Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 26th consecutive year of showcasing an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica and AMA Pro races and Championships, including 11 AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (11 times);
WERA National Endurance Championships and WERA National Challenge Championships;
ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships;
AMA Road Racing Grand Championships and Horizon Awards;
USGPRU National Championships;
Many regional and local titles.
The competition has continually become more intense as more – and younger—racers with higher levels of accomplishment are nominated, and the level of achievement required to make the grade keeps getting tougher.
We’ve spent the last several months accepting nominations and evaluating road racers between the ages of 10 and 18 (as of the start of the 2022 season) who have, at a minimum, won Expert-level road races and/or Championships or had outstanding results as an Amateur/Novice. Most of the riders included here have done far more than the minimum.
The young riders recognized here are the most promising young road racers in North America. All have earned the title of Roadracing World Young Gun.
We will feature one Young Gun per day, presenting them in alphabetical order.
Chase Black
Age: 15.
Current home: Round Rock, Texas.
Current height/weight: 5’9″/130 pounds.
Current school grade level: 9th grade.
Began riding at age: 2.5 years.
First road race: 2017, Katy, Texas, Texas Mini Grand Prix, 12 & Under, 3rd place.
Current racebikes: Kawasaki Ninja 400 & ZX-6R.
Current tuners/mechanics: Jordan Rhodes, Dennis Black (father).
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Junior Cup.
Top sponsors: Blk Out Logistics, Eleven Motorsports, Bison Track, Arai Americas, Yoshimura, Motul USA, SBS Brakes, Curbeater, Spears Racing, Moto Liberty, 3:16 Trackdays, Actions On Purpose.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, placed 15th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (4 top-10 finishes, best race result was 8th), finished 2nd in CMRA 500 GP Expert Championship (3 wins); 2020 season, 11 CMRA Novice race wins, 2 Texas Mini Grand Prix (TMGP) race wins; 2019 season, won CMRA F5 and F6 Championships (10 wins), won 10 TMGP Championships (30 wins), won 2 American Super Mini GP Championships (2 wins); 2018 season, finished 5th in Ohvale Talent Cup Championship.
2022 racing goal: Finish in top 3 in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship.
Racing career goal: Compete in Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup and Moto3 World Championship.
Racing hero: Dennis Black (father).
Favorite track: Barber Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Riding motocross.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Riding motocross and BMX or bowling.
