Riders ready to shoot it out for the Principal Insurance Masters Superbike Championship

August 16, 2024

The 2024 Principal Insurance Masters Superbike Championship begins its final shoot-out at Mondello Park on the weekend of August 24^thand 25^th as competitors line up for the first of two events that will decide the 2024 championships.

With the opening four events in the rear view mirror and with each competitor having dropped their lowest scoring weekend from the first four, the stage is set for the championship climax. All riders will have to count all of their points from the last six rounds of the season, leaving no room for error. Adding to the pressure will be the addition of the MCI Southern Star awards, a separate championship, which will run over the final two race weekends of the season, allowing riders who have not raced so far this season or are not in contention for the main Masters awards, the opportunity to still compete for championship glory.

Heading into the Shoot-Out the Superbike class can still be won by four riders, Offaly’s Kevin Keyes, Waterford man Brian McCormack, Emmet O’Grady from Kerry and Cavan’s Alan Kenny. Keyes, on the Daracore Racing Yamaha R1, leads the way from McCormack’s BMW, with the Honda of O’Grady next up and Alan Kenny on his Yamaha in fourth. The concurrent Superbike ‘Cup’ class is effectively down to three riders, with Dubliner Declan Madden leading from Wexford’s Ronan Waters and Seanie Smith from Cavan.

In Supersport Keyes is also in contention but this time he is the one doing the chasing. Emmet O’Grady currently leads the way from Tipperary youngster and AKR Racing Honda team mate Oisin Maher. The top three have shared the race wins at the last two events but it is O’Grady’s consistency that has given him the top spot, as he has finished first or second in each of the last nine races. Sitting fourth in the overall standings and also first in the Supersport Cup, is Meath youngster Jack Whearty. Whearty on the DM Groundworks Yamaha leads main rival Brandon Kavanagh of Wexford by a scant nine points, while Michael Gillan and Gary Reilly are next up, more than sixty points off the lead and with only a mathematical chance of championship victory.

Oisin Maher leads the Megabikes Supertwin category, having dominated the results all season by taking ten wins from twelve races on his Aprilia. Such is Oisin’s dominance that the VTL TAG Racing rider only needs to repeat his dominance for two more of the remaining six races to secure his first ever Championship win. The battle for second in the standings should go right down to the wire, with Dublin’s Kelan Smith and Derry man Sean Brolly set to fight it out for the runner-up spot. Smith currently leads Brolly by twenty points and will have to fight hard to retain his position if Brolly can get back to the early season form that saw him take six podiums from the first six rounds.The Production class has been a season long battle between Mark McGauran and Jeff Quilter. Cork teenager Quilter has won five times, to his Dublin rivals’ four, but McGauran still holds a six point advantage as the shoot-out begins.

In the DM Groundworks Junior categories, Junior Supersport leader Reuben Sherman Boyd looks set to take his second Masters Championship in two seasons as he currently leads Alanna Maher by sixty points. In the Moto1 class Fionn O’Connell just needs to finish the remaining races to take the title from Max Wherity.

In the remaining support classes Pre-Injection has produced a titanic season long battle between former champions Ian Prendergast and Darryl Sharkey, with Sharkey currently holding sway. In Classic Superbikes Michael Prendergast leads from father and son duo Noel and Liam Dunner. Teenager Brian O’Malley can grab the Moto 400 championship advantage at the next event, as championship leader Andrew Murphy will not be present, but he will still have his work cut out to beat Moto 400 veteran and former champion Damien Horgan. The sidecar battle is too close to call as Darren O’Dwyer and Mark Gash lead Mark Codd and Eamonn Mulholland by just five points.

The DM Groundworks, Sorcon and Motorland supported Young Guns championship, for riders aged twenty years old and younger, will also be decided over the August and September events. The unique championship allows young racers from different categories to compete against each other for a total prize fund of €4,500. Moto 400 racer Brian O’Malley currently leads from Jeff Quilter and Reuben Sherman Boyd and these three youngsters look certain to share the cash prizes at the end of the season.

To be there for the penultimate Principal Insurance Masters Superbike event of the year get your tickets in advance at reduced prices from www.masterssuperbike.ie.

Salmela fastest at Spielberg in Rookies Qualifying

Frank Duggan

August 16, 2024

Rico Salmela sits in pole position for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup home races in Austria. Alongside the 16-year-old Finn, second fastest, is 17-year-old Alvaro Carpe. Fellow Spaniard, 16-year-old Màximo Quiles completes the Spielberg front row.

Cup points leader Brian Uriarte has work to do, starting from Row 3 after qualifying 9th.

KTM’s home track is a favourite of Salmela
“That was good, so from P2 I rode all the sessions alone. Because I crashed in FP1 and I didn’t get many laps so I went alone to get the feeling. This track has always been good for me, and I got a decent pace in Quali. I didn’t get the slipstream but I had riders in front, I could see them and chase them.”

“So the times were good, one lap on 44 zero and many laps around 44.4. The bike feels really good and I feel really good for tomorrow. Thanks to everyone.”

Carpe impressed with Salmela and himself
“I’m really happy, all day I was pushing, finding the limit. I found it in Qualifying. It was a fast session, Rico did an amazing lap and for me to be 0.1 from that is not so bad. It was a good day because my feeling with the KTM was improving session by session and we changed my sprocket in F2 to find the best gearing and I am very happy to be starting in the front row after two poles in the last two races.”

“I like this track, last year I won my first Rookie race here, I led all the laps. In Race 2 I was also leading and finished second. It’s a very special circuit for me.”

Quiles found the limit
“I made a good job I think. I have a good feeling after the summer break. I have a great feeling with the bike. In Quali, when I started pushing really hard I got quite a lot of chatter, I was going for the pole on the last lap I was so crazy in Turn 9 that the front tyre closed and I went off almost into the gravel.”

“This is racing and now I know the limit of the bike,” he laughed. “I will talk to Aitor (Lafoz, suspension engineer) and see if we should change something for the race. It was only a real problem late on when the tyres were worn.”

Veda Pratama chased hard to take 4th
“It’s not an easy circuit to learn but step by step I am getting there,” explained the 15-year-old Indonesian. “I lost a lot of laps in FP1 because I crashed at the beginning of the session. So in FP2 I had to find the good lines and managed to work it out. So then in Qualifying I found some good guys to follow and managed a good lap time so I am happy with the result today.”

“The bike is good, not perfect so I think that for Race 1 we will try a change to the rear suspension and see if that helps.”

Valentin Perrone will go for it
“Not so bad, P5 I think,” enthused the Argentine 16-year-old. “Good for tomorrow, starting in the front. I have good pace, I’m happy about that and tomorrow I will try to push like crazy to try and break the group and we’ll see if I can manage that.”

“I like the track, I am comfortable with the bike so very much looking forward to the race. It’s my first time here and tricky to learn, up and down, difficult corners but I think I have it learnt not so bad so let’s race.”

Marco Morelli got there in the end
“Not so bad, I think we finished the day well after putting in a bit of work,” explained the 17-year-old Argentine. “In the morning it was a bit difficult and also in FP2 I was not so confident with the bike. But we made a little change on the rear suspension and that helped, I made a step forward and I am happy to be on the second row. A good improvement over last year and I am closer to the front. I’ll try to stay in the front group and see what I can do in the last laps.”

Born Racers is where the Rookies Cup gets real

For more info checkout our dedicated Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup News page Rookies Cup News

Or visit the official Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup website rookiescup.redbull.com/

Gutierrez beats Garzo to grab maiden MotoE pole

Frank Duggan

August 16, 2024

A slender 0.066s splits the Spaniards on Friday at the Red Bull Ring ahead of a potentially title-deciding Saturday.

In a closely fought FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship Q2 at the Red Bull Ring, Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) grabbed his debut electric class pole position with a 1:37.970, as the #99 edged out title rival Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) by just 0.066s. For the second time in 2024, Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team) pocketed a front row start, with the Italian 0.093s shy of pole in P3.

Garzo, the Championship leader, left it late to pounce up to the front row, but it wasn’t quite enough to beat Gutierrez. Less than two tenths split the top four on the grid after Lukas Tulovic (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) landed an impressive P4, with Jordi Torres (Openbank Aspar Team) and Miquel Pons (Axxis-MSI) rounding out the second row.

Garzo’s chief Championship chaser, Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team), has work to do on Saturday after the Italian – who won both races at the Red Bull Ring in 2023 – had to settle for P9.

There was some drama after the session too, with Alessio Finello (Felo Gresini MotoE™) given a Long Lap penalty for a slow sector and Massimo Roccoli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) given a thee-position grid penalty for being slow on the line.

Now it’s time for race day. It’s an outside shot, but Garzo could claim the MotoE™ title in Race 2 in Austria, so make sure you don’t miss an ounce of action. Race 1 kicks off at 12:15 before the second showdown of the day at 16:10!

For more info checkout our dedicated MotoE News page

Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.motogp.com

NEXX Y.100R Urbangram Helmet

Frank Duggan

August 16, 2024

New sub-£200 sports-touring helmet in three exclusive graphics

New from NEXX, the Y.100R Urbangram is a sub-£200 sports-touring helmet available in three premium graphic designs that give it an exclusive look.

The first class features start with the shell, which is made from a lightweight, super strong thermoplastic, formed with Polyfusion technology.

Aerodynamically shaped, it has a double-blade air spoiler at the rear, to minimise turbulence, keep the head stable and reduce pressure on the neck. This also keeps wind noise to a minimum.

Up front the visor sits in an extra wide aperture, for maximum all-round vision, with the X-SWIFT Quick Release system for super fast changes – a maximum of eight seconds.

Rated optical class 1 for crystal clear vision, the visor is ready to accept a Pinlock 70 anti-fog insert and there’s also a drop-down Sun Visor to help deal with glare.

Extra large ventilation ports in the chin and crown, rear exhaust ports, and a fresh air chamber in the dual EPS liner, provide cooling airflow.

All interior parts, including the thick neck roll, are hypoallergenic and antibacterial, and made from soft touch X-Mart Dry fabrics that keep the wearer cool, dry and comfortable. The lining can be removed and washed when required.

Tech-ready, the Y.100R is set up to accept NEXX’s X-COM3 standard and X-COM3 Pro Bluetooth® Intercoms straight out of the box. There’s also a removable side mount for easy attachment of a Go-Pro action-camera.

Like all NEXX helmets, the Y.100R Urbangram is 100% designed and made in Europe. It comes in three graphic options – Indigo Blue, Neon Black and Nardo Grey – and retails at just £199.99.

Each helmet is supplied with a spare tint or iridium visor (depending on the colour scheme), wind deflector, Go-Pro Mount and a Pinlock 70 visor insert.

For a limited time, buyers can save 16.66% on an X-COM3 standard and X-COM3 Pro intercom when ordered together with a new NEXX helmet.

For full spec and colour options, visit nexx-helmet.co.uk

Beaubier Strikes First In Dunlop Official Test At Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Frank Duggan

August 16, 2024

Cameron Beaubier Leads The Way Over Josh Herrin In Pre-Race Test In Ohio.

The last time Cameron Beaubier turned a wheel in anger at Mid-Ohio Sport Car Course was the last time the AMA Superbike Series raced at the iconic track – 10 years ago. Beaubier won race one and was second in race two. Fast forward to now and it was Beaubier who was best on the day in the Dunlop official test that leads into this weekend’s Permco Superbikes at Mid-Ohio event.

Beaubier’s best lap was a 1:24.126 and it came in the second of the four sessions on an overcast day at Mid-Ohio and he was the only rider in the top five to do his best lap in the second session – even though he led all of the first three sessions and elected to sit out the fourth session due to a light rain falling.

Warhorse HSBK Ducati Racing’s Josh Herrin continued to impress with the current championship points leader ending up second fastest with his coming in the final session of the day – a 1:24.788.

Herrin led his teammate Loris Baz, and his 1:25.114, in what was the Frenchman’s first day on the Mid-Ohio track.

EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly ended up fourth fastest with Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne fifth fastest.

Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen suffered a high-speed crash in the left-hander heading into Carousel in the third of four Superbike sessions on the day and was transported to the infield medical center and then to the hospital for X-rays of his ankle/foot.

S&S/Indian Motorcycle’s Troy Herfoss narrowly led Harley-Davidson Factory Racing Kyle Wyman in the second and final session for the Mission King Of The Baggers by .042 of a second. RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s Rocco Landers and his teammate Hayden Gillim were third and fourth, respectively.

Rahal Ducati Moto’s PJ Jacobsen topped Strack Racing’s Mathew Scholtz with the Supersport championship rivals separated by just .170 of a second. Altus Motorsports’ Jake Lewis ended up third fastest.

Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson teammates Travis Wyman and Jake Lewis were the fastest of the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship with KTM Development Team’s Chris Fillmore was third on the KTM Duke Prototype.

BARTCON Racing’s Matthew Chapin led the Junior Cup testers, besting Royalty Racing’s Carson King and Fernandez Racing’s Jayden Fernandez.

Practice for the weekend’s 12 races (six classes) begins Friday, August 16 at 9 a.m.

For more information and/or to purchase tickets, visit https://midohio.com/tickets/motoamerica

For more news check out our dedicated MotoAmerica News page MotoAmerica News

Or visit the official MotoAmerica website motoamerica.com/

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of motoamerica.com/

British Superbike winners GR Motosport become first Halo P1 partner on two wheels

Frank Duggan

August 15, 2024

GR Motosport have become the first team on two wheels to partner with Halo By Orthene and benefit from the performance advantage of Halo P1, using the high performance brake fluid to take their first win in the British Superbike Championship.

Having identified an issue the team were experiencing with brake fade, they cast an eye to four-wheeled motorsport and opted for the leading motorsport brake fluid, Halo P1. Almost immediately realising the advantages of adopting it, Storm Stacey was an instant convert of the improved lever feel, using it to great effect to win at Snetterton, round five of BSB’s 2024 season.

