stars to the forefront, most notably Lalande – who will continue his progression into CSBK, likely as a member of the Super Sonic Race School Lightweight category.
As for the remainder of the CMSBK field, youngsters like Hardwick and Galvis will return to duel it out for the second edition of the Canada Cup, with many other names sure to join them in the quest to become Canada’s next national MiniSBK champion.
More, from another press release issued by CSBK/PMP:
Lalande clinches Canadian MiniSBK title with race one victory in Lombardy
Lombardy, ON – Vincent Lalande will head into the final Canadian Mini Superbike Championship race with only pride to play for, after securing the Motul Canada Cup national title with another dominant victory at Lombardy Raceway on Saturday.
The 14-year-old MiniSBK star looked set for a perfect campaign after winning the first eight races of the season, but a crash in last weekend’s race two handed the victory to rival Benjamin Hardwick and kept his championship hopes on hold.
That sentiment didn’t last long into the final weekend of the year, however, with Lalande comfortably pacing the initial timed qualifying session and dominating the heat race to put Hardwick on the brink entering race one of the season finale aboard their Pirelli-mounted Ohvale machines.
As has been the case in almost every race this season, Lalande got a brilliant start from pole position and grabbed the holeshot into turn one, but with Hardwick pressuring close behind in second. The latter would pressure him throughout the early part of the lap, but it was only a matter of time as Lalande put the hammer down and quickly pulled away out front.
Despite what looked like a late comeback from the 13-year-old Hardwick, Lalande’s pace was too much to match as he cruised to a ninth victory in ten races, clinching the inaugural Motul Canada Cup national championship in the process.
“I feel really proud to be up here, thanks so much to everyone that helped us this season,” Lalande said. “It was another hard race, but I got a great start again and was able to hold off Ben.”
Vincent Lalande (center) was joined by rival Benjamin Hardwick (left) and newcomer Michael Galvis (right) on the Canada Cup national podium. Photo by Colin Fraser, courtesy CSBK/PMP.
The Canadian Superbike Championship-bound phenom would beat his title rival Hardwick once again, who will return to the MiniSBK paddock again in 2023 as the title favourite – but not before ending his 2022 season with one more shot at Lalande on Sunday.
Completing the podium was debutant Michael Galvis, a star of the support classes who joined the feature Motul Canada Cup national class after just recently turning ten years old to meet the category’s minimum age. Galvis would celebrate his birthday with a brilliant third-place finish, joining Lalande and Hardwick on the rostrum.
Lalande would add two more victories onto his historic day, winning the GP-1 and Moto-1 class races aboard his SpeedFactory67 Buccimoto machine as he inches closer to two more championships on Sunday.
Both victories would come in front of Hardwick, who alternated between his own Ohvale 190 machine and the spec-class 160, while newcomer Benoit Belair completed the podium on both occasions.
Galvis would add two extra trophies of his own on the day, winning the Sport-1 and Moto-2 category races aboard his Kawasaki KX65 to cap off a three-podium day. The ten-year old Colombia native managed to fend off Pierre Lalande in the former race, before winning a thrilling battle with newcomer Fiona Koenig in the Moto-2 class.
Koenig would get some revenge in the Sport-2 category, winning her first MiniSBK race against fellow debutant Jeff Rilley. The first female winner in CMSBK action quickly got up to speed on Saturday, running similar times to Galvis at the front.
The final two races of the day were won by eleven-year-old Jack Dunwoodie, who captured the Moto-3 and Sport-3 trophies ahead of Mason Archer. One of the youngest names in the CMSBK paddock quickly made a name for himself, running near the front in the combined class races late in the day.
The entire slate of support class championships will be handed out on Sunday, with titles still available in the GP-1, Moto-1, Moto-2, Moto-3, Sport-1, Sport-2, and Sport-3 categories, on top of one final national Motul Canada Cup battle between Lalande and Hardwick.
The inaugural Canadian Mini Superbike Championship season will wrap up on Sunday with more action from Lombardy Raceway, concluding a thrilling first campaign of the junior racing series.
Scott Greenwood (4). Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy NEMRR.
NEMRR – August 27-28, New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Mother Nature was smiling on the NEMRR paddock as round 5 of the 2022 season was held at New Hampshire Motor Speedway under near perfect conditions. Temperatures in the upper 70’s, a light breeze and sunny skies greeted a paddock that was anxious to get back on track after having a full month for a summer break.
Veteran racer Scott Greenwood dominated the weekend with a second consecutive weekend scoring eight wins on his Argo Cycles Yamaha R6. Greenwood started the weekend off with wire-to-wire wins in the Dunlop Tires GTU and Bauce Racing GTO classes. He then backed those wins up with a dominant victory in the Antham Racing Heavyweight Supersport class, which featured many of the same riders he would later face in the feature race of the weekend – the Michelin/Motorace $1500 dash for cash.
As the green flag dropped for the Saturday afternoon race, Greenwood made a mistake getting off the line and entered Turn One behind the likes of top NEMRR riders Ian Beam and Paul Duval. Greenwood wasted no time in his charge to the front as he went deep on the brakes into Turn Three on the opening lap to get by fellow Yamaha rider Duval.
He then set his sights on the speedy Triumph of Beam, closing up to the back wheel over the fast Turn Eight sweeper and making his move to the front around the back section of NHMS. Beam was not giving up easily and surprised the crowd as he momentarily re-passed Greenwood into Turn One. As determined as Beams’ attempt was, the cagey Greenwood drove it in even harder and held his position at the front of the field.
As the race unfolded, young gun Eli Block charged towards the front to finish a strong second place. Third place turned into an exciting back and forth battle between Beam and Harlan Hildbrand, who prevailed by a scant 0.3 second at the end.
Saturday evening featured a fundraiser for the Roadracing World Action Fund held in honor of Scott Briody. Dozens of industry supporters donated items for a combination silent and live auction, followed by a cornhole tournament. The NEMRR community came together to raise nearly $20,000 for the fund, which is the leader in our industry for promoting rider safety and one that these riders supported wholeheartedly. NEMRR wants to extend a heartfelt thanks to all those who participated.
Renee Franco. Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy NEMRR.
The other top performers in the Expert ranks were Renee Franco and Eric Wood, both of whom won four out of four races and set season-best lap times in their final races of the weekend. In the premier Sunday race, Franco took a solid victory in the Dunlop Tires 500 Superbike field, the Dunlop contingency and a new personal best 1:17.1 lap time. In the very next race, Wood followed up with a win in the Scott Mullin Memorial Unlimited Superbike class with a 1:11.2 lap time, Wood’s fastest lap in three seasons and the quickest lap run since NEMRR was founded in 2021.
Other weekend standouts were Jacob Crossman, winning the Lightweight Supersport contest and setting a new personal best of a 1:15.4 as he prepares for his first MotoAmerica Twins Cup race at NJMP. Fletcher Rood scored a win in his very first weekend as an Amateur in the Bay Radiology Ultralight GP class. The ever popular Tim Rinaldi put in an incredible performance as he started from the very back of the Formula 40 Unlimited Amateur race to take a last-corner, last-lap victory from the clutches of John Beaulieu.
Tim Rinaldi (187). Photo by Martin Hanlon, courtesy NEMRR.
Geoffrey Bonnard won three Amateur middleweight races as he continues his march towards advancing to the expert ranks, and Superstreet rider Joshua Stewart impressed as he and fellow Super Street rider Conner McCormack stormed away from the field and ran lap times in the 1:19 & 1:20 range!
NEMRR will run round 6 of the of the 7-round series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 16-18.
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