This Week in Powersports - The week of December 12, 2022

RACING

Monster Energy/Yamaha Star Racing Announces 2023 250 Roster

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing heads into 2023 with a talented five-rider line-up for the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250 class divisional championships. New to the squad next year are Stilez Robertson and Jordon Smith, who are both eager to go supercross racing aboard the championship-winning YZ250F. Together with returning members – Nate Thrasher, Levi Kitchen, and Nick Romano – the team looks to add to their tally of eight 250SX number-one plates and an impressive run of four consecutive years at the top of the 250 class.  

Robertson joins the team for 2023 and is one of the sport’s top up-and-coming riders. Although it’s been a roller coaster start since his pro debut in 2020, with injuries that have sidelined him from a complete season, the 20-year-old has shown speed up front. Over the past two seasons, he notched a pair of runner-up finishes at the challenging Daytona Supercross and earned his first outdoor overall podium this year at the RedBud National. Back to full fitness, Robertson is eager to get back on track and battle for top honors with the bLU cRU. 

Also joining the team in 2023 is Smith, who has three wins and multiple podiums in the 250 supercross class and took the runner-up spot in the 2018 250SX East Championship. It’s been a tough few years for the rider from Belmont, North Carolina, who was sidelined with injuries the following seasons. Reenergized and healthy, Smith has been training with the team since the outdoor season and is eager to line up behind the gate and fight for a championship.   

Thrasher returns for his third full season with the team looking to take the lead and fight for a championship. He turned a lot of heads during his rookie season in supercross, taking two 250SX wins in 2021 at a very physically demanding track at the Atlanta Motor Speedway tripleheader. 2022 was a building year for the Tennessee rider as he continued to make forward progress. Thrasher ended the supercross season on a high note, winning the East-West 250 Showdown at the final round in Salt Lake City, Utah, ending the year fifth in the 250SX West points standings.  

Another one of the team’s fast up-and-coming riders, Kitchen returns with the team for his second full season. Although his 2022 season was interrupted by some injuries, the 21-year-old showed a lot of speed as a rookie, winning his first 250MX moto at Thunder Valley. He also enjoyed a solid supercross debut with a top-10 finish at the 250SX East season opener in Minneapolis but unfortunately was sidelined after a crash ats the following round. The Washington State rider is ready to return to racing and looks to keep building on his forward progress.  

Romano also returns with the team in 2023 and is excited to make his Monster Energy AMA Supercross debut. The New Yorker joined the pro ranks this year for the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, and although he too was sidelined with an injury, the 17-year-old showed strength and earned a career-best fourth-place finish in the first moto at his home race at Unadilla.  

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 team would like to thank its partners for their support: Monster Energy, Yamaha Racing, Yamaha Financial Services (YMFUS), Yamalube, GYTR, bLU cRU, Yamaha Bicycles, Thor, Parts Unlimited, Rekluse, FMF, Dunlop, Motion Pro, Works Connection, VP Fuels, Kite, Twin Air, KYB, Cycra, Alpinestars, 100%, Toyota of Escondido, Light Speed, ARC Levers, Race Tech Titanium, Mechanix Wear, Boxo Tools, Antigravity Batteries, CWI, Neken, D’cor Graphics, Vortex ECU, Vortex EK, Braking, Matrix Concepts, ProTaper, Excel and G2 Ergonomics. 

Jensen Hendler – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 250 Team Manager

“We’ve got a bunch of fast guys, a bunch of fast young guys, and we’re looking forward to seeing them continue to grow and battle up front. Everyone has been working hard to get ready and we’re excited to get going!” 

Jordon Smith – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing

“I’ve got a new team this year, and my wife and I have a new baby, so life’s changing a lot for me. I’m just excited to get the season going. I’ve been training for what feels like forever. I trained all throughout the outdoor season and worked with the team, so I’m ready to get racing. I’ve been riding well and I’m feeling good on the bike. I’m looking to win a championship. That’s what Star hired me to do. It’s always the goal to win a championship, but you can’t win it in the first round, so I’m going into the season looking to be smart, get some good starts, and let the cards fall.”   