In doing so with a bold last-lap move, he marked a milestone occasion of the first win in BSB for himself, the first for GR Motosport team, and the first for Halo P1.

“Honestly I can’t explain how good it’s been since we’ve been using Halo P1” said Storm Stacey. “I used to get brake fade with other brake fluids, but this has really sharpened things up and the brakes last the whole race. There’s no match for P1.”

During the preceding Knockhill round, the team measured the sort of extreme brake caliper temperatures that Halo P1 is designed to maintain performance under. Halo P1 has the highest dry boiling point of any brake fluid on the market, at 341 degrees Celsius (646 degrees Fahrenheit), whilst maintaining class-leading compressibility to keep brake level feel consistent.

“GR Motosport have switched to Halo P1 brake fluid having previously used manufacturer-recommended products in our British Superbike Championship efforts” explained Danny Wright, GR Motosport Team Manager.

“Every season we strive to improve rider and machine performance to maximise our team efforts and achieve our goals and ambitions. Since adding Halo P1, our braking power has dramatically stabilised over Race distance, enabling our riders to maximise performance and completely remove the effects of brake fade.

“As a team competing at the highest level in British Superbikes, we, GR Motosport, are proud to endorse Halo P1.”

With a long and storied background in the automotive motorsports sector, this new and already successful partnership is a milestone one for Halo By Orthene.

“We are thrilled to be working with GR Motosport in the British Superbike Championship. We take pride in the team using Halo P1, and that it not only meets but exceeds the rigorous demands of competitive motorcycle racing. Their passion has reinforced our belief in the relentless pursuit of excellence in motorsport” said Tara Williams, Client Relationship Manager, Halo By Orthene.

“Halo P1 is the purest and therefore the highest quality racing brake fluid ever made, designed specifically for top-tier professional motorsport, riding fast and braking last. Incompressible over the widest temperature range and boasting a stable lever feel from the first lap to the last, it has been a perfect match for GR Motosport.

“The feedback we have received from the team so far has been invaluable enabling us to continuously push the boundaries of performance and we are excited for a bright future together. Here’s to a successful remainder of the season!”

Trackhouse Racing Welcomes Ai Ogura to The House

Frank Duggan

August 15, 2024

Trackhouse Racing MotoGP Team has reached agreement with Ai Ogura to race for the team in the 2025 and 2026 MotoGP World Championship seasons.

America’s only team in the premier class of motorcycle racing is excited by the prospect of bringing a young fresh talent to the team with Ai Ogura lining up alongside its current rider, #25 Raul Fernandez, who re-signed a contract with Trackhouse Racing to continue for 2025 and 2026 and both will race on current factory specification Trackhouse Aprilia RS-GP bikes.

Ai Ogura is 23 years old and calls Kiyose, Japan, home. His progression through the junior series of motorcycle racing’s ladder has been consistently strong and right now, sees him challenging for the Moto2 World Championship, currently 2nd place in the standings with two wins so far this season.

Ai’s promise, through his career to date and especially the progress he has made with his riding this season, in the MT Helmets MSI Moto2 team, made him a standout rider for the future to Team Principal, Davide Brivio and Team Owner, Justin Marks. The move to sign Ai to the team follows Justin’s ambition to make Trackhouse a destination for rising talent and create the opportunity for success on the racetrack. Together with current rider, Raul Fernandez, Trackhouse Racing will run two young, ambitious, talents on the same Aprilia RS-GP motorcycles as the Aprilia Racing team – ensuring that there are four identical bikes from the Noale factory challenging for the MotoGP World Championship in the coming two seasons.

Ai’s home country, Japan, has a rich motorsport history and his path to a seat in the Trackhouse MotoGP Team is a story of starting out, like many of the young Japanese riders, on pocket-bikes and then mini-bikes before graduating to full road racing equipment. In Ai’s case, the first rung of the MotoGP ladder was the Asia Talent Cup where he made his debut in 2015 – taking a victory in that first season. Having secured 2nd place in the Asia Talent Cup in 2016, Ai moved to Europe in 2017 and competed for two seasons in the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship. In 2018, he also debuted in the full Moto3 World Championship and completed two full seasons in the category, finishing 3rd overall in 2020. Moving to the last graduation step ahead of the premier class, Ai joined the Moto2 class in 2021, had a shot at winning the Championship in 2022 and is currently showing strong pace in 2024.

Trackhouse Racing MotoGP Team is looking forward to starting work with Ai, after the conclusion of this season and helping him develop as he embarks on his entry into the MotoGP class from 2025.

Yōkoso – Welcome to the House – Ai Ogura!

TRACKHOUSE RACING THANKS MIGUEL OLIVEIRA AND WILL WISH HIM WELL FOR THE FUTURE WHEN HE LEAVES THE TEAM AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE 2024 SEASON

Miguel joined Trackhouse Racing at the start of the project for its inaugural season, the second year of his contract with Aprilia Racing and at the end of the 2024 season will move on with the grateful thanks of the team and all at Trackhouse in appreciation for his support through the first year of the Trackhouse MotoGP venture.

Miguel has started 94 premier class Grand Prix races to date and taken 5 wins since his MotoGP debut in 2019. With 10 Rounds left in the 2024 MotoGP World Championship season, Trackhouse Racing will maintain its full commitment and focus on giving him the best possible opportunity to add to his tally of Grand Prix victories until the final checkered flag in Valencia – on Sunday, November 17th and then, will wish him well for his future.

AI OGURA
“First, I would like to say thanks to all the people who are part of this project and everybody who supported me. Of course, this is the dream! The final step to take. MotoGP is the maximum level you can have, so I’m obviously really happy to make it there. I’m very happy to be able to race in the top class and I can’t wait to do it together with Trackhouse Racing MotoGP Team. I can see that the team is really competitive and the bike is very strong and as a rider my job is doing what I can with everything I have. It’s always the same mentality but I’m very happy to be part of Trackhouse and make this step up to MotoGP with them – I’m just looking forward to start 2025. Now I have to think about the Moto2 World Championship. I’ll try to finish this year the best way I can and arrive well prepared in 2025. Thank you everybody and see you next year!“

DAVIDE BRIVIO – TEAM PRINCIPAL
“Welcome Ai – we are excited to have finalized the opportunity to start a new project with Ai, one of the most talented riders in Moto2. We appreciate his riding style, his resilience during races and we feel Ai has the potential to become a great MotoGP rider. While we will work to develop Trackhouse Team as a MotoGP project, we will simultaneously work to give Ai the tools to express his talent and grow as much as possible. I think that with Raul, as the young but experienced rider and Ai, as the new growing talent, Trackhouse has secured a strong rider line-up for the future. It’s going to be an exciting time ahead but first we all want to keep our focus on what we are doing now, our own championship’s and trying to finish at the best possible result, before to start our journey together.”

“Thank you, Miguel – we have been together for a short time but we could see and appreciate Miguel’s talent, experience and working attitude inside the Team. It’s a pity to have to take the decision to part ways at the end of the year but, as we have not yet exploited Miguel’s potential with this Aprilia, it’s really too early for us to say ‘thank you’ now. With so many more races giving the opportunity to try for good results, we just want to keep our heads down, try to finish this season together on a high and then we will be able, hopefully, to take our time to celebrate success and this time we have had together and say ‘thank you Miguel’. But that is to come – later on….”

JUSTIN MARKS – TEAM OWNER
“We’re excited to welcome to the house a young and very promising talent in Ai Ogura. He has demonstrated his preparation and commitment to winning in Moto2 and is ready for the step up to the MotoGP class. We’re looking forward to working with him and supporting him as he learns the Aprilia bike and the incredible competition at the top level of international motorcycle racing. Trackhouse Racing MotoGP was created to serve as the global expansion initiative of the Trackhouse brand. It’s truly exciting that we now have an athlete roster across our teams that represents Mexico, USA, Spain, New Zealand, and now Japan.”

“Trackhouse values deeply the work and effort Miguel has put in this year, our first in MotoGP. His willingness to work with new ownership and extract the most from the Aprilia RS-GP24 this season has been a tremendous help as Trackhouse establishes itself in the championship. We wish him the best in 2025 and beyond, and look forward to continued success as we finish the 2024 season.”

Changing of the [Engine] Guard

Frank Duggan

August 15, 2024

Bigger and better BMW R1300GS Engine Guard from Pyramid

Pyramid’s new BMW R1300GS Engine Guard protects the vulnerable – and expensive to replace – engine casings and exhaust headers from all manner of mishaps.

Much more substantial than the standard undertray, the Pyramid Engine Guard wraps right around the sump, engine casing and the exhaust headers, protecting all three from spray, debris and potentially journey-ending impacts.

Machined from AW5083 aluminium, it’s also much tougher than the GS’ standard guard, and is powder-coated in a textured matte black, with gloss silver inserts, so it looks like an OEM part.

Simple to fit, it fixes to the same bolt holes as the original – no need for modifications or fiddly brackets – and comes with all fixings and full instructions.

For even more protection, owners can pair it with Pyramid’s Front Engine Cover, which shields the exposed front section of the GS’ engine block.

Like the Engine Guard, it’s precision-made from powder-coated aluminium and fixes to existing points on the casing, for a fuss-free fit.

The Engine Guard retails at £174.99 including VAT, while the Front Engine Cover sells for just £39.99, including VAT.

Designed, developed and made in the UK, both have the potential to save a fortune in damaged casings and components and will fit all BMW R1300GS models.

Engine Guards are also available to fit the BMW F900R / XR, Honda MSX125 Grom, Moto Guzzi V100 Mandello, Triumph Tiger 1200 GT / Rally, and the Yamaha MT-09 / SP, Tracer 9 / GT and XSR 900.

Find them at pyramidmoto.co.uk

Scholtz vs Jacobsen: It’s Getting Hot In Here

Frank Duggan

August 14, 2024

The Supersport Championship Battle Is White Hot As The Series Heads To Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course For The First Time In 10 Years

Ever since the contact between Strack Racing’s Mathew Scholtz and Rahal Ducati Moto’s PJ Jacobsen in the second of two Supersport races at Ridge Motorsports Park (with Jacobsen getting the brunt of it), tension has been running a tad high between the two championship rivals. When Jacobsen put two impressive passes on Scholtz in places you wouldn’t expect at the very next round at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca to snatch two victories, the heat was turned up even more. And what we have now is a good old-fashioned rivalry for the rest of us to enjoy.

With a month off between Laguna Seca and this weekend’s return to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after a 10-year hiatus, it’s Go Time again with the Supersport class and five other support classes set to race in conjunction with the Steel Commander Superbike Championship round, August 16-18, in Lexington, Ohio.

Anticipation for all the classes runs high after the summer break, but none higher than in the Supersport class.

To say that Scholtz and Jacobsen have dominated the class would be an understatement. Twelve Supersport races have been held thus far in the 2024 series and the Scholtz/Jacobsen duo has won 11 of them. And they’ve all been close.

Scholtz leads the title chase by 18 points with Jacobsen pulling back 10 points on the South African with his two Laguna Seca wins as he tries to claw his way back after the Ridge incident that cost him at least 20 points. The gap between those two and third-placed Jake Lewis is a Grand Canyon-sized 131 points, and that’s with Altus Motorsports’ Lewis actually having a really good season.

Scholtz’s first season with the Strack team has been impressive with six wins, four second-place finishes, a third and a fourth. Jacobsen and his Rahal Ducati Moto Panigale V2 have been with him the entire way with five wins, five seconds, a third… and his only non-podium DNF with his Ridge crash.

Lewis is third with the Kentuckian scoring points in every round to lead N2 Racing/BobbleHeadMoto’s Blake Davis by just one point. Jacobsen’s teammate Corey Alexander is fifth in the title chase, 16 behind Davis and just three ahead of his other Rahal Ducati Moto teammate, Kayla Yaakov. Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Tyler Scott, the only rider other than Scholtz and Jacobsen to win a race, sits seventh in a troubled season so far for the youngster from Pennsylvania.

Mission King Of The Baggers – Wyman Vs. Herfoss, Harley Vs. Indian

While the Supersport title chase is turning into a rivalry between Scholtz/Yamaha and Jacobsen/Ducati, it pales in comparison to the rivalry in the Mission King Of The Baggers where even the secretaries at the respective Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle factories probably have disdain for each other.

What we have is Harley-Davidson Factory Racing’s Kyle Wyman and S&S/Indian Motorcycle’s Troy Herfoss 14 points apart in what appears to be a two-horse race for the title.

Both riders have managed to score points in every round with Wyman leading Herfoss in wins, five to four. The pair are tied in podium finishes with each having nine top-three results.

Wyman’s advantage comes from two solid races in the past round at Laguna Seca with the New Yorker coming away with a win and a second-place finish while Herfoss crashed in race one and remounted to finish 11^th. He was a disappointed fourth in race two. That was a 27-point swing in Wyman’s favor in the standings and it resulted in Herfoss heading back to Australia in the hopes of regaining his early season mojo.

RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson’s defending Mission King Of The Baggers Champion Hayden Gillim is third, 61 points behind Wyman, and in a must-win-every-race position.

Gillim is 15 points clear of Herfoss’ teammate Tyler O’Hara and 46 ahead of Wyman’s teammate James Rispoli, who sits fifth and 24 points ahead of class rookie Rocco Landers on the second RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson.

Junior Cup – Back In Action

The Junior Cup series has been on vacation since it last saw a checkered flag at Brainerd International Raceway in June, so anticipation for the return of the class at Mid-Ohio is high.

