Laguna Seca VIP Magazine by 541 Marketing

Laguna Seca - JULY 12-14, 2024

Slicer’s Corner

Greetings and thank you for your support of Rainey’s Ride to the Races as well as being part of our MotoAmerica VIP Superfans! I have decided to unoﬃcially call this event the “Legends Weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca”! Not only did we have Legends on hand who collectively won 10 World Championships and more than 44 National Championships, I sincerely believe that we all witnessed several Future Legends in the making who raced at this year’s MotoAmerica Speedfest at Monterey.

In this issue, we commemorate Rainey’s Ride to the Races, which began Friday morning at the Moto Talbott Museum. The patrons and Legends all enjoyed the 97-mile ride to the track, topped off with a couple laps around the famous WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca while being escorted by our good friends at the California Highway Patrol. Suﬃce to say, this was special, and after that, all the participants gathered for lunch and a Meet & Greet with our ten Legends. Let’s make that “super special” with the addition of an appreciation swag bag filled with goodies plus a cool poster signed by Wayne Rainey and all the other Legends. Now, that is EPIC! The highlight, I would say, was that the proceeds went to the Roadracing World Action Fund. More on that to come.

Now, let’s talk about the Future Legends who provided some incredible racing on Saturday and Sunday. Laguna Seca has always been home to great racing and, as you can see by the cover shot, the racing in several classes was phenomenal. The turn 3 suite provided a great viewing location, while inside, we had a distinguished group of individuals who shared their busy schedule with you, our VIP Superfans.

In closing, I want to thank Wayne Rainey, the Legends (both current and future), the MotoAmerica staff, and all those who helped make “Legends Weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca” such a huge success. We hope we provided each of you a truly VIP Superfan Experience. Please enjoy the magazine, with the various images, Sean Bice’s “Duly Noted” column, and our drone and on-board footage. Be sure to share it with your friends and colleagues. Our next MotoAmerica round is at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on August 16-18. I hope to see you there.

Best Regards, Ron “Slicer”Heben

MotoAmerica was honored to have U.S. Service members Tyler Vargas-Andrews and Jake Simmons as Grand Marshals for the MotoAmerica Speedfest at Monterey. Angela Roach sang the National Anthem.

“We are honored to have these two servicemen as our Grand Marshals for our WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca round,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “MotoAmerica has tremendous respect for the men and women who serve in our country’s military. Having Tyler and Jake with us for our event makes us proud. We know they will both have a great experience, and we look forward to spending time with them at the racetrack.”

Laguna Seca Guest Speakers

Josh Hayes, Loris Baz, Bobby Fong, Troy Herfoss, Mathew Scholtz, Cameron Petersen, Heath Cofran, Michael Martin and Je Adams.

Rainey’s Ride to the Races

Wayne’s vision started four years ago with a discussion he had with a few of his friends, including Robb Talbott of the Moto-Talbott Museum. Wayne wanted to get some of his racing pals together and go for a ride beginning at Robb’s iconic motorcycle museum, traversing through the scenic Carmel Valley, and ending up at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Then, after the ride, everyone would join the “leg ends” of the sport for a lunch and Q&A.

Since its inception, the 501(c)(3) charitable event has gotten bigger and better each year. It’s impressive that so many World and National motorcycle champions want to attend and show their support of the Roadracing World Action Fund. This year, we had 10 Legends on hand, making for a premier showcase with seven-time Champion Ricky Johnson handling the Q&A duties.

So many individuals and companies support this cause. One company/individual that stepped up this year was Terry Vance of the Vance Family Foundation, donating $125,000. When all was said and done, the event was a huge success with participants being able to ride and rub elbows with their favorite Legends and with proceeds exceeding well over $160,000 and over $500,000 including the past four events.

