MotoAmerica

Welcome to the first installment of "Honda Racing TV," an eight-part series that airs on the Honda Pro Racing YouTube channel. Honda Racing TV promises "insight and exclusive features" from the world of two- and four-wheel competition, from Formula One and the World Touring Car Championship to MotoGP, World Superbike, MXGP, the Endurance World Championship, and more. In this 14-minute, 28-second episode: Host (and 18-time trials world champ) Toni Bou provides a glimpse into the world of international trials World Superbike teammates Nicky Hayden and Michael van der Mark test the CBR1000RR SP in Spain Highlights from Team HRC’s 2016 Dakar Rally effort, including footage of American Ricky Brabec LCR Honda MotoGP rider Jack Miller receives a driving lesson from the Castrol Honda WTCC team Learn more about Honda Racing TV at HondaProRacing.com. View the full article

Video of 2016 Bell Pro Star Tech Video Most interesting feature about the 2016 Bell Helmets Pro Star that you can't see? That would be its Flex Impact Liner. Adopted from the Moto-9 Flex motocross helmet, this "progressive layering" system features three different materials intended to protect the wearer against low-, medium-, and high-speed, plus rotational, impacts. Other distinctive attributes of this new lightweight full-face helmet: Carbon-fiber shell is reinforced by TeXtreme, a thin carbon weave said to be 20 percent lighter than conventional carbon. VIRUS CoolJade power mesh liner allegedly reduces skin surface temperatures up to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Magnefusion magnetic cheek-pad system affords easy removal of the pads for washing or by first responders in an emergency. Panovision Viewport offers increased lateral and vertical visibility when the wearer is riding in a racing tuck. “Our engineers not only addressed core needs," Bell Helmets VP Chris Sackett said, "but developed a helmet that redefines performance, safety standards, and offers truly game-changing innovations. “We’re offering six EPS liners along with five shell sizes for a more proportional fit and improved performance. Further, there will be three helmets within the Star Series—Pro Star, Race Star, Star—to match your riding style.” When the Pro Star becomes available later this year, the Snell M2015-, DOT-, ECE 22.05-, and AS/NZ-certified helmet will range in price from $1199.95 to $1299.95. View the full article

Photo courtesy of Honda Pieter Breddels, Honda WorldSBK technical manager: "Nicky Hayden needed more time to get to grips with the track on this bike and some much-needed experience on what is still a new type of tire for him. At the end of the first day, he put together a fast lap that was kind of a breakthrough and only a tenth of a second off Michael [van der Mark's best." Americans Nicky Hayden and PJ Jacobsen, along with the rest of the World Superbike paddock, completed two days of testing at Phillip Island on Monday and Tuesday in preparation for this weekend's opening round of the 2016 FIM Superbike and Supersport World championships. Eight scheduled hours of track time, split into four sessions, was significantly reduced on Monday by rain and a number of crashes, and on Tuesday by high winds and triple-digit track temperatures. Photo courtesy of Kawasaki Tom Sykes: "I am happy to head into the race weekend now having completed a successful test. All we have to do now is get our heads together and have a brief summary of what we have done. On the whole, we have made some key changes and put ourselves in a better position for the opening race weekend.” Kawasaki rider Tom Sykes posted the quickest lap of the test, a 1:31.097, on Monday afternoon. “We are fast with the cold conditions, warmer conditions, and also with some laps on the tires,” he said. “Everything is definitely heading in the right direction.” Sykes’ teammate, reigning World Champion Jonathan Rea, was just 0.152 of a second slower than his teammate. In fact, in the final session, led by Sylvain Guintoli on the new Pata Yamaha YZF-R1, the top 12 riders were separated by less than a second. Photo courtesy of Ducati Davide Giugliano: “I’m pretty happy about these tests, especially the competitiveness shown this morning when the conditions were similar to those that we should find during the race weekend. Unfortunately, I could not do a long run in the afternoon. The extreme heat does not suit a flowing riding style such as mine, and there were so many crashes and red flags that I preferred not take risks. Still, I managed to do 22 laps on the same tire with a competitive pace.” “It was challenging at times because the red flags came out while we were making a constant effort with some items,” Rea said. “In general, the two days have been pretty good. That wind made getting