On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

Jack Miller endured a frustrating start to November in Portugal, salvaging just 14th in the Sprint after what had promised to be a competitive weekend. The Prima Pramac Yamaha ace had shown genuine pace in qualifying, progressing through Q1 with the second-fastest time to lock down eighth on the grid. But any hopes of a points finish evaporated almost immediately, as Miller haemorrhaged five positions on the opening lap and never recovered, ultimately bringing it home 14th.

Sunday’s Grand Prix offered little respite. Despite starting with renewed optimism, Miller found himself wrestling with severe grip issues throughout the race, eventually crossing the line a distant P12.

“Sunday went a little better than yesterday. I had a decent start and tried to challenge the guys ahead of me, but there were some areas where I was really struggling – especially on the exit of turns 14 and 15, and also through turn six. When the tyre started to drop, it just got harder and harder; the bike was pumping like hell, and I was just trying to do the best I could. So, not happy with the day,” Miller lamented.

Onto the finale, and after topping FP1 and running sixth in practice before qualifying P8, Miller’s weekend was looking promising. A rapid launch in the Sprint then put him in a tight battle with Fermín Aldeguer for eighth, but contact between the two on lap three derailed his charge. Miller was handed a three-position penalty which went unserved, leading to a long-lap penalty that dropped him to 12th.

In the main dance, Miller claimed a credible ninth. After spending much of the race in sixth and seventh with an attacking yet controlled ride, a late tyre drop forced him onto the defensive, which consequently cost him two positions to Luca Marini and Brad Binder.

“Over the season we‘ve been up and down – some good highlights and some decent lowlights too – but in the last couple of races, since Australia, we‘ve managed to understand the front end a bit more. Maybe we lost a little in terms of outright performance, but we gained good feedback in stability and in managing the tyre. Now I understand this bike more and more. Next year’s bike will be different, but the DNA is the same,” reflected the popular veteran.

Senna Agius – Moto2

Senna Agius began the weekend in fine form at Portimao by posting third in FP1 before backing it up with fifth in Friday afternoon’s practice session. While qualifying 13th represented a slight dip in fortunes, he remained optimistic about his race prospects.

Come Sunday, Agius demonstrated the pace that had served him well in practice, but a sluggish getaway off the line proved damaging. Although he recovered to bag ninth at the chequered flag, a result he was satisfied with given the circumstances, the young maestro knew a stronger launch could have yielded a considerably better finish.

“It wasn’t a bad race, even though I didn’t get off to the best start and the first lap didn’t go perfectly. That’s why I fell back a few positions. I also had a little trouble finding my speed at the start of the race, which is why I ended up losing a few positions. I think if I had been able to attack at the beginning, I would have made some really good progress, because I had good pace at the end of the race. In the last three laps, I overtook some good riders and made it into the top ten. So, let’s take the positives, because we have a strong race pace,” Agius explained.

Agius brought his campaign to a solid close with seventh in the season finale at Valencia. Having qualified an impressive third on the grid, the Australian ran inside the leading group for much of the distance. However, fading grip in the closing stages saw him slip back to eighth at the flag.

A post-race time penalty for Filip Salac ultimately promoted Agius to seventh, which was a solid way to draw the curtain on his campaign.

“Once again, a big thank you to Jürgen, Stefan and Wolfgang for giving me the opportunity to be here, because without them I wouldn’t have gotten this far. I really felt their support this year, and they believed in me during difficult moments. On the other hand, the good moments motivate us for the future. Now we’re going home and set for next year. I have a lot to do in the winter. Fortunately, that keeps me busy so I can come back in good shape in 2026. Finally, I would also like to thank everyone involved in this project for their work and help this year,” commented the gifted talent.

Joel Kelso – Moto3

Joel Kelso produced a masterclass in qualifying at Portimao, securing pole position with a composed and confident display that saw him top the timesheets with aplomb.

Starting from the prime grid slot on race day, he fought valiantly but found himself on the back foot as the laps ticked by. Mounting tyre wear in the latter stages hampered his charge, thus leaving him to settle for seventh.

“Took a gamble in yesterday’s race and tried my hardest to break away. Unfortunately the soft front just faded towards the end. Overall it was a super positive weekend, and we will leave it all on the line in Valencia next week,” posted Kelso.

Joel Kelso saw his crusade come to a premature and annoying end at Valencia, with him crashing out after qualifying 12th. It was far from the conclusion he’d hoped for. However, despite his disappointment, Kelso looked back with satisfaction on what had been his strongest season at this level to date, stating: “Not the way I wanted to end our final race of the year. A crash brought my progress to a halt quite early, but this year I’ve had my best season yet and was lucky to share it with the Level Up MTA team. We created some great memories together, and I wish them all the best for the future. Now we turn our eyes to 2026.”

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3

Jacob Roulstone was forced to sit out the penultimate round in Portugal after undergoing surgery on a fractured left hand sustained in Malaysia. The Australian’s focus quickly shifted to returning for the last stop on the calendar. And that he did, despite carrying that injury into his final outing with Tech3, as Roulstone put in a gutsy performance at Valencia. Starting 23rd on the grid, he wasted no time carving through the field, reaching 16th by lap three and climbing as high as 13th at the race’s midpoint.

The compromised hand inevitably took its toll as the laps wore on, and Roulstone gradually dropped back down the order. Nevertheless, he held on to cross the line 16th.

“Sunday’s race had to be the hardest of the season. Finishing P16, it was the only race this season where when finishing a race I wasn’t able to score points. I took some painkillers and held on for as long as I could. I managed to work my way up to P13 from P23 and battled till the end. But once they wore off, I struggled to keep going with only three fingers working the left bar and holding on.

Considering I still had pins in my hand on Wednesday, I didn’t think I’d be able to say that. It wasn’t the way I wanted to wrap up the season, but I’m proud I was able to put the helmet on and do the last race of the season. The team and I worked very hard these past days to get a comfortable and competitive feeling on the bike. Which I’m proud we were able to do. And I really want to thank the boys for those efforts,” insisted Roulstone.

Off-Track
Jett Lawrence – Paris Supercross

Jett Lawrence certainly endured an eventful time of it at the 2025 Paris Supercross. Night one was nothing short of a catastrophe, for he was taken out by Tom Vialle and then crashed in both Superpole and the third final to cap off a disastrous opening day. To his credit, the phenom responded emphatically on Sunday, as the #18 dominated proceedings with victories in two of the three races and a third in the other, ensuring he left the French capital on a decidedly high note.

Hunter Lawrence – Paris Supercross

Hunter Lawrence also had a wild ride at Paris Supercross, mixing the ups with the downs in dramatic fashion. Beginning with first place in Saturday’s Superpole before going 4-2 in the opening two motos, things were looking promising for the #96. But a nasty spill in the whoops derailed his evening and threatened to rule him out for the rest of the event. Thankfully, the banged-up star was able to compete on Sunday, where he bravely fought through the pain to go 4-5-4, which was a gutsy showing given the circumstances.

“I’m happy I could ride today as well. I wasn’t sure how I’d be. Thankful to keep Eric [Peronnard] happy. Rule number one at these races, keep the promoters happy. Yeah, we were just, I mean, you’ve seen it, compared to yesterday,” he told RacerX.

“I could do enough, you know, get out there and still get some good practice laps in, and no, it was good. I take the riding from yesterday, Superpole, even the motos and how I was riding up until the crash. The crash was just one of those things. The whoops were abnormally large this year, and, just going into them, had a bit of a bad run out of the corner – the rut kind of caved in – and then trying to drive through the first three, and I think on like the fourth one, my front wheel just missed the tip of it. And as I’ve gone to extend, like, commit to putting it on the next one, as you do, the rear wheel spun as I’ve pretty much pushed all my chips in on that one to get traction. So, yeah, it was pretty scary.”

Luke Clout – Paris Supercross

Luke Clout delivered a brilliant performance at the 2025 Paris Supercross to clinch second in SX2 after a weekend in which he came so close to reigning supreme.

The Australian was nothing short of excellent across the two nights, reeling off an impressive string of 2-1-1-1 finishes in the opening four motos to establish himself as the man to beat. His speed and consistency had him firmly in control of the overall classification heading into the final day.