Thank you to all the reputable companies (Anchored Prints, Dunlop, Yamaha Motor USA, American Honda, Saddlemen, Indian Motorcycle, Motul USA, Harley-Davidson, Motion Pro, Cardo, Yoshimura R&D, Roadracing World, Insta360, and BellissiMoto) that contributed to the “appreciation bag.”

We are already penciling in plans for 2025!

• Three-Time AMA Superbike Champion and AMA Grand Slam Winner Doug Chandler

• 1995 AMA Superbike Champion, Five-Time AMA Supersport Champion, and Two-Time Formula Xtreme Champion Miguel Duhamel

• Seven-Time Supercross and Motocross National Champion Rick Johnson

• Three-Time AMA 250GP Champion, 1990 250 World Champion, and 1997 World Superbike Champion John Kocinski

• Two-Time AMA Superbike Champion, Two-Time AMA 250GP Champion, and Four-Time World Champion Eddie Lawson

• Nine-Time AMA Grand National Champion Scott Parker

• Two-Time AMA Superbike Champion and Three-Time World Champion Wayne Rainey

• 1988 AMA Superbike Champion, Three-Time AMA Grand National Champion, and AMA Grand Slam Winner Bubba Shobert

• Three-Time AMA Superbike Champion and 2009 World Superbike Champion Ben Spies

• 1991 AMA Superbike Champion Thomas Stevens

Wayne Rainey takes a minute to address the riders, along with Legends Thomas Stevens, Ben Spies, Doug Chandler, Rick Johnson, Eddie Lawson, John Kocinski, and Bubba Shobert, as well as Robb Talbott.

Roadracing World Action Fund

Founder of the Roadracing World Action Fund John Ulrich addresses the group.

The Roadracing World Action Fund (RWAF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to reducing racetrack injuries through education and advocating for safer racetrack practices. Created in 2001, the RWAF specifically works with racing and track day organizations to facilitate deployment of soft barriers at events across the country.

Soft barriers made by Alpina and Airfence have an internal ambient air chamber supported by inflated ribs. They’re made to be deployed in front of steel barriers, tire walls, embankments and other hard objects surrounding racetracks. When a rider crashes and hits a soft barrier, air is pushed out through blow-off valves, absorbing energy; in simple terms, soft barriers can be thought of as being like a giant, pre-inflated car airbag.

“Thanks to our generous supporters, the Roadracing World Action Fund has been able to fund the Alpina and Airfence soft barriers assigned to MotoAmerica and deployed at every MotoAmerica Superbike event since the series started in 2015,” said RWAF Founder and President John Ulrich. “I am proud that, working with MotoAmerica, we’ve been able to improve rider safety and reduce injuries. Together, we have helped make a big difference in the culture of professional racing in the United States, making attention on rider safety not just accepted, but also expected.”

Funds raised by the RWAF are used to buy soft barriers, and to replace damaged soft barriers as needed.

For more information, please scan this QR code.

The MotoAmerica paddock is filled some great people! On Saturday, Bobby Fong, Josh Hayes, Troy Herfoss, and Loris Baz entertained our VIP’s with some interesting dialogue about themselves and the Laguna circuit.

Captions Here

First, the Mission King Of The Baggers pre-grid VIP group picture, then a chance to get a pic with your favorite racers. Rocco Landers, Bobby Fong, Hayden Gillim, Kyle Wyman, Tyler O’Hara, James Rispoli, and Travis Wyman all welcomed our VIP’s.

This picture speaks for itself. Great ride for Kyle,

Rocco, and Hayden!

Day 2 of the VIP Superfan Experience with Cameron Petersen, Mathew Scholtz, and Heath Cofran all being featured guests in the suite. Many of our VIP’s were able to get a behind-the-scenes view of MotoAmerica’s Race Control operations!

The Steel Commander Superbike race 2 pre-grid was packed with VIP’s! Cameron Beaubier, Loris Baz, Cameron Petersen, Jake Gagne, Danilo Lewis, and Sean Dyan Kelly all took the time to engage with our VIP’s before their race.

Josh gets a hug from his wife Rachel and their son Griﬃn.

The Steel Commander Superbike podium was festive, especially if you were Josh Herrin. Josh put in an epic ride on his Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati. Cameron Beaubier and Sean Dyan Kelly were impressive, as well, finishing second and third. It was one of the best races of the year.

Duly Noted

Random notes, comments, statistics, musings, and bits of trivia from the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey

Machine Gun Kelly

EasyHealthPlans.com/TopPro Racing‘s Sean Dylan Kelly is having quite a rookie season so far in the Steel Commander Superbike Championship. The 22-year-old was fourth in race one on Saturday, and then, he notched his third podium result of the season when he finished third on Sunday.

Afterwards, I asked the 2021 MotoAmerica Supersport Champion and Moto2 competitor over the past two years about coming to grips with racing in MotoAmerica’s premier class and aboard a brand-new-for-him motorcycle equipped with a full suite of sophisticated electronic interventions and control strategies.

“Obviously this whole season has been a huge learning curve, just getting used to the Superbike, the power, the electronics,” Kelly said. “It’s such a different ballgame. I think I’ve adapted fairly well, being there from the beginning, but I still show up to tracks and it’s starting from ground zero. Even though I know these tracks, it’s so different on the Superbike. We don’t have the data. We don’t have anything. So, that’s why you see sometimes my FP1’s are pretty far back, but I’m trying my best to climb my way through and be there. I found something with the electronics. I understood something a lot better after Ridge, which was a tough weekend but I finished off strong. It showed a lot. So, I’m getting used to it. Obviously everything is a learning curve for me. It’s the first season. I think it’s expected. Really enjoying the Superbike. I honestly do love the BMW. So, I’m just trying to understand it more and more and hopefully keep being up front and hopefully be fighting for a win soon.”

Nothing Laps Forever

With most newly paved racetracks, a year or two of “seasoning” has to take place before they yield faster lap times. Rubber embedded in the asphalt aggregate provides increased grip, and the expectation was that the cars and motorcycles that circulated on WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca’s fresh surface over the past year would lead to new lap records this year. Instead, the riders and teams discovered that, a year after the track was completely repaved, the race surface was surprisingly bumpy, and there was also inconsistent grip because of sealer patches applied in various places. Overhead drone shots as seen on MotoAmerica’s race broadcasts showed a

surface with a lot more variations and inconsistencies than you normally see in pavement that is only one year old.

As a result, not many lap records were set. However, one of the records that was broken was a big surprise. For the past six years, Josh Herrin‘s overall MotoAmerica lap record has stood the test of time and fast motorcycles. Each year, when we came to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, we’d marvel at what Herrin did way back in 2018 when he was on the Attack Performance Yamaha and competed in both MotoAmerica Superbike and the FIM Superbike World Championship. The combination of extra track time; some very special, ultra-sticky Dunlop “Q” tires; and Herrin’s skill and determination led to the eye-popping fastest lap of 1:22.908 that he set during that year’s Superpole session.

Well, after six years, Herrin’s ultra-fast lap time finally fell. During Steel Commander Superbike final qualifying session this past Saturday, Tytlers Cycle Racing‘s Cameron Beaubier did a fastest lap of 1:22.556, eclipsing Herrin’s record lap by nearly half a second.

Also, in the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship, Harley-Davidson Factory Racing‘s Kyle Wyman set two new records. During Saturday’s final qualifying, Wyman’s lap of 1:28.182 was the fastest ever recorded in MotoAmerica’s uniquely American Big Twin Harley versus Indian race class at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Then, during Sunday’s King Of The Baggers race two, Wyman did a 1:28.207, which was a new race lap record for the class.

Fast rookie: Sean Dylan Kelly notched his third podium of the season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Cameron Beaubier broke Josh Herrin’s six-year-old lap record at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Not to be outdone by his big brother Kyle, Cody Wyman set a new lap record and race lap record of 1:28.771 in the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship aboard his KWR/Harley-Davidson Pan America during Sunday’s race two.

