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.
Eli Banish
Age: 13.
Current home: Burlington, Kentucky.
Current height/weight: 5’1”/118 pounds.
Current school grade level: 7th grade.
Began riding at age: 4 years.
First road race: 2017, Circleville, Ohio, Ohio Mini Road Racing League, Kids50, 4th place.
Current racebike: Honda NSF250R.
Current tuners/mechanics: Mark Junge, Rueben Frankenfield, Dave Swan.
Primary race series: British Talent Cup, North America Talent Cup, WERA.
Top sponsors: Dainese Chicago, Best Western Resorts & Hotels, Rising Sun Cycles, 57 Rider Development, POP Shadow Decals & Wraps, NGK Spark Plugs, HiFLo Filtro, Vortex Racing, Motul, 35 Motorsports, GP Motor Sales.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, won AMA Moto3 Expert Grand Championship, took 2nd in Formula Two WERA National Challenge Series Championship, won 8 WERA Sportsman Regional Class Championships (won 26 WERA races); 2020 season, won D Superbike Novice WERA Sportsman North Central Championship (won 6 WERA races); 2019 season, named AMA Youth Road Racer of the Year, won 5 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships in Novice classes (won 13 WERA races).
2022 racing goal: Have fun, build skills, finish on the British Talent Cup and the North America Talent Cup podium.
Racing career goal: Compete in the MotoGP World Championship.
Racing hero: Nicky Hayden.
Favorite track: Road Atlanta.
Favorite hobby: Mountain biking.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Riding mountain bikes.
