Michelin Raceway

You hear them before you see them.
I am down by the wall on the front straight at Road Atlanta, as the King of the Baggers riders approach the hill and bridge after turn 10B. The bikes haven’t come into view yet, but their growl is already wafting through the paddock and down pit lane. Suddenly they are visible, one by one diving under the bridge then plunging down the hill and throttling hard right onto the front straight. I set the pit board over the fence, displaying Harley-Davidson Factory Racing team rider Bradley Smith’s position, gap to the rider behind him, and laps left. He’s holding off Indian’s Troy Herfoss for 3rd, as the whole field of bikes roar past at over 160 mph, then lean right up the hill at turn 1.
I feel them in my chest, as they blast past me at speeds these bikes shouldn’t be capable of.

What Is It With King Of The Baggers?

by Rob Brooks | May 6, 2025 | Industry & Racing | 3 |

A guy standing next to me on the bridge, wearing a black patch-filled biker vest and a Harley-Davidson cap, commented, “The best race is about to begin! I came here specifically for this race today. Why would anyone want to leave now?!” Clearly most folks in attendance agreed with him. Everywhere around the track, for both the Saturday and Sunday races of this class, fans were pressed against the fences, to both see and feel this most remarkable category of motorcycle racing. And they were not disappointed.

MotoAmerica’s Mathew Scholtz: Back In The Race

by Rob Brooks | May 20, 2024 | Industry & Racing, Ride Life | 1 |

For Mathew Scholtz, 2024 began with much uncertainty and a measure of disillusionment. “I contemplated returning home,” to his native South Africa, he confided. The acclaimed Superbike superstar was without a racing team, without a job, and due to timing, wasn’t certain any team in the American motorcycle road racing series known as MotoAmerica would be able to bring him onboard.
From the top tiers of North American motorcycle racing, to “moto-homeless”, the new year was off to rocky start for one of the most beloved riders in the paddock.

Predictably Unpredictable: MotoAmerica at Road Atlanta

by Rob Brooks | Apr 23, 2024 | Industry & Racing | 0 |

For years now, the MotoAmerica motorcycle road racing series has opened its season at Road Atlanta, with unpredictable, sketchy conditions always a possibility. This year‘s season opener was no different, with a hot and humid Friday for practicing and qualifying, followed by a near perfect day on Saturday with gentle breezes, partly cloudy skies and temps comfortably settling in the 70s, then Sunday brought a chilly rain and temperatures hovering in the low 50s.
The only thing predictable about our weather this time of year, is it’s unpredictability.

Burning Bikes, BMW, and the Beaubier Brothers

by Road Dirt Crew | Apr 25, 2023 | Industry & Racing | 0 |

The opening round of the 2023 MotoAmerica road racing series got off to an exciting start at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta over the weekend, with thrills, spills, and chills. It was two days of some of the most exciting racing in recent memory.