Bronx Cheer

Speaking of the Mission Super Hooligan National Championship and KWR/ Harley-Davidson, Cody Wyman and his teammate Hayden Schultz both finished on the podium in Saturday’s Super Hooligan race one at Ridge Motorsports Park, and then, Schultz finished third in last Saturday’s Super Hooligan race one at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. A secret to that team’s success this season can be traced to the swingarms both Cody Wyman and Schultz use on their Harley-Davidson Pan Americas.

In order to shorten the wheelbase on the Pan Ams—motorcycles that were designed and built as dual-purpose ADV bikes—KWR utilizes modified swingarms derived from the Harley-Davidson Bronx, a “streetfighter” motorcycle that The Motor Company designed and developed, but ultimately never produced. H-D offered the swingarms created for the Bronx to both KWR/ Harley-Davidson and Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson for testing and possible race use. Only KWR’s riders Cody Wyman and Schultz opted to use them. Schultz said the swingarms help their Pan Americas turn better due to the resulting shorter wheelbase but it also makes the bikes “a little bit twitchy” at times. All in all, though, Wyman and Schultz are having good success with the bikes, partially as a result of the “parts-bin ingenuity.”

Save The Best For Last

Five race classes competed at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca last weekend, and Sunday’s second races were when the highest trap speeds were recorded in every single class. Here is the list of the classes, the riders, the trap speeds, the sessions, and on what lap each rider went fastest: Superbike:

Cameron Beaubier: 163.5 miles per hour (Race 2, Lap 6 of 20) Stock 1000:

Hayden Gillim: 161.1 miles per hour (Race 2, Lap 10 of 14)

Mission King Of The Baggers:

James Rispoli: 151.5 miles per hour (Race 2, Lap 2 of 9)

Supersport:

Blake Davis: 151.2 miles per hour (Race 2, Lap 3 of 19)

PJ Jacobsen: 151.2 miles per hour (Race 2, Lap 13 of 19)

Super Hooligan:

Cody Wyman: 147.8 miles per hour (Race 2, Lap 7 of 8)

The Best Of The West

Sunday was a special day for Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson‘s Cory West. Not only because he overcame the disappointment of having a victory snatched from him in Saturday’s Mission Super Hooligan National Championship when he won Sunday’s Super Hooligan race, but it was a chance for West to reflect on a memory from when he was just 10 years old.

“My dad brought me here in 1995 for World Superbike as a 10-year-old kid,” West recalled. “And, I got to ride around the track with him on the fan lap. I never would have ever thought that I would become a racer and get to race here at Laguna Seca, let alone win one. This is just a dream come true.”

For Hayden Schultz, the Harley-Davidson Bronx swingarm on his Pan America is “parts-bin ingenuity.”

Parker Right Here

S&S/Indian Motorcycle rider Tyler O’Hara had a surreal moment on the podium after he won Sunday’s Mission Super Hooligan National Championship race. The winner’s trophy was presented to him by nine-time AMA Grand National Champion Scott Parker, who is one of O’Hara’s all-time racing heroes. In fact, Tyler O’Hara named his first-born son “Parker” after Scott Parker.

Quote Of The Weekend

Mission King Of The Baggers rookie Rocco Landers reached the podium in both of the weekend’s races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Landers’ results have gotten better and better as the season has progressed, and he was asked what the secret is to his increasing success. “It’s a combination of hard work and sending it,” said Landers. Such sage wisdom from the 19-year-old RevZilla/Motul/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson prodigy.

Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

Tyler O’Hara celebrates on the podium with his son Parker’s namesake. Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

The Moto-Talbott Motorcycle Museum is a perfect location. Thank you to all the riders who participated in Rainey’s Ride to the Races. They are all devoted motorcycle enthusiasts who contributed to a great cause.