Stilez Robertson – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing

“I’ve been at the GOAT Farm putting in the work and getting ready for the season with Swanie (Gareth Swanepoel) and everyone with the team. It’s been good so far. There are a lot of new, exciting things and it’s been a lot of fun getting used to those new things. I’m really excited to go racing with this team and to try and put the YZ250F where it belongs – up front. I can’t wait to get behind the gate!” 

Nate Thrasher – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing

“It’s been a good off-season. Everybody says that they’re the fastest they’ve ever been in the off-season, but we’ve been making a lot of progress. I’ve just been trying to improve every week, and I feel like I’ve got a good pace this year; it’s definitely better than last year. It’s my third year with the team and we’ve got more experience coming into this season. I feel like this year we can be a podium guy consistently and contend for a championship, and that’s what we need to do.” 

Levi Kitchen – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing

“I’m really looking forward to the supercross season. I’ve been putting in a lot of laps during the off-season and everything’s been going really well. I didn’t get to race that much last year because I got hurt, so my main focus for supercross next season is to learn a lot and shoot for some podiums, and maybe get some wins.”  

Nick Romano – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing

“The off-season’s been good. This is my first full off-season riding supercross. It was kind of tough getting back into the swing of things after that injury from Unadilla, but it’s been awesome lately, and I’m getting faster and stronger every day.  

“I’m super stoked to get my first supercross season started. My main goal is to get all of the rounds under my belt to learn the stadiums, the tracks, and the dirt. Obviously, I have standards for myself, and I want to win, but you’re not going to learn much unless you’re at every round. I’m looking forward to supercross and getting into the outdoors after that.” 

2023 SUPERCROSS: STAR RACING YAMAHA’S 450 TEAM

Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing heads into the 2023 Monster Energy AMA Supercross season armed with returning champions and an all-new YZ450F looking to take a fourth-consecutive premier class title for the team. Reigning 450SX and 450MX Champion Eli Tomac and 2021 450MX Champion Dylan Ferrandis lead the charge, with 2021 250SX West Champion Justin Cooper joining the duo for select rounds before switching to the 250 class for the outdoor season.

Following a stellar debut season with the team, Tomac returns looking to defend his crown in the Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX Championship. 2022 was a landmark year for the multi-time champion who lays claim to the winningest rider currently active in the premier class. He notched seven wins, including a record-breaking sixth victory at the legendary Daytona International Speedway, to seal the deal on his second 450SX title a weekend early in his home state of Colorado. Tomac tasted triumph again in the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross 450MX Championship, coming out on top in a thrilling down-to-the-wire title fight with 14 moto wins and five overall victories en route to his fourth title in the class. He was also the captain of the victorious Team USA at the Motocross of Nations, took some more supercross wins overseas during the off-season, and was honored with his first ESPY Award in the Best Athlete, Men’s Action Sports Category.

Ferrandis returns for his seventh season with the team. The Frenchman has enjoyed a  successful tenure with the Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing squad, earning back-to-back 250SX West Championships in 2019 and 2020, the 2020 250MX Championship, and the 2021 450MX Championship. He won his first premier class title in dominant fashion, putting himself in elite company by clinching the crown during his rookie season. In 2022, Ferrandis showed speed during his Sophomore season in supercross, scoring a podium finish with his teammate in San Diego. Unfortunately, he was sidelined with injuries and did not get the opportunity to defend his number-one plate in Pro Motocross. Back to full fitness, Ferrandis is hungrier than ever and eager to return to the top aboard the new YZ450F.

Stepping up to the premier class to race select rounds on the calendar, Cooper returns for his sixth season with the team and is eager to get some seat time on the YZ450F and battle with the best in the sport. Although 2022 got off to a tough start with an injury that ended his supercross season before it started, the New Yorker finished the year on a high note. He played an important role in Team USA’s Motocross of Nations victory and scored the overall win in the MX2 class. When it’s time to go racing outdoors in the Summer, Cooper will move over to the 250 team to make a run at the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross 250MX Championship aboard the YZ250F.

The Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 team would like to thank its partners for their support: Yamaha Racing, Monster Energy, Yamaha Financial Services (YMFUS), Yamalube, GYTR, bLU cRU, Parts Unlimited, CWI, Rekluse, FMF, Dunlop, Works Connection, VP Fuels, Kite, Twin Air, KYB, Cycra, ProTaper, Excel, Vortex, DID Chain, Vortex ECU, D’Cor, Braking, ARC Levers, Mettec Titanium, Motion Pro, Lightspeed, G2 Ergonomics, Antigravity Batteries, and Matrix Concepts.

