Moto2: The American Racing Team presents itself in Los Angeles

The American Racing 2022 team presented itself last Tuesday during a glamorous evening in the star district, north of Los Angeles. With five-time MotoAmerica Superbike champion, Cameron Beaubier, and 2021 MotoAmerica Supersport champion, Sean Dylan Kelly, riding the Kalex tricolors, Eitan Butbul's team is preparing to lead an all-American offensive for the first time in its three years of racing. 'history.

The team of two pilots will be led by Cameron Beaubier, the Californian fresh off a “rookie” season in which he finished 15th in the Moto2 World Championship, the highlight of which was two fifth places and the fastest lap at the Portuguese Grand Prix.

« I'm not saying this year isn't going to be difficult, far from it, but last year was really, really difficult " said Beaubier. “We've had some really good times, a lot of crashes, a few top 5s and a handful of top 10s. It's something to build on and I'm looking forward to it.” I'm very happy to have Sean (Dylan Kelly) on the team and to be two Americans. It's strange, because in competition I was always the young guy with older teammates, and now it's reversed. I was a teammate of Josh Hayes and looked up to him, and saw how he did things. I learned a lot and now the roles are reversed. I'm very excited about this year and I hope to make the team proud. »

Cameron Beaubier will be joined by Sean Dylan Kelly, 19, the Floridian who is coming off a 12-win season that ended with the 2021 MotoAmerica Supersport crown.

« I still don't have a Moto2 season to talk about, but maybe with the experience gained in this season which is starting, in a year I will have something to talk about, and I hope it will be really good "Kelly said. “ Right now it still feels unreal to me to look at this beautiful bike with my number, which is going to be 4, when I've always raced with the 40. It's a dream come true for me. This is something that seemed very far away just a year ago. It was like something that was inaccessible. We know how life is and how racing can be with lots of ups and downs. This year was incredible and I was able to achieve one of my biggest goals and dreams, being a national champion, and soon after signing a contract for the world championship. Honestly, it's a dream come true for me and my family, and something I've dreamed of since I was a kid, when I started running at the age of five. Many thanks to Eitan (Butbul, team manager), Avner (Kass, Butbul's partner) and John (Hopkins, team manager). I can't wait to get started. »

Eitan Butbul et Avner Kass are the people who invested to create American Racing in 2018 and bring MotoAmerica Superstock 600 champion to the team for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The team also includes former AMA 750 Supersport champion, AMA Formula Xtreme and MotoGP, John Hopkins, as team leader.

« We started something three years ago, in 2018, and I didn't plan to be in this position ", said Eitan Butbul. " But after three years, I think we have finally achieved the goal we set out to achieve in the beginning. We don't call this team American Racing Team just for its name, because the goal was to finally have two American drivers or at least one with us, and to build the platform to provide a chance for American drivers to access at the World Championship. This year it's finally happening and that's why we're taking this opportunity to do something here in Los Angeles. This is our base and we try to mix what we do in our regular life with our races. I think it's important that we talk a lot with the MotoAmerica guys because after many years there are two American riders who come directly from MotoAmerica, the national championship, and it's a good opportunity to start a collaboration with MotoAmerica. »

Source: MotoAmerica.com