across from turn two to turn three so difficult.” In his first outing on the Honda CBR1000RR at the fast, flowing Australian racetrack, the 34-year-old Hayden put in a total of 116 laps over the two days. His 1:31.558 placed him seventh overall. Photo courtesy of Kawasaki Jonathan Rea: "I am just super-excited because, even though it is not that long a winter in WorldSBK, it feels like forever since the final race of last year in Qatar. I just want to see the lights go out and get stuck in for 22 laps at one of the best circuits in the world.” “The test started really well,” he said, “and I was able to get up to speed quite quickly, despite the different behavior of the tires compared to the ones I used on this track in the past. We tried to make a long run, but it was really too hot; there is definitely some work to do understanding the bike and tires in these conditions. “It hasn’t been the perfect test for us because of yesterday’s rain and all the red flags today, which messed up my rhythm. The team has worked amazingly hard. Hopefully we can make good use of the next two days to analyze the data and finalize the preparation for the weekend.” Photo courtesy of Yamaha Sylvain Guintoli: "I've tried lots of solutions that are working well, and we ended up topping the last session. The pace was really good, and I felt comfortable, probably a little bit too comfortable. This track really suits the character of the YZF-R1; the bike is fantastic to ride here with the change of direction and long, fast corners." Hayden’s teammate, Michael van der Mark, completed the most laps, 123, and posted the fourth-quickest overall lap time, a 1:31.458. In the middleweight class, 22-year-old Jacobsen was reunited with the same CBR600RR he rode last year to second overall in the series. Four-time World Champion Kenan Sofuoglu was consistently quick, but his Kawasaki Puccetti teammate, Randy Krummenacher, ultimately put in the fastest lap. Photo courtesy of Honda Pieter Breddels, Honda WorldSBK technical manager: “It was not an easy test for us, but in the end it turned out positively. We had our difficulties in finding the right setup with this afternoon’s extreme conditions. At the end, we made a change in settings at the front and PJ Jacobsen’s feeling with the bike improved a lot. I feel we now have a good package for the weekend ahead.” Despite inconsistent weather on Monday and a minor crash on Tuesday, Jacobsen was able to complete 119 laps—more than any other World Supersport rider. The New Yorker finished the test with the fourth-fastest time (1:34.415), set during the second of the four sessions. “We were able to go through a lot of stuff, including new Öhlins suspension,” Jacobsen said. “It was a shame I crashed. We were playing with the new settings and trying to figure out the new rear end. I got on the gas too early and the bike spun around. I’ll make sure that it’s not going to happen to me again.” Practice for Sunday’s Superbike doubleheader and Supersport race begins on Friday. View the full article

Photo by Motoception North Carolina resident Nick Schmitt has teamed this season with Screaming Chicken Racing to contest the MotoAmerica Superstock 600 class on a Triumph 675R Daytona. Nick Schmitt and Screaming Chicken Racing are preparing for their first season of professional road racing in the 2016 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. SCR will be one of the few teams—if not the only one—to enter the Superstock 600 class on a Triumph 675R Daytona against an established list of up-and-coming riders aboard four-cylinder machinery. Schmitt is entering his fourth season of competition and third as a full-time racer. The 24-year-old Raleigh, North Carolina, resident began road racing in 2013 and earned three second-place finishes and a WERA Expert license in his first race weekend. One month later, against the best amateurs in the country, Schmitt placed third in the AMA Road Race Grand Championships. Though only contesting half of that season’s races, Schmitt finished in the top five overall in four of the seven middleweight classes in which he entered. In 2014, Schmitt competed as a Novice in select WERA-, CCS-, and ASRA-sanctioned events, and last season, he contested the WERA Expert National Challenge Series, claiming a top-four overall ranking at the end of the season. “I’ve only been racing for a short time," Schmitt said, "but I’ve consistently proven my abilities as a racer on the bike and as a dedicated ambassador to the sport and my sponsors off the bike. This season, I’m looking forward to competing against the best riders in the country, improving my skills, posting good results, and earning my spot in American road racing.” Screaming Chicken Racing was established March, 1984, in Garner, North Carolina, as an amateur motocross race team. Over the years, SCR has won multiple NC Motocross, District 29, Ultra Series, and NC Winter Series championships. The team contested the 2004-2007 AMA Arenacross series with a best finish of second. Screaming Chicken Racing expanded into road racing in 2013 and continues to support other riders in their racing pursuits. Screaming Chicken Racing currently supports seven riders ranging in ages from 11 to 50 in three disciplines. View the full article