Jeremy Coker – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing 450 Team Manager

“It was a phenomenal year for our team, and we’re looking to carry that momentum into 2023. We’ve got an all-new bike, which the guys were really happy with straight away. The entire team has been working hard to get everything ready, and we’re excited to start the season at A1. Both Eli and Dylan are looking great, and we’re looking forward to seeing Justin on the 450 for some rounds. We’ve got the riders, the bike, and a great team behind us, and we’re looking to win races and bring home another championship.”

Eli Tomac – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing

“We’re into the first week of December now, and it’s been a good off-season. We’ve been going to work on the new motorcycle – the 2023 YZ450F – and so far, it’s been good. When I first jumped on this bike, the first thing I noticed was the weight savings. That’s one thing I really love about it, and for supercross, that’s really good to have for the change of direction. It’s been awesome to start with that, and then now we’ve just been fine-tuning the bike with some suspension settings. We are also well into our training, and so far, so good. We’re staying healthy and should have a good chance at defending this number one plate.”

Dylan Ferrandis – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing

“The off-season’s been going well. We have this new Yamaha YZ450F in 2023, which was a big change. From week one, we already felt much better on the new bike. It was a big change, and for me, it was very good, especially in supercross, where I struggled a little bit. We had a lot of testing to do with the new bike and all the new parts, but it’s been going well. It feels really good, and I think we are in a way better spot than last year. We have big expectations for the new season, and everybody’s ready; everybody wants to win, and we are going to do everything for that.”

Justin Cooper – Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing

“It’s been a good off-season. We took some time off after RedBud (Motocross of Nations) before getting back to grinding away. I got on the 450 a few weeks ago to try and get my feet wet there and learn the bike. There’s a lot to adapt to, but the process has been fun. I enjoy riding the 450. I’ve always felt like I’ve been a better 450 rider, and I’m looking forward to racing it. It’s a new group of guys, and obviously, the power delivery is different from a 250, so there are going to be a lot of things to get used to, but I’m ready for it. I’m just looking to get my feet wet and learn the bike, learn the class, and get the experience. I think that’s the most valuable thing right now.”

TRIUMPH RACING TO ENTER SUPERMOTOCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING PEDIGREE WILL HEAD TRIUMPH FACTORY RACE TEAM WITH BOBBY HEWITT ANNOUNCED AS TEAM PRINCIPAL

Triumph Motorcycles will enter the SuperMotocross World Championship at the start of the 2024 season, with the single-minded ambition and commitment to develop a championship winning team. Triumph consulted Global Off-Road Ambassador Ricky Carmichael to achieve the vision. With the input from the greatest Supercross & Motocross racer of all time, Triumph has assembled a veteran team of managers with championship winning experience to helm the all-new United States based Triumph factory race team. The US motocross program, operating under the all-new global Triumph Racing banner, will be led by Team Principal Bobby Hewitt and Team Manager Stephen ‘Scuba’ Westfall. The team will be located at a dedicated new state-of-the-art private race facility in the USA.

The new Triumph Racing Factory Team will field its all-new Triumph 250cc 4-stroke MX bikes in the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship, which is comprised of the Monster Energy Supercross World Championship and the Pro Motocross Championship, with three season-ending SuperMotocross rounds. For the 2025 season Triumph will additionally field its new 450cc bike in the SuperMotocross World Championship.

Further demonstrating the team’s commitment to success, Hewitt has recruited a pair of legendary engineers to develop the team’s motorcycles. AMA Hall of Fame inductee Dave Arnold joins the team as Lead Chassis Engineer and Dudley Cramond joins as Lead Powertrain Engineer, each bringing incredible technical experience and talent to the team. All members of the team have an enviable history of success at the Pro and top Amateur level, with a racing record that speaks for itself, and together with Triumph share the long-term vision and commitment to deliver the highest level of success in racing competition.

