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.
Kayla Yaakov
Age: 14.
Current home: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Current height/weight: 5’3”/135 pounds.
Current school grade level: 9th grade.
Began riding at age: 4 years.
First road race: 2017, Talladega, Alabama, WERA, 3 different classes, 1st place in all.
Current racebike: Kawasaki Ninja 400.
Current tuner/mechanic: Dave Yaakov (father).
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Junior Cup.
Top sponsors: American Racing Academy, Altus Motorsports, Dragonfly Coffee, TST Industries, John Glaefke, Dunlop, Dynojet, Spears Enterprises, Kramer Motorcycles, K-Tech Suspension, Orient Express, Beau Phillips, Vortex, HJC, Bison Leathers, Spectro Oil, Jennings GP, Sportbike Track Time, N2 Racing, Magura USA, M4 Exhausts.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, finished 8th in MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship (started the season at round 4, 1 podium, 5 top-6 finishes in 12 races); 2020 season, finished 3rd in MotoAmerica Mini Cup 190 Championship (2 podium finishes in 3 races), won Lightweight Twins Superbike Expert AMA Grand Championship, won 3 WERA Sportsman National Championships, won 7 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships (won 31 WERA races); 2019 season, won Lightweight Twins Superbike Expert AMA Grand Championship, won 3 WERA Sportsman Series Regional Championships (won 38 WERA races); 2018 season, named AMA Novice Road Racer of the Year, won 2 AMA Road Race Grand National Championships, won 5 WERA Sportsman National Championships, won 4 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships, won ASRA Moto3 (Combined) National race, 41 WERA race wins; 2017 season, named AMA Youth Road Racer of the Year, won 3 WERA Sportsman National Championships, won 5 WERA Sportsman Regional Championships, 37 WERA race wins.
2022 racing goal: Progress and finish on the podium in MotoAmerica Junior Cup.
Racing career goals: Win at the MotoAmerica and World Championship levels.
Racing hero: Marc Marquez.
Favorite track: Jennings GP.
Favorite hobby: Riding freestyle BMX.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: Bored.
