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.
Ben Gloddy
Age: 16.
Current home: Northfield, New Hampshire.
Current height/weight: 6’0”/155 pounds.
Current school grade level: 11th grade.
Began riding at age: 4 years.
First road race: 2018, Canaan, New Hampshire, NESBC, Formula 300 Class, 3rd place.
Current racebike: Aprilia RS 660.
Current tuners/mechanics: Robem Engineering, Keith Day (stepfather).
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Twins Cup, NEMRR.
Top sponsors: Robem Engineering, The Center for Plastic Surgery, Aprilia, The Big S, American Supercamp, Penguin Racing School, Arai, Stump Racing Kids, Moto Liberty, Freedom Cycle NH, Woodcraft Technologies, Fast by Ferracci.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, finished 2nd in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (4 wins and 16 total podium finishes in 18 races); 2020 season, finished 4th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (8 podium finishes); 2019 season, finished 9th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup (competed in 11 of 17 races, 1 podium, 3 top-5 finishes), won 2 LRRS Championships (12 race wins), won NESBC Lights Championship; 2018 season, named LRRS Rookie of the Year (youngest to ever receive the award), won 24 LRRS races and earned 46 podium finishes, won NESBC Intermediate B Championship; 2017 season, named NJMiniGP Rookie of the Year.
2022 racing goal: Win MotoAmerica Twins Cup Championship.
Racing career goal: Make it to MotoGP World Championship.
Racing hero: Jamison Minor.
Favorite track: Barber Motorsports Park.
Favorite hobby: Downhill mountain biking.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Downhill mountain biking.
