San Francisco, Gilroy Events Kick-Start WorldSBK/MotoAmerica Activities
MONTEREY, Calif., – San Francisco and Gilroy will be the host cities that kick-start the full schedule of activities surrounding this week’s Motul FIM Superbike World Championship GEICO Motorcycle U.S. Round featuring the MotoAmerica Honda Superbike Showdown of California at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
The international motorcycle weekend, July 8-10, is the ninth and only North America event on the 13-round WorldSBK schedule and penultimate stop on the nine-round MotoAmerica calendar. One of the many highlights of the event will be the return to competition at Mazda Raceway of 2006 MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden, who earned his first series win in 2005 at the 2.238-mile road course near Monterey and is in his first full season of WorldSBK competition.
San Francisco is where motorcycle road racing enthusiasts will have the first two opportunities to spend time with some of the best riders in the world. On Tues., July 5, Tom Sykes, 2013 WorldSBK Champion and rider of the No. 66 Kawasaki Racing Team, will meet and mingle with fans at the Dianese D-Store at 131 S. Van Ness Avenue from 4-7 p.m. The ever-popular English rider is currently second in the point standings and is focused on adding to the two race wins (2013, 2014) he’s already earned at Mazda Raceway.
Riders from both WorldSBK and MotoAmerica will be signing autographs at Marina Green in San Francisco from 1:15 – 2 p.m. on Wed., July 6. The event is the last stop of a cable car tram of the city the riders will take beginning at Union Square at 11:30 a.m., with additional stops in front of AT&T Park, the Ferry Building and some clam chowder at No. 9 Fisherman’s Grotto on Fisherman’s Wharf. Riders scheduled to participate include:
WorldSBK
Karel Abraham – No. 17 Milwaukee BMW
Leon Camier – No. 2 MV Augusta Reparto Corse
Chaz Davies – No. 7 Ducati Aruba.IT Racing (won both Mazda Raceway races in 2016)
Alex de Angelis – No. 15 Ioda Racing Team Aprilia
Sylvain Guintoli – No. 50 Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK (2014 WorldSBK Champion)
Nicky Hayden – No. 69 Honda World Superbike Team (2006 MotoGP World Champion)
Tom Sykes – No. 66 Kawasaki Racing Team (2013 WorldSBK Champion)
MotoAmerica
Cameron Beaubier – No. 1 Monster Energy Graves Yamaha (2015 Superbike Champ)
Tony Elias – No. 24 Yoshimura Suzuki (Superbike)
Bobby Fong – No. 50 Latus Motors Racing Kawasaki (Superstock 1000)
Later in the afternoon of July 6, from 5-7 p.m., more than a dozen WorldSBK and MotoAmerica riders are scheduled to attend the Cycle Gear Bike Night fan party at its Gilroy store at 6920 Chestnut St., Suite E-1. In addition to the rider meet and greet, there will be ticket giveaways to the WorldSBK / MotoAmerica event at Mazda Raceway as well as plenty of raffle prize giveaways. Riders scheduled to participate include:
WorldSBK
Karel Abraham – No. 17 Milwaukee BMW
Alex de Angelis – No. 15 Ioda Racing Team/Aprilia
Josh Brookes – No. 25 Milwaukee BMW
Xavi Fores – No. 12 Barni Racing Team/Ducati
Alex Lowes – No. 22 Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team
Roman Ramos – No. 40 Team Go Eleven/Kawasaki
Jordi Torres – No. 81 Althea BMW Racing Team
MotoAmerica
Draik Beauchamp – No. 771 KTM RC Cup
Nolan Lamkin – No. 721 Cycle Gear Racing KTM RC Cup
Andrew Lee – No. 100 ADR Motorsports Yamaha Superstock 600
Valenti Debise – No. 53 M4 Sportbiketrackgear.com Suzuki Supersport
Chris Ulrich – No. 18 GEICO Suzuki Superbike
Cory Ventura – No.164 Team Champ KTM RC Cup
Advance tickets are still available by calling the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca Ticket office at 831-242-8200 or by clicking HERE.
Click HERE for the full schedule of races.
Click HERE for the schedule of fan activities.
Please click HERE for directions and entry locations for both motorcycles and automobiles.