Motorcycle Racing at Road America 2023

Summer’s finally reached the Midwest, meaning it’s time for encased meats, beer, and motorcycle racing at Road America. MotoAmerica’s Superbikes at Road America date is fast becoming an annual rite of summer. It’s what motivates thousands of race fans to dust off grills and see if the minibike still starts.

Hot, dry, and blue skies greeted fans on friday, as hundreds of trucks and RVs began assembling the temporary village of Race-Fanistan. Pop-ups and tents appeared, revealing a diverse stable of every motorcycle known to man, along with their minibike sidekicks.

High ticket prices of late seemed to be paying dividends in the form of facility upgrades. Or maybe it was those pricey camping wristbands? They’re not useful for pitching tents or opening beers, but maybe they help build new air fences.

Road America spent the last year adding gravel camping driveways, a new path along the Carousel, and even a “beach” and taco truck parked by the Kink. And new signage was everywhere. Unfortunately, it included rules like “250cc and below motorcycles only.” Fortunately, tastefully breaking rules is also an annual tradition at Road America.

The big disappointment this year was the lack of EV bikes to review. Last year, the UBCO 2X2 was more popular than pony rides at summer camp. But this year, we had to make do with the Honda Navi, Honda XR100, several Honda Passports, a 1972 Honda CL100, some Kawasaki KV75s, and even a 1973 Honda CB350G. Plus a 1966 Honda C200 and 1974 Honda CB200. But we made do.

Despite the best efforts of Road America’s risk officers, 9-year-olds got better at riding 80cc dirt bikes, several Ténérés rode the trails, and credential-only areas were breached. Everyone survived, races were won, and various freedoms were celebrated. 2023 did not disappoint, in large part thanks to another Road America improvement: the first complete repaving since 1997.

Matte black and billiard-smooth, the new surface no doubt helped Josh Herrin’s Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati NYC Panigale V4 R set a new lap record during Saturday qualifying: 2:09.111. This bested Jake Gagne’s 2021 record by almost a second and a half. But these 2:09s might just be a prelude. With only one previous race weekend on the new surface, additional rubber embedded in race lines will only make things faster.

Saturday was hot, but Sunday’s cooler temps made for better lap times. The heat and abrasive surface made Saturday tire selections a tough choice between longevity and grip. Outside the race line, grip was tough to come by. But on Sunday, Herrin broke the lap record again with a 2:09.025 on the last lap of his Supersport race, which he won by 2.014 seconds over PJ Jacobsen’s Tytlers Cycle Racing BMW M 1000 RR.

Saturday’s Mission King of the Baggers featured a last lap pass by Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle’s Kyle Wyman past Indian Motorcycle/Progressive/Mission Foods–backed Tyler O’Hara in turn 8. But Sunday’s race was a laugher, with Sac Mile/SDI Racing/Roland Sands/Indian’s Bobby Fong beating everybody by 5.7 seconds. Fun race fact? Fong’s airbags deployed accidentally right before the start. Safety first, indeed.

The Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati Panigale V2 of Xavi Forés took both Saturday’s and Sunday’s Supersport contests, bringing his MotoAmerica Supersport race winning streak to five. His Ducati V2 out-motored the Tytlers Cycle Racing Kawasaki ZX-6R of Stefano Mesa on Saturday. And then again on Sunday. Other notables? None other than retired Cycle World Road Test Editor Michael Gilbert, who finished fifth both days aboard his Michael Gilbert Racing Suzuki GSX-R750.

What Junior Cup bikes lack in displacement, they make up for with tight packs and photo finishes. Bad Boys Racing Kawasaki’s Avery Dreher prevailed in a Saturday photo finish over Fairium NGRT- Gray Area Racing Aprilia rider Rossi Moor and the Badie Racing Kawasaki of Levi Badie. Moor returned the favor on Sunday by taking his first Junior Cup win.

Mikayla Moore demolished the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race lap record by more than 11 seconds at 2:53.880. Then she won both Saturday’s and Sunday’s races by more than 17 seconds and less than 12 seconds, respectively.

Road America favors power and the long-legged. The BMW M 1000 RR was the steed of choice, as Orange Cat Racing’s Ezra Beaubier took Saturday’s Steel Commander Stock 1000 race. Travis Wyman Racing’s Travis Wyman turned his Saturday second place into a Sunday win aboard his BMW M 1000 RR. Speaking of various Wymans, Cody Wyman took third place on Sunday aboard the Altus Motorsports GSX-R1000R, which he’d never raced before, in Stock 1000 or any class. He was a last-minute substitution, since the fill-in rider (for the injured rider) got stuck in the Atlanta airport. You get all that?

Results aside, we come to see the races, but few of us root for anyone in particular. We camp, grill, drink, and ride miniature motorcycles around the greater Road America complex. We try to comprehend things like Cameron Beaubier hitting 189.4 mph on the main straight. We imagine ourselves pulling off ballsy passes in turn 8 on the last lap, like Kyle Wyman in Saturday’s King of the Baggers race.

But mostly we don’t have to imagine anything. We’re here, amid unburned race fuel and burned rubber contrails. Kids get to run amok, adults get a “weekend pass,” and everyone gets to indulge their inner motorcycle nerd. Enjoy the pictures.