Eight Junior Cup races have been run in 2024 and BARTCON Racing’s Matthew Chapin has won four of them. Chapin’s three wins and a second in his last four starts has him 43 points ahead of New York Safety Track Racing’s Yandel Medina, who is just three points ahead of Speed Demon Racing’s Logan Cunnison.

Levi Badie, who isn’t entered for the Mid-Ohio round, and BPM’s Isaac Woodworth are fourth and fifth, respectively, in the title chase.

Mission Super Hooligan National Championship – Tight At The Top

The closest championship in the MotoAmerica series is the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship with defending champion Tyler O’Hara just eight points ahead of Cory West in another Indian vs. Harley-Davidson battle.

O’Hara and his S&S/Indian Motorcycle FTR1200 has just one win on the season, but five total podiums in the six races. West and his Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson Pan America has two wins and five total podiums. The difference between the two is West’s non-finish at Ridge Motorsports Park.

KWR Harley-Davidson’s Cody Wyman has a victory on his scorecard, and he sits third in the championship – 24 points behind O’Hara.

West’s teammate Jake Lewis is fourth in the standings with a win on his record and he’s seven points ahead of O’Hara’s teammate Troy Herfoss. The Australian has one win on his tally and that came in the very first race of the season at Daytona International Speedway.

Royal Enfield – All Moore

Defending Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. Champion Mikayla Moore has been up to her old tricks all season with five wins out of five starts to carry a commanding 36-point lead into Mid-Ohio. Moore’s only non-win was a non-start when she suffered bumps and bruises in a Twins Cup practice crash that kept her out of action in race one at Road America.

Since then, she’s been unstoppable. As always.

Emma Betters sits second in the championship standings and just four points Betters than Camille Conrad. Conrad, in turn, has Cassie Creer on the hunt in fourth place and just seven points behind.

Kira Knebel rounds out the top five as the class makes its debut at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend.

For more info checkout our dedicated MotoAmerica Support Series News page motoamerica-support-series-latest-news/

Or visit the official MotoAmerica website motoamerica.com/

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of motoamerica.com/

History to be Built on The Sand Of Arnhem at The MXGP of The Netherlands

Frank Duggan

August 14, 2024

Through ferries or flights from last weekend’s MXGP of Sweden, the FIM Motocross World Championship stars head back from Scandinavia to north-western Europe, as the MXGP of The Netherlands presents another tough challenge for round 16 at the Motorsportpark Gelderland Midden circuit on the outskirts of the city of Arnhem.

The Dutch circuit was new to the calendar in 2023 and saw overall victories for Romain Febvre in MXGP and Liam Everts in MX2, although it is one of 31 separate circuits in the country to have hosted Grand Prix Motocross since the very start of the Championship in 1957, when it was held at the Lichtenvoorde circuit about 35 km east of Arnhem itself. The winner that day was the first ever World Champion, Bill Nilsson from Sweden.

From this weekend’s riders, Jeffrey Herlings of Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has won the most in The Netherlands with 14 Grands Prix on his home sandy soil, although he has been unable to challenge for one since 2020. The home fans have a host of Dutch riders to cheer for in all classes, with Championship challengers in every race, so they will generate a boisterous atmosphere as we saw last year!

One of the most successful racers in Dutch events will make his return to action this weekend, as Antonio Cairoli comes out of retirement to debut the new Ducati Desmo450 MX machine for the Ducati Factory MX Team! His presence means we have the winners of the last fifteen MXGP world titles on the start line at Arnhem!

As the season begins its final quarter, Tim Gajser continues to hold the red plate for Team HRC as he goes for his third GP win on Dutch sand, with Jorge Prado just 17 points back for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing, while Herlings is lying 48 points behind the Slovenian.

Kay de Wolf will carry the red plate for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing into his home Grand Prix, but teammate Lucas Coenen cut his advantage down to 49 points with victory at Uddevalla. Simon Laengenfelder is third for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing and his race win at Lommel in July will bolster his confidence for the Dutch conditions!

The local fans will be trackside early on Sunday for the sixth and penultimate round of the WMX Women’s Motocross World Championship, currently being led by the self-titled “Queen of Sand” Lotte van Drunen, who holds a narrow three-point lead for De Baets Yamaha over Spanish rival Daniela Guillen, who will try to spoil the party on her RFME Spain National Team GASGAS! Most recent WMX winner Lynn Valk will also be fired up to perform in front of her home fans for Schmicker Racing KTM.

The EMX125 Presented by FMF Racing European Championship series holds its ninth round at Arnhem, and Fantic Factory Racing EMX125 star Noel Zanocz leads the standings by 18 points over home hero Gyan Doensen, who will enjoy massive support for Racestore KTM Factory Rookies. Another Dutch rising star,Dani Heitink, took a race win in Sweden and will be fired up for a good result in front of his local crowd!

Last weekend’s MXGP of Sweden saw the top two riders in the series get closer together in the race for the MXGP World Championship, with Prado scoring a double victory to counter Gajser’s win in the RAM Qualifying Race. While the Spaniard has yet to win an overall MXGP round in The Netherlands, he did win three in the MX2 category from 2017 to ’19. Gajser meanwhile has won twice in the Dutch sand, back in his first title season of 2015 in MX2, and in 2021 at the circuit of Oss. The Slovenian raced to two fifths last year at Arnhem, while Prado went 1-4 for 2nd overall.

Although the results from Uddevalla left Herlings with a bigger mountain to climb than before, there could be no better place than his home country for the all-time GP win record holder to strike back at his rivals and regain the momentum he had going before Sweden. Unable to compete last year at Arnhem after a crash on Saturday fractured his collarbone, he will be looking for Grand Prix win number 15 in his native country, and his first since 2020!

Outside of the big three, last year’s winner for Kawasaki Racing Team was Romain Febvre, which was his second victory on Dutch soil, while there is just one other rider lining up in the class who has a first-place trophy from The Netherlands.

That rider is one of the most intriguing wildcard entries yet to be seen in the class, as nine-time World Champion Antonio Cairoli makes a comeback ride as part of his development role for the mighty Ducati brand, and the Italian manufacturer’s long-awaited debut appearance could not have been made with a more esteemed ambassador for Italian Motocross. Winner of ten Grands Prix on Dutch ground, his appearance means that we have four of the seven most successful riders in Grand Prix history on the starting grid at Arnhem!

Other riders flying the Dutch flag include Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP’s Calvin Vlaanderen, currently fourth in the series, and the Fantic Factory Racing duo Glenn Coldenhoff and Brian Bogers, who sit seventh and eleventh in the standings. Bogers will be back after a scary crash in Sweden put him out after six laps of Sunday’s action, and he’ll want the crowd to make some noise as he does the Official GoPro Lapbefore his home GP! Seven other wildcards will line-up from the host nation, as well as four-time British Champion Conrad Mewse, who returns for Crendon Tru7 Honda after showing good speed at the MXGP of Flanders.

It’s sure to be another battle royale amongst the Kingpins of MXGP at Arnhem!

MXGP – World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 757 Points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 740 Points; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 709 Pts; 4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 538 Pts; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 516 Pts; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 451 Points; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 447 Pts; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 335 Pts; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 301 Pts; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 274 Pts.

Once more the pendulum of momentum in this spectacular season of MX2 racing swung a different way in Sweden, as Lucas Coenen took a stunning double win at Uddevalla and made ground on his red-plate-wearing teammate Kay de Wolf, who worked hard for fifth overall. The gap between the two is now just under a Sunday maximum score, at 49 points.

Both men are masters of the sand, although De Wolf has won at both Sardegna and Flanders this season. Kay missed the race at Arnhem last year through injury, whilst Lucas slipped off early in race one, denying him a perfect weekend as he recovered to 6th, his win in race two leaving him just two points away from the overall victory score of Liam Everts’ 3-2.

The Belgian comes to Arnhem a lonely 4th in the Championship for Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, but appears to be growing in speed through a season that he started with a thumb injury. Third in the series is Simon Laengenfelder, winner of the opening race at Arnhem last season, who is on a three-GP podium streak in his bid to catch Lucas Coenen for the silver medal position. The German has still yet to win a Grand Prix this season and lies 23 points shy of the Belgian, and 72 behind De Wolf.

Monster Energy Triumph Racing are close to finishing their first year in MX2 with a top five rider in the series, with Mikkel Haarup just thirteen points ahead of reigning Champion Andrea Adamo, who took a brave second overall at Uddevalla.

Rick Elzinga, after a fine second overall for Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 in the sand of Lommel, must be rubbing his hands approaching his home GP as he sits in seventh in the Championship standings. Fellow Dutchmen Jens Walvoort for KTM SB Racing and Kay Karssemakers for Fantic Factory Racing also sit in the top 20 of the series and are very keen for strong results. They are joined by two top EMX250 riders who enter as wildcards this weekend, Cas Valk of the Gabriel SS24 KTM team, and Ivano van Erp for VRT Yamaha. Cas won the first EMX250 race in Sweden, while Van Erp took the overall verdict with 2-2 finishes.

Scott Smulders of KMP Honda Racing Team Powered by Krettek and Bradley Mesters of the KTM Kosak Team will also line up in their home country.

The sand races in MX2 this year have been absolute treats to watch, and this weekend should be no different, so watch out for thrills and spills at the MXGP of The Netherlands!

MX2 – World Championship Top 10 Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 725 Points; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 676 Pts; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 653 Points; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 594 Pts; 5. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 511 Pts; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 498 Pts; 7. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 457 Pts; 8. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 415 Pts; 9. Camden McLellan (RSA, TRI), 274 Pts; 10. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, HON), 273 Pts.

TIMETABLE

SATURDAY: 07:50 EMX125 Group 1 Free practice, 08:20 EMX125 Group 1 Free practice, 8:50 WMX Free practice, 09:20 EMX125 Group 1 Qualifying practice, 09:55 EMX125 Group 2 Qualifying Practice, 10:30 MX2 Free Practice, 11:00 MXGP Free Practice, 12:10 WMX Qualifying practice, 12:45 MXGP WildCard Free/Qualifying Practice, 13:40 MX2 Time Practice, 14:15 MXGP Time Practice, 15:00 WMX Race 1, 15:45 EMX125 Race 1, 16:35 MX2 RAM Qualifying Race, 17:25 MXGP RAM Qualifying Race.

SUNDAY: 09:45 EMX125 Race 2, 10:25 MX2 Warm-up, 10:45 MXGP Warm-up, 11:30 WMX Race 2, 13:15 MX2 Race 1, 14:15 MXGP Race 1, 16:10 MX2 Race 2, 17:10 MXGP Race 2.

For more news check out our dedicated MXGP/MX2 News page

Or visit the official MXGP website mxgp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.mxgp.com

The New Kriega R25

Frank Duggan

August 14, 2024

The R25 is second longest-established product in the Kriega range. Launched back in 2001 it has been a constant in our line up, with only minimal updates until now.

For the 2024 season it has received a comprehensive re-engineer to make it even more useful to riders looking for the highest-quality, tried and trusted motorcycle luggage.

We asked Kreiga’s co-founder, and head of design, Dom Longman a few questions about the new R25.

A lot has changed in the world of motorcycle luggage since 2001. What was the idea for the R25 when you first launched it?
Dom Longman Our first backpack, the R35, had been released the previous year, and it caught rider’s imaginations and got some really good reviews. The R25 was building on that, but with a different harness design and a smaller overall capacity. It quickly became even more popular than the R35.

Back then we didn’t aim at certain kinds of riders, like we do now with packs like the Trail9 and Trail18, that are designed with adventure riders in mind. We were just making backpacks for motorcyclists, because no one else was doing it properly.

What did the motorcycle luggage market look like back in 2001?
Kriega launched because there was a gap for well-designed, well-made backpacks specifically for motorcyclists. There wasn’t anything for them. Riders used regular backpacks, the kind of thing a schoolkid would use, made from lightweight nylon and single stitching, just not up to the job. Some might use a slightly stronger hiking backpack, better but not designed to be pulled over leathers or armoured clothing every day. Or they’d use army surplus.

Why has it taken so long to update the R25?
Simply, because it didn’t need it. We don’t update things for the sake of it or because fashions or trends change, we update a product when we feel we can make a real improvement with some new technology or new materials. The R25 was still getting great reviews, and we were growing the range of other backpacks to offer more choice, but it was time to make the R25’s main compartment waterproof.

What else has changed?
Well, the main change is that 20-litre roll-top, 100% waterproof main compartment, with our taped-seam, Drypack white liner. That means the 25-litre capacity is split 20/5. The remaining 5 litres is in quick-access zip pocket. The back panel has an updated soft-feel panel, and the new rear reflective panel offers increased visibility. The first R25s weren’t specifically compatible with a hydration pack, but later ones have the loops to fit one, and so does this. It is also designed to take our harness pockets. With the rest: the Quadloc harness, the 1000D and 420D Cordura, the YKK zips… it was a case of it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, so all those trusted elements remain.

You said the R25 was aimed at the general motorcycle market when it was first released in 2001, is the target more specific now?
Yes and no. We offer a lot more choice of riderpacks now, but the R25 is still for the same high-mileage riders and daily commuters who ride day in, day out, whatever the weather, the kind of riders who bought one in 2001 and every year in between.

See the full specification for the re-engineered R25 at KRIEGA.COM

Herrin Leads Close Title Chase As Superbike Racing Returns To Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course

Frank Duggan

August 13, 2024

Ten Years Later And MotoAmerica’s Steel Commander Superbike Series Headlines A Return to Mid-Ohio.

The last time the AMA Superbike Championship raced at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a baby-faced, 24-year-old named Josh Herrin was struggling his way through a miserable Moto2 World Championship campaign and wishing he was at Mid-Ohio. That was 2014. This is now. And Herrin arrives at Mid-Ohio as the leader of the 2024 MotoAmerica Steel Commander Superbike Championship in the series’ return to the Buckeye State after a 10-year hiatus.