The US based Triumph Racing Team, along with the recently announced Triumph Racing team based in Europe created in partnership with Thierry Chizat-Suzzoni, will both collaborate with the Triumph Factory. The latter team will compete in the FIM Motocross World Championship, with entry into the 250cc MX2 class in 2024, and the 450cc MXGP class in 2025. Both teams will be backed by a dedicated in-house off-road design engineering department within Triumph Global Headquarters in Hinckley, UK. where all the brand’s research, design, engineering development and prototype builds are located. Engineering teams from the Triumph factory and both new race teams have been working closely together on enhancing chassis and engine performance through an intensive testing schedule underway in the USA, UK, and mainland Europe.

Both race teams have been working on joint testing of the new Triumph motocross bikes. They’re sharing key data and rider feedback on the specifications, performance characteristics, and components with the Factory engineering group responsible for the concept and development of the powertrains and chassis for the all-new MX and dual sport motorcycle range. The insights of this race development information are being fed directly into each model of new Triumph motocross range. Additional launch details of the new Triumph off-road range will be made public in the near future.

This new team competing in the SuperMotocross World Championship is a significant addition to the Triumph Racing worldwide portfolio. Triumph Racing, which is based at the Triumph Global Headquarters in Hinckley, UK also features Triumph as the exclusive engine raced in the FIM Moto2? World Championship and includes Triumph powered teams competing in Supersport racing. Further information about the Triumph Racing entry into the SuperMotocross World Championship, with the 250cc bike in 2024 and the 450cc bike in 2025, will be announced next year.

Nick Bloor - CEO, Triumph:

“Following close on the heels of our recent announcement to enter the FIM Motocross World Championship in 2024, today’s launch of Triumph’s partnership with the incredibly talented team of Bobby and Scuba in the all-new Monster Energy AMA SuperMotocross World Championship continues our journey to the top tier of off-road competition and racing. I have no doubt, knowing the experience and capability shared between our dedicated in-house design and engineering teams, and Bobby’s hand selected team of racing experts, that this partnership will make an indelible mark on the history of this incredible sport and Triumph’s illustrious brand.”

Bobby Hewitt - Team Principal, Triumph Racing, Supercross and Motocross: "I always knew I would eventually get back into racing but to be able to do it with an iconic brand like Triumph, and to be able to help build this US Triumph Racing team from the ground up is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Triumph Motorcycles have been a part of my family growing up and to have them now decide to enter into professional off-road racing is a tremendous opportunity for our sport and a testament to the growth of the motorcycle industry overall in America. I am also very fortunate to be able to work with Scuba (Steve Westfall) again and add the experience of Dave (Dave Arnold) and Dudley (Dudley Cramond) to our team. I am honored to be working alongside everyone at the factory in Hinckley and cannot wait to get back to the racetrack in 2024 with our new team and compete for an SMX World Championship!"

Ricky Carmichael - Global Off-Road Ambassador, Triumph:

“It is great to take this next step in announcing our US Triumph Racing Team. Bobby's success in our sport as a championship team owner speaks for itself. The team he has assembled is already working with the factory in Hinckley during these final stages of development. They are some of the best people to have worked in our paddock and this shows the level of commitment, across the board, in this effort to compete for the SMX World Championship. I look forward to working with Bobby and the entire team when we go racing in 2024.”

Jeremy Appleton - Global Racing Manager, Triumph:

“Confirming Triumph’s entry into the SuperMotocross World Championship in 2024 here today is a huge step. Announcing Bobby Hewitt, as Team Principal for Triumph Racing to oversee Supercross and Motocross is a clear demonstration of the level of ambition we have in our approach to going racing at the pinnacle of dirt bike competition. Bobby and Steve ‘Scuba’ Westfall have proved that they know how to win and revealing Dave Arnold, an industry AMA Hall of Fame legend in chassis development and Dudley Cramond, with over 25 years of experience of building race winning engines brings the highest level of experience and expertise possible to Triumph. Ultimately, Triumph is focused on building a bike and a racing program to win and we believe this is the i have team to achieve that goal. The input that Ricky is having into the project is enormously valuable and our thanks are also due to Dave Prater and his team, Tim Cotter from MX Sports Pro Racing, Mike Pelletier and all at the American Motorcyclist Association for their welcome and all their help and support; we are looking forward to racing with them from January 2024.”

