RoadAmerica VIP Magazine

May 23-24, 2026

Greetings, RoadAmerica VIP Superfan!

Greetings to you, our VIP Superfan who joined us at “America’s National Park of Speed!” It’s hard to top a weekend at the iconic facility – and with incredible weather, two days of edge-of-your-seat racing, and a lineup of phenomenal guests in the brand-new Finish Line Suite. Road America is a coveted destination for MotoAmerica fans.

A huge part of your VIP Superfan Experience was the exclusive access you received as you went behind the scenes of MotoAmerica’s race operations, toured a team transporter, got up close to the race machines, stood along the front straightaway as the bikes rocketed past you at over 180 miles, and celebrated on the podium with the top-three finishers. Back in the suite, you met some of the best racers and industry personalities who took time out of their packed schedules to connect with you.

Thanks to you and all our new and returning VIP Superfans, our industry partners, and our friends at HarleyDavidson, Yamaha, and S&S Cycle for helping us achieve our largest VIP crowd ever at Road America.

Our cover features Quad Lock Superbike race winners Cam Petersen (Saturday) and Sean Dylan Kelly (Sunday), each earning their first, well-deserved victory of the 2026 season.

A special congratulations to Hayden Gillim, who had a milestone weekend, first being baptized on Friday evening and second winning his 50th and 51st AMA professional career wins! Check Sean Bice’s article on page 36.

I also want to express my sincere appreciation for the overwhelming support shown to privateer racer Max Flinders. Max competes in both the Mission King Of The Baggers and Quad Lock Superbike classes, and he faced mechanical challenges all weekend on both machines. Thanks to your generosity, we were able to present Max with $1,630 and a five-gallon container of VP Racing Fuel - support that will go a long way in getting him ready for our next round at Ridge Motorsports Park.

In closing, thank you for your passion, energy, and commitment to this sport. Enjoy this edition of our VIP Superfan E-Magazine. We hope to see you at our next stop: Ridge Motorsports Park in Shelton, Washington on June 26-28, 2026.

Best

Regards, Ron “Slicer” Heben

VIP Suite...

May 23

Saturday, May 23 - VIP Suite

On the Startline of the Superbike Race

Superbike Startline...

VIP All Access Superbike Podium

VIP All Access

THE YAMAHA 70 TH ANNIVERSARY SUPERSPORT EDITIONS

Celebrate seven decades of motorsports excellence with the 2026 Yamaha 70th Anniversary Supersport Editions. Aerodynamic, next-generation R-Series design combined with throwback white and red speed block livery, gold Yamaha Tuning Fork emblems and special Anniversary Edition badging. Standout style to commemorate the 1955 birth of Yamaha Motor Company.

The Relentless Champion: Grand Marshal Josh Hayes

Long before he started racing in the AMA Superbike Championship, before all those trophies and all those records fell one by one, a teenager from Gulfport, Mississippi, got a streetbike, learned to ride, got his knee down for the first time in a parking lot, and transitioned to road racing, all in the pursuit of speed.

Josh Hayes started racing motorcycles a little bit later than most riders. But, what he lacked in an early start, he made up for with determination, a deep understanding of how motorcycles behave, and a relentless willingness to work harder than everyone else.

In the 1990s, Hayes fought his way through most of the AMA race classes, loading bikes into trailers, traveling endless highways, and racing wherever the opportunity presented itself. He became known for his smooth riding style and fearless racecraft. Riders respected him. Teams noticed him. But for years, the premier Superbike opportunity never quite arrived.

By Sean Bice

Instead, Hayes built his reputation one class at a time. He raced for Honda, Kawasaki, and Suzuki during his ascent in AMA racing. Along the way, he earned success in Formula Xtreme and Supersport, proving he

could win on nearly anything with two wheels and slick tires. But, still, the Superbike crown remained out of reach.

Then Yamaha changed everything.

When Hayes joined Yamaha’s official factory Superbike effort, his career exploded into the stuff of legends. Riding the Yamaha YZF-R1, Hayes transformed from respected veteran into unstoppable champion. Between 2010 and 2014, he captured four AMA Superbike Championships, becoming one of the defining riders of the modern American road racing era. His combination of precision, aggression, and consistency made him nearly unbeatable on race day.

Fans watched him dominate at tracks across the country - Road America, Barber Motorsports Park, Laguna Seca, New Jersey Motorsports Park, and others - carving through corners with his signature smoothness while riders much younger than him struggled to match his pace. He won races in the dry. He won races in the rain. He won races by applying his intelligence and race management acumen when outright speed was not enough.

