Roadracing World started this exclusive special feature recognizing the most promising young road racers as an answer to pessimists who claimed North America had no new, up-and-coming young racers. This edition of the Roadracing World Young Gun Awards marks the 25th consecutive year of showcasing what is actually an abundance of new talent.
Roadracing World Young Guns have won:
FIM MotoGP and FIM Superbike races and World Championships;
MotoAmerica/AMA Pro races and Championships, including nine MotoAmerica/AMA Pro Superbike Championships;
A KTM RC Cup World Final race;
The Daytona 200 (10 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 2021 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.
Gabriel Da Silva
Age: 17
Current home: Vero Beach, Florida.
Current height/weight: 5’10”/130 pounds.
Current school/grade: 11th grade.
Began riding at age: 2 years.
First road race: 2008, Immokalee, Florida, WCPBA, Pocketbike Open, 1st place.
Current racebike: Yamaha YZF-R6.
Current tuner/mechanic: Eduardo Da Silva (father).
Primary race series: CCS, FMRRA, WERA Sportsman.
Top sponsors: HJC, Motion Pro, Galfer USA, RS Taichi, K-Tech USA, Orient Express, Broward Motorsports, Vortex Racing, Fluidology, Orlando Taborda.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2020 season, won AMA Nicky Hayden Road Race Horizon Award, won two AMA Grand Championships (C Superbike and C Superstock Expert), won WERA C Superbike Expert National Challenge Championship, won two WERA Sportsman Series regional Championships; 2019 season, won a race in Racing Bike Mexico Supersport 300 Championship, won 600 Superstock WERA National Challenge race at Barber, won FMRRA Moto3 Championship (6 race wins); 2018 season, won Racing Bike Mexico KTM RC Cup Championship (3 wins, 7 podiums in 7 races); 2017 season, runner-up in Racing Bike Mexico KTM RC Cup Championship (by one point).
2021 racing goals: Race as much as possible, keep getting experience on 600, keep improving as a rider.
Racing career goal: Be MotoGP World Champion.
Racing hero: Casey Stoner.
Favorite tracks: Barber Motorsports Park, NCM Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Studying motorcycle related information.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Focusing more on school.