Read our October Aussies Racing Abroad column here…

Heartbreak struck in the penultimate moto, though, when Clout was caught up in a first-turn incident beyond his control, thus seeing him limp home 13th to watch his title hopes slip through his fingers. The experienced Aussie bounced back strikingly to win the final race, but the damage had been done. Even though he missed out on the overall triumph by a narrow margin, Clout could hold his head high after a tremendous display.

The post Aussies Racing Abroad | November 2025 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

Ready for a fresh start after a frustrating 2024 aboard his Red Bull KTM, where he finished 14th in the MotoGP standings, Jack Miller’s move to Pramac Yamaha offers him a perfect chance to go again. Having struggled to find comfort on the bike and been forced to ride around many issues that he and the team couldn’t find solutions for, it’ll be intriguing seeing how he fares with his new team.

Already gaining some valuable insight and information from the recent test on the Yamaha, he’ll be hoping for a smooth adaptation in his quest to get back in the mix. Seeing as Yamaha know they need major improvements if they’re to compete with the likes of Ducati and Aprilia, much positivity could be extracted from the fact they’re ready to test their new V4 engine. Given the Iwata marque has hired a host of talented and experienced engineers to ensure they can close the gap, watching their progress will be fascinating.

Read our previous Aussies Racing Abroad columns here…

Courtesy of Miller’s vast knowledge and time working with many teams and manufacturers, he’ll back himself to adjust and get the bike at a competitive level sooner rather than later. All eyes will now shift to the first tests in 2025, where Miller, and his fellow Yamaha pilots, will get their first chance to try out this potentially game-changing package.

Off-Road
Luke Clout – World Supercross

Racing the World Supercross Championship with Rick Ware Racing, Luke Clout had a mixed WSX campaign that was full of highs and lows. Getting the ball rolling with a challenging opener in Canada, where, despite qualifying fourth fastest, crashes and bad luck ensured he had a tough night at the office on a very difficult track.

The well-travelled star then enjoyed an excellent home round in Perth, as he secured fourth and fifth overall finishes in the double-header. While things didn’t go entirely to plan to close out his WSX exertions in Abu Dhabi, with him, and many more, enduring issues with the tight start, he still clinched 11th overall to power him into sixth in the final SX1 standings.

“WSX done, ended the championship P6 overall,” recalled Clout. “Last night’s first turn into a wall jump got me every race, so we won’t go into that. Massive thank you to Rick Ware Racing, I had an awesome time with you guys. And to Aaron Clout for the hard work as always! Let’s do it again. Looking forward to some time off now and doing some more cool things in 2025!”

Matt Moss – World Supercross

Despite Matt Moss’ WSX campaign being littered with hurdles, the popular legend still produced many glimpses of his class. Teaming up with superstar Eli Tomac, who went on to reign supreme in the elite WSX class, under the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy awning, the veteran relished the opportunity to test himself against some of the world’s best. Holding his own and getting some excellent starts, Moss eventually bagged 10th in the SX1 standings, as untimely mistakes and adversity prevented him from finishing any higher.

“That’s a wrap on 2024 SX! Definitely not the season I wanted lots of crashes and just not myself. I would like to thank everyone involved with the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team for the season. Special thanks to Troy Moynihan – you’re an amazing mechanic and person. Sorry I didn’t deliver, but I’m glad I had you by my side. Now to spend time with the family and sit down and see what’s next but for now thank you to friends and family and all my supporters,” Moss reflected.

Ryder Kingsford – World Supercross

Young speedster Ryder Kingsford flew the flag for the Aussie 250 contingent impressively in WSX by recording some brilliant results on the big stage. Heading in full of determination and chomping at the bit to showcase his skills on this platform, observing him handle the step up in quality with aplomb was a testament to all his hard work and talent.

“WSX has an international grid of very talented riders, and I’m excited to put myself up against some of the best in the world. With third in the ProMX SX2 series, 2024 has been good for me so far and so much of our sport is based on form and momentum. I feel like momentum is with me, but I know I can’t take anything for granted. I just want to maximise every opportunity, do the best that I can on track, and see what that leads to,” Kingsford commented ahead of the series beginning.

Rising to the occasion strikingly on his CDR 250, there was plenty to get excited about when he grabbed a superb second in the first SX2 final in Canada on his way to securing seventh overall. Next on the agenda were the final rounds in Perth and Abu Dhabi, where his highlights were a ninth and an eighth overall to propel him to eighth in the SX2 championship.

Kaleb Barham – World Supercross

After banking a solid eighth in the first round in Vancouver, rotten luck struck Kaleb Barham in Perth, as he suffered a devastating broken arm. Ending his season right there, just when he was gaining momentum, was a real blow to the likeable ace, especially seeing how much he was loving his time racing with the CDR squad.

“Sucks to be making this post, but unfortunately I had a crash at WSX resulting in a dislocated wrist with a couple of breaks. Obviously I am gutted, but as we all know, this is how the sport goes sometimes,” Barham explained.

“Thankfully the Race Safe crew had me sorted until I was able to fly home and now I’m getting ready for surgery with Dr. Steve Andrews to let the body heal. Thank you to the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team, Yamaha Motor Australia and the Yamalube Yamaha team for this opportunity. Met some people I have looked up to my whole life, raced some of the baddest dudes on the planet and made some cool mates along the way.” Barham has now turned his attention to his recovery in preparation for 2025.

Gus Riordan – GNCC

It’s been another successful season for Australian Gus Riordan, who flexed his muscles yet again in America by becoming the 2024 U.S Sprint Enduro Pro 2 Champion for the second consecutive campaign. The man who also represented Australia at the ISDE and raced a round of EnduroGP in Wales will be gunning for more glory in 2025 too, with him contesting the GNCC XC2 Class and debuting in the National Enduro NE Pro2 Class.

“This year was good and we’re swapping it up for next season, switching to the National Enduro Series. I’m looking forward to that and GNCC as well, so hopefully we can get some wins and challenge for those titles,” Riordan stated.

The FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers hotshot is currently enjoying some time back home in Australia before heading Stateside again to get dialled in ahead of a busy 2025.

Josh Strang – GNCC

Heavy hitter in the American off-road scene for nearly two decades, former XC1 champion Josh Strang has been named East Coast Off-Road Team Manager for the Liqui Moly Beta Race Team. Not only will Strang manage the day-to-day operations for the team, but he’ll also compete in the XC1 class on a Beta 480 RR, as he’ll be eager to add to his 87 podiums and 24 wins in the category.

“I’m excited to join the Beta Off-Road Team as a racer and East Coast Manager. I have been looking for an opportunity to move into a position like this for some time and I believe I can learn and do a good job representing the Beta brand in our community. I’m also very excited to enter into my 19th season of GNCC racing,” insisted Strang.

Stoked at the challenge ahead and set to be a huge asset to the Beta squad, both he and team are fully focused on making 2025 a terrific one, where his expertise, knowledge and experience will be a real game-changer.

Lyndon Snodgrass – GNCC

Although former XC2 GNCC Champion Lyndon Snodgrass has confirmed he’s without a ride for next season, he promisingly expects to still be lining up. Leaving Team Babbitt’s after five years and many good times, it’ll be a case of watch this space to see what he figures out for 2025. Positively, he finished his time with the squad by claiming a podium at the finale at Ironman to wrap up what was an up and down campaign for the Aussie.

“Five years with Team Babbitt’s has come to an end. I want to thank the whole crew for their efforts. We achieved a lot over the years, including the 2022 GNCC XC2 Championship, which was a goal of mine from the moment I stepped foot in the U.S. It’s hard to accept that I don’t have a ride for the 2025 season, but I’m not going to give in yet. I have another goal to chase. I’ll see you all at round one,” he posted.

Editor’s Note – If you would like someone included in Aussie’s Racing Abroad, contact us via our contact page…

The post Aussies Racing Abroad | January 2025 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Read the Introduction to the book and sample chapters here…

Many of the great characters profiled in the book have left us, leaving their amazing stories of life and times on the famed Continental Circus. Tales of derring-do and occasional bastardry by dodgy promoters. Venues as diverse as the Isle of Man and long public-road circuits behind the Iron Curtain. For more info or to order, visit circuslifebook.com

What They Said About Circus Life:

“I congratulate you on a monumental work, truly superb, so detailed…I was particularly impressed by the chapter on the money side of things…the amount of money paid by Moto Guzzi to Ken Kavanagh was a real eye opener.” – the late Mick Woollett, 1950s GP sidecar passenger, GP photo-journalist, motorcycle newspaper editor and book author, Hemel Hempstead, England

“What you have achieved with this book is quite incredible – stories of lives and racing that would have been lost if you had not had the determination to set it down on paper.” – Dr Martin Raines, MotoGP statistician.

