What you need to know about the MotoAmerica Superbike doubleheader weekend at Road America
The busiest stretch of the Road America schedule opens this weekend with racing of the two-wheeled variety, typically some of the most intensely competitive of the season on the 4-mile, 14-turn course just outside Elkhart Lake in rural Sheboygan County.
MotoAmerica is on track beginning Friday with 11 races in seven classes spread over Saturday and Sunday.
What is MotoAmerica?
Since 2015, MotoAmerica has promoted road racing sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association and Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme. Among those involved in the organization are Wayne Rainey, a three-time 500cc Grand Prix world champion and two-time AMA Superbike champion.
The top class is Superbike, which features purpose-built bikes capable of speeds of about 190 mph.
What is Road America all about?
One of the premier road courses in world, Road America sits on 640 acres of rolling terrain, with the track running through forestland and open space. Although much less widely known, Road America is to the racing world what Blackwolf Run, 16 miles away, is to golf.
The main entrance is off Highway 67, less than 5 miles north of downtown Plymouth and 3 miles southeast of Elkhart Lake.
More: Five fun facts about Elkhart Lake's Road America, Wisconsin's IndyCar and NASCAR racetrack
How much do tickets cost?
Admission is $20 Friday, $45 each Saturday and Sunday, or $80 for the weekend. Anyone 16 and under gets in for free with a paid adult admission. Tickets are available at the gate.
In general, what is the schedule?
Practice and qualifying are all day Friday. Qualifying continues Saturday morning, with races beginning at 11:30 a.m. Sunday morning has four warmups and one qualifying session, and racing runs from noon to about 3:30 p.m. The top classes race Saturday and again Sunday.
What else is going on at the track?
Saturday includes Vintage MotoFest with a ride-in bike show and competition, craft beer tasting, live bands, and stunt shows.
How can I watch on television or via streaming?
You can watch live streaming of all practice sessions, qualifying races in all classes on the web, Roku and AppleTV or on your Andriod or Apple device for $12.99 for one weekend or $109.99 for the season. Go to motoamericaliveplus.com for information.
MAVTV is scheduled to show the Supersport races at 2:10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Fox Sports 2 is scheduled to carry the Superbike races at 6 p.m. each day, as well as the King of the Baggers race at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Who are the riders to watch?
Through six races over three weekends in the premier Superbike class, 2021 champion Jake Gagne (Yamaha) seems to have his work cut out trying to defend against newcomer Danilo Petrucci (Ducati), a two-time winner in MotoGP. Petrucci won the first three races, including a sweep at the Circuit of the Americas, and Gagne the next three, including a sweep May 22-23 at Virginia International Raceway. They split at Road Atlanta. Gagne won both rounds last year at Road America. Then there’s steady Mathew Scholtz, who has finished second five times.
Supersport is part Superbike reunion, with Josh Herrin having won three times and Josh Hayes once, and part steppingstone, with Rocco Landers, who dominated the junior categories, reaching the podium twice already in his rookie season.
A class that found great popularity in its first season last year was King of the Baggers, in which riders are on race-prepared full-sized touring motorcycles from Indian and Harley-Davidson, rather than sport bikes. Each of the three rounds this season has had a different winner, with Tyler O’Hara (Daytona 1), Jeremy McWilliams (Daytona 2) and Kyle Wyman (VIR).
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Road America preview for MotoAmerica Elkhart Lake doubleheader weekend