Photo by Brian J. Nelson MotoAmerica has announced that the Superbike class will use Dunlop qualifying tires during Superpole in 2016. If you watch MotoGP or World Superbike or remember the glory days of AMA Superbike racing, then you're likely familiar with the excitement of the last laps of the final qualifying session. It's at the end of that session when everyone is putting it all on the line in search of that one fast lap that could lead to pole position. It's that part of the session where every bike is fitted with the softest rear tire available: the Qualifying tire - or simply the Q. MotoAmerica and Dunlop are bringing that excitement to the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship with the announcement that qualifying tires will be part of Superpole 2 for the coming 2016 season, beginning with the season opener at Circuit of The Americas, April 8-10, in Austin, Texas. The ultra soft qualifying tires are good for four laps, according to Dunlop Motorsports Technician Tony Romo - two laps to bring the tire to its best temperature, a hot lap to qualify, and another lap to get it back to pit lane. But the gains are significant: up to a second a lap over the tires made to go race distance, Romo says. All 10 Superbike riders who transfer directly from Free Practice 3 to Superpole 2 will have the opportunity to use the Dunlop qualifying tire in an effort to compete for the top 12 spots on the starting grid. Ditto for the two riders who transfer from Superpole 1 to Superpole 2, which means all 12 riders in Superpole 2 will get the chance to use the soft tire. "There's nothing like having more grip. More grip means faster lap times and Dunlop qualifying tires provide that grip." Wayne Rainey The use of the qualifying tires will definitely bring more excitement to the MotoAmerica Superpole 2 session as riders scramble to get the soft-compound tires on their bikes at just the right time to try and secure pole position. "There's nothing like having more grip," said MotoAmerica President and three-time 500cc World Champion Wayne Rainey. "More grip means faster lap times and Dunlop qualifying tires provide that grip. I think it's important for our riders to get used to managing the qualifying tires. They provide a sensation like no other and you can use the extra grip to find new ways to go faster. Our fans are going to enjoy the extra excitement that having the qualifying tires in the final Superpole session bring to the show, and I think a lot of track records will be broken this year." View the full article

Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Just 23 days remain until practice begins under the lights in Qatar on Thursday, March 17, for the opening round of the 2016 FIM MotoGP World Championship. To tide you over, Ducati will stream the presentation of its 2016 MotoGP team at the company headquarters in Borgo Panigale, Italy, on Tuesday, February 23, at 11:00 a.m. Central European Time (CET). Factory riders Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone, along with Ducati and Ducati Corse management, will unveil the Desmosedici GP in its new paint scheme. You can comment on the event through Ducati's official Facebook and Twitter pages using the hashtags #forzaducati and #TIMDucati. MotoGP makes its only US stop on April 8-10 at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, in conjunction with the opening round of the 2016 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. View the full article

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Photo by Brian J. Nelson Seen here racing a Suzuki GSX-R1000 last April at Road Atlanta, Elena Myers Court has landed a new sales position with her former Superbike title sponsor, McGraw Powersports. When Elena Myers Court failed to secure sponsorship for the 2016 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship and opted to put her road-racing career on hold, the 22-year-old newlywed began looking for employment within the motorcycle industry. On Monday, McGraw Powersports announced that Myers has been hired to manage the company’s dealership network in the Pacific Northwest. McGraw was the title sponsor for Myers’ 2015 MotoAmerica Superbike program. Myers finished fifth overall last season in Superbike, the highest placing by a woman in the 