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.
Yandel Medina
Age: 14.
Current home: Bronx, New York.
Current height/weight: 5’6”/125 pounds.
Current school grade level: 8th grade.
Began riding at age: 7 years.
First road race: 2019, Palm Beach, Florida, CCS, Moto3 Novice, 1st place.
Current racebike: Kawasaki Ninja 400.
Current tuner/mechanic: Juaner Ortiz (father).
Primary race series: MotoAmerica Junior Cup, CCS.
Top sponsors: New York Safety Track, Heroic Apparel, Edwin Design, Sunblue Window Film, Hope Farm, Carlo’s Track Day, Certified Knee Draggers, Mark Tenn, Street & Competition, Moto-D, Spears Racing, Robert Mechanic, Ride On Time Limousine, Shellbys Powersport.
Recent racing accomplishments: 2021 season, won Nicky Hayden Road Race Horizon Award, won 4 CCS National Championships (Moto3, 500 Supersport, 500 Superbike, GT500), won 2 AMA Grand Championships (500 Supersport & 500 Superbike), finished 2nd in AMA Moto3 Grand Championship race, won ASRA Moto3 race at Daytona, won CCS Mid-Atlantic and Atlantic overall Regional Championships, won 4 CCS Atlantic class Championships (Moto3, GT500, 500 Supersport, 500 Superbike).
2022 racing goals: Win MotoAmerica Junior Cup Championship, race in European Talent Cup, race as a wild card in Supersport 300 World Championship.
Racing career goal: Race in MotoGP World Championship.
Racing hero: Jorge Martin.
Favorite track: Roebling Road Raceway.
Favorite hobby: Cycling.
If I wasn’t racing I would be…: A baseball player.
