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.
Damian Jigalov
Age: 17.
Current home: East Dundee, Illinois.
Current height/weight: 5’10”/145 pounds.
Current school grade level: 12th grade.
Began riding at age: 3 years.
First road race: 2013, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Northwoods GP, Ultralight Superstock, 3rd place.
Current racebike: Yamaha YZF-R6.
Current tuner/mechanic: mrcbx.com.
Primary race series: WERA National Challenge Series.
Top sponsors: DSP Honda, Arch Motorcycle Co., mrcbx.com, OneX USA, WERA, Podium Motorsports, Pirelli, and Pop Shadow Decals.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, finished 2nd in WERA National Challenge Series Open Superbike and Open Superstock Championships, finished 2nd in WERA Sportsman North Central Open Superbike and Open Superstock Championships (2 wins, 14 podiums with WERA in 2021); 2020 season, raced in European Talent Cup (best race finish was 22nd); 2019 season, finished 7th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (1 podium finish, 6 top-5 finishes); 2018 season, finished 12th in CIV (Italian) Pre-Moto3 Championship (best race finish of 6th), finished 13th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup (best race finish was 2nd, twice), won WERA Sportsman D Superstock National Championship, won 18 WERA races; 2017 season, placed 8th in CIV (Italian) Pre-Moto3 4T Championship (best race finish was 5th), placed 4th in Yamaha bLU cRU R3 Cup Final; 2016 season, placed 10th in CIV (Italian) Pre-Moto3 Championship (best race finish was 5th).
2022 racing goals: Win 600 Superstock and 600 Superbike WERA National Challenge Championships.
Racing career goal: Make a living racing motorcycles.
Racing hero: Marc Marquez.
Favorite track: Mugello.
Favorite hobby: Fitness.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Pursuing a career in business.