“This is without doubt the best motorcycle book ever, and I have a lot of them.” – Kel Carruthers, Australia’s 1969 world champion.

“A very beautiful thing. It’s a proper work of diligent research; less common in bikes than in cars.” – Mat Oxley, motorcycle journalist and author, London.

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On-Track
Jack Miller – MotoGP

There have been many positives to be extracted from Jack Miller’s October. To start with the Japanese Grand Prix, and his eighth in the Sprint gave him a nice boost for the race, where, despite starting from 14th, he quickly powered into the top five. While he eventually dropped back to claim 10th, there was no doubting he made some steps in the right direction in terms of the bike especially, which gave him some vital momentum ahead of his home round.

While his Phillip Island didn’t get off to an ideal start, with a high-speed crash on Friday and a seagull getting stuck in his bike during the Sprint scuppering him, he turned things around admirably on Sunday. Having shown good pace in spite of the aforementioned setbacks, the popular Aussie got a flying start before tangling with Alex Marquez, which dropped him to the back of the field. To his credit, however, he fought his way back to valiantly finish 11th.

“I got a mega jump on the inside, I would have nearly been top six into Turn, 1 but Alex Marquez turned in on me and then we were hooked and went to last position. I fought my way back, but with three to go the front went and then you had to start relying on the rear to bring her round. I was doing what I could to battle with those boys, but couldn’t do much more. The pace was decent, but it would have been nice to have built on that start,” he reflected.

Senna Agius – Moto2

Senna Agius produced a statement performance on home soil to secure a sensational first Moto2 podium at Phillip Island. Although the best he could muster was 13th in qualifying, he didn’t let this worry him, for the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP speedster quickly blasted into the top 10 in the main bout. Not content with that, Agius kept pushing, quickly surging into fourth. Immediately setting his sights on Alonso Lopez in third, a touch of fortune then came his way courtesy of the Spaniard crashing two laps from the end to hand Agius a memorable third.

“I’m still searching for words, it’s still unbelievable what happened today. The race was so long. I was hoping the last five laps would be gone quickly because I wanted to make it. And we did. I’m so happy and proud. All the efforts the team has put in over the last few races has paid off,” he explained.

“We are rookies this year and my first podium in a home race is obviously something I will never forget. I’m really grateful for everything because I had a fantastic bike today. After yesterday, when we finished P13 in qualifying, but could have done a lot better, I went to bed with a bit of a sour taste. But I knew that a lot was possible today with a good start, which was really good. I was able to fight and find my rhythm, and now I’m standing here. I can’t wait to see my family, celebrate and just enjoy the rest of this great day. Thanks to the team for the hard work they put in every time.”

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3

Jacob Roulstone earned a solid 13th at Phillip Island to mark his first home GP. Qualifying 13th in the challenging conditions at the Island, the youngster was satisfied with this ahead of the big dance on Sunday. Launching off the line to scorch into 11th, he swiftly found his rhythm and clicked off the laps with consistency. Engaging in plenty of fierce tussles throughout and making it as high as 10th, a slight drop off in the closing stages saw him settle for 13th.

“It was very special to race for the first time at home! I loved all of it, and it was nice seeing some flags with my logo around the track! I felt very good today in the race, although we struggled a bit at the start to pass some riders, but then we settled with the leading group, and we managed to stay with them, which I am happy with. We finally scored some points after some difficult rounds. Well done to my grandmother for holding the umbrella for me, it was very special to have her near me on the grid for my first home GP,” he insisted.

Joel Kelso – Moto3

Another of the Aussies leading the charge at the Island was Moto3 hotshot Joel Kelso, who was looking for an improved outing following his crash at Motegi. Banking seventh on the grid, he put himself in a strong position for a quality result on Sunday. But a frustrating early incident meant he slipped back to 17th. Kelso quickly put his head down, though, mounting an eye-catching fightback to ultimately bag 11th, in a race where he was left to ponder what could have been if circumstances hadn’t conspired against him.

“Bittersweet home GP. Well, what a rollercoaster of emotions this weekend. We started off the race so well, but just got hung out to dry at the wrong time. I tried to fight my way back from 17th, but just ran out of time. 11th isn’t what I dreamed of when I went to sleep last night, but it will only light the fire in my belly even more. Thank you to every single fan who supported me today. It was truly amazing seeing you all throughout the weekend,” he remarked.

Remy Gardner – World Superbike

Even though Remy Gardner’s season ended in Estoril with him fracturing his wrist after a crash, there was one positive to close out his term, as it was announced he’s re-signed with GYTR GRT Yamaha for 2025.

“I am happy to be staying for another year with the GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK team. 2024 has been a bit mixed, but overall, there are a lot of positives including my first podium in WorldSBK at Assen,” Gardner stated. “I’m still hungry for more and hopefully we can build on some of the steps we’ve made this year to be fighting at the front more consistently with another year under our belt in WorldSBK with the R1.”

Ready to build on the highlights from his 2024 and with the full faith of his team, watching what the former Moto2 champion can achieve in 2025 will be fascinating.

Oli Bayliss and Tom Edwards – World Supersport

It was a difficult close to the season for Australian D34G Racing riders Oli Bayliss and Tom Edwards, with untimely crashes in the races ensuring both were unable to finish on a high note. Some encouragement could, however, be gained from how Bayliss was fourth in Saturday warm up and had top 10 speed at various points in the weekend and from Edwards’ pace early in the round.

Team manager, Davide Giugliano, spoke insightfully on the pair’s displays, stating: “It was a strange weekend. Oli showed excellent speed and growth across Friday and Saturday, setting the fourth quickest lap time in the warm up on Saturday morning. We couldn’t capitalise in the race and I believe Oli is more affected than other riders when it comes to changes in track and climate conditions. In any case, it’s pleasant to see the progress in terms of pure performance, which are the result of the incredible work done once again by the team. I’m happy that we keep building in the right direction and this obviously gives us great confidence for the future.

“About Tom, his confidence was affected by the recent crashes and I understand him. He didn’t manage to end the racing year on a high and obviously there’s a little bit of regret about it, as we led the WorldSSP Challenge up until two races ago, but we ended up missing out on the opportunity. He battled with a very experienced rider and he did well, showing his and the team’s value. We got to the end of the season and the expectations of leaving Jerez with a smile were there, but it turned out to be only a half-smile even though we’re aware of our speed. I’d like to thank the team for their work this year and for their professionalism, our sponsors for helping us in this wonderful season and the fans.”

Jason O’Halloran – British Superbike

Experienced BSB maestro Jason O’Halloran opted to end his campaign one round early, with him deciding to undergo surgery on his shoulder that was damaged following his spill at Donington. The completion of the 2024 term also signalled the end of his full-time BSB racing career, with the “O Show” set to announce some exciting future plans.

“That’s a wrap on my 2024 season. I will undergo surgery to my right shoulder on Wednesday, after injuries sustained when I was unfortunately caught up in a crash at Donington. That’s not the way I wanted to end my season or my full-time career in BSB. I want to thank you all for the huge amount of support I have had over the years. I fell in love with British Superbikes a long time ago and I’m glad I got to share a huge part of my life with you all. I have some exciting plans for 2025, which I will be able to share with you soon,” he announced.

Having competed for over a decade in the series, featured in 278 races, bagged 28 race wins and logged 75 podiums, he’s been a real star of the championship over the years.

Josh Brookes – British Superbike

Josh Brookes signed off on his 2024 crusade by registering some classy results at Brands Hatch. In a campaign where he and the team have mixed the highs and lows, Brookes set the tone for a superb weekend by grabbing a front row grid spot. He then embarked on a consistent three races, where he claimed seventh, fifth and sixth place finishes aboard his FHO Racing BMW to see him clinch eighth in the standings.

“We finished the weekend a bit more positive than the rest of the year. I took my best result of the season, and we’ve again been a lot closer to the front group, so we’ve really continued making progress from previous rounds,” he commented.

