Loveland, CO – It is with great enthusiasm (mixed with sadness) that we announce the departure of Jake Gagne as he has been called up to full time duties with the Red Bull Honda World Superbike team. We couldn’t be more excited for Jake as we all know that the WorldSBK paddock will now become a bit brighter and more chill all at the same time. We have no doubt that the glimpses of speed we all saw in his three guest appearances this past season are only a taste of great things to come for Jake at the world level. Our loss will be the WorldSBK’s gain as Jake will fly the stars and stripes for us all in World Superbike.
We wish Jake all the best in his next endeavor and we’ll be cheering him on every race weekend.
As for our plans for the upcoming 2018 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, we are continuing to work on our bikes and prepare them for a full on assault on the superbike grid. We are currently in discussions with a few riders and will be conducting semi-private tests throughout the next few months to determine who is the best fit for our team and sponsors.
Here are some parting facts on Jake Gagne:
2011 – 11th – AMA Pro Daytona Sportbike (Rookie)
2014 – Champion – AMA Pro Daytona Sportbike
2015 – Champion – MotoAmerica Superstock 1000cc
18 Victories
31 Podiums
Jake Gagne
“I? really want to thank RoadRace Factory for the amazing 6 years of learning. Danny Walker, Scott Jensen, Danny Anderson, Evan steel, Mick, and the whole crew have been great friends and team players. We’ve had some high, lows, championships and crashes and I’m just thankful to have had those years of opportunities.
I? know they will continue the progression and keep the MotoAmerica paddock strong.”
Danny Walker – Team Principal
“We had always wanted this day to come but it doesn’t make it any easier to accept. Jake has been a huge part of our team since we first made the decision to become a team. I met him when he arrived for Red Bull Rookies Cup and I knew he was something special. I knew that if I were to have a race team, I’d have to have him on it.
“It’s been an amazing six years of development and championships with Jake at the helm of our rider line-up. We formed this team around the idea of developing young riders and helping them find a path to the next level. We’ve all known Jake has the ability to ride at the WorldSBK level and he’s proven that with his three rides this past season.
“To be honest, we kinda knew things were going this way when we arrived at Magny-Cours and saw Jake with the Honda Europe folks as well as the TenKate crew. It looked good and it made us proud to think he’d be welcomed there.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I’m a little bummed. Scotty, our crew chief, has been inconsolable and has locked himself inside his toolbox at his shop. However, we have a lot of work to do in order to prepare for 2018. Our goals for next season haven’t changed a bit. To that end, we will be testing a few riders that we had reached out to last season when we were looking for a possible second rider in 2018. Whether or not we have a second bike now is still undetermined as our primary focus is on finding our “A” rider. So if you see us at some track days or local races, don’t be surprised as we are aggressively seeking our future rider.
“Everyone at the Genuine Broaster Chicken / Honda / RoadRace Factory wish Jake all the success and to his new team, we want to say ‘Congratulations, you got the best America has to offer!'”
Scott Jensen – Crew Chief
“Hearing the news about Jake getting a seat on the TenKate Honda WSBK team for 2018 is very exciting for not only for Jake but for road racing in America in general. Ever since Jake and I started working together in 2014 (he has been with the team since 2012) I have whole-heatedly felt he has the talent to race at the world level. Seeing him take this step makes me very proud and I feel honored to have been a part of his career for the past four seasons.. Without a doubt Jake will be missed by the entire 32 Crew!!
“This now leaves our team with some very big shoes (well flip flips actually) to fill, and so we’ll start testing for 2018 as soon as possible.”
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