Greetings, VIP Superfan, and thank you for joining us at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. What a weekend it was! A weekend of firsts in all the right ways. The opening round of the Quad Lock Superbike Championship always brings anticipation, but this year delivered something special.
Superstock 1000 Champion, two-time Supersport Champion, and five-time MotoAmerica Superbike race winner Mathew Scholtz made his longawaited return to the premier class, and his debut was nothing short of spectacular. Aboard the #11 Strack Racing Yamaha YZF-R1, Mathew showed the paddock and the fans that he arrived ready to take on the heavy hitters. That commanding presence is exactly why he’s featured on the cover of this issue.
Against a stacked field of championshipproven talent, Mathew delivered a decisive victory on Saturday and followed it up with a fierce battle against Bobby Fong on Sunday, securing a strong second-place finish. With that pair of results, Mathew and the Strack Racing Yamaha team leave Road Atlanta leading the Superbike Championship and charging confidently towards Barber Motorsports Park.
Guest Speakers: Sam Drane, Scott Dewey, Grand Marshal “Mr. Daytona” Scott Russell, Cameron Beaubier, Dominic Doyle, Rick Humphrey, Greg White, Ronnie Jones, John Ulrich, Jason Kingham, Michael Martin, David Aksland, Larry Meyer, and Sean Bice
Another huge “first” this weekend came from YOU - our VIP Superfans! After Daytona set the tone, we challenged the Road Atlanta VIPs to step up for the MotoAmerica Privateer Support Program… and wow, did you deliver. The exclusive VIP hat fundraiser took off again, and you pushed the bar to a whole new level.
Supersport racer Dominic Doyle was presented with a combined total of $3,200 in donations - a moment that left him genuinely moved and deeply grateful. Your generosity continues to shape this program into something truly meaningful.
And then came another unforgettable highlight: former champion and “50 Years Of Superbike Racing” Grand Marshal Scott Russell spent Sunday with our VIPs, sharing stories, laughs, and memories that only “Mr. Daytona” can deliver. Catch his feature on page 38.
Enjoy this Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta issue and pass it along to your friends. With five classes heading into Barber Motorsports Park, the battles will be fierce, and who knows… maybe the Privateer Support Program will reach even greater heights.
For now, congratulations to all of our race winners, and thank you for your incredible support. It’s shaping up to be a truly great season.
Best Regards,
Ron “Slicer” Heben
Saturday, April 18 - VIP Suite
Saturday, April 18 - VIP Suite
On the Startline of the Superbike Race
Superbike Startline
Scholtz, Kelly & Beaubier
VIP All Access
Thank you, MotoAmerica racers!
Postcards From Atlanta...
By Sean Bice
Round two of the 2026 MotoAmerica Championship at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta was one to remember. If you were there, too, or if you watched our coverage on MotoAmerica Live+ and/or Samsung TV Plus, you saw some great racing and enjoyed the kickoff of the Quad Lock Superbike Championship and our season-long celebration of “50 Years Of Superbike Racing.”
We brought back some postcards from Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta to share with you. All images were created by the one and only Brian J. Nelson. Enjoy:
Your caption here: We’re not going to touch it.
You’re gonna need a bigger wallet: J&P Cycles/Motul/Vance & Hines Factory Indian rider Hayden Gillim won pretty much everything there was to win in the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship over the weekend.
Right foot, blue: And then, all of a sudden, an impromptu game of Twister broke out during Twins Cup race two on Sunday.
Keep the rubber side down: Talent Cup race one at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta featured an impromptu stunt show.
Kensei and Ken-san: King Kenny Roberts gave a “not bad, kid” pat on the back to his protégé Kensei Matsudaira, who notched both wins in Talent Cup at Road Atlanta.
Binder winned’er: South African rider Darryn Binder got the victory in his very first MotoAmerica Supersport sprint race.
Chief of staff: Grand Marshal Scott Ru$$ell handed out the trophies to the Superbike podium finishers on Sunday, to the delight of everyone, including him.
The Legend of Bagger Vance: Vance & Hines boss Terry Vance (center) gets ready for a group hug with his riders Hayden Gillim (left) and Troy Herfoss (right), who went one-two in Saturday’s Mission King Of The Baggers race two.
Fine Cutler-y: Brianna Cutler stood atop the podium on both days in Royal Enfield Build.Train.Race. and she also earned the pole position.