39-year history of the class. She is also the only female to win a professional motorsports race at Daytona International Speedway. “Elena is a great spokesperson for our brand,” McGraw Powersports CEO John Chu said. “She has credibility in the industry and brings the right experience to our service contract business with our dealerships.” Myers and her husband, Dean Court, are moving from Atlanta, Georgia, back to her home state of California. “I’m excited for this new challenge with McGraw Powersports, which keeps me very much involved in the motorcycle world,” Myers said. “Working with McGraw last year on my racing program, I really enjoyed being an advocate for the company. McGraw Powersports sells extended service contracts through Western Service Contract Corp., which is part of the McGraw Group. View the full article

Photo courtesy of Suzuki Maverick Vinales: “We focused on testing different configurations of the new chassis. The development of the machine for the season is still a long way off. We made solid progress both in single-lap performance and consistency, even though the variable weather didn’t allow us to really test a race simulation.” MotoGP teams spent three days evaluating new electronics and tires earlier this month at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia and three more this past week at Phillip Island in Australia. Both tests—two of the three scheduled prior to the season-opening race on March 20 in Qatar—were plagued by rain. World Champion Jorge Lorenzo was stunning at Sepang, the only rider to lap under the two-minute barrier, followed by the Ducatis of Danilo Petrucci and Hector Barbera. After three days of testing at Phillip Island, those same three riders were fourth-, 14th-, and fifth-quickest overall, respectively. Photo courtesy of Honda Marc Marquez: “Overall, these three days have been very good. I’m especially happy with today because we have taken a big step forward. In the afternoon, I managed to maintain a consistently fast pace, and this was the first time this preseason that I’ve started to feel good with the bike and new tires.” Days one and two in Australia weren’t washouts. Scott Redding completed the most laps, 41, on Wednesday, while Andrea Dovizioso knocked out a leading 88 on Thursday. Dovizioso and Barbera shared top honors on Friday with 65. Marc Marquez did 64. Crashing was a theme of sorts on Friday. Four riders—Tito Rabat, Jack Miller, Maverick Vinales, and Pol Espargaro—hit the deck in the first two hours. Espargaro’s brother, Aleix, slipped off just before rain began to fall. After a two-hour delay, bikes were back on a cold but drying track for the final three hours of testing. Photo courtesy LCR Honda Cal Crutchlow: “I’ve felt really happy this week. The bike was good and we were pleasantly surprised with the package together with the Michelin tires and new electronics. We didn't have the new engine here, unfortunately, but it means we have something to look forward to in Qatar. The important thing is that we leave here with a lot of information, both electronically and chassis-wise.” And the crashing continued. Rabat went down again, as did Aleix Espargaro, followed by Bradley Smith, Cal Crutchlow, Danilo Petrucci, Eugene Laverty, Jorge Lorenzo, and in the closing minutes of the three-day test, Marquez. Petrucci was the most seriously injured with a broken hand. Marquez posted the quickest time on Friday, a 1:29.158, which was just 0.027 seconds slower than the best time of the test, laid down on Thursday by Vinales. Sixteen riders managed to lap within one second of Vinales’ best time, but on Friday only Vinales and Valentino Rossi (sixth quickest overall) posted 10 laps in the 1:29s. Marquez did nine and Barbera eight. Photo courtesy of Yamaha Jorge Lorenzo: “I did the lap time I set this morning on a rear tire that already had done 24 laps. When we finally got a dry track and time to try that last new rear tire to set a decent lap time, [Eugene] Laverty crashed and I had to cancel that lap. I then decided to try a race simulation, but I crashed on the first lap. So I ended the test, and I’m going home.” Avintia Racing's Barbera and Loris Baz, still running earlier-model Desmosedici GP14.2s, were consistently quick. “We have been third during a big part of the day,” said Baz, who is beginning his second season in MotoGP, “and together with Hector, first and second Ducati. At the end of the session, several riders improved their lap times, but we did a good job.” Aspar's Eugene Laverty and Yonny Hernandez, on the same machinery, were miles behind. Photo courtesy of Avintia Racing Hector Barbera: “I was able to do many laps in the 1:29s, and I also managed to improve my lap time in the final minutes with a 1:29.3 lap; that’s almost one second faster