At the apogee of his dominance, Hayes was not simply winning championships, he was rewriting the record books. In 2012, he produced one of the greatest seasons in AMA Superbike history, winning 16 races and setting a new record for consecutive victories.

But, the story of Josh Hayes was never “just” about championships.

What truly separated him from many champions was longevity.

As the MotoAmerica era dawned, it was far from sunset for “The Mississippi Madman.” Hayes remained a symbol of old-school American determination and ingenuity – a rider who earned everything through persistence and passion rather than hype.

Younger racers studied him. Fans admired him. Rivals respected him.

Because no matter the class, no matter the motorcycle, and no matter the era, Josh Hayes found ways to win.

He battled future Superbike Champions like Cameron Beaubier and Josh Herrin while continuing to win races deep into his forties and even into his fifties.

While many former champions retired, Hayes adapted. He continued to race in Superbike, then Supersport, and he’s still racing today.

Meanwhile, he has become a mentor, riding coach, muse, and dare we say, elder statesmen in the paddock. In 2023, Hayes surpassed the legendary Miguel Duhamel to become the winningest rider in AMA road racing history. His career total has reached an astonishing 89 AMA race victories across all classes, and he is not done yet.

With his mom Marsha beaming about her boy and his dad Kurt (in the baseball cap with the white-rimmed bill) doing the same, Hayes celebrated in Louisiana with his family “and a few of his friends.” Photo by Brian J. Nelson.

That’s why the story of Josh Hayes is not simply about his four Superbike championships.

It is about endurance. It is about refusing to quit.

It is about a racer who started with raw talent and a burning passion to win, who became one of the greatest motorcycle road racers America has ever produced.

Joshua Kurt Hayes is our Grand Marshal for MotoAmerica Superbikes At Road America. Be sure to come for the racing, but stay for the Mississippi Madman.

The VIP Superfans Rally For Flinders At Road America

The MotoAmerica VIP Superfans did it again! On MotoAmerica race weekends, Max Flinders can be found hustling from one end of the paddock to the other.

As a rider for Thrashed Bike Racing in the Quad Lock Superbike Championship aboard a Yamaha YZF-R1 and for M3/Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson in the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship aboard a Harley-Davidson Road Glide, Flinders is accustomed to long days, hard work, and overcoming challenges that many factory-backed riders never have to face.

What makes him special isn’t just his versatility on two very different motorcycles. It’s his connection with the fans.

Flinders always makes time for them, and he has earned a reputation as one of the most approachable and genuine riders in the paddock.

When MotoAmerica raced at the legendary Road America this past weekend, Flinders’ hopes were high. The fast and flowing Wisconsin track has always been a favorite among riders and fans alike. Flinders and his team worked tirelessly to prepare his Superbike and Baggers machine for competition.

And then, in Sunday morning’s Superbike warmup, after completing only one lap, the engine on his Superbike suffered a catastrophic failure. One moment, the R1 was charging down the front straight at full song. The next, the engine let go in spectacular fashion.

Flinders coasted to the side of the track, knowing instantly that the damage was severe.

The cloud of smoke and trail of oil of the race surface confirmed everyone’s fears.

The engine was destroyed.

For a privateer team, an engine failure isn’t merely disappointing—it is financially devastating. Unlike factory teams with spare engines and extensive resources, privateers have to rely on carefully managed budget.

The mood in the Thrashed Bike Racing pit became somber.

Flinders and his team stared at the damaged engine, contemplating the cost of rebuilding and replacing parts before the next round.

Then came an announcement.

MotoAmerica revealed that Max Flinders had been selected for the MotoAmerica VIP Superfan Privateer Support Program at Road America.

The Program is funded through the sale of commemorative VIP Superfan hats, with proceeds going directly to support a selected privateer racer at each round. Thanks to the generosity of the Superfans, Flinders was awarded an oversized check for $1,630 along with a five-gallon container of VP Racing fuel. After one of the toughest weekends imaginable, the gesture hit him harder than anyone expected.

Standing beside his father, Flinders fought back emotion as the Superfans gathered around him for a photo.

Later, reflecting on the experience, he spoke from the heart. “It was an amazing surprise to be chosen for the donation,” Flinders said. “It was such a tough weekend with issue after issue. Other than the awesome

fans, it was a terrible weekend for me. Then, ‘Boom!,’ the VIP Superfans turned my whole weekend around. My dad and I both teared up a bit thanks to the money I was given that will help me pay for a new engine for my Superbike.”