Privateer Rider Program - Dominic Doyle
By Sean Bice
After the overwhelming success of the new-for-this-season MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Privateer Support Program at Daytona International Speedway, round two of the program at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta exceeded expectations once again. A fundraising effort within the VIP Superfan Experience, the program collects money from the sale of custom-embroidered hats that display MotoAmerica and VIP Superfan logos, as well as Privateer Support Program lettering.
Supersport was the featured class at Road Atlanta, and in honor of the Master’s Tournament that recently took place at Georgia’s Augusta National Golf Club, VIP Superfan Experience host Ron “Slicer” Heben decided to pick the rider ranked 12th in the points standings as a tip of the cap to Master’s Champion Rory McElroy, who won this year’s tournament with a final score of 12 under par.
The rider who was 12th in Supersport final qualifying at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta was Liberty Yamaha rider Dominic Doyle. The South African, who now lives in Columbus, Indiana, was invited to the Podium Club located on the first floor of the Michelin Tower where he was completely surprised to learn that he was the chosen Privateer.
His team owner Chuck Giacchetto was also in attendance, and Giacchetto was just as surprised as Doyle. At Daytona, Eli Block was presented with a check (and cash) in the amount of $2,525.00, but did the Road Atlanta VIP Superfans exceed that very generous donation?
“The outpouring of support for the Privateer Program has been overwhelming,” Heben said. “The incredible generosity of our VIP Superfans is very much appreciated. Even after we presented Dominic with a check for $2,900, we had additional donations, which brought the total contribution to $3,200.00. The Road Atlanta VIP Superfans exceeded what the Daytona VIP Superfans contributed, so the challenge is on for the Barber Motorsports Park VIP Superfans to up the ante even more.”
Also, over and above the $3,200 that Doyle received, VP Racing donated a five-gallon container of MotoAmerica-spec race fuel and Motul donated some of their products, as well.
“It was an awesome surprise to me when I found out I was selected for the Privateer Support Program at Road Atlanta,” commented Doyle. “I can’t thank the VIP Superfans enough for supporting racers like me. Their donation will go a long way and make things a whole lot easier for me. I really appreciate all the VIP Superfans, as well as Motoamerica and Ron Heben for putting this together!”
The MotoAmerica VIP Superfans did it again!
Incidentally, Doyle did qualify 12th for Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta’s two Supersport races, but he finished seventh in Saturday’s race one and ninth in Sunday’s race two, and he is now ranked sixth in the season points standings with a whole lot of racing left to go.
Thank you to the VIP Superfans, VP Racing, Motul, and all the MotoAmerica racers who visited the Paddock Club and signed hats for the VIP Superfans. We can hardly wait to get to Barber Motorsports Park next month to see how much more the MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Privateer Support Program will continue to grow.
VIP Access
Sunday, April 19
On the Startline for the Mission King Of The Baggers’ Race
How cool for the VIP Superfans to be on the startline for the Mission King Of The Baggers’ Race
Mission King Of The Baggers’ Championship races
races are topnotch entertainment
LEGACY OF PERFORMANCE
On the Podium with the the Baggers... Gillim, Herfoss and Landers!
$20,000 Donated To Back On Track and Roadracing World Action Fund
We’ve said many times before that, in the metaphor that the fans are the fuel that runs MotoAmerica, the MotoAmerica VIP Superfans are the highest octane fuel available that powers our continually growing race series.
The passion and generosity of our VIP Superfans is virtually boundless, and Brett Nesbit is among the most passionate and most generous of the group.
Not only do Brett and his wife Renee attend several MotoAmerica rounds each year as VIP Superfans, but they are always very complimentary of the Experience we provide. Brett is not only a Certified Public Accountant, but he also manages and administers a charitable fund that was created by his very good friend, the late Robert F. Beard.
As part of Brett’s work to disburse the fund per the wishes of Mr. Beard, he donated money to two very worthwhile causes that MotoAmerica also promotes and supports.
Brett was not at the recent Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta round, but his and Mr. Beard’s impact there was definitely felt. Two special guests were invited to the Podium Club at Road Atlanta.
Ronnie Jones, a founding member of the Rookies of ’79 Charity, is also a member of the board of directors for Back On Track, a non-profit 501(c)(3) program created to provide financial assistance for injured motorcycle racers and their families when a racing injury/accident occurs.