Dave Prater – Vice President, Supercross, Feld Motor Sports:

“We are excited to have a manufacturer with the rich history and racing heritage Triumph has, invest in the SuperMotocross World Championship. Triumph has proven they can enter a new racing category with incredible success. They have recently redefined the Moto2 World Championship class with an amazing reliability record. We believe Triumph will quickly make a positive impact on the sport.”

Tim Cotter – Sr Director of MX Sports and MX Sports Pro Racing:

“The announcement by Triumph Motorcycles, to return to the American motocross racing and sporting environment, marks one of the most exciting additions to these programs in the modern competition era. Triumph enjoys a prestigious position in the history of the sport of professional and amateur motorcycle competitions in the US, and this new announcement brings with it the deserved anticipation and high expectations of an excited American motorcycle racing community. It’s an honor for our company to welcome the return of Triumph Motorcycles and to look forward, with great anticipation, as they take on the world’s best riders and teams, on the best tracks, riding against the best assortment of motorcycle brands ever assembled in the history of our sport.”

Mike Pelletier - Director of Racing, American Motorcyclist Association:

“It’s rare when a major manufacturer – especially one with such distinguished competition history over the decades – joins our sport’s premier racing series. I can’t tell you how excited I am – and the AMA is – to welcome Triumph to AMA Supercross, Pro Motocross and SuperMotocross for 2024. I’ve developed a great relationship with Triumph’s newly appointed Team Principal Bobby Hewitt and Team Manager Steve Westfall over the years, and it’s been a pleasure working with Triumph from the very beginning of its path to professional Supercross and Motocross. Triumph’s racing history is monumental, and we can’t wait to watch the newest chapter unfold during the 2024 season and beyond.”

ABOUT TRIUMPH

• First established in 1902, Triumph Motorcycles celebrates 120 years of motorcycle manufacture in 2022. For more than three decades, Triumph Motorcycles has been based in Hinckley, Leicestershire, and has produced iconic bikes that perfectly blend authentic design, character, charisma and performance.
• Through its global dealer network of 701 dealers, in 2021 Triumph sold a record number of 81,541 motorcycles, representing a growth over the prior year of 29%.
• This focus, innovation and engineering passion has today created a broad range of bikes suited to all motorcycle riders, including the stunning new Speed Triple 1200 RR, Tiger Sport 660 and Trident 660, all- new transcontinental Tiger 1200 and epic Tiger 900, world leading Rocket 3 R and GT, high performance Street Triple 765 RS, iconic Scrambler 1200, and the legendary Triumph Bonneville family updated for 2021, including the Bonneville Bobber, Thruxton RS, Speed Twin 900, Scrambler 900, and the iconic Bonneville T120 and T100, plus an exciting and accessible A2 range of Triumph motorcycles.
• Triumph currently employs around 2000 personnel worldwide and has subsidiary operations in the UK, North America, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Japan, Sweden (Scandinavia), Benelux, Brazil, India, China and Thailand as well as a network of independent distributors. Triumph has manufacturing facilities in Hinckley, Leicestershire, and Thailand plus CKD facilities in Brazil and India.
• The Triumph Bonneville, famously named to celebrate Triumph’s 1956 land speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, USA, was the original British superbike and a race-winner straight out of the crate, chosen by famous motorcyclists of the past for its legendary handling, style, and character. Updated for 2021 with even more performance, capability and style, it’s that handling, character and iconic looks, married to modern rider-focused technology that makes the new Bonneville family THE authentic modern classic choice today. Triumph has a glorious racing history, competing in and winning races in almost every class and field of motorcycle sporting achievement. From winning the second ever Isle of Man TT in 1908, through to 1960s road and track domination in Europe and America, right up to contemporary racing achievements with the Triumph triple powered 2014 and 2015 Supersports titles and World SuperSport racing, Isle of Man
• Supersports TT wins in 2014 and 2019, courtesy of Gary Johnson and Peter Hickman, and in 2022, with another victory at the legendary Daytona 200 by Brandon Paasch on the Street Triple 765.
• Triumph’s racing legend continues as the exclusive engine supplier to the FIM Moto2? World Championship since the start of the 2019 season. Triumph Motorcycles provides all teams with race-tuned 765cc triples, each of which is based on the class-leading Street Triple RS powerplant. Redefining the class and breaking record after record in the inaugural year, including the first ever +300km/h Moto2? top speed, the 2020 season got even faster with another 11 all-time lap records and seven different winners from 15 races. In 2021, Triumph announced the renewal of the contract as the exclusive engine supplier to the FIM Moto2? World Championship for three more years.
• Triumph’s racing activities are further bolstered by a return to the World Superbike paddock in 2022 with a factory-supported race team, Dynavolt Triumph, in the World Supersport Championship.
• In 2021 Triumph announced their forthcoming entry into the Motocross and Enduro worlds as well as a new factory racing effort, with a commitment to top tier championship racing in both Motocross and Enduro series.

BARCIA, BROWN AND MOSIMAN ARE BACK IN ACTION WITH 2023 TROY LEE DESIGNS/RED BULL/GASGAS FACTORY RACING TEAM!

SQUAD WELCOMES MAX LEE AS NEW TEAM MANAGER; OLLY STONE BECOMES CREW CHIEFWith the all-new 2023 MC 450F Factory Edition and MC 250F Factory Edition bikes, and a new face at the helm of our team, GASGAS Factory Racing is on the gas for a third season of SX/MX racing in the U.S.! Proudly welcoming Max Lee on-board as the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team Manager, our returning three-rider lineup of Justin Barcia, Michael Mosiman and Pierce Brown are fired up for more in 2023.

• Barcia, Mosiman and Brown are back for 2023!
• Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing welcomes Max Lee as Team Manager!
• Olly Stone steps into Crew Chief role after a decorated career as race team mechanic

Never one to back down from a challenge, Justin Barcia is back on the hunt for a 450 title this season, racing aboard the all-new MC 450F Factory Edition in 2023. Charging his way to six podium finishes in the 2022 AMA Supercross Championship, Barcia heads into the new season with his eyes on the prize in the 31-race SuperMotocross World Championship.

We’re stoked to welcome back two heavy hitters in the 250 division as Michael Mosiman and Pierce Brown return to action aboard the all-new MC 250F Factory Edition. As a three-year veteran on the team, Mosiman is well-versed in the 250 class. Coming off his first career Supercross win in San Diego last season, the Northern California native is ready to stake claim atop the podium with a consistent season ahead.

 Also returning for year three with the squad is Utah native Pierce Brown, the third-place finisher in the 2022 250SX Eastern Championship. Brown ended the season on a high note with two consecutive podium finishes and he looks to build upon that momentum as the gate drops for a new year of racing.

 Justin Barcia: “I’m so amped for this upcoming season, we’ve got more races with more opportunities to win! I’m excited about our new bike and going racing with my wife and baby boy it’s going to be a fun season!”

 Michael Mosiman: “With the added three rounds of the SMX, I think it will be very important to stay consistent and to come into each round fresh – mentally and physically. I’m looking forward to the new season.”

 Pierce Brown: “I’m stoked for the 2023 season coming up. I feel really good and I’m loving the new bike! Excited to go racing.”

With longtime SX/MX Team Manager Tyler Keefe taking on a more strategic role as Troy Lee Designs’ Director of Motorsports, GASGAS Factory Racing is excited to welcome Max Lee as Team Manager, along with Oliver “Olly” Stone as Crew Chief.

By leveraging his years of experience in motorsport management, Keefe will continue working closely with the team to prepare for a successful race season in 2023 and beyond. With an extensive background with Troy Lee Designs, Max Lee will step into the role of Team Manager, overseeing the team and commercial responsibilities. As Crew Chief, “Olly” Stone will take on a more comprehensive technical role, overseeing the day-to-day operations of testing and preparing the bikes for racing.  

 Max Lee, Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing Team Manager: “I would like to thank Roger De Coster, Tyler Keefe, my father [Troy Lee], and everyone else who has guided me and given me this opportunity. Words cannot express how excited I am to work full-time for the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing team, it is a dream come true for me and my family. I am thankful to be surrounded by great people and I’m looking forward to an amazing season with this team.”

Troy Lee: “Beginning with our very first 250 team to building the TLD/GASGAS 450 and 250 team to what it is today, I would like to express great thanks to Tyler Keefe for his 11 years of hard work and success, and we look forward to his contributions as Troy Lee Designs Motorsports Director in the next chapter of his professional career. I’m also really stoked to have Max Lee as Team Manager of the Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull/GASGAS Factory Racing team. It’s a very proud moment for me and I know this new leadership team is going to help a lot in his guidance.

It’s going to be an exciting season in 2023 with three world-class riders returning to the lineup. Everyone has been putting in the work and the new Factory Edition bikes are looking good! We can’t wait to get the season kicked off at A1!”

Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York Rider Lineup of Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés to Compete in 2023 MotoAmerica Championship

Ducati North America is pleased to announce that Josh Herrin and Xavi Forés will compete in the 2023 MotoAmerica Championship for the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York team. Herrin, the reigning MotoAmerica Supersport champion, will contest the 2023 MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship aboard the Panigale V4 R superbike, and Forés will make his American racing debut, riding the Panigale V2 in MotoAmerica Supersport Championship.

Last season, Herrin dominated the MotoAmerica Supersport Championship aboard the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York Panigale V2, earning 9 wins and 16 total podiums on the way to giving Ducati its first MotoAmerica Supersport title. Ducati Corse Sporting Director Paulo Ciabatti says that promoting from within the family and rewarding Herrin with a ride on the Panigale V4 R superbike is logical given his success and experience with Dunlop’s MotoAmerica spec tires.

Herrin brings a wealth of experience to the championship and his familiarity with the Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York team will no doubt prove an asset as he seeks to capture the most coveted prize in American road racing. The 32-year-old Georgia native is the 2013 MotoAmerica Superbike champion, the 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock champion, and the winner of the 2010 Daytona 200. Herrin and the Panigale V4 R, a motorcycle that earned 16 podiums from 20 starts in 2022, could prove a formidable pairing.

Repeating Herrin’s success on the Panigale V2 is no mean feat, but there’s no doubt that Xavi Forés has the experience required to meet the challenge. A busy 2022 saw the 37-year-old Spaniard compete in several championships, including the FIM Enel MotoE World Championship for Pramac Racing. He also competed in the Endurance World Championship (EWC) for Team ERC Endurance Ducati, and in the final three rounds of the WorldSBK Championship with the Barni Spark Racing Team aboard a Panigale V4 R superbike. He previously raced with Barni Racing Team Ducati in WorldSBK from 2016–2018, achieving six podiums. Over his career, Forés has raced a wide variety of machinery in multiple classes, which should be an advantage as he gets acquainted with Dunlop rubber and the unique challenges of American road racing circuits.

Josh Herrin (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York – Ducati #2)

“I’m excited to return to the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship and be reunited with the team with whom I enjoyed so much success last year. The MotoAmerica Superbike class is really competitive, but I’m confident that my team can deliver a motorcycle capable of winning. I’m really looking forward to swinging a leg over the factory-prepped Panigale V4 R superbike and wearing Ducati red for another year.”

Xavi Forés (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York)

“Competing in MotoAmerica, especially as part of a strong team like Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York, has been a goal of mine for some time. At this point in my racing career, I’d like to score wins and podiums in the most competitive domestic championships. I’m also looking forward to continuing my long relationship with Ducati, a union that has given me many happy memories over the years. It will be a big challenge: everything—the tracks and the tires, especially—will be unfamiliar, but I think I’m equal to the task. The Panigale V2 won the title last year with Josh Herrin, so I’m excited to be in the same box with him and see if we can replicate some of his success.”

Bobby Shek (Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York Team Principal)

“Once again, Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York is proud to partner with Ducati Corse and Ducati North America to contest the 2023 MotoAmerica Mediallia Superbike and Supersport championships. We’re excited to have Josh Herrin back for another year and to welcome Xavi Forés to the team. After Josh’s incredible success in Supersport in 2022, we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do on the new Panigale V4 R superbike. We’re sure he’ll put on another show for us all this year! We’re also excited to welcome Xavi to the team. Xavi has been a fixture in world championship racing for many years and he’s ridden for some of the top teams. His desire to race here shows that the quality of competition in MotoAmerica hasn’t gone unnoticed. That also means we’ll have our work cut out, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Jason Chinnock (CEO, Ducati North America)

“We welcome the world-class rider Xavi Florés to the HSBK Racing Ducati New York team,“ said Chinnock. “Xavi’s experience will help him quickly adapt to the U.S. tracks and tires and we are confident that he will continue the momentum that Josh championed last season. Josh earned his seat for this year’s Superbike program after debuting the dominance of the Panigale V2 in MotoAmerica’s Supersport Championship. We are elated to have him aboard the 2023 Panigale V4 R challenging the most competitive field in U.S. national road racing and putting on a show for our Ducatisti and road racing fans alike,” said Chinnock. “We thank Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York and our colleagues at Ducati Corse as we anticipate another thrilling season.

2023 MotoAmerica Calendar

March 9 – 11Daytona International SpeedwayDaytona Beach, FLApril 21 – 23Road AtlantaBraselton, GAMay 19 – 21Barber Motorsports ParkBirmingham, ALJune 2 – 4Road AmericaElkhart Lake, WIJune 23 – 25Ridge Motorsports ParkShelton, WAJuly 7 – 9WeatherTech Raceway Laguna SecaMonterrey, CAJuly 28 – 30Brainerd International RacewayBrainerd, MNAugust 18 – 20Pittsburgh International Race ComplexWampum, PASeptember 8 – 10Circuit of The AmericasAustin, TXSeptember 22 – 24New Jersey Motorsports ParkMillville, NJ

About Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati New York

Founded in 2011, HSBK Racing partnered with Pennsylvanian dealership North American Warhorse/Ducati New York in 2020 to bring Ducati back to the forefront of professional Superbike competition in North America.

About MotoAmerica

For 2023, MotoAmerica enters its ninth season as North America’s premier road racing championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership between three-time 500cc Grand Prix World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer, Wayne Rainey; former Vice President of Motorsports Operations at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA), and former Managing Director of Team Roberts in MotoGP, Chuck Aksland; Executive Director of the Petersen Automotive Museum, Terry Karges; and energy sector investor and businessman, Richard Varner.

U.S. MXoN Team Wins 2022 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year Award

Following a winning performance at the 2022 FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) that brought the MXoN Chamberlain Trophy back to the United States, the U.S. MXoN team — which included Eli Tomac, Chase Sexton and Justin Cooper, with five-time World Champion and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Roger DeCoster as Team Manager — has claimed the 2022 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year award.

It had been 11 years since the U.S. claimed the Chamberlain Trophy, and this year the U.S. MXoN team took the long-awaited win in front of thousands of fans on home soil at Red Bud Track ’N’ Trail in Buchanan, Mich., on Sept. 25, 2022.

“Eli Tomac, Chase Sexton and Justin Cooper accomplished something extraordinary at Red Bud this year,” said AMA Board of Directors Chairman Russ Ehnes. “Bringing the Chamberlain Trophy back to American soil after 11 years was a feat worthy of recognition, which is why we selected the team as the 2022 AMA Motorcyclist of the Year. We’re proud of these riders’ stellar example of American greatness, and we’re proud to have them as AMA members.”

The AMA Board also awarded the AMA Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award to the late AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Loretta Lynn, who passed away in October, for her massive impact on the motocross community.

Recipients of the award showcase the highest level of service to the AMA in an area of activity. Since 1982, Loretta Lynn’s Ranch has welcomed more than 60,000 AMA riders vying for AMA National No. 1 plates at the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, making her the perfect candidate for this honor.

The AMA Bessie Stringfield Award, which is presented to an individual who has been instrumental in introducing or promoting motorcycling to emerging markets, is being awarded to Brian Schaffran and Molly Vaughan.

The husband-and-wife duo are the owners of Skidmark Garage, a community garage in Cleveland and leaders of Motogo, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that serves as the garage’s educational wing to teach middle school and high school students how to solve problems through working on motorcycles. The program works with schools around the Cleveland area, bringing back shop class to kids with a two-wheeled twist.

Rounding out the AMA Board of Directors Awards, Chris Real is being recognized with the AMA Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award — an honor given to individuals or organizations that generate good publicity for motorcycling.

Real, an expert in the specialty transportation industry focusing on motorcycles, has provided the technical background, equipment and additional support to the AMA’s sound meter program for more than a decade. He’s trained countless enthusiasts and enforcement organizations to properly conduct field tests and accurately measure sound levels, ensuring tests are conducted consistently and accurately.

More information about the U.S. MXoN team and their historic win can be found in the December and January editions of American Motorcyclist.