Everyone is champing at the bit to get back to racing in the Permco MotoAmerica Superbikes at Mid-Ohio event after a nearly one-month summer break since round six at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The time is now for championship wannabes to step up as the series reaches its boiling point with rounds at Circuit of The Americas and New Jersey Motorsports Park hot on the heels of the much-anticipated seventh round at Mid-Ohio.

Herrin, the 2013 AMA Superbike Champion, is atop the standings but this championship is far from over as he has several rivals nipping at his heels. There are 46 points separating the top five in the point standings with three rounds and seven races left to run in the fight for the title.

With three wins and four additional podium finishes, Herrin and his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R lead the Steel Commander Superbike Championship by 15 points over Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing’s Jake Gagne with the three-time and defending champion somehow managing to contend for the title despite near-season-long arm-pump issues.

Gagne has just a single race win but he has scored points in each and every round, including four additional podium finishes to go with his lone victory.

Just eight points behind Gagne and 23 behind Herrin is Wrench Motorcycles’ Bobby Fong. The 2019 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion’s double win at Brainerd International Raceway put him atop the standings heading into the Ridge Motorsports Park round. It was there, however, that Fong faltered in race one when he chose to use slicks when he needed rain tires, and that miscue was followed by a crash in race one at Laguna Seca. Still, the Californian is having his best Superbike season yet and is still very much in the hunt for the 2024 title.

Gagne’s teammate Cameron Petersen is also in the midst of his finest Superbike season as he sits fourth and just four points behind Fong with three victories. The South African’s scorecard, however, has been marred by a crash in race three at Barber Motorsports Park, and mechanical failures at both Road America and Laguna Seca.

Fifth in the championship is Tytlers Cycle Racing’s Cameron Beaubier, the winningest Superbike rider thus far in 2023. Five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Beaubier is 46 points behind Herrin after not scoring points in five races. The Californian won three of the first five races before suffering an injury that kept him on the sidelines for three races. Beaubier got back to his winning ways at Laguna Seca with a victory and a close second to Herrin in race two.

Herrin’s Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati teammate Loris Baz and EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly are separated by six points with Baz sixth and Kelly seventh. Kelly is coming off a solid weekend at Laguna Seca where he finished fourth in race one and battled for victory before getting a close third (behind Herrin and Beaubier) in race two. Baz, however, was disappointed with his two sixth-place finishes at Laguna, a track he calls one of his favorites.

Beaubier’s teammate JD Beach sits eighth in the championship and arrives in Ohio hot off his two victories in the American Flat Track (AFT) races in South Dakota – the Black Hills Half-Mile and the Sturgis TT.

Vision Wheel M4 ECSTAR Suzuki’s Brandon Paasch and his fill-in teammate Xavi Forés are ninth and 10^th in the title chase, respectively, but Forés will be handing the team’s Suzuki GSX-R1000R back to team regular Richie Escalante, who was injured in the opening round at Road Atlanta and will make his return to racing at Mid-Ohio.

Team Brazil’s Danilo Lewis sits 12^th overall and leads the MotoAmerica Superbike Cup Championship over Jones Honda’s Ashton Yates.

The two Superbike races will get the green light at 3:10 p.m. (Eastern) on both Saturday and Sunday.

Pre-Race Mid-Ohio Notes…

Australian Mat Mladin has more AMA Superbike wins at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course than any other racer. Mladin won 10 Superbike Nationals on the 2.4-mile road course with his first victory coming in 2001 and his last coming in 2008. Mladin leads Josh Hayes in Superbike wins at the iconic track, 10-7.

The very first AMA Superbike race was held at Mid-Ohio in 1983 with motocrosser-turned-road racer Steve Wise taking the win in the circuit’s debut.

Twenty-three riders who competed at Mid-Ohio in 2014 are slated to return and race at the legendary road course again in 2024: Corey Alexander, David Anthony, JD Beach, Cameron Beaubier, Chris Fillmore, Max Flinders, Bobby Fong, Jake Gagne, Josh Gallusser, Hayden Gillim, CJ LaRoche, Jake Lewis, Stefano Mesa, Brian Mullins, Tyler O’Hara, Larry Pegram, James Rispoli, Hayden Schultz, Carl Soltisz, Cory West, Cody Wyman, Kyle Wyman, and Travis Wyman.

Cameron Beaubier and Josh Hayes split wins in the last two AMA Superbike races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2014. Among active racers, Beaubier (2014) and Josh Herrin (2013) are the only two who have won a Superbike race at Mid-Ohio.

Suzuki holds the record for most victories at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with 20, followed by Yamaha (11), Honda (10) and Kawasaki (5). Yamaha, however, has dominated since 2012, winning all six Superbike races through 2014, when the series last came to Mid-Ohio.

The Superbike lap record for Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course dates way back to 2008 when Ben Spies lapped the iconic 2.4 road course in 1:23.639 at an average speed of 103.301 mph. Spies will be on hand this weekend at Mid-Ohio as he’s the team principal for the Rahal Ducati Moto squad.

Cameron Beaubier’s race-one victory at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca a month ago was the five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion’s 63^rd AMA Superbike win, a mark that puts him second to Australian Mat Mladin on the all-time AMA Superbike win list.

For more news check out our dedicated MotoAmerica News page MotoAmerica News

Or visit the official MotoAmerica website motoamerica.com/

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of motoamerica.com/

WorldWCR Portimao Action: Including #Britwatch

Kerrie McFadden

August 13, 2024

Round Three of the FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship took to the track at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, fondly nicknamed the “Rollercoaster” for its spectacular undulations.

Maria Herrera ( Klint Forward Racing) currently leads the championship, winning three of the four races and 7 points clear of chasing second place Anna Carrasco ( Evan Bros Yamaha Racing) while there is a small gap back to third of 13 points for Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing).

With the top four riders already showcasing success at the track, Herrera having raced several times with WorldSSP and more recently with MotoE this year. Carrasco made history with her first ever female win at the track, the battle at the front was always going to be fierce. As Temperatures soared on track reaching that of 47°C, the Friday free practice saw the same four riders continually at the top of the timing sheets with only the first 5 riders setting lap times below 1.57.

As the Superpole session got underway it was Klint Racing’s Herrera who secured the Pole sitting position with Carrasco just a mere eight tenths behind with Sara Sanchez completing the front row.

On our Britwatch, we look to Sekhmet International Racing Team whom was fielding British rider Jamie Hanks-Elliott in lieu of Lissy Whitemore, who was unfortunately injured at the British Donington Round at the Infamous Craners Curves.

Making her debut on the World Stage on Friday free practice Jamie, being the first time on the Yamaha R7, finished the session in a point scoring position of P15 along with team mate for the weekend, Mallory Dobbs securing P13.

Hanks Elliott had this to say “ A really positive first day, free practice gave me a short time to get to grips with the R7 which I have never ridden before and familiarize myself with the track again. I ended the session P15 which I was happy with, but knew I had more time in me”

With Superpole being later that day, the team carried that momentum into the Tissot Superpole with Hanks- Elliot setting a time of 1:59.509 and Dobbs 1:59.551 securing P14 & P15 ready for Race 1 on Saturday.

The 11 lap Race 1 on Saturday quickly turned into a 4 way battle as expected with Herrera, Sanchez, Carrasco and Neila all breaking away from the rest of the grid and all the while continuously trading places.

Further down the grid, the Sekhmet Pilots both had a great start, Hanks – Elliot launched off the line and moved herself quickly into P11 , unfortunately a last corner crash on lap one saw an end to her race while taking avoidance manoeuvres to prevent colliding with another rider. More bad luck ensued with Sekhmet’s second rider, Dobbs, also being taken out on lap 11 while running in 10^th position from the same rider who caused Hanks-Elliots to loose the front earlier in the race.

The battle at the front saw Herrera beat fellow Spaniard Sanchez to the line by a mere 0.060 with Carrasco and Neila battling all the way to the flag for third, the pair separated by just 0.009 of a second across the line with Carrasco taking the 3^rd step on the podium.

The fastest time of the race was however set by Sanchez securing her pole position for Race 2 on Sunday. Carrasco confirmed after the race that she rode most of it without 3^rd gear so would be looking to improve her position and secure more valuable championship points in race 2.

In a repeat of Race 1, Sunday’s Race 2 was once again the four riders from Race 1 that were out in front and building an early lead over the rest of the grid, however a red on the opening lap sent the riders back to pit lane with a restart race scheduled to take place over 7 laps. It was Carrasco who charged her Yamaha R7 to the stop step of the podium with Saturdays race winner Herrara losing out to P2 as Sanchez made a late pass within seconds to the flag.

With possibly a little praying to the teams namesake Sekhmet, both riders saw the chequered flag with Hanks -Ellliot bringing her World Women’s Circuit Racing debut to a close by securing P17, though we know she will be disappointed after sitting 9^th most of the race, however a false neutral on lap 5 of 7 saw Hanks -Elliot fall back to 17^th and unable to regain positions with the race distance being shortened.

Mallory Dobbs will be riding the high along with her team after securing a points scoring position of P9 – a position which, after the string of bad luck, no doubt felt like victory.

Maria Herrera continues to lead the championship with 129 points, Carrasco still remains 7 points adrift at 122 and extending the gap to Sarah Sanchez by 14 points as she now sits at 108

Round four of the Championship will take place at Cremona, Italy 20-22 September.

Written by Kerrie McFadden @ First Turn Media

Socials : Kerrie @ First Turn Media. (@first_turn_media) • Instagram photos and videos

Photography: WorldWCR & India Knowlson

On a charge: Garzo takes control as Austria beckons

Frank Duggan

August 13, 2024

Three wins in the last four races has seen the Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™ star build a 25-point Championship lead, with the chasers now needing to respond

The FIM Enel MotoE™ World Championship is back in action at the Motorrad Grand Prix von Österreich as the final stretch of 2024 beckons, and after stellar rounds in Assen and Germany, Hector Garzo (Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™) boasts a 25-point title race lead.

Three wins in the last four races – one at the Cathedral of Speed and a double at the Sachsenring – have seen Garzo soar to a commanding position in the Championship. Meanwhile, former leader Mattia Casadei (LCR E-Team) has picked up a DNF, a P8 and two P9s to see the Italian go from leader to chief chaser. The Red Bull Ring was a layout Casadei picked up 50 points from a possible 50 at in 2023, however, so that will give the Italian an injection of confidence.

Oscar Gutierrez (Axxis-MSI) remains in touch, but the Spaniard will be ruing his Sachsenring Race 1 DNF. 29 points splits the rookie from Garzo, with Kevin Zannoni (Openbank Aspar Team) now P4 in the overall standings after a Q2 crash hampered his weekend in Germany. Now back to full fitness, can the Italian claw back crucial points at the circuit he claimed two P3s at last season?

There could even be a slim but real chance for Garzo to take the crown in Race 2, so can his rivals hit back? Tune in this weekend to find out as MotoE™ takes on the fabulous Red Bull Ring, with qualifying, Race 1 and Race 2 live on motogp.com and free on YouTube!

For more info checkout our dedicated MotoE News page

Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.motogp.com

The wait is over – Rookies Cup action is back in Spielberg

Frank Duggan

August 13, 2024

Starved of excitement, we can’t wait to hear those Moto3 spec KTMs bring a very special thrill in Austria this coming weekend.

Some of the 26 teens may feel the summer sunburn as they wriggle into their Alpinestars leathers for the first practice session in Spielberg on Friday morning. They should all be fully fit and committed for the last six races of the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup season. Races at the Red Bull Ring, Motorland Aragon and Misano will decide the 18th Cup season.

Born Racers
The 6-part series is gradually being rolled out on more and more streaming services around the world and follows the Rookies as they try to earn their place in Grand Prix racing. Born Racers captures the real-life trials that racing hopefuls must go through: family sacrifices, pressure, doubts, friendships and rivalries. Click here for the full list of viewing platforms

Uriarte the man to catch
The current points table is headed by Brian Uriarte by 13 points over fellow Spaniard Álvaro Carpe with Argentina’s Valentin Perrone 3rd and a further 10 behind. Those three have displayed an impressive blend of pace and consistency, scoring well in all 8 races so far.

Spain’s Màximo Quiles is undoubtedly fast but the 16-year-old still has a few things to learn. The exclusion from racing in Assen, following the Mugello incident, lost him the points lead after a super fast start to the season, which kicked off with two wins, a 2nd and a 3rd. If he has learnt his lesson he should be a strong contender for the Cup over the last six races, he stands 30 points off the lead.

Quiles is in his third Cup season. Points leader Uriarte (above) is in his first season and only turned 16 on Monday but he is a very intelligent fast learner who already has two wins, two 2nds and a 3rd to his name. Carpe is in his second Rookies season and the 17-year-old has recorded a win, three 2nds and a 3rd so far this year. He was playing for consistency but now knows he must beat Uriarte and that is not easy.

So many winners
The wild card is Perrone, it is his debut season and not only does he have a win, a 2nd and a 3rd but he is always racing up front and one more step forward will see him a real cup contender. His countryman Marco Morelli started his second Cup season with a win and was victorious again last time out but a couple of falls and an unlucky technical issue have left him 7th in the title chase, 63 points adrift.

That’s a lot to make up and ahead of him, Rico Salmela (5th) and Hakim Danish (6th) both know they have a lot to do but there are still 150 points to be won. 16-year-old Finn Salmela has taken two 2nd places and a 3rd this year, still looking for a victory to match that he scored 2 years ago in his debut season.

Danish, the 17-year-old Malaysian (above) is in his second year and has yet to stand on the top step but he has a 2nd and a 3rd this year and should be able to find the fine form that slipped last time out in Assen.