than last year’s race. It’s also encouraging to be in the top five. We have good momentum and have to carry it on to Qatar.” The weather was a blessing for Michelin, as the French manufacturer is still finding its footing as MotoGP’s spec-tire supplier. “We were really happy,” Technical Director Nicolas Goubert said. “We had mixed conditions, we had rain, and we had dry time—two hours at the end.” Feedback engineers received regarding the rear slick was positive, Goubert said. “A few guys made a lot of laps with the same tires, having a fast lap time at the end even after 20 laps. They’re not overheating, the wear is very nice, and the riders were not complaining. So that’s a very good result.” Photo courtesy of Yamaha Valentino Rossi: “Unfortunately, the conditions were not fantastic. In the end we only had one good day and that was yesterday, but it’s better than nothing. We compared two different bikes, and I think we will use the bike that’s more similar to last year. I feel good with the bike and tires, and my pace was not so bad.” Michelin claims it determined the profile for the slick front tire that it will use this season. “The last profile we brought to Sepang, which worked very well, was confirmed here,” Goubert said. “All the guys tested it and said it was better, that it gave them more confidence, especially on the maximum edge. From the Qatar test, that’s the only profile we will have.” Another box checked, yet so many crashes... The series will regroup on March 2 at Qatar for the final preseason test. Photo courtesy of Avintia Racing Loris Baz: “Yesterday we focused on my riding position, and today we started to work on bike set up. In the morning, I did two really fast laps behind Maverick [Vinales], and I was able to see many interesting things. My confidence with the bike is growing every day, and I’m close to know the limits. To finish the test so close to first and with such a good pace is something incredible.” Photo courtesy of Honda Dani Pedrosa: “We rode on used tires all day to see how the bike behaved after a lot of laps. In the afternoon, we improved a bit in some places, but we still have work to do. The positive thing is that since the test in Malaysia we have improved the electronics, and we hope to take an important step forward in the setup of the bike at the Qatar test.” Photo courtesy of Yamaha Pol Espargaro: “We hoped for better weather, but we have to be happy with what we achieved. We still need to collect a lot of information so we can fine-tune the electronics, but I believe we are working in a good direction. Also our tire knowledge is very limited at the moment. When the track temperature was colder, you could see everybody was struggling.” Photo courtesy of Ducati Andrea Iannone: “These tests have been positive because we were able to understand the differences between the new Desmosedici GP and the GP15. We were also able to find the direction to take to fine-tune all the details. Even though I am not satisfied with my final position, I am pleased with the work that we have done. The next tests in Qatar will be really important.” Photo courtesy of Dorna MotoGP Phillip Island test official combined overall standings for days one, two, and three. View the full article

Photo by Brian J. Nelson Second season: MotoAmerica's popular KTM RC 390 Cup will make eight stops this season. The RC 390 Cup is open to riders between the ages of 14 and 22 years old who hold an AMA Superstock Limited license. KTM North America has revealed important details about the competition-only RC 390-based racebike that is available for purchase and use this year in the MotoAmerica KTM RC 390 Cup, an eight-round series held in conjunction with the 2016 AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. The RC 390 Cup is open to riders between the ages of 14 and 22 years old who hold an AMA Superstock Limited license. All participants must race 2015 or '16 KTM RC 390 Cup racebikes. These motorcycles are designed for use in competition, are not street-legal, and have been prepared by KTM with more than 40 PowerParts and other enhancements to increase their performance. Some of these features include: Fully adjustable WP Racing fork WP Racing shock with adjustable preload, ride height, and high/low-speed compression and rebound damping Akrapovic exhaust Racing windshield, fairing, tailsection, and belly pan RC8 R-style throttle assembly CNC-machined racing foldable brake and clutch levers CNC-machined racing rear-set foot controls To maintain competitive parity, engines are sealed and may only be serviced by KTM’s trackside partner, HMC Racing. Modified street-legal RC 390s do not qualify for participation in the MotoAmerica KTM RC 390 Cup but they are be allowed in regional competition. MotoAmerica participants that purchase an RC Cup racebike before March 31 will receive a 10 x 10 EZ-Up from Synchrony Financial, an exclusive sponsorship package from RC Cup program supporters Motion Pro and Motorex, as well as a more than 40 percent discount on a semi-custom GiMoto leather racing suit. Additionally, as a bonus to racers who participate in the nationally recognized MotoAmerica series, KTM will cover fees associated with as many as five regional events in which the RC 390 Cup machine is raced. Participating regional series include: Championship Cup Series (CCS), Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (CMRA), Chuckwalla Valley Raceway (CVR), and American Federation of Motorcyclists (AFM). HMC Racing will provide the following services to race participants: KTM HMC semi-truck will be present at each event to provide a relaxing hospitality area for participants As part of the trackside service program, KTM HMC technicians will provide technical assistance and offer replacement parts for purchase KTM HMC technicians will provide a motorcycle safety check prior to each race and help MotoAmerica regulate validity of units to maintain parity among competitors Each race weekend, riders will participate in one free practice and two qualifying sessions. Following qualifying, they will participate in two separate races for points toward an overall championship. KTM will offer contingency for the top five finishers in each race, with the following payout structure: 1st - $500 2nd - $400 3rd - $300 4th - $200 5th - $100 A KTM RC 390 Cup racebike costs $9,999 and bikes will be available for pre-order until March 31. Deliver will begin mid-March. To request an RC 390 Cup racebike, visit a participating KTM dealership and provide a copy of your AMA Road Racing Superstock Limited license or license application. RC 390 Cup racebikes are available first come, first served. For licensing details, go to AmericanMotorcyclist.com. View the full article

http://cf.c.ooyala.com/hnamIzMTE6r7A_DvTh0RpAR-iJ9LwH28/QCdjB5HwFOTaWQ8X4xMDoxOjBzMTt2bJ Please enable Javascript to watch this video Several of MotoAmerica's top teams tested for a third time this off-season at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Northern California, February 17-18, in what was the final shakedown test prior to the official team test at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, March 23-24. Yoshimura Suzuki's Roger Hayden and Jake Lewis; Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha Factory Racing's Cameron Beaubier and Josh Hayes; Meen Motorsports' Josh Herrin, Joe Roberts; HB Racing/Meen Motorsports' Dakota Mamola and Richie Escalante; Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha's JD Beach and Garrett Gerloff; and the Latus Motors Racing Kawasaki team of Bobby Fong and David Anthony made up the 11-rider roster of testers burning laps at the three-mile racetrack in Willows, California. Photo by Brian J. Nelson The 1s: MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier leads Supersport Champion JD Beach during a two-day test at Thunderhill Raceway Park. The test was interrupted by rain on the morning of the second day and both days were hampered by cold and windy conditions though it was still considered a success by the majority of the teams involved. "We had a couple of new parts to try, a couple of different shocks and stuff, and I feel like we definitely made forward progress," said defending MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier. "Our lap times weren't as good as in previous tests here, but I definitely think we made a step in the right direction and it's always good to ride. It set us up good for the COTA test and by that time we'll be thinking about going racing." Photo by Brian J. Nelson Yoshimura Suzuki's Roger Hayden's test was hampered by illness that kept the Superbike racer off the racetrack for the majority of day two. The test saw the debut of Latus Motors Racing's new Superstock 1000-spec Kawasaki ZX-10Rs that Bobby Fong and David Anthony will race in the 2016 championship. The duo were busy turning laps on the new bike in an effort to get it close to race ready for the COTA test, but both riders were impressed with how good the new bike is in near-stock form. "I like it—the Kawasaki is good," said Anthony near the end of day two. "For coming straight out of the box, it's really good. We made a lot of changes, but we pretty much went back to where we started, back to how we turned up here with it. We've got one more test, the COTA test, and that's it, so it's hard to judge where we stand. We're still a few seconds off the Superbikes, but it's hard to tell. Superstock-wise, we're all about the same speed. I think we'll be close right away." Photo by Brian J. Nelson Latus Motors Racing's Bobby Fong (50) and teammate David Anthony spent two days on the new Kawasaki ZX-10R and came away impressed with the performance of the new machine. The test also saw the debut of HB Racing/Meen Motorsports' Dakota Mamola on American soil. Mamola, who is coming off a year and a half sabbatical from racing, spent his two days getting the rust off. Mamola, the son of Grand Prix legend Randy Mamola, also had former AMA Superbike star Kurtis Roberts offering assistance at the test. "I've ridden dirt track, Supermotard and motocross, but I haven't ridden an actual road racer like this in a long time," Mamola said. "I did an hour at the Leon Haslam school and that's it. Yesterday was tough because I had to learn the track, get back on a bike, and the wind didn't really help. It was a lot at one time, but now on day two we are starting to get there. Now things start getting complicated when you have to change shocks and get the setup. I'm enjoying it and I want to thank Ameen [Sajjadi, Meen Motorsports team owner] and the whole HB Racing team for giving me this chance. Hopefully, we can do something good. It's good to be back here in the US." Photo by Brian J. Nelson Meen Motorsports' Josh Herrin (2) and Joe Roberts rode their Superstock 1000 and Supersport Yamahas at the Thunderhill test. Two riders were injured at the test with HB Racing/Meen Motorsports Richie Escalante suffering a fractured knee and broken finger and Y.E.S./Graves/Yamaha's JD Beach escaping from his crash on the afternoon of day two with a bruised pelvis. The two-day MotoAmerica Preseason Test powered by Dunlop at Circuit of The Americas will take place March 23-24 and is open to spectators for free. The 2016 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship also begins at the Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, April 8-10, with round one of the nine-round, 18-race season. For ticket information, click here. Photo by Brian J. Nelson Dakota Mamola made his debut on the HB Racing/Meen Motorsports Yamaha YZF-R6 at Thunderhill. View the full article

Photo courtesy of Aprilia During his time in MotoGP, new Aprilia HSBK Racing recruit Claudio Corti teamed with American Colin Edwards at Forward Racing. Corti has also raced Moto2 and World Superbike. Following the most successful season in Aprilia's US road-racing history, Aprilia HSBK Racing is preparing for its return to the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. The Houston, Texas-based team continues to develop the new RSV4 RF and will focus on winning the 2016 Superstock 1000 title. While the team had good success last season with Sheridan Morais, the South African's FIM Endurance World Championship schedule conflicted with several MotoAmerica rounds and, ultimately, the two were forced to part ways. The team has downsized to a one-rider program and brought in Italian Claudio Corti to accelerate progress. Photo by Brian J. Nelson Sheridan Morais was a popular addition to the MotoAmerica paddock. Morais joined Aprilia HSBK Racing at Road America and immediately earned two Superstock 1000 podium finishes. The 28-year-old Corti has a great deal of experience on a variety of machines, having worked his way through the Italian championship, racing 125GP, Supersport, Superstock, and Superbike, and winning the 2005 European Superstock 600 title. Corti was also second overall three times in FIM Superstock 1000 and contested the 2014 FIM World Superbike title for MV Agusta. He is also credited with 42 Moto2 and 23 MotoGP world championship starts. Robbie Petersen will serve as Corti's crew chief. The ex-AMA and Formula USA racer has managed competitive road-racing teams both in the US and abroad. “I’m excited to get the RF back on the track after a long off season," Aprilia HSBK team owner Bobby Shek said. "We had a good run last year, particularly once we had the new bikes, and I’m excited to build on that progress with a very promising rider and our experienced crew. "We couldn’t do it without the support of all our sponsors, particularly Aprilia Racing. They have been an integral piece of our team’s success both last season and moving forward.” View the full article

Photo by Brian J. Nelson "All this means that racing has to be looked at in new ways," writes Cycle World Technical Editor Kevin Cameron, "and manufacturers have to be offered new roles." Back in the 1990s, everything seemed okay. AMA Superbike had strong entries from most of the Japanese Big Four, and the 600 Supersport class was a hotbed of super-trick factory specials in the hands of paid pro riders, built to show the undecided which 600cc showroom rocketship to buy. Privateers were supported by contingency programs, which paid them for wins and top placings in regional racing, and there were “gypsy champions,” living out of vans, who drove to wherever the next event was, stopping along the way to freshen up engine top ends. The old doorway to racing had been Yamaha’s TZ250 two-stroke production racers, but as those had risen in price and more affordable 600s had risen in raceability, 600 sportbikes had become the new doorway. Back when production-based Superbike racing had begun in the U.S., it took major resources and fabrication skills to make a Kawasaki Z1-based or Suzuki GS-based bike competitive. But a new structure of racing was coming into being. Nationwide, hundreds of capable riders were taking to 600 and 750 Supersport. So when the AMA national came to town, everyone knew that factory Superbikes and 600s would take the top placings. But you could ride your “contingency bike” in its affordable Supersport trim and maybe pick up useful dollars from a lucky eighth or 11th place. Privateers knew that real Superbike technology was out of reach, so they raced what they had—Supersport bikes. A Supersport bike was affordable to begin with, and adding suspension, tire, and brake-pad upgrades plus a five-angle valve job were all within reach. So that’s what most people raced. Today, it seems efforts to revive US racing center on putting things back as they were. I think of this as “archaeology”—digging up the past and trying to reproduce it in the present. Sadly, so many things have changed that the past can no longer be a guide to the future. Read the rest of Kevin Cameron's editorial here. View the full article

TOBC racing Sponsorship from TOBC racing on Vimeo. “We’re here to help take a rider to the next level,” TOBC Racing team owner Michelle Lindsay said. “You’re provided a professional environment, professional mechanics. Your equipment is pristine. You really can focus on your riding and improving your racecraft.” Lindsay is the only female team owner in the 2016 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. Two years ago, she probably would not have pictured herself in this role, responsible for the well-being of more than a dozen team members. Lindsay purchased TOBC Racing shortly after her fiancé, team owner and racer Jon Couch, was killed in a vintage-aircraft crash near Virginia International Raceway in September of 2014. The team rebounded from the tragedy and won the 2015 Daytona 200 with rider Danny Eslick on a Suzuki GSX-R600. Photo by Brian J. Nelson TOBC Racing and Taylor Knapp were a winning combination last season in MotoAmerica's Superstock 1000 class. Multi-time national champ Danny Eslick will make his race debut on the team's Yamaha YZF-R1 at Circuit of The Americas, April 8-10. Two months later, Lindsay and her crew returned to VIR with their familiar bright-white tent and livery in the MotoAmerica paddock. They partnered with Taylor Knapp and FourFour Motorsports and promptly won Superstock 1000 race one. Riding a TOBC Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 for the rest of the season, Knapp earned a total of 14 podiums and finished second overall in the championship. A second rider, Gabe Miller, was 12th overall in the inaugural KTM RC 390 Cup. This season, TOBC Racing will field Eslick in the 75th running of the Daytona 200 on a Yamaha YZF-R6. Knapp has moved on to MotoEverything/Diesel Ops Racing, opening a slot on the team’s MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 entry for Eslick. Working from under the same tent, Curtis Murray will contest the Superstock 600 title on an R6. Scott Harwell manages the Jonesville, North Carolina-based team. “We absolutely love what we do,” Lindsay said. “I’m really excited to be here.” View the full article

Photo by Brian J. Nelson Road racer and flat tracker JD Beach is arguably one of most versatile riders of his generation. He will joins Talking Motorcycles with Barry Boone tonight to discuss his busy off-season and plans for the 2016 MotoAmerica series. In tonight's episode of Talking Motorcycles, show host Barry Boone will speak with MotoAmerica Communications Manager Paul Carruthers to learn the latest news about the 2016 AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. Carruthers spent 30 years at Cycle News prior to joining the KRAVE Group, commercial rights holders of the MotoAmerica series. Later in the show, Boone will interview 2015 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion JD Beach, who has "Team 95" in high gear and is working on many projects for the coming season in addition to defending his crown with Yamaha Extended Service/Graves/Yamaha team. Beach won more than half of last season's Supersport races, which included a string of six in a row. Listen to Talking Motorcycles With Barry Boone tonight, Wednesday, February 17, at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. View the full article