Maria Herrera is walking into 2026 as the defending champ, and that changes the temperature of a race weekend before the bike even rolls. I brought up what the first small thing feels like now that she’s the one everyone is chasing. She didn’t talk about trophies or stats. She talked about eyes. “I feel
Maria Herrera and the champion season that starts before the lights Read More »
Photo by Nicole Paulich | Road Atlanta – MotoAmerica Stock 1000, Round 1. Threading the kink between Turns 3 and 4 with Jason Waters (#92) and Dylan Yelton (#118) On paper, it doesn’t look like a MotoAmerica Superbike story. Chris Durbin lives in Taylorsville, Kentucky – a small town about half an hour outside Louisville.
Factory Job, Superbike Dreams: Chris Durbin’s $20 Name-On-The-Bike Season Read More »
Photos by William Joly – King James as he called it. There are photographers who show up to a race weekend and start figuring things out on Friday morning. Then there are the ones who grew up at the fence, watching the same corner year after year, quietly learning how speed and light move together. French
More Than a Click: Inside William Joly’s Trackside View Read More »
Photo by Brian J Nelson | Branden Chaisorn #290 CMRA ECR I had the chance to work with Branden Chaisorn, and I picked up a lot from him—especially in the one-on-one sessions. What really stood out was how observant and mindful he was at every corner. Here’s a glimpse of what you get in a
Calm Entry: How Branden Chaisorn Builds Confidence in Motorcycle Corner Entry Read More »
2025 – before Cremona’s first WorldWCR race, starting P11 on the grid | Photo by William Joly Emily Bondi — Top 15 world rider, FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship There’s a version of Emily Bondi’s story that reads like a clean, easy climb: title in France, step up to a world championship, a polished
Making Space: How Emily Bondi Is Redefining Where She Belongs Read More »
Steve Mandeville’s first race bike: a wrecked 1986 Yamaha FZ600 he turned into a track bike. This is ’89 or ’90, racing his “behind the curve” FZ against the much better ’87 CBR600 Hurricane. Photo is at the exit of the original Turn 11 at Sears Point Raceway. Steve Mandeville posted a story in Track
Accidentally Successful, On Purpose Read More »
30 minutes into my “partnership” chat with Keith | Photo by Jason Farias Author’s note: I showed up for a partnership conversation. I left with an interview—Keith Hertell on why “sweet numbers” aren’t the point, and why the front tire is the whole conversation. I wasn’t ready for this interview. I’ve known Keith for about
A Messy Recording, a Clear Message from Keith Hertell Read More »
Photo by Ramon Jones Written with the help and hard-earned insight of Aiden Sneed, whose experience on the bike helped shape this piece. TrackDNA Safety Note Riding motorcycles is inherently risky and can result in serious injury or death. The ideas in this article are shared for general information only. Nothing here is formal coaching,
Between the Passes: What a Young MotoAmerica Racer Sees That the Rest of Us Don’t Read More »
Photo by TrackDNA It was MSR Houston, four days before Christmas. One of those Texas mornings where the fog hangs low and the air feels soft. Seventy-two degrees, cool enough to be comfortable, warm enough to feel like the day is on your side. I’d just found out CMRA’s first round was going to be
When the Inner Voice Says “Don’t Pass” – My First Low Side Read More »
Photo by Harlie Raethel Author’s note:Huge thanks to Jason Litton — not just for stepping in and coaching me through that COTA weekend, but also for taking the time to walk back through it with me for this story. The lessons in here are from the saddle and from his eye as a coach. Most
Finding My Line: A Rider’s Turning Point with a Track Coach at COTA Read More »