Don’t forget
As for those who have yet to make it onto the podium, keep an eye on 15-year-old Indonesian Veda Pratama, he is certainly fast and learning very quickly in his debut season. He took a 4th in Assen Race 1 and stands 8th in the points chase just in front of Ruche Moodley (#11 bellow). The 17-year-old South African is in his 3rd year and is a strong contender for the podium but 4th is his best coming out of the summer break. After his bad luck this season he would love a Rookies win before he moves on to other series.

For more info checkout our dedicated Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup News page Rookies Cup News

Or visit the official Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup website rookiescup.redbull.com/

History Making British Grand Prix: Silverstone #Britwatch

Kerrie McFadden

August 13, 2024

MotoGP celebrates it 75^th Anniversary this year and celebrations were in full regalia for Monster Energy British Grand Prix weekend at iconic Silverstone Circuit. For the first time in the sport’s 75-year history, every bike and rider on the main MotoGP grid raced with a special, one-off livery, all with a touch of emotion inducing retro style.

The series returned to racing after the summer break in unusual sunshine for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. With the severe lack of advertisement for any of the side entertainment ( one might have attended purely to watch the Kooks and Darkness perform) from the circuit organisers and together with extortionate entry prices that Silverstone mysteriously commands, it was of no surprise that there was a disappointingly low number of fans , with only 42,500 attendees over the course of the weekend, which is a crying shame. Some might say that it’s the sign of the times but with record breaking attendance at the recent British Superbike Round at Thruxton, the thirst for Motorcycle racing is there, one might argue it’s more a sign of the disdain for Silverstone – the unfriendly spectators circuit. Maybe that’s another article all together!

With the temperature dial in the UK turned up, Friday Free practice was pure entertainment with lap records being broken straight out of box. A new Moto2 Silverstone lap record handed Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) top honours with the Spaniard’s 2:03.602 time just under three tenths quicker than Celestino Vietti (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in second and setting the tone for the day. Home favourite Jake Dixon ended the days sessions P7 with plenty to build on for Saturdays morning practice and qualifying ahead.

Prima Pramac star, Jorge Martin put in a late flyer edging out the 2023 Silverstone Champ, Aleix Espargaro by a mere 0:045 and the current World Championship leader, Francesco Bagnaia landed P3 only 0:119.. tight at the top as always.

Saturday free practice and qualifying saw the weather cool somewhat, we knew it couldn’t last! For the first time since the 2022 Malaysian GP, Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) would launch a Moto2 race from pole position after the Japanese rider beat pre-session favourite Aron Canet (Fantic Racing) by 0.052s . Ogura’s 2:02.940 smashed out Canets Friday time and became a new Silverstone Moto2 lap record.

Jake Dixon, with the home crowd watching on improved on his Friday positioning and started the race from P5 with aims to repeat his 2022 Silverstone Podium success as his goal.

Having looked strong all weekend throughout practice, another home crowd favourite Moto3 rider Scott Ogden left it too late leaving the box during qualifying and didn’t set a competitive time in Q2 and unfortunately had to start from P17. No doubt disappointed having been well inside the top 10 most of the Friday.

With the Tissot Sprint race the main feature on the Saturday Racing action, it was Enea Bastianini who sprinted to victory and took his first Saturday race victory. Jorge Martin and Francesco Bagnaia completed the podium. The fan marmite, Marc Marquez crashed out of the race bringing his chance to earn some vital championship points to an end as he returned to pitlane.

All eyes moved to Sunday and full points up for grabs and chances of redemption eagerly awaited.

Moto2, Ai Ogura got the perfect start from pole with p3 Vietti nipping to second ahead of Canet off the line. Jake Dixon was full elbows out making his way from P5 to P3, but with Canet soon making up the positions to lead the race. With 12 laps to go, Dixon had reeled in Canet, with Roberts passing Ogura for P3. Roberts then crashed out a lap later at Turn 2. This left Canet and Dixon with a 3.8s buffer to Albert Arenas (QJMOTOR Gresini), with Ogura now P4 and Garcia up to P9.

As the battle for the final podium raged, 7.6s up the road was a fight for BritishGP victory between Canet and Dixon. Heading onto the last lap, Dixon pounced at Turn 1 – and it was a move that stuck. A small error from Canet cost him time and despite his best efforts, Dixon held onto the lead and crossed the line to become the first British rider to win on home soil since 2015 and etched his name into the history books.

Jake, of course, celebrated this win with the British fans with a track side victory walk ala “McGregor” style and a fantastic, full leather helmet spectacle Worm dance!

Scott Ogden’s weekend luck unfortunately didn’t change with him being taken out of the race on lap 2, he was helpless to avoid the bike of his team mate and crashed at the last corner. While disappointing, Scott has made some great progress on the bike and heads to Austria no doubt buoyed by this.

After a dream Saturday, it was a stunning performance on a special Sunday with all the teams racing in their historic livery’s ( though it did make it somewhat challenging to work who was where and what bike) . Enea Bastianini capped off a historic weekend at the BritishGP with a win. He became the 10th different rider to take victory at Silverstone in the last ten events at the track, pushing through late on to put himself third in the title fight and only 49 points off the top. Meanwhile, the top of the standings once again belongs to Jorge Martin, whom led the majority of the race before proving unable to deny Bastianini the ultimate victory with Bagnaia claiming the final spot on the podium. Marc Marquez took forth after a late pass on Pecco which unsettled the rider and shuttled him down to P9. Di Giannantonio climbed from 10th on the grid to fifth at the chequered flag and completed the top 5.

The gap to the top is now the lowest its been after a GP round since the season opener in Qatar as the Championship now heads to the Red Bull Ring, Austria. A track that whereby the Ducati go well, however there is another factory that has taken to the top step – twice. KTM, who will be looking to start rebuilding their form with rookie superstar Pedro Acosta. Brad Binder is also now trailing the rookie through no fault of his own after some bad luck at Silverstone so will want to change that in Austria, whereas teammate Jack Miller took solid points and will want more. For Augusto Fernandez meanwhile, the rumour mill has now started to swirl regarding a test role for next year with another factory, but with nothing confirmed. One thing that is confirmed for Austria, however, is a wildcard for Red Bull KTM test rider Pol Espargaro, so his machinery will be of interest as the factory look to push back towards the front.

Winning your home round GP is something that only a few riders can claim and with Jake Dixon now being one of those, he will be looking to carry that success and hunter mentality to the Red Bull Ring, a circuit that is the opposite of Silverstone’s fast and flowing layout. His Silverstone victory sees him climb to 7^th place in the championship, while the title might be out of reach, maintaining momentum could see him top 5 – or better!

So what’s happening at the AustrianGP? The first press conference will be Thursday at 4 local time with championship leader Jorge Martin together with Bagnaia, Bastianini and Marc Marquez with the second being Acosta, Binder and Giannantonio.

The weekend also sees the return of the MotoE championship with race 1 being before the Tissot Sprint race and race 2 just after.

Written by : Kerrie McFadden @ First Turn Media
Socials : Kerrie @ First Turn Media. (@first_turn_media) • Instagram photos and videos

Photography by : Joel Cooper @ Hawk Media Socials : Hawk Media Services (@hawk_media_services) • Instagram photos and videos

Moto2: Garcia remains ahead as the field arrive into the Red Bull Ring

Frank Duggan

August 12, 2024

Winning your home Grand Prix is something only a privileged few can say and on Sunday at the British GP, Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) etched his name into Silverstone folklore as we were treated to a stunning fight for the win between the #96 and Aron Canet (Fantic Racing).

Now, the Red Bull Ring beckons, with both riders hunting more success at a circuit that presents quite the opposing challenge to Silverstone’s fast and flowing DNA.

It remains Sergio Garcia’s (MT Helmets – MSI) in the hot seat in the Championship, but Dixon’s first victory of the season – his third overall – saw the Briton climb to P7 in the standings, with Canet now in P8 as the duo stand on 78 points apiece. The title might be out of reach, but hitting form at the start of the second half of 2024 could see both penetrate the top five – or better – come Valencia. For Dixon, three podiums in the last five are somewhat making up for the nightmare start to the campaign.

Dixon and Canet were in a league of their own at Silverstone, but plenty of other storylines were on offer. Celestino Vietti’s first rostrum in Red Bull KTM Ajo colours couldn’t have come at a better time ahead of the Pierer Mobility Group’s home race in Austria – and it’s the scene of the Italian’s last Moto2™ win too. Meanwhile, in the Championship chase, the pendulum swung back in Garcia’s favour.

An incredibly classy comeback from as low as P26 on the first lap saw Garcia pocket a crucial P4, as his main title rivals faltered. Ai Ogura (MT Helmets – MSI) – a P3 finisher at the Ring in 2023 – went from pole to P14, Fermin Aldeguer (GT Trevisan SpeedUp) had a very quiet weekend and picked up a P12, while Joe Roberts (OnlyFans American Racing) crashed out of P3. That means Garcia now leads Ogura by 18 points ahead of Round 11, with Roberts and Aldeguer 37 and 48 points back respectively. Responses needed for the hunters in Austria…

For more Moto2 info checkout our dedicated Moto2 News page

Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.motogp.com

Moto3: can Ortola strike again in Spielberg?

Frank Duggan

August 12, 2024

Another Moto3™ classic was rolled out at Silverstone and for the second time in three races, Ivan Ortola (MT Helmets – MSI) emerged as the victor.

Pole position to Sunday P1 signalled a perfect weekend at the office for the Spaniard in Great Britain, with the #48 clipping five important points out of David Alonso’s (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) Championship advantage.

But it was just the five as the Colombian finished a close P2 to limit the damage done. Interestingly, that’s Alonso’s first non-victory podium of the year and it keeps the #80 53 points clear at the summit. It’s now seven podiums in 10 races for Alonso as he continues his supreme 2024 march.

Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) claimed his fifth podium of the year with a P3 at the British GP, with Daniel Holgado’s (Red Bull GASGAS Tech3) P4 seeing the top four in the overall standings pick up the first four positions at Silverstone. Three of the four – Alonso, Veijer and Holgado – race Pierer Mobility Group machinery, so they’ll be hungry to impress further at the Red Bull Ring. For Ortola, Holgado and Veijer, points need to be taken off Alonso as soon as possible if they’re to retain hope of reeling in the Aspar star…

For more Moto3 info checkout our dedicated Moto3 News page

Or visit the official MotoGP website motogp.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.motogp.com

Venture further on the V-Strom 800RE with free panniers

Frank Duggan

August 12, 2024

Buyers of Suzuki’s new V-Strom 800RE can go further for less this summer, with the addition of free aluminium panniers.

Representing a saving of £980 over the individual items, the offer makes packing for that summer road trip even easier and more affordable. Each aluminium pannier boasts 37 litres of storage space. When combined with the aluminium top box, total carrying capacity is boosted to 112 litres.

The free panniers only add to the V-Strom 800RE’s touring capabilities. Powered by Suzuki’s new 776cc, twin-cylinder engine it is equipped with road-focussed 19” and 17” wheels, tall screen, comfortable and accessible seat, and roomy riding position. It also comes with a bi-directional quickshifter as standard, three power modes, and a variety of traction control settings.

To sweeten the deal further, the V-Strom 800RE is also available on a lower than usual finance rate of 4.9% APR representative.

For more information on the V-Strom 800RE, click here.

To find your local Suzuki dealership, click here.

For more Suzuki GB news check out our dedicated page Suzuki GB News

For more information on Suzuki Bikes GB visit bikes.suzuki.co.uk/bikes/

Morelli Masterclass: wildcard shakes up Thruxton

Frank Duggan

August 12, 2024

The wildcard makes it a clean sweep despite the field closing in for Race 2
The 2024 R&G British Talent Cup’s sixth round was a Thruxton thriller with a dominant Race 1 victory from wildcard Marco Morelli (Fibre Tec Honda – MLav Racing).

The race began with Amanuel Brinton (Kovara Projects / RS Racing) on pole, coming into the round just 25 points behind championship leader Lucas Brown (SENCAT Talent Team / Mortimer Racing). However, it was wildcard entry Marco Morelli who quickly made his presence felt, moving up the field and challenging for the lead by breaking free from the pack by the end of the first lap, leaving Ryan Frost Frost (Fibre Tec Honda – MLav Racing), who had taken the holeshot at the start, without response.

A lead pack then formed, comprising familiar faces with Julian Correa (Microlise Cresswell Racing), Brinton, Brown, Ryan and Filip Surowiak (Honda – Team City Lifting/RS Racing) trading places and all vying for the lead and pulling over two seconds clear of the rest by the fifth lap.

Towards the end of lap 11, disaster struck for championship contender Brinton who made a misjudgement, clipped Lucas Brown, and ran off onto the grass, eventually crashing out. The incident allowed Frost and Correa to escape and finish second and third respectively.

The main news of the day, however, was wildcard Marco Morelli’s 11.785 second victory, coming from the European Talent Cup to show the British Talent Cup the level they’re aiming for as they all make progress on the Road to MotoGP™.
They made some of that progress in Race 2, with the Argentinian impressing to secure his second victory of the weekend – but this time with a much smaller lead.

The battle for the remaining podium positions was fiercely contested with Surowiak putting in a strong performance to claim second place. Correa rounded out the podium, closely trailing Surowiak with a gap of just 0.074 seconds.

Brown, the championship leader, managed to secure a fourth-place finish. It was challenging weekend for the SENCAT Talent Team / Mortimer Racing rider, who couldn’t match the pace of the leading trio but he was able to capitalise on the Race 1 mistake by his closest championship rival, Brinton, who rebounded to finish in fifth place in Race 2, as Brown carries his dominant lead into Round 7, 38 points clear.

The riders now head into a summer break, a chance to catch a breath and maybe even a rare British sunny day, before returning to action at Oulton Park on September 15th.

For more info checkout our dedicated British Talent Cup News page

Or visit the official British Talent Cup website britishtalentcup.com

©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of www.britishtalentcup.com

Champions Crowned In The Inaugural MotoAmerica Mini Cup National Championships

Frank Duggan

August 12, 2024

Five Riders Earn Number-One Plates And More In The Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final At Road America’s Briggs & Stratton Motorplex.

The final day of racing in the MotoAmerica Mission Mini Cup By Motul National Final on Sunday, saw racers from across the nation face the challenge of a new course layout at the Briggs & Stratton Motorplex at Road America. When the final checkered flag was thrown five riders claimed national titles in the first running of Mini Cup National Final.

Champions Crowned In The Inaugural Motoamerica Mini Cup National Championships — (From left to right) We proudly present your 2024 Mission Foods MotoAmerica Mini Cup By Motul National Champions Jase Dill (GP 160 Champion); Gabriel Datis (Stock 110 Champion); Mahdi Salem (GP 190 Champion); Chase Jazikoff (Stock 50 Champion) and Cameron Jones (Street GP Champion). Photo by Larry Lawrence

As they did on Saturday, riders raced two legs on Sunday, and on a different circuit at the Motorplex, and the total of four rounds determined the overall class champions.

On Sunday, riders and spectators were greeted by picture-perfect weather with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s.

TopPro Racing’s Gabriel Datis was the first rider to complete a clean sweep when he clinched the Stock 110 Championship with a perfect score racing his Kawasaki. Team Sorrentino’s Blake Sorrentino finished second in the class and Beastmode Racing’s Christian Berlowitz took third.

“It feels really great to be a champion,” Datis said. “I felt a little pressure in that last race, but I just kept working and putting in good laps.”

Riders Club’s Mahdi Salem faced a much stiffer challenge on Sunday in the GP 190 class. Ohvale USA’s Kensei Matsudaira led the early laps of race three on Sunday, before Mahdi took control late. The two saved the best for last in race two, with several passes for the lead and Mahdi not securing his fourth consecutive win until a pass for the lead on the last set of turns. It was easily the most exciting race of the weekend and Kensei ended up turning in the fastest race lap of the day in any class with a 52.391-second lap in race two during their epic battle.

“I wasn’t going to pass him [Matsudaira] on the last lap where I did, but I got a good drive down that straight and had a lot of speed,” said Mahdi, who is set to begin his first year of high school this fall. “I almost hit his rear tire when I came up on him, but I was able to sweep by at the last second to take the win.”

Kensei finished runner-up in GP 190 with all second-place finishes and Williams Dalu took third.

Apex Racing’s Chase Jazikoff won the Stock 50 Championship with a perfect sweep of four races. Jazikoff endured a great challenge from CTR/Roof Systems’ Cruise Texter in both of Sunday’s races, with Cruise leading portions of both. Cruise’s strong Sunday earned him second in the Stock 50 class championship just ahead of Lucky 13’s Bron Macanga.

Ohvale USA’s Jase Dill was another rider with a perfect score at the end of the weekend in the GP 160 class. Historic GP’s Connor Raymond kept Dill honest by staying close in the final race on Sunday. Raymond, with four-straight runner-up results, was second in the overall and Datis was third. That made Datis the only rider in the championship to finish on the podium in two different classes.

CJR Performance’s Cameron Jones went unchallenged in the Street GP class on his very quick Honda Grom. Jones took convincing wins in all four rounds over the weekend in an unrestricted age class where the dads can race.

Prado and L.coenen Emerge as Kings of The MXGP of Sweden

Frank Duggan

August 12, 2024

Under beautiful Scandinavian sunshine, the MXGP of Sweden provided some incredible action at the Glimminge Motorstadion circuit near Uddevalla, as a constantly drying track provided a totally different challenge than the previous GP, as well as the one to come!

With temperatures unusually high for the northernmost MXGP event of the season, the event was to be a test of mental fitness and concentration on the hard-packed, loose surface, and fans from all over Scandinavia and Europe created a stunning atmosphere as the smoke flares and the noise machines cranked up around the rocky valley! A special mention has to go to home hero Isak Gifting, who wore a toy Viking helmet over his race one, as well as a Swedish flag cape, for the sighting lap of each race on his JK Racing Yamaha, provoking a wonderful response from the crowd that obviously inspired him for when the gate dropped!

The MXGP class delivered amazing racing again, and it was the turn of Jorge Prado to show his overtaking prowess as he took a double victory for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing to further close the gap at the top of the Championship between himself and Team HRC’s Tim Gajser.

The momentum in the MX2 World Championship shifted again, as Lucas Coenen delivered an imperious performance for a 1-1 scorecard for Nestaan Husqvarna Factory Racing, with his Championship leading teammate Kay de Wolf missing the podium to make that points gap smaller as well!

After Saturday’s RAM Qualifying Race proved that the start would be vital on a tough hard-pack circuit, none of the Championship contenders were in the top three as the riders charged into the opening few corners! Instead, although Romain Febvre grabbed the Fox Holeshot Award for Kawasaki Racing Team, it was that home hero Isak Gifting who took the lead as they headed into turn two! The noise from the Swedish fans was deafening as Isak enjoyed a glorious few laps at the front of the pack!

Jeremy Seewer, winner of the last two GPs at this circuit, had pushed past his teammate Febvre to run second, but Gifting was on a mission to keep the lead for as long as possible! Meanwhile, RAM Qualifying Race winner Gajser had clashed with Jeffrey Herlings in the second corner, forcing the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing man wide! Just as on Saturday, “The Bullet” would have to fight through the pack to limit the damage to his Championship challenge, although Prado had not helped his cause with an uncharacteristically average start, battling his way to fifth before the end of the first full lap.

It took until lap four for Seewer to finally demote Gifting from the lead of the race, and the next couple of laps saw Gajser, Prado, and Febvre also move past the Swede. Prado pulled a nice move into the corner at the end of the Pit Lane straight, and was in prime position when Gajser had to make a forceful move on Seewer to take the lead! Following the Slovenian past the Swiss, the reigning Champ advanced on the red plate holder, and suddenly pulled the same pass as he had on Gifting to take the lead from the surprised Gajser at the end of lap 13!

Herlings was making a slow recovery at this time, having passed Gifting for sixth on lap eight, but it took him another seven laps before he could get around Calvin Vlaanderen, the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MXGP rider who had fallen in front of him on Saturday. “The Bullet” made a late run at Seewer for fourth, but stalled on the final lap and had to settle for fifth ahead of Vlaanderen, with Gifting a very popular seventh!

Gajser continued to press Prado for the lead but could not prevent the Spaniard from taking his 13th GP race win of the season, with the GASGAS man celebrating the fact that he won by passing several riders, which is not his normal method!

In race two, it was back to his usual tactics. Beaten to the Fox Holeshot Award by a tyre’s width to Fantic Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff, the reigning Champ was instantly in control, although again the crowd bellowed their support for Gifting, who was in second by turn two, although the time up front was to be much more short-lived for the Swede.

Herlings eased passed Gifting on the run down to the fourth corner after the start, and looked like he was setting up to chase Prado down again. Gajser had to go with his Championship rivals and was also past the Swede early on, but then after a pitched battle with Schmicker Racing KTM’s Cornelius Toendel, Isak held on to fourth all the way to lap twelve, when finally the pressure of the factory riders took its toll.

Vlaanderen, Febvre, and Coldenhoff all went past the JK Racing man on lap twelve, and the Swede would eventually claim tenth place to secure eighth overall. Febvre quickly snatched fourth from Vlaanderen in that Pit Lane corner, and the top six would stay that way until the chequered flag, with Team Ship to Cycle Honda Motoblouz SR teamsters Kevin Horgmo and Valentin Guillod finishing seventh and ninth, sandwiching a disappointed Seewer. Jan Pancar finished eleventh in the race to secure tenth overall for the TEM JP253 KTM team.

Herlings couldn’t make any inroads into Prado’s lead, with a late charge curtailed by a near crash that bruised his hand, and his second place secured a podium finish behind Gajser and Prado, who was over 14 seconds clear as he began celebrating his first ever GP win in Sweden!

They return to Herlings’ home sand next weekend at Arnhem, with Prado now 17 points behind Gajser in the standings, while “The Bullet” faces a 48-point deficit to the Slovenian with five Grands Prix remaining. Anything is still possible, and the fight is very much still on!

Jorge Prado: “It was a great weekend for me. I knew I had to be right on my 100% to get overall here, and that’s what I did. I made it tough for myself in that first race with a very bad start, but the second race I managed to get out of the gate in a good way and break hard into the first corner, then had good opening laps and managing the race. Track was very tough, we were riding on a good pace so super happy. Let’s move on to the sand and hopefully get another win over there”

Tim Gajser: “I mean, I felt solid today, you know. I had a good first race, but there was just one mistake that I made and I just left the door so open when Jorge (Prado) passed me. That was my mistake, but anyway, the pace was good. The second race was sketchy, also the lappers, you know, like a couple of times I had to slow down. But anyway, you know, a solid weekend, good points for the championship and I’m really looking forward to the next one!”

Jeffrey Herlings: “I think I’m okay on the last lap, just a table top before the waves, I came out of the turn, there was a lot of big kickers in there and I was with my hand between the handlebars so it’s quite swollen out. But race-wise it was OK, I had a lot of bad luck with Calvin (Vlaanderen) crashing in the RAM Qualifying heat right in front of me and nowhere to go. First race had a really good start and got pushed out of the track and again I lost many positions so definitely the luck wasn’t on my side. But the second race, the speed was good and I come out with another podium but for the championship it was not the best”

MXGP – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), 35:08.557; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:00.809; 3. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:06.860; 4. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +0:09.811; 5. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:13.203; 6. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:31.367; 7. Isak Gifting (SWE, Yamaha), +0:37.674; 8. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), +0:39.113; 9. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +0:40.347; 10. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +0:41.563

MXGP – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GASGAS), 34:35.275; 2. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), +0:14.445; 3. Tim Gajser (SLO, Honda), +0:18.918; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, Kawasaki), +0:54.273; 5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, Yamaha), +0:56.586; 6. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, Fantic), +1:00.561; 7. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, Honda), +1:02.431; 8. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, Kawasaki), +1:04.136; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, Honda), +1:19.134; 10. Isak Gifting (SWE, Yamaha), +1:20.054

MXGP Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 50 points; 2. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 42 p.; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 38 p.; 4. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 38 p.; 5. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 31 p.; 6. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 31 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 27 p.; 8. Isak Gifting (SWE, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 23 p.; 10. Jan Pancar (SLO, KTM), 23 p

MXGP – World Championship – Top 10 Classification: 1. Tim Gajser (SLO, HON), 757 points; 2. Jorge Prado (ESP, GAS), 740 p.; 3. Jeffrey Herlings (NED, KTM), 709 p.; 4. Calvin Vlaanderen (NED, YAM), 538 p.; 5. Jeremy Seewer (SUI, KAW), 516 p.; 6. Romain Febvre (FRA, KAW), 451 p.; 7. Glenn Coldenhoff (NED, FAN), 447 p.; 8. Kevin Horgmo (NOR, HON), 335 p.; 9. Valentin Guillod (SUI, HON), 301 p.; 10. Pauls Jonass (LAT, HON), 274 p

MXGP – Manufacturers Classification: 1. Honda, 774 points; 2. GASGAS, 740 p.; 3. KTM, 721 p.; 4. Kawasaki, 640 p.; 5. Yamaha, 581 p.; 6. Fantic, 484 p.; 7. Husqvarna, 228 p.; 8. Beta, 149 p

While Kay De Wolf had looked imperious on Saturday, events were not to give him such an easy ride on Grand Prix Sunday, as the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing machine of Simon Laengenfelder powered to the Fox Holeshot and led from Lucas Coenen and Monster Energy Triumph Racing’s Mikkel Haarup. De Wolf made his own mistake in the second corner and ran off the track, putting himself back to around 15th position and with a fight on his hands!

Meanwhile, Lucas Coenen was in no mood to hang around. With a glorious retro livery to pay homage to the Swedish heritage of the Husqvarna brand, he fired up the inside of Laengenfelder around the first corner at the start of the second full lap and was never caught by anyone from there. Meanwhile, De Wolf crashed down the order on his second lap to make matters even worse for the red plate holder.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing duo of Liam Everts and Andrea Adamo held down fourth and fifth throughout the race, with Camden McLellan putting a second Monster Energy Triumph into the top six. His teammate Haarup carried over his speed from Saturday and moved past Laengenfelder for second on lap ten.

De Wolf had to work hard on a tough circuit and fought past the Monster Energy Yamaha Factory MX2 pairing of Rick Elzinga and Karlis Reisulis to claim seventh at the flag and lose 11 points to Lucas, whose brother Sacha Coenen was detuned after a big crash in Warm-Up and finished in tenth spot. Lucas’ winning margin was a solid seven seconds from a delighted Haarup and last year’s Uddevalla winner Laengenfelder.

The German GASGAS man again launched into the lead to claim his seventh Fox Holeshot Award of the year, and after fighting past a spirited Adamo, Lucas Coenen again set his sights on utter domination, snapping past Laengenfelder at the end of lap two this time. Adamo moved up to second a couple of laps later, while De Wolf was in fifth position, trying to chase down Everts.

The track seemed to be giving the riders a few problems and there were an unusually low number of passes being attempted throughout the top ten. Even getting past lapped riders was proving to be an issue, as Lucas Coenen had his scariest moment avoiding one who had stalled on the first corner, and De Wolf had to reach out an arm in mid-air to avoid a collision with one over a huge tabletop jump in front of the packed hillsides!

De Wolf was finally able to drive past Everts for fourth on lap twelve of nineteen, as Haarup could not advance from sixth to leave himself off the podium in fourth overall. Ferruccio Zanchi took seventh for Team HRC after a DNF in race one, McLellan eighth, and Elzinga fought off his younger teammate Reisulis as they came home ninth and tenth.