For some of the MotoAmerica riders, racing is about championships, trophies, and podium celebrations. For privateers like Flinders, it’s also about perseverance, family, and the support of a community that understands how difficult the journey can be.

The $1,630 didn’t erase the disappointment of the engine failure, but it will help Flinders and his team keep racing. More importantly, the support reminded Flinders that he isn’t facing the challenges alone.

As the weekend came to a close, the damaged Yamaha sat quietly in the truck, awaiting a new engine and another chance to race. But, despite the mechanical heartbreak, Flinders left Road America with something equally valuable.

He left knowing that an army of fans believe in him.

And for a privateer racer who is chasing his dream one lap at a time, that support means everything.

By Sean Bice

Above: Flinders and his Thrashed Bike Racing Yamaha YZF-R1 at speed during Saturday’s Quad Lock Superbike race one at Road America. Photo by Brian J.Nelson.

Left: Flinders in the saddle of his M3/Tobacco Road Harley-Davidson and with his father Martin by his side.

Enjoy the view from our Drone of the Spectacular Road America Race track

LEGACY OF PERFORMANCE

VIP Suite

Sunday, May 24

On the Startline for the Mission King Of The Baggers

How cool for the VIP Superfans to be on the startline for the Mission King Of The Baggers.

Hanging with the Mission King Of The Baggers

Had Himself Quite The Wisconsin Weekend Hayden Gillim

The Kentuckian stood quietly beside the baptismal pool on Friday evening at Road America. Hayden Gillim had come to Wisconsin focused on winning races, but before he lined up on the starting grid for the four races he competed in this past weekend, he experienced something even more meaningful.

Surrounded by family, friends, teammates, and fellow members of the MotoAmerica paddock, Gillim was baptized through full immersion in a ceremony officiated by Chaplains Raymond Rizzo and Mark Merical. As he emerged from the water, there was a sense that the weekend was already special. No one could have imagined just how unforgettable it would become.

Once the racing began, Gillim looked nearly unstoppable. Riding the powerful Indian Challenger for the J&P Cycles/ Motul/Vance & Hines Factory Indian team, he immediately established himself as the rider to beat in the Mission King Of The Baggers Championship. During Saturday morning’s Qualifying 2 session, Gillim delivered a blistering lap around the four-mile Road America circuit, setting a new Baggers lap record and earning pole position for both races. The performance sent a clear message to the competition: Gillim was in peak form.

When the lights went out for Saturday’s Mission King Of The Baggers race one, he backed up his qualifying speed with a masterful performance. Gillim controlled the race from the front, combining aggression and precision as he navigated Road America’s long straights and challenging corners. Along the way, he established yet another benchmark, setting a new race lap record before crossing the finish line in first place.

The victory was significant in more ways than one. It marked the 50th AMA professional race win of his remarkable career, a milestone that placed him among the sport’s most accomplished racers.

Yet Gillim wasn’t finished.

He also competed aboard his Real Steel Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP in the Quad Lock Superbike Championship. Racing against the nation’s best Superbike riders, Gillim delivered a solid seventh-place finish in Saturday’s race, demonstrating the versatility that has made him one of MotoAmerica’s most respected competitors.

On Sunday, the momentum continued.

Back aboard his Honda, he added a sixth-place finish in Quad Lock Superbike race two, and then, in Mission King Of The Baggers, he once again showcased his speed and confidence, refusing to surrender the momentum he had built throughout the weekend.

Lap after lap, he maintained his pace and composure before taking the checkered flag for a second consecutive victory.

Win number 51.

Another trophy.

Another celebration.

Another chapter in an already impressive career.

As the sun began to set over Road America on Sunday night, the significance of the weekend became clear. In just a few days, Hayden Gillim had experienced a pro -

found personal moment through baptism, captured the pole position, set a new qualifying lap record, established a new race lap record, won both Mission King Of The Baggers races, earned his 50th and 51st AMA career victories, and delivered strong performances in the premier Superbike class.

For Gillim, it was a weekend defined by faith, determination, and excellence.

For his family, friends, fans, and the dedicated crews of the J&P Cycles/Motul/Vance & Hines Factory Indian and Real Steel Honda teams, it was a weekend they will remember for the rest of their lives.

And for everyone fortunate enough to witness it, Road America became the stage for one of the most memorable weekends of Hayden Gillim’s racing career.

By Sean Bice

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

Come join us for the VIP Superfan Experience at Ridge Motorsports Park: