FINAL NORTH AMERICA TALENT CUP ROUND TO TAKE PLACE WITH MOTOAMERICA
The final round of the 2022 North America Talent Cup, an official Road to MotoGP™ project, will run alongside MotoAmerica™ at Barber Motorsports Park.
BIRMINGHAM, AL – The inaugural North America Talent Cup season has been a wild ride! The young competitors have matured and developed into seasoned racers, not afraid to rub elbows or make the aggressive pass as they put it all on the line race after race.
For the final round of the season, the NATC will race at Barber Motorsports Park during the conclusion of the MotoAmerica series. Just as two heavyweights fight for top honors in the MotoAmerica Superbike series, the top two NATC competitors will decide who earns the first North America Talent Cup championship title.
Current points leader Alessandro Di Mario will need to finish strong to secure his chance at being crowned champion. Fifteen points adrift, Jesse James Shedden will not be counted out. Shedden will need to rely on the talent that has seen him on the podium in almost every race this season. The results between Di Mario and Shedden are almost identical, with each on the podium nine times and each with four wins. A DQ for Shedden in race one of round six has given him something to prove and put his back against the wall for the final two races. Di Mario will not take his advantage for granted.
Alexander Enriquez sits in third place in the championship. After being accepted into the 2023 Red Bull Rookies Cup, as the only American, Enriquez will be looking to leave his mark on a series that helped sharpen his skills. He may not be in a position to win the number one plate, but he is a fierce competitor that could pose a challenge to Di Mario and Shedden.
As the final round after a challenging season, all the NATC racers will be looking to end on a high note and apply all they’ve learned. Teams and racers have traveled to every corner of the continental U.S., testing, tuning, tweaking, training, and wrenching in their quest to move up the road racing ladder. Several competitors have emerged as America’s top prospects, others have taken a step in their development, while others still have shown they have what it takes and will be back to race again. All who have competed in the NATC are winners in their own right.
“All of us at MotoAmerica have worked hard since 2015 to present opportunities for young racers to showcase their talents and one day compete internationally,” said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey. “Both the Mini Cup by Motul series and the North America Talent Cup now offer young racers the opportunity to battle each other on equal machinery. I’m super excited that MotoAmerica is supporting the North America Talent Cup as part of the official Road to MotoGP. Being able to race at the final MotoAmerica event of the season at the fantastic Barber Motorsports Park is a great chance for these young racers to challenge for the championship.”
About the North America Talent Cup
The NATC is a one-make spec-series of teams and riders, using the successful Northern Talent Cup as a blueprint. The limit on entries is 20 riders aged between 13 and 16 in 2022. The spec-motorcycle will be the Aprilia RS250 SP2; a machine developed by Aprilia in partnership with Ohvale and proven to offer a competitive platform for developing talent. The NATC is designed to create close competition in a cost-effective manner. In its first year, the NATC has raced throughout the continental U.S., with seven designated rounds taking place alongside MotoGP™, MotoAmerica™, WERA, and MRA.
The new North America Talent Cup aims to provide riders across the continent with a vital link on the Road to MotoGP™, creating the stepping-stone between the FIM MiniGP North America Series, MotoAmerica, and the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup or FIM Moto3™ Junior World Championship.
About MotoAmerica
MotoAmerica is the North American road racing series created in 2014 that is home to the AMA Superbike Championship. MotoAmerica is an affiliate of KRAVE Group LLC, a partnership that includes three-time 500cc World Champion, two-time AMA Superbike Champion, and AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, ex-racer and former manager of Team Roberts Chuck Aksland, motorsports marketing executive Terry Karges, and businessman Richard Varner. For more information on MotoAmerica, visit www.MotoAmerica.com. Also make sure to follow MotoAmerica on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
About the FIM North America
FIM North America is one of six Continental Unions (CONUs) recognized as geographical subdivisions and accountable to the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). It was founded in 1998. The national federations who are members of FIM North America are, by virtue of their geographical area and their membership in the FIM, the American Motorcyclist Association and the Canadian Motorcycle Association. FIM North America establishes an annual calendar of Continental Championship events and other activities and declares champions in designated disciplines and classes. Its member federations issue CONU licenses to riders participating in FIM NA events as well as those who are participating in Continental Championship events organized in other CONUs. For more information, visit fim-northamerica.com.