“We found a setting for the bike, meaning I can ride it in the rain, which is something we’ve not been able to do for the last two years. When it was raining before it was very uncomfortable and I wasn’t fast, but this weekend we were in the top five, so I’m feeling comfortable again. We made a step forward this season, sadly it was a little late as we’re now at the end of the year, but the guys worked so hard to make improvements, which started to show as the season progressed. It’s been a super tough year, at times, but now we look forward to seeing what the winter brings and of course the Macau Grand Prix, which is our main focus now.”

Troy Herfoss – King of the Baggers

Troy Herfoss claimed the King of the Baggers title with a clutch victory at the finale in New Jersey. Getting the job done in fine style to claim his seventh win of the season, this ensured he reigned supreme by 11 points.

“This win is a testament to the hard work and dedication from the entire Indian Motorcycle and S&S Cycle factory team,” said Herfoss, who enjoyed a tremendous rookie term in the championship.
“The Indian Challenger is a phenomenal machine, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this team and have the opportunity to learn from my teammate, Tyler O’Hara, who’s been an incredible supporter helping this team reach its goal of reclaiming the King of the Baggers crown. Stepping into this series has been a remarkable journey. Every race has been a learning experience, and the level of competition was incredibly high. I’ve had to adapt quickly, but it’s been exhilarating to compete against such talented riders. Standing on that podium and celebrating this championship with my team is a testament to our commitment and nothing short of a dream come true.”

Having proven his class throughout, adjusted to the bike masterfully and settled in brilliantly within the team’s framework, the 37-year-old yet again underlined what a talented, multifaceted operator he is.

Off-Road

Australia – Winning the 2024 Motocross of Nations – Jett Lawrence – Hunter Lawrence – Kyle Webster. Hunter Lawrence, Jett Lawrence and Kyle Webster rose to the occasion emphatically, as they propelled Australia to their first-ever MXoN victory. Flexing their muscles on the grand stage against the best in the world at the iconic Matterley Basin track, it was a magical day for the talented trio and all associated with Team Australia, as all three riders did their nation proud to cement their names in the history books. “What an incredible race, and what an incredible result,” said Honda HRC Progressive Manager Lars Lindstrom, who was a key figure in Team Australia’s setup.

“The Lawrence family continues to put together a long list of remarkable accomplishments, and this one puts an exclamation point on what was already an unbelievable year. I also want to recognise Kyle Webster, with whom we worked closely over the past month or so. We also collaborated very well with Motorcycling Australia, as well as Honda Australia and Honda Europe, and I think those relationships were a big part of our success. Now it’s time for a short, well-deserved break before we start ramping up for the 2025 season.”

Beating the USA and the Netherlands following a thrilling final moto, all eyes will now turn to Ironman in 2025, where the Aussies will be eager to defend their hard-earned title.

The post Racing news | Aussies Racing Abroad November 2024 appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Meanwhile, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) showcased consistent form, securing third place overall. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) also made waves with a strong performance, finishing in fourth position. The top five was rounded out by Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing). Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) showed promising form, consistently in the mix and eventually finishing in fifth place overall.

Both Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) had a challenging final day of testing. Bautista struggled with discomfort aboard his machine due to a nagging injury, leading to a mixed performance as he finished in seventh place overall. Meanwhile, Rea endured a significant crash at Turn 11, leaving him visibly uncomfortable and down the order in 15th.

Additionally, Honda encountered troubles with Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) sustaining an injury following a highside at Turn 11, sidelining him for the remainder of the test, while Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) also endured a crash at Turn 3, resulting in significant damage to his bike.

WorldSSP
Yari Montella’s (Barni Spark Racing Team) preparations for the 2024 FIM Supersport World Championship were completed in the best possible fashion as he topped the times by 0.062s ahead of Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing). The two Italians were the only riders to lap in the 1’31s bracket at the newly-resurfaced Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, the final test day for the WorldSSP field before the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round.

Caricasulo’s first Official Test with his new Motozoo ME AIR Racing team couldn’t have gone much better as he set a 1’31.943s to post the first ever 1’31s lap of the legendary Phillip Island circuit, going two tenths quicker than Andrea Locatelli’s pole lap record of 1’31.176s from 2020, although he did have a crash at Turn 4 in FP1 which impacted his testing programme. However, in the final 30 minutes of the session, Montella overhauled his time by 0.062s to claim top spot in both FP1 and FP2, unofficially smashing the lap record. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) claimed third with a 1’32.183s, matching Locatelli’s pole lap record but finishing three tenths down on Montella.

Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) comes into 2024 having replaced last year’s Champion, Nicolo Bulega, and started his Ducati career with P4 at the Official Test. The #99’s day was disrupted by a crash at Turn 9 in the final hour of FP2, with his bike brought back to the pits, but his 1’32.290s was enough to secure fourth. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) claimed fifth place with Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in sixth despite losing time in FP1 thanks to a technical problem. He was 0.453s slower than Montella.

2017 Champion Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) is returning to WorldSSP on a full-time basis, and he showed his speed with P7 on Day 1 on his Yamaha YZF-R6 as he lapped half-a-second down on Montella. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was eighth as he looks to build on his stunning 2023 rookie campaign, with two Triumph riders just behind him and rounding out the top ten. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph), who’s switched to the Street Triple RS 765 for this season, was ninth ahead of Jorge Navarro (WRP-RT Motorsport by SKM-Triumph) in tenth as the team get ready for their WorldSSP debut. Despite his strong day, the #9’s FP1 session was impacted by a Turn 10 tumble.

Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) narrowly missed out on a spot in the top ten as he finished the day in P11, only 0.017s clear of home hero Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) in 12^th with the Australian planning on completing a long run in FP2. Rookie Niccolo Antonelli (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) was 13^th ahead of the returning Lorenzo Baldassarri (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), looking to mount a title challenge in 2024, in 14^th. Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) completed the top 15^th.

There were several red flags throughout the day, mostly due to birds on track, which caused some disruption. However, Piotr Biesiekirski (Ecosantagata Althea Racing Team) brought out the red flags when he crashed at Turn 2 with just over an hour to go, with the Polish rider taken to the medical centre. At the end of the session, he was transported to hospital by helicopter; he is conscious but suffered a head injury and concussion. Marcel Brenner (VIAMO Racing by MTM) also crashed, this time at Turn 6, which disrupted his day although, as it came in the final hour, his lost running was kept to a minimum. Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) had a technical problem during FP2 when his bike came to a halt at Turn 11.

The Aussie Riders
WorldSSP 12 32 Oli BAYLISS AUS D34G Racing WorldSSP Team Ducati Panigale V2 1’32.884
WorldSSP 17 21 Tom TOPARIS AUS Stop & Seal Racing Yamaha YZF R6 1’33.259 
WorldSBK 8 87 Remy GARDNER AUS GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team Yamaha YZF R1 1’29.399

The top six from the Official Test for WorldSSP, full results here:
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 1’31.881s
⁠Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +0.062s
Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.302s
Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +0.409s
Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team) +0.444s
Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +0.453s

WorldSBK Combined Results after FP2

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’28.511s
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.074s
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.324s
4. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +0.490s
5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.700s
6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing) +0.702s

Download FP1 Results
Download FP2 Results

The 2024 season commences with the Grand Ridge Brewery Australian Round, running from this Friday, February 23rd, to Sunday, February 25th.

2024 Phillip Island WorldSBK Test Gallery

The post Phillip Island WorldSBK & WorldSSP Test Wrap | Race News appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

Remy Gardner – World Superbike
Beginning his month at Donington Park, Remy Gardner endured a difficult weekend at the office due to the tricky conditions and his lack of prior track knowledge. Although encouragement could initially be extracted from his charge from 18th to 10th in race one, the Superpole race and race two proved very difficult, for he could only muster 15th and 12th place finishes respectively.

Looking for an improved effort at Imola, frustratingly this wasn’t to be, as the Yamaha pilot struggled to adapt to another unfamiliar circuit in the sweltering heat. Bagging 11th in both races to go with his 11th in the Superpole race in a weekend where he displayed solid race pace to recover from way back, an upbeat Gardner took the positives and will now switch his attention to the next round.

“It was once again a very hot day, and the weekend hasn’t been easy, but we have to focus on the good parts – the races today were not bad at all, the race pace was decent, and we could fight to recover positions. We took some valuable points and we gained good data for the future. Let’s move forward to the next round in Most,” said the man who occupies 11th in the standings.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
Entering the Imola stop of the World Supersport calendar under a serious injury cloud following the dislocated shoulder and subsequent ligament damage sustained at Donington during qualifying, Oli Bayliss ultimately had to withdraw after FP1 due to his ailments despite giving it a crack.

