COSTA MESA, CA, MAR. 6 – It’s race time. Almost. In a little over a month the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Series will officially begin at the Circuit of the Americas in Texas. The stars of the series will take to the COTA track for the first time on Thursday, April 9 as the championship season kicks off with the MotoAmerica classes serving as the support races for the Red Bull Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin.
MotoAmerica will run three of its classes at the Grand Prix – Supersport and the combined Superbike/Superstock 1000 – with the Superbike/Superstock 1000 class racing twice over the course of the weekend.
Things get rolling for MotoAmerica a day earlier than MotoGP on Thursday, April 9 with the classes set to take part in a 45-minute practice session each (1 to 1:45 p.m. for Superbike/Superstock 1000, 2 to 2:45 p.m. for Supersport) on the opening day of festivities at COTA.
On Friday the racers of MotoAmerica will take to the track two more times with Superbike/Superstock qualifying set to take place from 11:55 a.m. to 12:25 p.m., followed later in the day by a 40-minute qualifying session for Supersport from 4:05 to 4:45 p.m.
Saturday’s MotoAmerica action will start at 7:50 a.m. with a 20 minute Supersport warm-up session with a Superbike/Superstock warm-up session following a few hours later at 11:55 a.m.
At 4:15 on Saturday afternoon the MotoAmerica Series kicks off with its first race of the new era with the Supersport riders doing battle for the first time in their 12-lap final on the 3.4-mile Circuit of the Americas. The Supersport race will be followed on Saturday by the opening round of the MotoAmerica Superbike/Superstock 1000 Series with defending four-time AMA Superbike Champion Josh Hayes beginning his title defense in the first of the two 15-lap Superbike races scheduled for 5 p.m.
On Sunday, the Superbike/Superstock 1000 racers get a warm-up session at 7:50 a.m. with the second of the combined Superbike/Superstock 1000 doubleheader closing out the weekend of action at COTA later that afternoon with a 3:30 p.m. race start.
One of the many racers chomping at the bit to get started is Red Bull Roadrace Factory’s Jake Gagne. The Californian will make his Superstock 1000 debut at COTA.
“It’s the first race and it’s what we’ve all been waiting for,” said Gagne. “It’s a great track and hopefully we get a great turnout. This will be our first time on the Superstock bike and racing against the Superbikes. I’m excited to get out there and turn some laps at COTA and get racing with the guys. It’s been too long.”
Tickets can be purchased for all the action at the Circuit of the Americas by clicking on the following link: http://circuitoftheamericas.com/motogp/tickets
For a complete schedule for the weekend, click on the following link: http://www.motoamerica.com/sites/motoamerica.com/files/attachments/2015/03/2015_cota_schedule-ma.pdf
COTA is a great spectator track. Most of the seats have views of multiple corners, straightaways and both sides of the track. Jumbo-trons are all around the track with closeups of the action. If you had to pick one big race to attend, you won’t be disappointed with this track.
The track layout and atmosphere makes for one of the most fun and enjoyable times for any motorcycle enthusiast. I rate my 2014 experience 9 on a scale of 10. Laguna dust bin and Sears Point (whatever they call it now) pale by comparison.
The people of Texas are friendly and congenial. As usual, the bikes in the parking area are a great secondary show.
Got my picture taken with Kevin Schwantz last year.
Make this race. You’ll love it and have lifelong memories.