TopPro Racing Announces Sean Dylan Kelly for 2024 Superbike Run

2021 Supersport champion Sean Dylan Kelly is making his return to the MotoAmerica Championship series after a 2 year venture in Moto2. He will ride along side Top Pro Racing team owner Tom Arango. The team will field multiple riders in other class who have not yet been named.

Tom Arango Released the Following Statement

“We have worked tirelessly during the off season to make this team a reality. We interviewed numerous riders to find the best fit for our team which we believe will see us achieve our best results for the 2024 season. Securing Sean (Dylan Kelly) was a priority as we feel he can be very competitive with the BMW package we will be providing. He’s motivated and ready to stand on the box again in the MotoAmerica series.

We are eager to get on track with the entire team as we have a lot of work still to do to prepare over the next few months. We are excited to get the riders on track to test with their new mechanics and aboard their new machines. We have set high expectations for our team going into the season, and believe we have a great group of pilots to achieve great results.”

Sean Dylan Kelly Also Offered his Thoughts on the Move

“I’m excited to race in front of all the fans in the United States again,” said Kelly. “I’ve seen so much success in the MotoAmerica paddock, and I look forward to achieving that success again and connecting with friends I haven’t seen over the past two seasons. I can’t thank team owners Alex Arango and Agustin Sierra enough for this opportunity and I’m excited for the first test aboard my BMW M 1000 RR Superbike.”

TopPro Racing will field multiple riders for the 2024 season. More announcements are to come.

After much speculation, the rumors have been confirmed. PJ Jacobsen will race the No. 15 XPEL Ducati Panigale V2 in the MotoAmerica Supersport class, alongside Kayla Yaakov who will pilot the No. 19 XPEL Ducati Panigale V2. The announcement comes after Team Owner and IndyCar driver Graham Rahal announced the Rahal name would begin a new venture in the world of two wheeled racing back in October.

From Rahal Ducati….

Words from Graham Rahal

“We are incredibly thrilled with the rider lineup we have secured for our inaugural MotoAmerica season. PJ [Jacobsen] has shown incredible talent in his Supersport and Superbike career. We are grateful he was willing to bring his experience to our team to help set the bar as we (attempt to) contend for a championship (in our maiden/inaugural season). Kayla is a young, talented rider, and we are excited for her to showcase her potential during her rookie Supersport season. She will have both PJ and Ben [Spies] to look to for guidance and experience as she grows in her young career.

“We have a lot of work to do in the next few months as a new team to prepare, so we are eager to get the riders to the track to test with their new mechanics and on their new machines. We have high expectations going into the season, and I truly believe we put together a lineup to achieve and exceed the standards we have set for ourselves.”

PJ Jacobsen, formerly of Tytlers Cycle racing is coming off of a successful season in the Superbike class. With Tytlers Cycle Racing ceasing operation it was a natural positive direction to go with PJ taking the reigns with Ducati Rahal. He has the pace, experience and will serve as an excellent mentor for Kayla Yaakov who is just starting to forge her legacy in the motorcycle racing world.

Pj Jacobsen Comments on the Move

“I’m really looking forward to being a part of the Rahal Ducati Moto racing team,” said Jacobsen. “It’s great to be a part of this racing family, and I think it’s very good for my future to be with this amazing group of people. Having Ben Spies back is going to be absolutely awesome to help with riding and the mechanics and strategy of the motorcycle racing. When I heard about the possibility of [Rahal Ducati Moto] coming to the paddock, my eyes lit up because they run such a professional team in car racing, and they will also have a great, professional team in motorcycle racing.

It’s great for our sport to have people like this involved, and again, I’m very honored to get the call from them to be one of the riders to fight for wins and a championship. I’m super excited to get testing started and really, really motivated for the 2024 season – especially after having such a strong Superbike season in 2023. I feel very fit and in top-form in my career right now, and ready to fight for the top honors. Thank you to Graham and the people that truly believe in me. I’m really looking forward to a great 2024 season!”

Kayla Yaakov Also Expressed Her Excitement

“I am extremely excited to be joining the Rahal Ducati Moto team for the 2024 MotoAmerica Supersport season,” said Yaakov. “Being a part of a team with such an iconic backing is a privilege, not only with one of the most prolific motorcycle brands in the world, but also with the Rahal family. Also, having a world champion like Ben Spies in our corner is such an honor. After talking to him for several years, coming together in this team is going to be huge for my progression in this sport! Although it’s a new team that comes with a lot of pressure, I am extremely confident in the abilities of the team and myself for this 2024 season. I can’t wait to get rolling with this amazing crew and am thankful to everyone that has made this possible. I’ll see you on the high banks of Daytona!”

The following article was not written by Speed Trap Magazine Staff

From Mid Ohio Sports Car Course…

LEXINGTON, Ohio (Oct. 31, 2023) – A full repave project of the entire racing surface at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course was completed last week, officials from Green Savoree Racing Promotions, which owns and operates the track, announced today. Ohio-based Kokosing Construction Company, Inc. began initial repair work the week of October 16th, followed by milling the existing track surface on Monday, October 23 and completing the paving of the final asphalt surface layer on Friday, October 27. 

The project was a collaborative effort using the expert services of Kokosing Construction Company, Inc., Kokosing Materials, Inc. and Advanced Materials Services, LLC. Planning and thorough research for the repaving began in 2022 with a test layer placed in Turn 1 for performance evaluation of a racetrack-specific asphalt mixture during the 2023 racing season. The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course racing surface was last repaved starting fall 2005 and completed in spring 2006.

“We were blessed with outstanding weather last week for the crews to complete this major project in a relatively short amount of time,” said Kevin Savoree, co-owner, president and chief operating officer of Green Savoree Racing Promotions. “It was a tremendous accomplishment and collaboration between Kokosing Construction, Kokosing Materials, Advanced Materials Services and our own track operations team to make it happen. We look forward to getting race cars on it for the first time next spring!”

Last week’s work utilized approximately 100 people, 5,000 manpower hours, 15 trucks to remove approximately 6,000 tons (300 truckloads) of old track material and 30 trucks to haul in 6,000 tons of the new asphalt mixture onto the property. The project encompassed 11,550 feet of surface paving, 3,500 feet of various turn reinforcement, 500 feet of full depth repair in the Keyhole and Turn 12 areas and 300 feet of transverse joint repair.

After milling the racing surface, the second step of the process for Kokosing featured asphalt repairs and reinforcement of high stress areas which required additional milling depth. For the final stage, two pavers placed the asphalt surface layer at 40-foot width around the entire circuit, working in echelon (side-by-side pattern) to avoid a centerline joint throughout the track’s 2.258-mile, 13-turn or 2.4-mile, 15-turn layout. The old, milled track material is being recycled and regraded to create additional paddock and parking surface areas on the Mid-Ohio property. 

“Plans for the 2023 project started in 2022, immediately after completing the resurfacing of Turn 1,” said Bart Moody, vice president of asphalt estimating and engineering at Kokosing Construction Company, Inc. “Logistical challenges had to be overcome to produce the mix and perform the work with limited time and access. A full-time truck coordinator was in constant communication with material trucks to ensure they entered and exited the track at the correct locations as work progressed. Crews worked extended hours in order to maintain the schedule that made use of unseasonably warm weather for October in Ohio.”

Aggregates were sourced locally in Ohio from Olen Corporation’s Upper Sandusky and Fredericktown plants. Durable aggregates were selected to withstand the loading applied to the track, and a highly polymerized asphalt binder was produced by Kokosing Materials, Inc. to withstand the high temperatures and stresses. The asphalt mixture used was tested at the Kokosing Materials Asphalt Plant and at the track for a variety of properties such as asphalt content, gradation and density. 

“The stresses on a racetrack, especially road courses with tight turns, are much higher than those typically seen on conventional asphalt pavements,” said Graham Hurley, project engineer at Advanced Materials Services, LLC. “The much stiffer PG 88-22 asphalt binder used counteracts the shear stresses imparted on the track surface by race cars, which prevents any ravelling that may occur. Additionally, the specifications used for this project were much tighter than a traditional highway specification. The target minimum softening temperature for asphalt binder and the target in-place density values were both set higher than conventional specifications for vehicular traffic. Kokosing successfully met these higher conditions with ease.”

The new track surface will be allowed to cure for over five months in advance of the 2024 season. The road course annually hosts a variety of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned race events as well the driving and riding courses provided by The Mid-Ohio School. 

The full schedule and ticket information for the 2024 major spectator events featuring IMSA, SVRA’s SpeedTour, NTT INDYCAR SERIES, American Motorcyclist Association and MotoAmerica will be announced at a later date. Children 12 and under receive free general admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult at all Mid-Ohio events. Visit midohio.com for more information, and follow its Facebook page @MidOhioSportsCarCourse, Twitter at @Mid_Ohio or Instagram at @officialmidohio for the latest news. 

About Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course:
A comprehensive motorsports facility in Lexington, Ohio, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course sits on 380 acres and features a permanent road-racing circuit with two primary race track configurations: 2.4-mile, 15-turn or 2.258-mile, 13-turn layout. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the natural terrain road course is commonly referred to as the “Most Competitive in the U.S.” and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally-sanctioned race events for amateur, club and professional drivers and riders. It is also home to The Mid-Ohio School, featuring over 20 driving and riding courses, for teenagers to professional racers using Honda vehicles. Opened in 1962, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has been owned and operated by Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC since 2011, just the raceway’s third private ownership group in its history.

For more information, visit midohio.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @MidOhioSportsCarCourse or follow updates on Twitter @Mid_Ohio and Instagram @officialmidohio.

About Kokosing:
Kokosing is one of the largest family-owned construction companies in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Known for unwavering integrity and exceptional safety and quality, Kokosing companies provide extensive resources for their customers. Kokosing’s primary business lines include industrial, transportation, pipelines, water and wastewater, marine and renewable energy. Additionally, aggregates and asphalt material suppliers are part of the Kokosing family of companies.

About Advanced Materials Services LLC:
Founded in 2007 and located in Auburn, Alabama, Advanced Materials Services, LLC provides pavement engineering, testing, and consulting services. AMS supports all aspects of flexible pavement design, testing, and construction inspection, particularly for specialty pavements, such as airfields, automotive proving grounds, intermodal facilities, and racetracks. AMS staff have over 60 years of cumulative experience in the development of asphalt specifications, asphalt mixture design, quality assurance support, materials research, and geotechnical engineering. To date, AMS has provided support to over 35 racetracks across the country.

You can find our previous coverage here: Rahal Ducati to the MotoAmerica Grid?

The following article was not written by Speed Trap Magazine Staff

The following is from Rahal Ducati Moto…

Graham Rahal has been part of the auto racing world since before he was born but the six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winner is branching out to the two-wheel racing world with the creation of Rahal Ducati Moto, a two-bike team with his father, 1986 Indy 500 and three-time INDYCAR champion, Bobby, that will compete in the Supersport class of MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series. The riders of the two Ducati Panigale V2s will be announced at a later date.

XPEL, a leading provider of protective films and coatings, including automotive paint protection film, surface protection film, automotive and commercial/residential window films, and ceramic coatings, will be the primary sponsor for the bikes in a multi-year deal. The San Antonio-based company also has a relationship with Rahal Paint Protection and the Bobby Rahal Automotive Group.

For as long as Graham Rahal can remember, he has had a fascination with Ducatis. He purchased his first one in 2007 – a yellow 1098S – with prize money from his Champ Car rookie season, and he continued to collect various models over the years but owning a Ducati dealership – or two – or especially a Ducati race team was beyond his wildest imagination.

To set the team up with the best chance of immediate success, Rahal Ducati Moto is bringing in five-time AMA Champion, 2009 World Superbike Champion and MotoGP race winner Ben Spies as team principal. The bikes will be prepared for competition for the 2024 season at Rahal Ducati Indianapolis in Brownsburg, Indiana, and then move to the all-new GR Brands headquarters in Zionsville, Indiana, which Rahal broke ground on earlier this year and is scheduled to be completed in the winter of ‘24.

The 2024 MotoAmerica season begins with the 82^nd running of the historic Daytona 200, a non-points-paying Supersport race that will take place at Daytona International Speedway, March 7-9. New to the MotoAmerica series will be a round at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, August 16-18, the home track for the Rahals, who previously resided in New Albany, Ohio. The 10-round Supersport schedule will be broadcast by MAVTV.

Words from the Team

Graham Rahal, Rahal Ducati Moto Co-Owner: “This has been a long time coming and something I have wanted to do since we got the Ducati brands. Having a couple of those stores now has been great and we want to continue to build our relationship. There is no better way to do that than through the racing program and I am excited to get going. None of this would be possible without XPEL, a brand that I have a long-term relationship with through Rahal Paint Protection and I’m eager to see what we can do as a group in the MotoAmerica series. The series has been experiencing impressive growth in recent years and I’m excited to be part of it.

“Having Ben Spies as general manager is a real asset to our program. He gives us a lot of legitimacy but also brings a lot of success and is someone we can lean on to set our riders and team in the best place for success. This is going to be a great adventure for our organization and Ducati and something we can grow into the future and hopefully have some success on the Ducati Panigale V2.”

Bobby Rahal, Rahal Ducati Moto Co-Owner: “I’m really pleased that Graham has been able to put this program together with XPEL in the MotoAmerica series. I have enjoyed working with (MotoAmerica founders) Richard Varner and Terry Karges through the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles and met Wayne Rainey a few years ago as well. I have always been a huge fan of motorcycle racing, particularly Grand Prix road racing, and have had the privilege to get to know Freddie Spencer, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey and others over the years and have the greatest respect and admiration for what they were able to achieve all over the world. With Graham’s Ducati dealerships, it certainly seems to make sense for us to be involved. He has a tremendous amount of experience with XPEL through his businesses and we have a growing relationship through our automobile dealerships in Pennsylvania and know them to be a leader in the industry so to join with them for Rahal Ducati Moto is something we are very proud of and looking forward to expanding the relationship with them for years to come.”

MICHAEL MAYALL, XPEL Vice President of Corporate Development: “We are extremely excited to expand our partnerships in motorsports from four wheels to two with the Rahal Ducati Moto team and the MotoAmerica series. Joining forces with Rahal Ducati Moto and Ducati is a thrill for us. At XPEL, our motto is ‘Protect everything,’ and we’re ready to bring our world-class protection to the premier motorcycle racing series.”

Ben Spies, Rahal Ducati Moto Team Principal: “I’m super excited about the project. I was approached a couple of months ago and asked if I wanted to be part of it to put my knowledge to use to help with the team and the riders and it was a no-brainer for me. Between bringing the Rahal name into the sport and partnering with Ducati, who is doing a great job globally, I think this is the perfect time for them to join forces and come into the series. The last two-to-three years have seen a pretty big uptick for MotoAmerica with the fans so there is a bit of a resurgence going on. The Rahals are coming in right now and will probably pull one or two other companies in to start a team and I look at that as a really good thing. I’m just excited to be back in the paddock and use some of my knowledge to help the team and definitely help the riders on the weekends with strategy and all of that. I’m looking forward to it.”

Wayne Rainey, MotoAmerica President: “The Rahals are legends in motorsports. We’ve been in discussion with them for a while to get their group involved in motorcycle racing with MotoAmerica. I’m really excited because we know they are going to be a wonderful addition to our paddock and the series. Bobby and Graham Rahal have been involved in auto racing for a long time and have been successful in many different series, and they’ve earned a lot of championships. All of us are super excited to have a team with the Rahal’s prestige in our motorcycle road racing championship. To me, it really shows how far MotoAmerica has come these last nine years.” 

The following article was not written by Speed Trap Magazine Staff

From Corey Alexander And Tytlers Cycle Racing…

Corey Alexander and Tytlers Cycle Racing (TCR) announce the conclusion of their relationship, effective immediately. During the 2022 season, Corey helped to establish TCR in the MotoAmerica paddock while achieving multiple victories and podium finishes on his path to securing the 2022 MotoAmerica Stock 1000cc Championship.

In 2023, Corey Alexander graduated to the premier Superbike class, riding TCR’s 2022 spec BMW M1000RR machine. He finished 7th overall in the championship, with notable top-five finishes and, for the first time in his career, two Superbike podiums during the final round at New Jersey Motorsports Park.

Reflecting on his journey with TCR, Corey stated, “I’ll be forever grateful to Michael Kiley, his family, and Tytlers Cycle Racing for enabling me to achieve some of my lifelong dreams, from winning races and the Stock 1000cc championship to standing on the Superbike podium. It’s unfortunate that our paths won’t align in 2024, but I know still have much to offer in the Superbike class after a challenging yet rewarding year. I’m currently assessing whats best for my career and future, including the possibility of relaunching our own family-run racing effort, as we’ve done in the past. I extend my gratitude to my family, friends, and personal sponsors for their unwavering support in pursuing this dream.”

As Corey Alexander and his longstanding crew gear up for the off-season, they remain open to any opportunities that may arise. For partnership inquiries, please contact corey@ridehvmc.com.

A recent hint dropped by MotoAmerica suggests that Rahal Ducati might be making an entry for the 2024 MotoAmerica Superbike Season. The hint came in the form of a social media story. However, for racing fans who have been around since the beginning of the MotoAmerica brand they know a possibility when they see one. The thought at hand is whether Rahal Ducati will be joining the 2024 MotoAmerica grid? There is precedent for such a move.

The Rahal Family Going Superbike Racing?

IndyCar driver Graham Rahal runs Rahal Ducati; a Ducati dealership in the Racing Capital of the World: Indianapolis. The idea for a Superbike team started back in 2015 when Graham’s father Bobby Rahal was in talks with MotoAmerica about starting a Superbike team. However, no moves have been made to date. The idea is a natural progression given the success of the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing organization in the car world. Graham Rahal is also an avid Ducati collector and loves the brand.

RLL Racing is involved in a number of different tiers of motorsport across the country. One key highlight is that Graham Rahal is an avid motorcycle collector. His collection is on display at Rahal Ducati and one could infer that a run at a Superbike championship with factory Ducati support could be a very real possibility given the recent success Ducati has had in the World Superbike Championship and recently in MotoAmerica by the likes of Xavi Fores who won the Supersport championship with Warhorse HSBK Ducati and Josh Herrin who finished second in the 2023 Superbike championship fight.

Is it a Good Move?

While no official announcement has been made. We believe such a move makes sense from a racing lovers point of view. It also makes sense from a growth point of view. MotoAmerica saw its largest year over year growth at the end of the 2022 season. MotoAmerica reported 1 Billion+ digital interactions couple with a record 181 million views on social media and 300,000+ race attendees. Social media subscribers also increased 72% and this year’s numbers based on individual race reports will top last years. With potential brand exposure at an all time high, starting a race team would coincide very nicely. We are expecting an official announcement on some time this month. Whether the speculation is true is yet to be determined.

As a racing fan the thought of a second Ducati team on the grid in MotoAmerica is a positive thing. Currently, Ducati is the only manufacturer with one bike on grid in the Medallia Superbike class. There is also the possibility of a Superport entry with the recent dominance of the Ducati V2 in the class. We will report back if there is any validity to the rumors.

This article was not written by Speed Trap Magazine Staff

From MotoAmerica…

MotoAmerica, North America’s premier road racing series, is pleased to release its tentative 2024 MotoAmerica Championship schedule with eight classes set to battle for titles, including 20 Superbike races held over nine rounds, two additional Mission King Of The Baggers races, the Daytona 200, and a return to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after a 10-year hiatus.

MotoAmerica will again begin its season with its Supersport class competing in the non-points-paying Daytona 200, with the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship, Twins Cup and Mission Super Hooligan National Championship kicking off their seasons with the start of those three championships. For 2024, the 82^nd running of the Daytona 200 at Daytona International Speedway will be the only extended-distance, pit-stop round of the Supersport series.

Like last year, the 20-race Superbike series will compete three times over the course of the weekend at two rounds – Barber Motorsports Park and Circuit of The Americas – with a single race on Saturday followed by two races on Sunday. Additionally, as was the case in 2023, all classes will compete twice over the course of their scheduled race weekends.

“It’s hard to believe that the 2024 season represents 10 years since MotoAmerica took over the AMA Superbike series,” said MotoAmerica COO Chuck Aksland. “Since that time, we’ve seen tremendous growth, not only with our television broadcast footprint and social media but also our on-site spectator attendance. We are confident of that continued growth especially with the addition of Mid-Ohio to next year’s schedule. Although we just finished up our 2023 season, we know 2024 is just around the corner and we look forward to seeing everyone at Daytona in March.”

The Superbike Championship will get rolling with its traditional opening round at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (April 19-21) with the Georgia round also featuring Supersport, Twins Cup, Junior Cup and Mission King Of The Baggers.

From Road Atlanta the series stays in the south with round two set for Barber Motorsports Park (May 17-19) and the first of two tripleheader Medallia Superbike races. In addition to the Superbikes, the Barber round will also feature Supersport, Twins Cup, Junior Cup and the opening round of Stock 1000.

Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, will be the third round of the championship on its traditional date of the first weekend in June (May 31-June 2) and will feature Superbike, Supersport, Twins Cup, Junior Cup and Mission King Of The Baggers.

Following the Road America round, the series heads west and stops at Brainerd International Raceway for round four (June 14-16) with Superbike, Stock 1000, Supersport, Twins Cup, Junior Cup and Mission King Of The Baggers.

Then it’s off to Ridge Motorsports Park for the fifth round of the title chase in Shelton, Washington (June 28-30) with the Superbikes headlining the event that will also feature Stock 1000, Supersport and round two of the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship.

Two weeks later and the MotoAmerica Championship lands in Monterey, California, for round six at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (July 12-14) for Superbike, Stock 1000, Supersport, Mission King Of The Baggers and the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship.

Following the four-week summer break, the series heads to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course (August 16-18) for the first time since 2014 and the first time since MotoAmerica took over the AMA Superbike Championship. In addition to the two Superbike races, Mid-Ohio will also play host to Supersport, Junior Cup, Mission King Of The Baggers and the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship.

The MotoAmerica Championship returns to Circuit of The Americas for a second straight year as a standalone event in Texas (September 13-15) with Superbike, Supersport, Twins Cup, Mission King Of The Baggers and the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship.

Two weeks later (September 27-29) the championship will come to a close with the season finale slated for New Jersey Motorsports Park in Millville, New Jersey, and featuring Superbike, Stock 1000, Supersport, Junior Cup and Mission King Of The Baggers.

The Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. series will again be featured at select MotoAmerica events in 2024 with that schedule to be released shortly.

The 2023 MotoAmerica Season has come to an end. The season finale at New Jersey Motorsport was a drama filled race weekend plagued with mixed weather conditions and championship titles at stake. Day 1 of the race weekend was clear skies and sunny but those conditions soon changed to a very wet and wind filled Day 2 and Day 3 that had dire consequences for some of the racers. Here are the results from the MotoAmerica Season Finale Day 2.

SuperBike

In a surprising yet also matter of time effort, Fresh N Lean Progressive Yamaha fill in rider JD Beach secured his first race win only weeks after joining the team. Beach is filling in for the injured Cam Petersen. In Superbike Race 2 there were mixed calls on tire selection with some opting to run slicks due to a drying track and most staying on rains given the lack of drainage on track at the time of the race. We would soon discover that slicks were the wrong call. Those on rains soon pulled ahead. By lap 6 JD Beach fought to the front and wouldn’t look back. The win marked his second Superbike win of his career.

After the race the elated Beach said, “I felt really good. I was just enjoying it. The bike was sliding around. I was spinning up. I just thought to myself, I wasn’t going to try to save the tire. I’d rather blow them off than have tires left at the end and not win. I just went for it. It feels really cool to get a win again after four years, and just getting on this bike for the last three rounds.”

Supersport

Race 2 in New Jersey was a special one for multiple reasons. The first was that MotoAmerica veteran Josh Hayes (Squid Hunter Racing) secured his record setting 88th win in the history of the series. Hayes tops the charts for the most wins in AMA history. In his post race interview Hayes hinted at wanting to come back next year. His plans for the future are unknown but every win from now on will continue to extend his record. Hayes commented on the wet track conditions in race 2, “I was pushing pretty good to just roll through a few areas with more confidence. Where it was bad, I was backing things down a lot, and I was still able to kind of maintain a pretty good gap and them not come back to me. So, I just kind of tried to stay steady and just thankful. It’s more relief than anything to get another race win in for the Squid Hunter team. Hopefully that’s motivating for the off-season for them to want to go racing some more.”

Twins Cup

In Twins Cup race 2 Blake Davis secured the championship after Gus Rodio lost control of his Aprilia and crashed out of the race. Davis said, “It was super crazy. The track conditions were really, really tricky. Just the red flags to add all the tension into it. I hope everyone is okay from all the red flags. This really isn’t how I wanted to win it, but I kind of knew either me or Gus was going to go down. We both had to beat the other one, so we were both going to push and either win or crash.”

Davis secured back to back championships this year after winning the class last year. Gus Rodio and Rocco Landers finished the year in 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Junior Cup

With the championship already decided this weekend was more of a formality than anything. However, the class was shaken up by the fact that Team ECB/Bartcon Racing Kawasaki’s Eli Block won both races. Block won both races after only appearing at 2 rounds this year. While the race winner didn’t have any bearing on the championship race. There was a brief mix up on who would be crowned with second and third place in the championship. However and earlier error was corrected and that correction saw Rossi Moor secure second in the championship. The feat comes after a season long struggle getting the team’s RC390 built up to power advantage most Junior Cup riders have with the Kawasakis. Max Van who had a poor outing in race 2 secured third in the championship.

King of the Baggers

Hayden Gillim (Vance & Hines/Mission/Harley-Davidson)clinched the King of the Baggers championship after winning race 1 and finishing second in race 2. The win makes Gillim a double champion in 2023 after he won the Steel Commander Stock 1000 championship at Circuit of the Americas a few weeks ago. Kyle Wyman won race 2 at New Jersey but that didn’t really matter. Gillim was racing with his teammate James Rispoli for the top spot and unfortunately an early mishap on track cost Rispoli of any fighting chance to catch the front pack. Regardless, Vance & Hines/Mission/Harley-Davidson secured a 1-2 finish in the championship making them the top dogs for 2023.

With the MotoAmerica season now over. Teams will head home for the final time this year and start preparations for 2024. We will keep you updated on offseason news as it becomes available.

The MotoAmerica Superbike Championship qualifying session at New Jersey Motorsports Park have concluded. Here are the results.

Superbike

Given the fact that Q1 occurred in the dry Q2 was really just a testing session for the riders that went out. None of the riders in Superbike qualified with times set this morning. PJ Jacobsen (Tytlers Cycle Racing) held on to his pole position setting a 1m20.647 second lap. Championship winner Jake Gagne finished P2 overall. A start from the front will be very beneficial. The risk with passing in the ran will require finesse. Starting at the front is definitely a benefit. It does not appear that the track will be drying up before race 1 so everyone will have to navigate the wet track conditions. Westby Racing’s Mathew Scholtz finished P3 to round out the top 3.

Supersport

Although Tyler Scott was bested by Josh Hayes in Q2. Scott will retain pole position due to lap times being around 20 seconds slower in the rain compared to yesterday’s dry conditions. Jake Lewis (Disrupt Racing) finished P2 in qualifying yesterday and thus will remain in P2 for the start of the race. Lewis almost had a pole sitting lap at the end of Q1 but ran into traffic ahead costing him just enough to finish behind Scott by 0.068 seconds. Josh Hayes will start third overall. Championship winning Xavi Fores finished P7. He has nothing to prove in this race as it is just a formality for him. Fores has already secured the championship.

Rev It Twins Cup

Rocco Landers and Gus Rodio secured the 1-2 for Rodio Racing Powered by Robem Engineering. However in Q2 Blake Davis was fastest in the wet. We will see if Davis can channel that pace in the race to make up for lost position with pure race pace. The rain forecast shows continued rain throughout the afternoon. Twins are the first class out this afternoon to race. The two are currently fighting for the top spot in class. The Championship will be decided here in New Jersey

Junior Cup

With the championship already decided Junior cup race 1 is just a formality for Avery Dreher who is pulling double duty this weekend. However, that did not stop Levi Badie (Badie Racing) from claiming pole by 1 tenth in Q1. Dreher ran second fastest ahead of Rossi Moor (Fairium NGRT- Gray Area) in third. Junior cup race 1 kicks off at 4:10pm local track time.

King of the Baggers

Kyle Wyman (H-D Screamin’ Eagle) is fighting to keep his championship hopes alive this weekend. Wyman secured pole position ahead of Tyler O’Hara (Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods) and current championship point leader Hyden Gillim (Vance & Hines/Mission/Harley-Davidson). O’Hara had a crash earlier today in the Bagger challenge sprint so we will see if his bike can be turned around in time for the race this afternoon. Gillim entered the weekend with a 2 point lead.

This Article was not Authored by Speed Trap Magazine Staff

Press Release from MotoAmerica…

MotoAmerica, North America’s premier motorcycle road racing series, is thrilled to announce that it will bring a round of the MotoAmerica Championship to the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, August 16-18, for what will be the eighth round of the 2024 Medallia Superbike Championship.

The legendary Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a fan favorite since the first AMA Superbike Championship round was held there in 1983, hosted the AMA championship for 32 consecutive years. The venue first opened its doors in 1962.

The last time the AMA Superbike Championship visited Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course was in 2014 with then-21-year-old Cameron Beaubier winning race one with his then-39-year-old teammate Josh Hayes emerging victorious in race two. Beaubier is now a five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion and Hayes, a four-time Superbike Champion, recently became the all-time win leader across all classes in AMA road racing.

“Since we started MotoAmerica in 2015, the one thing we consistently heard from our fans is ‘When is MotoAmerica coming to Mid-Ohio?’” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “It makes us extremely happy to be able to say that we will be bringing our series to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course next year and we’re looking forward to seeing all those people at the track.”

“We are thrilled to announce the return of MotoAmerica and Superbike racing back to Mid-Ohio in 2024,” said Craig Rust, president of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. “The series has long been a fan favorite in Ohio, and its return has been much anticipated since they last ran in 2014. I know all the avid motorcycle fans throughout the Midwest will join me in welcoming the high-speed bikes back to Mid-Ohio next summer.” 

Hayes, who has seven AMA Superbike wins at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, is excited to see the series return to the track located just outside the village of Lexington, 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland.

“From the time that I started racing, Mid-Ohio has been an iconic and regular stop on the calendar,” Hayes said. “All of us were sad to see such a cool racetrack not be a part of the series after 2014. The opportunity to bring that racetrack back into the fold is exciting and with any luck I will be back next year to so some more laps around the place myself.”

Tickets for the 2024 Mid-Ohio event will be available for purchase online at midohio.com and motoamerica.com at a later date.

The entire 2024 MotoAmerica Championship calendar will be released shortly.