“Unfortunately, the seventh round has come to an early end for myself here at Imola. I’ve been declared unfit for the rest of the weekend. After the crash at Donington Park we had an MRI done and found one ligament sliced through and one sliced halfway through proving we did dislocate the shoulder in the crash,” he divulged.

“I thought I might have at least been able to ride this weekend, however, after struggling to ride a bicycle early on in the week, I knew it would have been a difficult situation. We now have to look at all options to get myself back to 100% so I have no problems in the future with an old injury. Thank you to everyone for the support, and of course my team, D34G Racing for everything they are doing for me. Hopefully we’ll come back strong very soon.”

Senna Agius – European Moto2
Aussie sensation Senna Agius mixed the highs with the lows in July, with an emphatic victory in Portugal starting things off superbly before a frustrating crash in Catalunya ended his month disappointingly. Having logged first in all the sessions and both races to keep up his imperious form to ensure he extended his ascendancy atop the standings, another statement blow was landed by Agius to his adversaries at Portimao.

A nasty spill at Catalunya sadly ended his weekend here on the Friday, though, thus meaning he missed both races and the chance to wrap up the title.

“Portimao two weeks ago was, on the whole, very pleasing from our point of view. First of all, great praise to Senna, who delivered a fantastic weekend. To top it, he won both races, which he really dominated,” said Dirk Reissmann of the LIQUI MOLY Husqvarna Intact GP Junior Team.

“For Barcelona we had hoped to continue at this level with him, but unfortunately this came abruptly to an end by a crash. Fortunately, Senna is doing well, apart of course from the two fractures he suffered in his hand. This was shown by a scan very clearly. At the moment it looks like no surgery will be necessary, as there is a long break until the next race. In any case, we wish him all the best for a quick and uncomplicated recovery. Nevertheless, it is a great pity that this weekend is over for him.”

Harrison Voight – European Moto2
Making vital progress with every passing outing, there’s been much to admire about Harrison Voight’s latest offerings. To start with Portugal, and his impressive charge from 10th to fifth was a major highlight on a weekend that was ruined in the second race by a front brake problem. Another step in the right direction was then made in Catalunya, with a 13th and a sixth in the races supplementing his third in FP1, fourth in FP2 and eighth in qualifying.

“Felt good to gain more experience today in both races. In race one, I got off to a good start and was gaining positions early although I started having issues with arm pump and getting pain in my lower back. Race two was much better, having more pace and consistency considering the pain in my back. Nevertheless, I’m satisfied to finally get a decent result after the past rounds we’ve had. Big thank you to the team, sponsors and supporters that make this happen,” he recalled.

Jacob Roulstone – Red Bull Rookies Cup & JuniorGP Moto3
Continuing to make impressive strides forward, Jacob Roulstone’s July has been littered with upside. Kicking things off at the JuniorGP at Portimao with a fifth in qualifying before going ninth in the opening race, where mistakes cost him, and 14th in the second, where he was running fourth until being pushed wide on the penultimate lap, he left Portugal knowing his results didn’t match his speed.

Eager for more at Catalunya, Roulstone’s wicked pace was evident from the outset, as he not only banked fourth and second in the free practice sessions, but also qualified a striking second. He then carried his momentum into race one on his way to claiming a fantastic second to reward himself for all his hard work. Even though he was taken out in the second stanza to end the event on a sour note, he still left feeling content with his output.

“A second podium in FIM JuniorGP today in race one by finishing in P2 and so very happy to share this with everyone who works hard for me to be able to race. Race 2: DNF after being taken out along with three other riders. But we won’t let that take the shine off an awesome weekend,” he reflected. “Thanks to the Aspar Team, Santi, Antonio and Fran for all their amazing work all week. We go on summer break now for this championship until October. In the meantime a little time to relax and then training hard to keep aiming higher.”

Josh Brookes – British Superbike
Beginning the first of the two BSB rounds in July wonderfully at Snetterton, Josh Brookes propelled himself onto the podium in two of the three bouts. While his pair of seconds in the sprint race and the opener were brilliant, the fact he was forced out in the finale courtesy of a sensor issue while leading scuppered his weekend.

Topping the opening practice session and locking in third in qualifying at Brands Hatch, the signs were excellent that this was a precursor for a strong weekend ahead. Getting 12th in a wet sprint race definitely wasn’t what he envisaged, and neither was finishing ninth and crashing out in the Sunday races respectively to end his round in an unsatisfactory manner. Wanting to put this one in the rear vision mirror, both he and the team’s attention will now rapidly shift to the upcoming Thruxton, as Brookes and co. will be striving for an upturn in fortunes.

“The weekend started out well and it was looking promising, we topped the first practice, the pace and everything was consistent throughout practice and even in qualifying we had a last-minute shower and we were on the front row for the first race. But then it seemed everything turned bad and sour. The first race, I can only imagine we had a bad tyre or something as the bike just didn’t perform in wet conditions, we got a poor result, which meant I had a bad position on the grid for the dry race today. I made up a couple of places, but not enough to be satisfied. We tried to make something of the final race, but I got squeezed in the first turn, which ended up in a crash – so I have nothing really good to take away from the weekend. We’re frustrated, annoyed – all the emotions you can have. We’ll now regroup ahead of Thruxton and hope we can turn it around there,” he lamented.

Jason O’Halloran –  British Superbike
Racing out of the blocks at Snetterton to grab pole and a third in the sprint, Jason O’Halloran couldn’t have hoped for a better way to start the fifth round of BSB. Backing this up with a fifth and a sixth in the races, these solid outcomes were as good as he could’ve hoped he admitted, with the Ducati and BMW men enjoying a clear speed advantage.

Brands Hatch then awaited the McAMS Yamaha man, as the wet surface and grip issues saw him only capable of fifth in race one to start the round in decent fashion. A pair of sixths then followed on the Sunday, which left him feeling disappointed and eager for more at the next one at a happy hunting ground of his at Thruxton, where he’s won five of the previous six. “It’s been a tough weekend to be honest. I’d be lying if I said I was happy about it. I’m getting quite frustrated at the minute, but that’s life, you’ve got to keep fighting with what you’ve got.” he expressed.

“I thought Brands would be good for us, but it was just a difficult weekend. We don’t really seem to have any strong points at the moment, which is hard to believe really. We need to put our heads together for Thruxton, I’ve won five of the last six races at Thruxton and if I get beaten there it’ll be tough. It’s not ideal, but we’ll work through it and find a solution.”

Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Jett Lawrence has kept up his scintillating form in the 450 class in AMA Pro Motocross by extending his streak to eight straight overall victories and 16 consecutive moto triumphs. Getting the job done in the last four rounds at RedBud, Southwick, Spring Creek and Washougal, the Aussie continues to underline his class, with his ability to manage races, adapt to the conditions at hand and ramp up the intensity when need be being nothing short of remarkable.

How he’s expertly held off the challenge of his teammate, Chase Sexton, has been another key factor, for the #23 has been pushing hard in recent weeks but without reward due to Jett’s mastery. With an undefeated season edging closer and closer and the championship all but sealed for the Aussie dynamo, it’ll be fascinating watching to see if he can achieve a rare perfect season, as just three rounds remain.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
While Hunter Lawrence still holds the lead in the 250 class in AMA Pro Motocross, things certainly haven’t been easy, for he’s faced his fair share of adversity in the form of crashes, a mechanical DNF and through battling injury. To his credit, though, the ultra-competitive and determined Hunter keeps fighting on doggedly.

Even though he’s been far from satisfied with his last four overalls as a whole, that read 9-13-1-3, that quality work from the beginning of the series has ensured he still has a slender three-point advantage over Haiden Deegan. Looking forward to the three-week break to rest, recover and recalibrate his focus, expect the #96 to come out swinging in the final three rounds in his quest for glory.

Mitch Evans – MXGP
Having missed the pre-season and the subsequent first part of the season, Mitch Evans continues to play catch up on his competitors. Making steady gains this month, as he’s now claimed four top 10 overalls in the last five rounds, the aim for him is now to venture into the top five in the stacked MXGP class. Indeed, this is something that’s easier said than done, which was illustrated last weekend in the brutal sands of Lommel, where he duked it out valiantly to claim 13th overall.

“Moto one was really good; I pushed through really well to eighth and was happy with my riding. I got a better start in race two, but got caught up in turn two and lost a heap of positions. I came back through again, but then I felt a lot of cramping in my lower back. There were a lot of positives again; just the last ten to fifteen minutes could have been better,” asserted Evans.

Have we missed anyone? Leave a comment letting us know who you’d like to see us keep you up to date with their international two wheeled successes! 

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Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
Despite a tough start to his weekend at Donington Park that meant he started from 20th on the grid, Oli Bayliss admirably worked through the field in race one to claim a solid 11th. Wanting to better his result for race two, unfortunately it wasn’t to be for the Barni Racing star, with the pressure in his front tyre dropping steadily as the race wore on, forcing him to settle for 13th.

“The Barni Racing Team and I had a fair weekend all in all. In race two we struggled with an issue with the front tyre dropping pressure throughout the race, and that kept me from pushing, especially from the front half,” Bayliss recalled. “It was a big learning weekend but we can take a lot of positives from here to Autodrom Most in two weeks’ time.”

Currently sitting 16th in the championship and gaining vital experience with every passing race, the talented Bayliss will now shift his attention to round six in the Czech Republic.

Jason O’Halloran – British Superbike
Jason O’Halloran impressively moved to the top of the British Superbike standings after another wonderful weekend of action. Going 1-2-2 at Brands Hatch, the “O Show” stamped his authority early by winning the qualification race .Riding exceptionally and consistently to take home two second place finishes on Sunday, this rounded out an outstanding weekend for the Yamaha maestro.

The second race was particularly exciting, as O’Halloran went head-to-head with McAMS Yamaha teammate Tarran Mackenzie in a race-long battle. In the end, though, following some entertaining back and forth, Mackenzie edged O’Halloran at the line to secure victory by a measly 0.0037 seconds.

“A really good weekend for us, I was really happy to win yesterday,” he explained. “I’ve finished no worse than second in nine races now and won five of them. We needed to make a step forward at Brands from last year and I think we’ve done that.”

Harrison Voight – Moto3 Junior World Championship
Continuing his fine progress in 2022, Harrison Voight keeps producing the goods in the Moto3 Junior World Championship. Beginning the month with an impressive sixth in race one and ninth in race two at Jerez, the youngster battled hard in this fiercely competitive class to earn two deserved top 10s.

Although he couldn’t replicate these results at the Algarve due to him being taken out on the last lap, the fact he qualified on the front row and was in the group battling for second and holding his own offered plenty of reason for encouragement. 

“What a pity to end a great weekend! I was strong being up in the front of the group battling for second. Unfortunately starting the last lap, a rider made a stupid move making contact with another rider to then hitting me,” the man in 13th in the championship insisted. Taking the positives about this race, it was well and truly the best race I’ve had until this situation. I’ll keep chipping at it, soon we will arrive back on the podium.”

Jacob Roulstone – Moto3 Junior World Championship
While the results haven’t matched his speed in the Moto3 Junior World Championship, Jacob Roulstone’s still on the right path as he gains valuable experience. Securing a decent 18th in the opening race at Jerez, things then took a turn for the worse in race two, for he endured a nasty crash while attempting to avoid a rider who’d highsided. As a result, Roulstone, who was travelling at 180kph had nowhere to go, with him ultimately colliding with a wall.

Heading into the Algarve round, a battered and bruised Roulstone left feeling happy with his output from the weekend, where he escaped unscathed and put in some consistent lap times on his way to finishing 21st in this stacked class.

“We are taking more steps each time and I feel good results are coming. I’ve worked out a few things I need to work on and I just need to sort out the qualifying and first lap aggression. Thank you to all my team for the ongoing hard work,” said the upbeat hotshot.

Mitch Evans – MXGP
Almost back to a level resembling his best, Mitch Evans’ recent form has been extremely positive, for he’s shown he can take it to the frontrunners and hold his own. Having gone 6-7 for seventh overall at the Czech GP, Evans backed that up by running third in the qualifying race in the sand of Lommel.

Disaster then struck near the end, with the likeable Aussie enduring a horror crash over the triple. Although he bravely attempted to race on Sunday, Evans was forced to retire 15 minutes into the moto, with the ramifications of his incident seeing him withdraw. The HRC rider then wisely sat out the second moto, as he now turns his attention to the Swedish GP in two weeks.

Jed Beaton – MXGP
F&H Kawasaki mounted Jed Beaton is steadily getting better with every round, in his quest to get back to full race fitness. Running in seventh for a large part of the second moto at the Czech GP was a massive boost for him, in a race where he spent some crucial time battling with some of the elite riders in MXGP.

While last weekend at Lommel was a tough one at the office for Beaton, the bike time and experience he gained will serve him nicely moving ahead. Hoping to land some more top 10 finishes in the remaining four rounds is now the goal for Beaton to close out his injury interrupted debut MXGP campaign in style.

Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Jett Lawrence continues his dominance of the AMA 250 Pro Motocross series, as the inordinately talented youngster appears destined to claim another outdoor crown. Although his July started cruelly with a DNF in moto one at RedBud when his bike let go, he remained focused to salvage the day by winning the second moto.

Having lost his red plate at RedBud, Lawrence emphatically reclaimed it at Southwick by going 1-1 in the sand to earn a dominant overall win. He then flexed his muscles to round out the taxing four race stretch by bagging overall wins at Millville and Washougal to extend his championship lead to 28 points heading into the three week break.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Still in the championship mix and proving he can match Jett for speed frequently, Hunter Lawrence isn’t giving up on the title yet. Sitting 28 points behind his younger brother and clearly feeling confident with four rounds to go, the older brother will be doing everything in his power to close the gap.

With his last eight moto scores reading 2-2-6-8-2-5-1-4, it’s obvious he’s got the quality, he just needs to avoid the small mistakes and keep pushing for better starts if he’s to truly be in the hunt.

Wil Ruprecht – Enduro GP
Heading into the EnduroGP in Portugal at the beginning of the month leading the championship and stamping his mark as the man to beat, things frustratingly took a turn for the worse for the Aussie. 

Starting the round with a disappointing crash, this put Ruprecht on the back foot from the off, with him only able to muster five points from the weekend. Consequently, he also dropped back to second in the standings behind Andrea Verona.

“Bonehead mistake on my part in the supertest set the tone for the weekend really,” Ruprecht lamented. Was going to work in the first enduro test of day one, just hitting my marks but ended up laying it down. Tried to gather every point I could following that but I couldn’t bring home anything worth talking about. So that hurt the championship a bit but with plenty still to play for it’s all hands on deck for the upcoming GPs.”

Daniel Milner – Enduro GP
Getting on the podium in just his fourth EnduroGP, Daniel Milner deserves immense credit for his exceptional performance in Portugal. Looking comfortable and fast aboard his Fantic, the consistent Australian proved he’s adjusted smoothly to the class and can match it with the best of them.

“To get on the overall podium in my fourth EnduroGP was a good feeling. Feel like I’m adapting and feeling more and more comfortable every race,” he explained.

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Jack Miller – MotoGP
Jack Miller’s June has unquestionably been an eventful one. With rumours rife that Miller would be leaving factory Ducati’s ranks, this news was finally confirmed with the announcement that the Aussie speedster would be joining Red Bull Factory KTM on a two-year deal.

Set to be reunited with his former Pramac Ducati manager in Francesco Guidotti, the move is littered with upside for Miller, who can now focus on the rest of the season without any speculation surrounding him. In terms of his racing, this month has seen him notch a frustrating 14th at Catalunya, where he struggled from a lack of grip all race, a superb third in Germany and a thrilling sixth at Assen.

Producing a wonderful performance to podium in the scorching conditions at the Sachsenring despite receiving a long lap penalty for crashing under a yellow flag in FP4, Miller deserves tremendous credit for sticking at it when faced with such adversity.

“It was probably one of the hardest races physically I’ve ever done,” Miller asserted. “I did the long lap right away and almost crashed because of some rocks that were in the way. I got in behind Martin and Di Giannantonio and managed to pass their two Ducatis pretty easily. I pushed hard today and am very happy with this result!”

Then at Assen, Miller, who again had to deal with a long lap penalty, battled hard to put himself in podium contention before making a small mistake when attempting to get by Maverick Vinales. Miller then incredibly got passed by Aleix Espargaro and Brad Binder in the final corner of the last lap, forcing him to settle for sixth.

Remy Gardner – MotoGP
Having grabbed his best ever MotoGP finish in Catalunya, where he made a huge step in the right direction to come home in 11th, this served as a testament to his talent and adaptation to life at the highest level of the sport. “For sure I think we all expected a bit more from the start, but our last race was good,” he recalled.

“I felt like we were making steps forward really from Jerez and Le Mans. I don’t think we’ve had too much luck between those races, so don’t think we could show that improvement as much as we wanted to, but I think finally in Montmelo we finally played our cards right and we had a really good race. It seems to be coming. There’s a lot to learn with the big bike, it’s just taking it step by step.”

While he couldn’t replicate his heroics in Barcelona at Sachsenring or Assen, he manfully plugged away to record an admirable 15th in Germany and 19th in the Netherlands.

Joel Kelso – Moto3
In what’s been an injury interrupted crusade for Joel Kelso, he’s crucially still proved he’s right at home in the ultra demanding and competitive Moto3 class both during qualifying and on race day.

Battling impressively with the lead group in the last few races, the Darwinian has embraced the chance to duke it out with the plethora of elite riders in Moto3. Although he crashed out in Germany when near the front, ultimately faded back to 12th in Catalunya and had a sickening highside while in 13th at Assen, much encouragement can be extracted from his latest rides.

Oli Bayliss – World Supersport
With just the one round of World Supersport in June, Oli Bayliss came into Misano with plenty of confidence, for not only had he recorded an encouraging 12-6 at Estoril, but he was also familiar with the track due to previously testing there.

Sadly, it was a weekend to forget for the Barni Spark Racing Team sensation, who crashed out of both races, with the only real bright spot arising from the fact he obtained more valuable minutes on the bike and that he qualified 10th.

“It wasn’t the best weekend for us. Yesterday we completed a strong qualifying but then we didn’t finish either of the races. I’m really sorry for the team and for having involved Orradre in the crash. Now we’ll focus on making up for things at Donington,” Bayliss said.

Jason O’Halloran – British Superbike
Backing up his outstanding double victory at Donington Park with another crushing two race triumph at Knockhill in round four of the British Superbike Championship, Jason O’Halloran emphatically stamped his authority on the series.

“We’ve had four wins in the last six races, six podiums from six races and we are closing down the podium points and championship leads,” gleamed the McAMS Yamaha star. An awesome couple of weekends, I’m feeling super strong in the races, in complete control and I can’t wait to keep progressing and getting stronger as the season moves on.”

Josh Brookes – British Superbike
Building steadily as the season goes on, two-time BSB Champion, Josh Brookes, enjoyed a solid round four by going 10-6-7. Looking much more comfortable on his MCE Ducati, there were many positives to be gained from his weekend, which came in the form of him running third at one stage in the final race and how he recorded the sixth and fourth fastest lap times in race two and three respectively.

Jacob Roulstone – Red Bull Rookies & Moto3 Junior World Championship
Despite results not going his way in June, with on-track incidents, mechanical problems and bike setup issues stifling him, the 17-year-old is crucially learning all the time against the premier prospects in junior road racing.

There has, however, been many promising signs that he’s making tangible improvement, for he’s shown the speed to mix it with the frontrunners at times in both classes and continues to feel more at ease on the bike. Desperate to rekindle his early form, which saw him impressively grab seventh at the first race of the Red Bull Rookies, expect the hard working youngster to get back in the mix sooner rather than later.

Harrison Voight – Red Bull Rookies & Moto3 Junior World Championship
Coming back from an injury following a crash in May, the 16-year-old prodigy wasted little time getting back up to speed by notching 6-8 race finishes at round three of the Moto3 Juniors at Catalunya.

He then kept up this momentum for the German round of the Red Bull Rookies, where, after qualifying seventh, he bagged an amazing second place in race one before bringing home a solid seventh in race two (only 0.593sec off first) to round out a great weekend.

Josh Hook – FIM EWC Endurance
Endurance World Champion Josh Hook is back again for another tilt at glory aboard his F.C.C. TSR Honda France machine. Starting the FIM EWC season with a third at the first round at the Le Mans 24 Hour race alongside teammates Gino Rea and Mike De Meglio, Hook and co. battled hard to claim a podium finish after a gear selector issue and a broken muffler threatened to scupper their weekend.

The second race at SPA in Belgium then saw Hook and his colleagues race to another third, in what was an action packed 24 hours of racing that featured plenty of spills and the race being red flagged for two hours due to oil being on the track. Upon the resumption of the race for a final burst, Rea’s heroics ensured the team snuck home for third by just 0.5 seconds, which propelled the Honda France squad into second in the standings.

“So far our season has been going well, not as good as it could have been but that’s all part of endurance racing,” Hook explained. “We are second in the championship and still well and truly in contention for the championship which is our goal. I’ve missed going to Suzuka as it’s my favourite race of the year so it will be amazing to be back in Japan on Honda’s home ground in front of all the Japanese fans. We know our bike works really well at this circuit so I’m expecting a great result. Overall I’m excited to be back in Japan racing again. Looking forward to seeing everyone there.”

Anthony West – FIM EWC Endurance
Anthony West’s EWC campaign got off to a challenging start in Le Mans courtesy of his Maco Racing Team being forced to complete the race with just two riders. Fighting valiantly with teammate Enzo Boulom, the Maco boys were rightfully awarded the Anthony Delhalle EWC Spirit Trophy for their incredibly brave efforts.

Having three fit riders for the second stanza of the series in Belgium, things began nicely at SPA, as the team were running in the top 10 and on track for a quality finish. But unfortunately the tide turned, for West suffered a horrendous bout of food poisoning, causing him to vomit three times inside his helmet. As a result, he had to rest for two hours during the race to try and recover as best as possible. West courageously then got back on the bike for a two hour spell, helping his team record a credible 14th place finish against the odds.

Mitch Evans – MXGP
Putting in his best displays yet at the recent rounds in Germany and Indonesia, Mitch Evans has taken a giant leap forward, in a season that’s seen him build steadily as he recovers from injury. Starting off the German GP weekend in style by getting fifth in the qualifying race, he then went 8-6 in the motos for seventh overall. Evans then backed this up at Indonesia with his best performance yet by going 6-5 for a deserved fifth overall. Seeing as he’s now banked six top 10 finishes in his last eight motos and has risen to 11th in the rankings, things are certainly now trending upwards for the likeable Aussie.

“Another season-best performance so I am very happy with that, especially after feeling so bad earlier in the day. I really had to fight hard in both races to keep my pace up and keep the riders behind me, so this was a massive effort and it feels great to have that effort pay-off. Scoring 31-points and getting sixth overall after six-five moto scores is a nice boost heading into these couple of weeks off, so now I will keep working hard and keep this momentum for the next round in the Czech Republic,” stated the Team HRC Honda rider.

Jed Beaton – MXGP
Slowly regaining his fitness from his nasty shoulder injury from earlier in the campaign and taking small steps towards returning to his best, Jed Beaton’s gone 13-13 in France, 14-14 in Germany and 10-13 in Indonesia.

Enduring a challenging first term in the stacked MXGP class, the talented Tasmanian’s now hoping to get right back on track in the Czech Republic after a three week break, as he hopes to recapture his classy form from the beginning of the season that saw him claim sixth overall at round one in England.

Jett Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Sitting pretty atop the 250 AMA Pro Motocross leaderboard, the outrageously gifted Jett Lawrence has won the overall at all of the four rounds so far in the series. Going 1-1-3-1-2-2-2-1 in the eight motos, his form has been nothing short of exceptional.

Considering he was suffering from an illness at two of the rounds, this makes his efforts even more remarkable. Showing no signs of slowing down, it’ll take something special for someone to stop the 18-year-old from winning another outdoor title.

Hunter Lawrence – AMA Pro Motocross
Riding beautifully and looking almost as good as Jett, Hunter Lawrence has proven he’s capable of taking the challenge to his younger brother. Even though he’s yet to win an overall, Hunter, who’s gone 2-3-2-2, has shown he has the speed to match anyone in the 250 class.

