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.
Sam Lochoff
Age: 18.
Current home: Boca Raton, Florida.
Current height/weight: 5’8”/120 pounds.
Current school grade level: Graduated High School
Began riding at age: 14 years.
First road race: 2016, Killarney Short Circuit, Cape Town, South Africa, NSF 100, 2nd.
Current racebike: Suzuki GSX-R600.
Current tuner/mechanic: Barry McMahan.
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Supersport.
Sponsors: M4 Performance Exhaust, ECSTAR, Suzuki, Arai, RST, Hotbodies, Shorai, Vortex, EK Chains, Venhill, SportbikeTrackGear.com, Hagerty, TechSpec.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2020 season, placed 3rd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (13 podiums in 18 races), won 8 FMRRA races; 2019 season, placed 14th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (1 podium finish, missed nine of 17 races due to injury); 2018 season, awarded highest sporting achievement in South Africa – Protea Colors and Green Blazer, competed in FIM Supersport 300 World Championship (best race finish was 18th); 2017 season, won 390cc and 150cc Western Cape Regional Championships (22 wins total).
2021 racing goal: Be competitive in MotoAmerica Supersport.
Racing career goal: To succeed in whatever I do.
Racing hero: None.
Favorite track: Red Bull Ring.
Favorite hobbies: Rock climbing, working out, and cycling.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: An actor or entrepreneur.