It was all about Lucas Coenen, however, as he took home his fifth GP win of the year to rebuild his momentum and slash De Wolf’s points lead from 67 before today to 49. After missing Lommel due to his Loket injuries, Adamo showed true grit to claim second overall ahead of Laengenfelder, who climbed his third straight podium to consolidate his third place in the series.

Lucas Coenen: “Of course, it was a good weekend! I needed to bounce back and I did it. So it was perfect. Won the two races. I was just riding smooth out there and had a lot of fun on the track. So yeah, it was better than yesterday, so very positive. Now we keep on building for the Netherlands and we’ll see you guys there.”

Andrea Adamo: “I did struggle so much in RAM Quali race, and I had completely no fire to ride well but today in the first race it was already better. Then in the second one, it was a long time I think since I was riding this smooth and this fast so I’m really really happy. Lucas (Coenen) was fast. I had a good battle with Simon (Laengenfelder), but then the race stayed pretty static. because I was in second and quite far from the lead and also Simon was quite far behind me. So that was nice and I hope to keep going on this on this way”

Simon Laengenfelder: I think this one was a tough one, especially to find all the good lines, to be always perfect, and make no mistakes because you needed to hit the lines perfectly straight. Otherwise, with that stony ground, it’s really easy to make a mistake but I could avoid that in the end. straight. I didn’t have the speed to win but I think I was consistent and I’m happy about that”

MX2 – Grand Prix Race 1 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), 34:58.112; 2. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Triumph), +0:07.163; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:12.891; 4. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:14.217; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:47.235; 6. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:50.887; 7. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:52.471; 8. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +1:08.937; 9. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +1:15.671; 10. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), +1:27.442

MX2 – Grand Prix Race 2 – Top 10 Classification: 1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, Husqvarna), 34:39.588; 2. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), +0:05.003; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GASGAS), +0:06.761; 4. Kay de Wolf (NED, Husqvarna), +0:07.375; 5. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), +0:22.323; 6. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, Triumph), +0:27.740; 7. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, Honda), +0:33.660; 8. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, Triumph), +0:34.783; 9. Rick Elzinga (NED, Yamaha), +0:40.382; 10. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, Yamaha), +0:42.612

MX2 Overall – Top 10 Classification: 1. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 50 points; 2. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 40 p.; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 40 p.; 4. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 37 p.; 5. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 32 p.; 6. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 32 p.; 7. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 28 p.; 8. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 25 p.; 9. Karlis Alberts Reisulis (LAT, YAM), 23 p.; 10. David Braceras (ESP, FAN), 20 p

MX2 – World Championship Classification: 1. Kay de Wolf (NED, HUS), 725 points; 2. Lucas Coenen (BEL, HUS), 676 p.; 3. Simon Laengenfelder (GER, GAS), 653 p.; 4. Liam Everts (BEL, KTM), 594 p.; 5. Mikkel Haarup (DEN, TRI), 511 p.; 6. Andrea Adamo (ITA, KTM), 498 p.; 7. Rick Elzinga (NED, YAM), 457 p.; 8. Sacha Coenen (BEL, KTM), 415 p.; 9. Camden Mc Lellan (RSA, TRI), 274 p.; 10. Ferruccio Zanchi (ITA, HON), 273 p

MX2 – Manufacturers Classification: 1. Husqvarna, 821 points; 2. KTM, 725 p.; 3. GASGAS, 660 p.; 4. Triumph, 546 p.; 5. Yamaha, 518 p.; 6. Honda, 308 p.; 7. Kawasaki, 278 p.; 8. Fantic, 215 p.; 9. TM, 52 p

MXGP OF SWEDEN QUICK FACTS:
Circuit length: 1586m
Type of ground: Hard Pack
Temperature: 29°
Weather conditions: Sunny
Crowd Attendance: 24,000

For more news check out our dedicated MXGP/MX2 News page

Or visit the official MXGP website mxgp.com

Sharpshooter Toprak makes it 13

Frank Duggan

August 11, 2024

Tissot Superpole Race Highlights
Toprak Razgatlioglu made WorldSBK history by winning his 12th consecutive race. The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team rider was one of the few front runners to use the harder rear tyre during the shorter 10 lap race but took the lead at Turn 1 on Lap 2 and was never challenged there after. Razgatlioglu held a comfortable three second lead by the time he took the flag and celebrated his milestone victory

A first career Superpole Race podium for Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) continued his strong Portuguese Round.

From the middle of the front row Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) once again made a good start. He held onto second position for the first half of the race before Petrucci and Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) came past him. On the final lap Lowes was able to surprise van der Mark at Turn 8 and held off his former teammate to the line by just 0.021s

Race 2 Highlights
While it was another hat-trick for Razgatlioglu this was a challenging race. A clash with Alex Lowes on Lap 6 saw the right wing ripped off the BMW. With the balance of his bike changed Razgatlioglu struggled in the longer corners and was under attack from Bautista and Bulega

Bautista was the closest challenger but the Spaniard crashed at Turn 5 on Lap 15. Having been able to set the fastest lap of the race the Ducati rider was charging and chasing down Razgatlioglu’s lead. Having taken the lead Razgatlioglu shot back at Turn 4 before Bautista’s mistake. The double World Champion was chasing his first win since the Superpole Race at Assen. The Ducati star remounted but finished outside the points

There were eight changes of the lead over the course of the 20 lap race. For the first time since 2021 Michael van der Mark led a race with the BMW rider eventually finishing in seventh position after a race long battle with Petrucci and Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha)

Bulega continued his run of finishing on the podium at every round this season. The reigning WorldSSP champion started from fifth position on the grid but dropped to sixth position at one third distance before recovering through the leading group to get into the podium positions at half distance. After Bautista’s crash it was Bulega’s turn to carry the baton for Ducati and while he led the race he wasn’t able to claim the win. Just 0.035s separated Bulega from a second win of the season

Alex Lowes led three laps and was running comfortably in fourth position when Bautista crashed. Elevated to the podium he opened a gap of 2.5s to Iannone at the flag. The Englishman now trails Bautista by just ten points for third in the standings

Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) enjoyed a strong day. Having finished ninth in the Superpole Race the rookie was able to have a combative race in the evening to finish as the leading Independent Rider in fourth position

Race 2 winner: Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
Race fastest lap: Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) – 1’40.753

P1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team
“This race was very difficult. It wasn’t easy to ride with the strong wind but I kept fighting. In the last sector I was struggling and I was always slower in the last corner. I gave it everything, and we won again. This is my 13th win in a row and my 54th in total. I’m very happy after today. It’s been an incredible weekend for me and the team. Everybody is working very hard and we want to continue like this for the next race in Magny-Cours!”

P2 | Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“This was one of the most difficult weekends I’ve had this season. I felt sick all weekend but I never gave up. I tried to improve every time I was out on the bike. My team did a great job too. Unfortunately, I lost the battle with Toprak. There was almost nothing between us at the end but this was my first race weekend here in WorldSBK. I’m happy. It’s always nice to be on the podium.”

P3 | Alex Lowes | Kawasaki Racing Team
“This is a track that I enjoy. IThe bike works really well here but, onestly, it was a hard race for us. The wind changed and it was so physical. The bike was moving a lot but I think I had some strong areas of the track all weekend. That was great because I was able to make some overtaking moves. Against the two Ducatis and Toprak I just didn’t have the speed. I made a couple of mistakes too because the bike was moving so much. The braking was a bit inconsistent for me but I’m not going to complain too much! To have two podiums today is fantastic for the team.”

DNF | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“The feeling with the bike is coming back. Yesterday, we had a very bad start but finished second. I was the second fastest on track in the Superpole Race. In Race 2 I lost a lot of ground at the start but the feeling was similar to yesterday. The conditions were a bit tricky today because the wind was too strong. I understood more or less how the wind was affecting the track but the feeling with the bike was good. Today was the first time this season that I really felt strong. At that moment, I thought maybe I could relax for a few laps and then attack but it’s been a long time since I’ve fought for victory, so I wanted to put on a bit of a show. I wanted to have some fun, and play a little with Toprak. Unfortunately, in Turn 5, he passed me and went a bit wide. I tried to get back to the line but I lost the front. It’s a bit of a pity because the performance was really good. Now, we need to reset and start fresh with this feeling on the bike.”

WorldSBK Race 2 Results
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.035
3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +6.299
4. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +9.715
5. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +11.318
6. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +11.428

Championship Standings
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 365 points
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 273 points
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 223 points

WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race Results
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +2.980s
3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +3.251s

For more info checkout our dedicated World Superbike News page World Superbike News

Or visit the official World Superbike website WorldSBK.com

Huertas’ Title Lead Takes a Hit

Frank Duggan

August 11, 2024

A fourth win of the season from Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) capped off a near perfect weekend for the Italian rider.

Having started from pole position, courtesy of his fastest lap in Race 1, he led the early laps before championship leader Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) came through to take the lead

A crash at Turn 5 for Huertas on Lap 9 saw the Spaniard drop outside the points before recovering to score points in 12th position. That limited the damage in the championship but having led by 41 points going into Race 2 it now stands at 20 points with five rounds remaining

Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) profited from Huertas misfortune to take second position in the race. It was a Yamaha battle for the runner-up spot on the podium with Valentin Debise looking much stronger in Race 2 to fight with Manzi. The Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team rider claimed his third rostrum finish of the season

A five rider battle was headed by Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) after a race long battle with Glenn van Straalen and Can Oncu before Marcel Schroetter and John McPhee joined in during the closing laps. A clash with McPhee saw Schroetter given a one place penalty and dropped to eighth position for the rider in fifth in the championship standings

Race 2 winner: Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
Race fastest lap: Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)– 1’43.578s

P1 | Yari Montella | Barni Spark Racing Team
“This is amazing! It’s incredible. I’m sorry about Adrian’s crash but the problem was that the track was completely different compared to yesterday because of the win. The pace was so fast but there was a lot of wind and less grip. At the beginning of the race I tried to push hard like I did yesterday but I couldn’t. Instead when Adrian overtook me I focused on following him because I thought it might be better to follow someone. Today was incredible and I want to say thank you to my team!”

WorldSSP Race 2 Results
1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Prometeon Ten Kate Racing) +5.897s
3. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +9.487s
4. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +12.436s
5. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +19.187s
6. Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +19.912s

Championship Standings
1. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 260 points
2. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 240 points
3. Stefano Manzi (Pata Prometeon Ten Kate Racing) 219 points

For more info checkout our dedicated World Supersport News page superbike-news.co.uk/world-supersport/

Or visit the official World Superbike website worldsbk.com

Double top for Gennai as Veneman takes the championship lead

Frank Duggan

August 11, 2024

A double win for Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki) was hard fought after a race long battle at the front of the field.

A five rider group group away from the pack in the early stages and traded the lead six times before Gennai established himself at the front. A winning margin of two tenths of a second vaulted Gennai to fourth in the championship standings

It was a one two for the MTM Kawasaki team with Loris Veneman also taking the championship lead for the first time. The Dutch rider narrowly pipped Julio Garcia Gonzalez by just two thousands of a second

For much of the race it seemed that the KOVE Racing Team could have a chance of their first win in WorldSSP300. Eventually Garcia Gonzalez and Marc Garcia had to settle for third and fourth at the flag

Championship leader Inigo Iglesias retired from the race in the early stages. The Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki rider left Portugal without scoring any points. The Spanish rider, winner of two races this year, is now ten points behind Veneman.

Race 2 winner: Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki)
Race fastest lap: Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) – 1’54.988s

P1 | Mirko Gennai | MTM Kawasaki
“Race 2 was fantastic. The entire weekend was fantastic and to share the podium with my teammate Loris is amazing. It’s great for me, it’s great for him but also it’s great for the team. I did a perfect job this week. Everything was fantastic for me. The bike and the feeling were great so I’m very happy. Today’s race was a bit slower and cooler than yesterday so it became more about strategy. I tried to stay behind to save my tyre for the last lap. I’m very happy with the weekend.”
WorldSSP300 Race 2 Results
1. Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki)
2. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) +0.214s
3. Julio Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) +0.216s
4. Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) +0.300s
5. Elia Bartolini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSSP300 Team) +0.388s
6. Daniel Mogeda (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kawasaki) +7.334s

Championship Standings
1. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) 139 points
2. Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) 129 points
3. Aldi Mahendra (Team BrCorse) 128 points

For more info checkout our dedicated World Supersport 300 News page superbike-news.co.uk/world-supersport-300/

Or visit the official World Superbike website worldsbk.com

Vickers Completes Thruxton Double with Masterful Race 3 Victory

Matt Anthony

August 11, 2024

Ryan Vickers capped off a remarkable weekend at Thruxton by securing his second win of the day in the final race of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship’s seventh round. The OMG GRILLA Yamaha rider demonstrated his mastery of the high-speed Hampshire circuit, leading from start to finish in a commanding performance.

Race Highlights

Vickers, starting from pole position, got off to a flying start and never relinquished his lead throughout the 20-lap contest. Despite constant pressure from Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha), Vickers held his nerve to cross the line just 0.150 seconds ahead of his rival.

The battle for the final podium spot was equally intense, with Billy McConnell (C&L Fairburn / Look Forward Racing Honda) emerging victorious in third place, 2.103 seconds behind the winner. McConnell’s impressive ride saw him climb seven positions from his starting grid of 10th.

Top 5 Finishers:

Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha) – 25:34.560
Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) – +0.150
Billy McConnell (C&L Fairburn / Look Forward Racing Honda) – +2.103
Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha) – +2.999
Charlie Nesbitt (MasterMac Honda) – +3.016

Notable Performances

Charlie Nesbitt put in a stellar performance, finishing 5th and setting the fastest lap of the race with a time of 1:15.845.
Tommy Bridewell maintained his consistent form with a 6th place finish, keeping him in contention for the championship.
Lewis Rollo was the top performer in the Pirelli National Superstock class, finishing 11th overall and first in class.

Championship Standings

Despite Vickers’ double victory at Thruxton, Tommy Bridewell continues to lead the championship. Here are the current standings after Round 7:

Tommy Bridewell (Honda Racing UK) 248
Kyle Ryde (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 223
Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati) 213
Glenn Irwin (Hager PBM Ducati) 201
Ryan Vickers (OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing) 198
Danny Kent (McAMS Racing Yamaha) 178
Leon Haslam (ROKiT Haslam Racing BMW Motorrad) 145
Jason O’Halloran (Completely Motorbikes Kawasaki) 142
Lee Jackson (MasterMac Honda) 119
Josh Brookes (FHO Racing BMW Motorrad) 118

Championship Implications

Vickers’ double victory at Thruxton has significantly boosted his championship aspirations, moving him to within 50 points of leader Bridewell. The consistent performances of Ryde and Iddon keep the title fight wide open as the series moves into its latter stages.

Looking Ahead

With Vickers showcasing such dominant form at Thruxton, all eyes will be on the OMG GRILLA Yamaha team to see if they can maintain this momentum at the next round. The close racing and multiple different winners this season promise an exciting conclusion to the 2024 Bennetts British Superbike Championship.

As the paddock packs up from an action-packed weekend at Thruxton, teams and riders will be looking to regroup and strategize for the challenges that lie ahead in the remaining rounds of this thrilling championship.

Carrasco triumphs at the end of a nail-biting WorldWCR ‘sprint’ at Portimao

Frank Duggan

August 11, 2024

Race 2 Highlights:
In a restarted and shortened WorldWCR Race 2, it was Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) who powered the Yamaha YZF-R7 to victory to secure her second success of the season.

Saturday’s race winner Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) was relegated to the third step of the rostrum after both Carrasco and Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) were able to pass her in the final seconds in an edge-of-the-seat finale.

After Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport), Nicole Van Aswegen (Andalaft Racing) and Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) crashed on lap one, the race was red-flagged and restarted a few minutes later, though reduced to just 7 laps.

In a repeat of Race 1, it was the Spanish quartet comprising Carrasco, Sanchez, Herrera and Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) who again built an early lead over the rest of the pack in the restarted race.

Neila just missed the podium today, while Italian Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) and Spaniard Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) placed P5 and P6 after each running a relatively solitary race.

Herrera and Carrasco were the weekend’s top points scorers, each banking another 41 championship points with a first- and a third-place finish apiece.

Relph and Van Aswegen were taken to the circuit medical centre following their Turn 3 incident. The Australian has sustained an injury to her left lower leg, while the South African has been transferred to hospital with a suspected right femur fracture, thigh wound, and right shoulder dislocation.

Key Points:
Race 1 winner: Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team)
Race 2 winner: Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team)
Race fastest lap: Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) – 1’53.691 (Race 1)

P1 | Ana Carrasco | Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team
“I’m really happy to take the victory today, particularly after yesterday’s Race 1 when I was a little disappointed to have a few problems. My team worked hard to solve those issues for today though, and I felt much better when race 2 got underway. It was a shame about the red flag, but my strategy remained the same when the race restarted – I knew the last sector was my best, so my goal was to get into second and then try to pass Maria just before the finish line. We’re now really close in terms of points and so we’ll try to continue in this way as we prepare for the next round. It’s difficult to gain a lot of points over any one weekend, but we’ll do what we can to keep the championship alive to the final round. If we can be at a good level at Cremona and be in the mix to win races, then we can be in the fight for the title at the end.”

P2 | Sara Sanchez | 511 Terra&Vita Racing Team
“Like yesterday, we had another very hard race today in very hot conditions. We also only had seven laps in which to make the difference after the race was restarted. I finished second in the end, a result I’m very happy with of course, but I know I need to improve my starts if I want to be in a better position right from the beginning of the races.”

P3 | Maria Herrera | Klint Forward Factory Team
“I think I ran a perfect race but the straight was my weak point and so Ana and Sara chose the right moment to pass me. I’m a little disappointed with today’s result, to be honest, but I have to be satisfied overall as we’re still leading the championship. Next we go to Cremona, a track that has another long straight, so we need to find the way to tackle that. I’m fast through the corners but I we need to focus on those areas where we still have room to improve moving forward.”

Mossey Triumphs in Thrilling Thruxton Superstock Battle

Matt Anthony

August 11, 2024

Luke Mossey showcased his racing prowess at Thruxton Circuit on Sunday, clinching victory in a closely contested Race 2 of the Pirelli National Superstock with Moneybarn Vehicle Finance championship.

Race Highlights

Mossey, piloting his Honda for the Milenco by Padgetts Motorcycles team, battled through the field from his third-place starting position to take the checkered flag after 15 intense laps. The win didn’t come easy, with Mossey crossing the line just 0.492 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

Josh Owens (IN Competition / SENCAT Aprilia) put in a stellar performance, climbing from 8th on the grid to secure second place. Tim Neave (MasterMac Honda) rounded out the podium, dropping two positions from his pole start but maintaining his strong form from the weekend.

Top 5 Finishers:

Luke Mossey (Honda) – 19:15.042
Josh Owens (Aprilia) – +0.492
Tim Neave (Honda) – +0.679
Shaun Winfield (Honda) – +5.645
Joe Talbot (Honda) – +5.991

Notable Performances and Incidents

Joe Talbot set the fastest lap of the race with a blistering 1:16.048, demonstrating the pace of his SAF INTRADISC Honda.
Scott Swann, who had shown strong form earlier in the weekend, unfortunately retired from the race after completing 14 laps.
Tom Oliver received a 2-second penalty for cutting the course at Turn 12/13/14 on Lap 4, impacting his final position.
Jake Hopper was hit with two separate 2-second penalties for course cuts on Laps 8 and 13.

Championship Implications

This result is likely to shake up the championship standings, with Mossey’s victory boosting his title aspirations. The consistent performances of Owens and Neave also see them solidifying their positions in the points table.

Looking Ahead

As the Pirelli National Superstock championship moves forward, the close racing witnessed at Thruxton promises an exciting season ahead. The next round will see riders looking to build on their performances and challenge for the top spots in the championship.

The variety of manufacturers in the top positions – with Honda, Aprilia, and BMW all featuring in the top 10 – highlights the competitive nature of the Superstock class and sets the stage for more thrilling battles in the races to come.

Vickers Surges to Victory in Action-Packed Thruxton Sprint

Matt Anthony

August 11, 2024

Ryan Vickers delivered a masterclass in overtaking at Thruxton, climbing from 15th on the grid to claim a stunning victory in the second race of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship weekend. The OMG GRILLA Yamaha Racing rider’s performance kept spectators on the edge of their seats throughout a dramatic and interrupted race.

Race Drama and Restarts

The race began with pole-sitter Max Cook leading the charge, but it was quickly red-flagged after Glenn Irwin suffered a massive highside at Campbell. The restart saw Storm Stacey briefly lead before another incident involving Alex Olsen and Franco Bourne at Village brought out the BMW Safety Car.

With the race condensed to a five-lap sprint, the stage was set for a thrilling finale. Cook held the lead until the penultimate lap when Vickers made his decisive move, passing both Cook and Josh Brookes to take control of the race.

Podium Shake-up

Max Cook held on for an impressive second place, marking his first podium finish in Bennetts BSB and becoming the 13th different rider to stand on the rostrum this season. Danny Kent made a late charge to snatch the final podium spot on the last lap, denying Josh Brookes what would have been his first podium of the season.

Notable Performances

Ryan Vickers’ charge from 15th to 1st highlighted his exceptional race craft and the competitiveness of the OMG GRILLA Yamaha.

Max Cook’s maiden podium showcased the young rider’s potential and adaptability to the challenging Thruxton circuit.

Danny Kent’s last-lap heroics demonstrated the McAMS Racing Yamaha’s strong race pace.

Josh Brookes, while missing out on the podium, secured his best result of the season in fourth.

Championship Implications

With the top eight finishers separated by just over 2.5 seconds, the race highlighted the incredibly tight competition in BSB. The result is likely to have significant implications for the championship standings, with several title contenders finishing in the points.

As the dust settles on this thrilling sprint race, attention now turns to the final race of the weekend, where riders will be looking to capitalize on their learnings from this shortened but action-packed encounter.

Swann Dominates Thruxton Superstock Saturday

Matt Anthony

August 11, 2024

Scott Swann showcased his prowess at the high-speed Thruxton Circuit on Saturday, dominating both qualifying and the race in the Pirelli National Superstock with Moneybarn Vehicle Finance championship.

Qualifying: Swann Sets the Pace

The morning qualifying session saw Swann (Swann Racing Honda) claim pole position with a blistering lap of 1:15.270. Luke Mossey (Milenco by Padgetts Motorcycles Honda) secured second place, just 0.147 seconds behind, while Tim Neave (MasterMac Honda) completed the front row.

The top 10 qualifiers were:

Scott Swann (Honda) – 1:15.270
Luke Mossey (Honda) – 1:15.417
Tim Neave (Honda) – 1:15.993
Davey Todd (BMW) – 1:16.065
Jamie Perrin (Honda) – 1:16.241
David Allingham (BMW) – 1:16.244
Josh Owens (Aprilia) – 1:16.313
Joe Talbot (Honda) – 1:16.322
Matt Truelove (Honda) – 1:16.328
Ash Beech (Honda) – 1:16.475

Race: Swann Converts Pole to Victory

The afternoon’s 14-lap race saw Swann convert his pole position into a commanding victory. Despite the challenging nature of Thruxton’s fast, flowing layout, Swann maintained his composure to cross the line 1.116 seconds ahead of Luke Mossey.

Race Results:

Scott Swann (Honda) – 17:55.839
Luke Mossey (Honda) – +1.116
Tim Neave (Honda) – +2.553
David Allingham (BMW) – +3.400
Davey Todd (BMW) – +3.581

Tim Neave’s third-place finish was particularly impressive, as he not only secured a podium but also set a new lap record with a time of 1:15.807.

Notable Performances and Incidents

David Allingham made significant progress, moving from 6th on the grid to finish 4th.

Shaun Winfield showed strong race pace, climbing from 17th to finish 8th.
Jamie Perrin, who qualified 5th, unfortunately retired after just 4 laps.
George Edwards received a 2-second time penalty for cutting the course at Turn 12/13/14 on lap 3.
Edmund Best was shown the black and orange flag before the checkered flag, forcing him to retire from the race.

Championship Implications

With this victory, Scott Swann has strengthened his position in the championship standings. The consistent performances of Luke Mossey and Tim Neave also see them solidifying their places near the top of the points table.

Looking Ahead

As the teams and riders analyse data from today’s race, they’ll be looking to make final adjustments for Sunday’s action. With Thruxton’s reputation for being tough on tires, particularly in warm conditions, tire management will be a crucial factor in tomorrow’s race.

Scott Swann will be aiming to replicate his Saturday success, while the chasing pack, led by Mossey and Neave, will be determined to challenge for the top step of the podium. Given the close racing witnessed today, Sunday’s Superstock race promises to be another thrilling spectacle at the UK’s fastest circuit.

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The reigning Champion lays down the gauntlet ahead of the Pramac duo as Marquez lurks in P4 reporting a key step forward.

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Jose Antonio Rueda grabbed Moto3™ P1 at the Red Bull Ring as the Spaniard’s 1:40.171 was good enough to edge out Championship leader David Alonso by 0.051s, with Collin Veijer (Liqui Moly Husqvarna Intact GP) a close P3 with the Dutch star only 0.069s adrift.

The 2024 Principal Insurance Masters Superbike Championship begins its final shoot-out at Mondello Park on the weekend of August 24thand 25th as competitors line up for the first of two events that will decide the 2024 championships.

Rico Salmela sits in pole position for the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup home races in Austria. Alongside the 16-year-old Finn, second fastest, is 17-year-old Alvaro Carpe. Fellow Spaniard, 16-year-old Màximo Quiles completes the Spielberg front row.

A slender 0.066s splits the Spaniards on Friday at the Red Bull Ring ahead of a potentially title-deciding Saturday.

New sub-£200 sports-touring helmet in three exclusive graphics

Cameron Beaubier Leads The Way Over Josh Herrin In Pre-Race Test In Ohio.

GR Motosport have become the first team on two wheels to partner with Halo By Orthene and benefit from the performance advantage of Halo P1, using the high performance brake fluid to take their first win in the British Superbike Championship.

Trackhouse Racing MotoGP Team has reached agreement with Ai Ogura to race for the team in the 2025 and 2026 MotoGP World Championship seasons.

Bigger and better BMW R1300GS Engine Guard from Pyramid

The Supersport Championship Battle Is White Hot As The Series Heads To Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course For The First Time In 10 Years

The R25 is second longest-established product in the Kriega range. Launched back in 2001 it has been a constant in our line up, with only minimal updates until now.

Ten Years Later And MotoAmerica’s Steel Commander Superbike Series Headlines A Return to Mid-Ohio.

Three wins in the last four races has seen the Dynavolt Intact GP MotoE™ star build a 25-point Championship lead, with the chasers now needing to respond

Winning your home Grand Prix is something only a privileged few can say and on Sunday at the British GP, Jake Dixon (CFMOTO Inde Aspar Team) etched his name into Silverstone folklore as we were treated to a stunning fight for the win between the #96 and Aron Canet (Fantic Racing).

The 2024 Principal Insurance Masters Superbike Championship begins its final shoot-out at Mondello Park on the weekend of August 24^thand 25^th as competitors line up for the first of two events that will decide the 2024 championships.