Fresh from signing a two-year contract extension with HRC Honda, the elder Lawrence brother put in his best display yet at High Point, where he went 2-1 following a captivating battle with Jett, which would’ve instilled him with immense confidence that he’s ready for a title push. With the consistently superb Lawrence boys winning six of the eight motos so far and seemingly in a class of their own, the stage is set for a fascinating battle between the siblings who are currently only separated by 12 points in the standings.

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Road Racing State Governing Bodies

MOTORCYCLING NEW SOUTH WALES 

• Address: 9 Parkes Street,
• Harris Park NSW 2150
• Phone: (02) 9635 9177
• Web: motorcycling.com.au
  

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MOTORCYCLING QUEENSLAND

• Address: 2/8 Gordon Street,
• Ipswich Qld 4305
• Phone: (07) 3281 2255
• Web: mqld.org.au

MOTORCYCLING WESTERN AUSTRALIA

• • Address: 46 Seventh Avenue,
  • Marylands WA 6051
  • Phone: (08) 9371 5333
  • Web: motorcyclingwa.org.au

MOTORCYCLING SOUTH AUSTRALIA

• Address: 251 The Parade,
• Beulah Park SA 5067
• Phone: (08) 8332 9000
• Web: motorcyclingsa.org.au

MOTORCYCLING VICTORIA

• Address: Suite 125/9 Hall Street
• Port Melbourne, Vic 3207
• Phone: (03) 9673 0600
• Web: motorcyclingvic.com.au

MOTORCYCLING TASMANIA

• Postal Address: PO Box 269,
• Port Sorell Tas 7307
• Phone: (03) 6428 7567
• Web: mtas.org.au

MOTORCYCLING NORTHERN TERRITORY

• Postal Address: PO Box 154,
• Howard Springs NT 0835
• Phone: (08) 8983 2200
• Web: mant.org.au
  

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RIDE DAY COMPANY CONTACTS 

CALIFORNIA SUPERBIKE SCHOOL

• Ph: 1300 793 423
• phillipislandridedays.com.au
• superbikeschool.com.au
• Locations: Phillip Island, Vic

CHAMPION’S RIDE DAYS 

• Ph: (07) 3287 4144
• championsridedays.com.au
• Locations: Broadford, Winton, Queensland Raceway, Barbagallo, Lakeside, Mallala 

TOP RIDER  

• Ph: 1300 13 13 62
• toprider.com.au
• Locations: Marulan, Eastern Creek, Gold Coast

TRAKDAYZ 

• Ph: 0401 484 898
• trakdayz.com.au
• Locations: Barbagallo, Collie

XTREME RIDE DAYS

• Ph: (02) 4823 5711
• formula-xtreme.com.au/RideDay
• Locations: Wakefield Park, NSW

RIDE DAYS WA 

• Ph: (08) 9409 1002
• ridedayswa.com.au
• Locations: Barbagello, Collie

The post All The Australian Racing & Track Day Contacts You’ll Need! appeared first on Racing, Riding, Motorcycle Reviews, Race bikes, Tech Tips, Rider Training....

This event has everything – there is kick arse action on track and off track it’s almost as exciting! Things such as free pit access where the fans get to rub shoulders with some of the best riders in the world and check out some serious bike porn in the pits too. Not only is bike porn in the pits, it’s also in the parking area as well, where fans gets to park their pre 1990 non-competition motorcycle pride and joy close to the pit area and turn it into a ‘showroom like parking lot’. 

On the Sunday afternoon they even get to do a demonstration lap in the Shannons Parade Lap show as well and a welcome return was trade alley in the back of the paddock where you could buy official Island Classic merchandise. 

Another big-ticket item is the Saturday night welcome dinner with Sir Alan Cathcart interviewing all the main players including UK’s new star recruit, John McGuiness. Even Alan Cathcart thinks this event is amazing, saying, “I have been coming to the Island Classic on and off for the past ten years. It’s been fantastic to see how it has grown. Having the International Challenge was a brilliant idea. The whole event is a great success.”

In regards to the International Teams Challenge, if you’re wondering what that is all about, well, in simple terms it is a fiercely contested weekend which sees Australia V the Yanks V the Kiwis V the Poms, all going hammer and tongs to score top points to win for their country. For individual honours, riders were all battling it out to win the Ken Wootton memorial trophy and the famous Karen ‘Nurse’ Wootton’s homemade chocolate brownies.

2014 saw UK’s best line up of riders that were ready to rock and roll and go toe-to-toe with the Aussie riders and the other two teams. They brought an army of their best riders such as ex 250/500cc GP star Jeremy McWilliams, Gary Johnson and Mike ‘Spike’. At the eleventh hour, Irishman Ryan Farquhar was called in to replace Steve Brogan because of family commitments. But the biggest name to make the headline act was without a doubt, the man from Morecambe, Lancashire, 41-year old John McGuinness.

The 26-race victor at the Isle of Man TT and an accomplished endurance racer was glad to be back on Australia soil. But when he asked what it was going to be like to race his IOM TT rival Cam Donald, he said, “It’s going to be hard to deal with Cam around here that’s for sure.” “He passed me yesterday and showed me who was the ‘boss’ around Phillip Island. But we will slowly catch up and hopefully towards the end of the weekend we won’t be a million miles away.

“But the likes of Shawn Giles, Steve Martin Robbie Phillis are superfast around here. Even Brendan Roberts. I have experience racing against him in BSB Superstock and he is lighting fast as well. I have a load of respect for all of these guys.” 

The English team may have had their strongest line up of riders, but quite frankly the Aussie team did too… Riders such as the 1999 Australian Superbike and 2009 World Endurance champion Steve Martin, Martin’s teammate Shawn Giles. ‘Mr Superbike’ Robbie Phillis, Tasmania’s Malcolm ‘Wally’ Campbell, Current Australian Superbike racer Beau Beaton, Brendan Roberts and another IOM TT legend, Cam Donald just to name a few.

On track action, well it started off with an Aussie blitz from Donald. From the word go he was the early pace setter in qualifying one and looked like he was going to be the man to catch for the whole weekend. Donald steered his Manta Engineering Suzuki XR69 to a 1:38.368 in the 15-minute opening qualifying session, just 0.403s faster than countryman Beau Beaton on the K.H. Equipment/Austart Air Starters Irving Vincent. 

In qualifying two however it was McWilliams (Team Winfield) who got the upper hand snaring pole position over Donald by .017sec! Giles rounded out the front row. McWilliams kept his form going in the two opening racers on Saturday beating Donald who played second fiddle to him in both racers. Race two was nothing short of a bell ringer! McWilliams, Donald, Giles and Roberts all battled it out for the whole six laps, and at the end of the race the time difference was just .272 between the four riders!

Race three belonged to Donald as he led from start to finish but it was not made easy as Giles gave chase the whole way. Giles’s team-mate, Roberts finished third while McWilliams had to settle for fourth,with his bike cutting out down the main straight on the first two laps which cost him any chance of victory. With this result it set the stage for an epic battle for the final race of the weekend. Donald was just one slender point ahead of McWilliams with Giles just three points off Donald.

In the most stunning outcomes, Roberts pipped McWilliams by the smallest of margins (.004s) to claim second spot behind Giles in race four. The result meant that both Giles and McWilliams finished the International Challenge races on 155-points apiece, and were subsequently declared joint winners – the first time it’s happened since the International Challenge began in 2005. Giles and McWilliams now ‘share’ the Ken Wootton Trophy as the highest individual point scorers in the International Challenge. 

Third place went to Roberts with a 6-4-3-2 result while Beaton was fourth with a 4-6-7-4. Rounding out the top five was McGuinness on the Harris F1 after he strung a 7-8-8-7 result. A pretty impressive result seeing McGuinness did not even sit on the bike till the Thursday at the Island Classic! 

As Australia celebrated Australia Day on Sunday the 26th of January it was quite fitting that Australia retained the International Trophy for the teams challenge award winning it with 692 points on the board from the United Kingdom on 617. New Zealand was third with 367 and America in fourth with 341.

The final word should go to the circuit’s Managing Director, Fergus Cameron. “It’s been a fantastic weekend. The Island Classic took another step forward this year. It was always going to be hard to follow on from last year when Giacomo Agostini came out. But the International Challenge and the other entire racing certainly served it up. The level of competition is a whole lot fiercer. To have John McGuinness out here this year has been great, he has already told me that he will be back again next year for sure. This event is magnetic. People, who want to get involved, want to stay in involved. And believe me the American’s will come back next year a whole lot stronger as well.”

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