John Ulrich, owner of Team Hammer and publisher of Roadracing World, is also the founder of the Roadracing World Action Fund, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that promotes motorcycle racing safety, and in particular, encourages and facilitates the use of soft barriers (safety systems from Airfence® and Alpina®, specifically) at motorcycle racing events, including all MotoAmerica races.
Both Ronnie and John received checks for $10,000 each towards their charitable organizations, thanks to Brett Nesbit and the Robert F. Beard Charitable Foundation. All of us at MotoAmerica are so grateful to Brett Nesbit and also to the late Robert F. Beard. Ronnie and John were, of course, very appreciative of the donations, and the VIP Superfans at Road Atlanta enjoyed being part of the presentation of the checks to Ronnie and John, as well.
Commander In Chief: Road Atlanta Grand Marshal Scott Russell
You’ve probably never heard of Horatio Alger. He was a very prolific author who, over the course of 30 years during the mid to late 1800s, wrote 135 books. Alger’s specialty was writing “rags to riches” narratives. You know the kind. “Local hood makes good.” “Poor, hardworking boy rises to middle-class comfort.”
If Alger had been born about a century later, he’d probably have written a book about Scott Russell.
Russell won the 1992 DAYTONA 200 and then added four more to his quiver over the next few years, cementing his status as “Mr. Daytona.”
Raymond Scott Russell was born in East Point, Georgia, on October 28, 1964. His parents divorced when he was in high school, and he had to drop out of the 11th grade “to take care of things on my own somehow,” as Russell put it.
So, at age 17, he went to work in a plastic-bag factory not far from his home. When he was a youngster, he did some motocross racing, so he already had riding skills and a love for motorcycles. Then, as a young adult trying to make ends meet, he traded in his Volkswagen for a Kawasaki Ninja 750 and rode it (quite fast, no doubt) on all the twisty north Georgia mountain roads.
All that hooliganism got Russell interested in road racing. By the mid 1980s, he started competing in WERA and became one of the best novice racers in the country. Russell honed his skills in the next few years racing WERA National Endurance and Suzuki
Cup road races, and his raw talent was undeniable.
He began racing in AMA national events in 1987, and just one year later, he notched his first professional win, in AMA 750 Supersport, at his home track of Road Atlanta.
He finished the 1988 season as runner-up in the 750 Supersport Championship and was in the top 10 in both AMA Superbike and 600 Supersport. Russell was also named 1988 AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year.
In 1989, he won his very first AMA Superbike race, once again at his home track of Road Atlanta.
“That one was special not just because it was my first, but because it was in front of the home fans,” Russell said.
He went on to finish a close second to his Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Jamie James in the 1989 AMA Superbike Championship.
Russell was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in 2021. Photo courtesy of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
In 1990, Russell signed with Muzzy Kawasaki and won three consecutive 750 Supersport Championships.
He won the 1992 AMA Superbike Championship and, the following year, he won the 1993 Superbike World Championship.
Over the next few years, he won five Daytona 200s, which earned him the nickname of “Mr. Daytona.”
As we celebrate “50 Years Of Superbike Racing” and kick off the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship next weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, it is only fitting for us to honor Scott Russell as our first Superbike Grand Marshal at the very track where his rags to riches story began.
Congratulations, Chief. And thank you for thrilling us all throughout your legendary racing career.
Russell was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in 2021.
Russell won the 1992 DAYTONA 200 and then added four more to his quiver over the next few years, cementing his status as “Mr. Daytona.”
2026 MotoAmerica Road Race Schedule
** March 5-7 Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, FL
1. April 17-19 Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta Braselton, GA
2. May 15-17 Barber Motorsports Park Birmingham, AL
3. May 29-31 Road America Elkhart Lake, WI
4. June 26-28 Ridge Motorsports Park Shelton, WA
5. July 10-12
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca Monterey, CA
6. July 31-August 2 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, OH
7. August 14-16 Virginia International Raceway Alton, VA
8. Sept 11-13 Circuit of The Americas Austin, TX
9. Sept 25-27 New Jersey Motorsports Park Millville, NJ
All dates subject to change ** Special Running of the 84th Daytona 200
Get ready to do it all again in May by joining the VIP Superfan Experience at Barber Motorsports Park:
