VIR Race Recap: Big Speeds, Hard Lessons, and a Front Row First

After a long drive home from Virginia International Raceway (VIR) and an even longer week back at work, we're finally catching up on the incredible highs—and the gut-punch lows—of the latest race weekend.

Let’s dive in.

First Impressions: VIR Surprises Us All

VIR completely shattered expectations. Watching it on TV, it never really stood out—it looked a bit rough around the edges. But stepping foot on the facility in person? A whole different story.

The track is beautiful, nestled in the remote green hills of Virginia. It’s full of character, with technical bends, fast kinks, and dramatic elevation changes that make it a blast to watch—and from Carson’s feedback, a blast to ride too.

Same Setup, Different Story

We rolled in with the exact same setup that Carson rode at Mid-Ohio—literally not a single bolt turned. Same gearing, same suspension, same everything. But right away, we saw how drastically different track surfaces can affect performance.

At Mid-Ohio, we were working to speed up the suspension. At VIR? We had to slow it down. Same bike, totally different needs. That’s racing for you.

Carson hit the ground running, immediately setting fast times and staying consistently in the top 5 during practice. It was clear: this was going to be a big weekend.

New Tech and New Challenges

Between races, a new technical bulletin allowed for 55mm rear subframe extenders to help taller riders get more room. We found a shop in Martinsville that fabbed up a pair for us—nothing fancy, but they did the job.

Finally, Carson could tuck behind the windscreen for the first time this year.

But... in our enthusiasm, we also added a 2-inch foam pad to the back of the tank to push him a little farther backward. The result? A wheelie machine. Carson couldn’t keep the front tire down, and we wouldn’t fully realize the problem until it was too late.

Qualifying: Front Row Feels

Despite the pad mishap, Carson absolutely delivered in qualifying—3rd on the grid for both races. Standing with him on the front row, staring down toward Turn 1, was a surreal moment. That’s the kind of position we’re aiming to make a regular thing.

But the good vibes were short-lived.

Race 1: Up Front, Down Hard

With Carson’s seating position shifted back by the tank pad, his launch was a mess—wheelies off the line meant he was swallowed up by the pack heading into Turn 1.

By Lap 2, he saw daylight ahead—the group he should have been racing with. He made a gutsy move up the inside of Sam and Ella, but just as he tipped into Turn 1, Julian Correa appeared in the same real estate.

You can watch the footage frame by frame and still not tell who clipped who.

The result? Both riders down, sliding off into the Virginia grass and collecting a fresh batch of soil samples. Carson was a little shaken but thankfully okay—and cleared to race the next day.

Repair Sprint: Teamwork in Action

The crew didn’t waste a second. Travis had the bike stripped down within minutes, and the awesome team from Kramer came through with the parts list we needed. We got the bike back together in time for Race 2 and went to bed with high hopes and a freshly de-padded tank.

Race 2: Mechanical Mayhem

Sunday morning: clean start, no wheelies, and Carson stayed with the pack.

But as the field came around for Lap 2, #32 was missing. Moments later, Carson coasted into the pits. Something was off. The bike kept popping out of gear—into a false neutral instead of sixth. We’re still not exactly sure why.

And just like that, the weekend was over.

Packing Up, Looking Ahead

We loaded the trailer in record time and hit the road as the last race wrapped up, beginning the long 13-hour trek home.

Now begins the agonizing wait for the next round at Circuit of the Americas (CotA).

Final Thoughts

Racing will humble you fast. One moment you’re standing on the front row, ready to take the fight to the front. The next, you're watching from the sidelines, trying to figure out what went wrong.

But weekends like this remind us why we’re here—for the grind, the glory, and the growth.

Stay tuned—Carson will be back, faster and sharper than ever, for CotA.

Back on the Kramer: Mid‑Ohio Talent Cup Weekend Recap

Getting Back in the Groove at Mid‑Ohio

It had been a little while since the last round at Road America, and I couldn’t wait to get back on the Kramer. There’s just something about Mid‑Ohio—tight corners, elevation changes, and the flow of the track—that always makes it one of my favorites on the calendar. With fresh energy and a tuned-up machine, we rolled in ready to go for the Talent Cup series weekend.

Practice Session: Off to a Strong Start

Practice 1 gave us a solid foundation. We logged a 1:37.931—just six‑tenths off the session's fastest time. The best part? It felt like there was still plenty of time left in both the bike and myself. That session had us running close to last year’s race pace, which was a great mental boost. Everything felt tight and responsive, setting the tone for a promising weekend.

Qualifying 1: Mechanical Hiccups and Recovery

Heading into Q1, we made a few strategic changes. The updated gearing was meant to give us better drive off the corners without sacrificing top-end power. But mid‑lap, the quickshifter unexpectedly came apart, forcing us to pit early. After about 10 minutes of scrambling, we installed a new unit—but it started cutting the engine randomly, robbing me of consistency.

Still, I shaved nearly half a second off my practice time. Unfortunately, the rest of the field improved even more, and I ended up 8th. Not ideal, but solidly in the middle of Row 3 and still right in the mix.

Qualifying 2: A Strategic Decision

Heavy overnight rain left the track soaked for Q2. Since the forecast for race day was dry, going out on a wet track didn’t make sense—we had to manage our limited tire stickers carefully. So we sat the session out, watched the live broadcast, and saw Sam Drane push through the wet solo. His time was a full 18 seconds off Q1 pace, confirming we made the right call.

Race 1: Setup Tweaks and a Tight Battle

We reversed some gearing changes for Race 1, aiming for more top-end speed into Turn 5. That meant new shift points across the track, letting us stay in the power longer before braking. Suspension tweaks were also made to minimize chatter from the back straight’s exit.

The race itself was a blast. I was locked in a constant battle with Sam and Ella—trading positions and pushing each other every lap. I made it up to 4th by lap 9, but Sam slipped past me on the back straight and Ella beat me to the line. I crossed in 6th—just six tenths behind the race winner, Alessandro. It was the closest Talent Cup finish of the year so far!

Race Day 2: Slicks, Strategy, and Mid-Pack Mayhem

Another rainstorm rolled through before morning warm‑up, soaking the track again. With only two fresh tire stickers left, using them on rain tires wasn’t an option. So once again, we watched the session from the pits. One funny moment—commentators mistook Rossi Garcia for Hank Vossburg, even though Hank was sitting right next to me watching the broadcast!

When Race 2 rolled around, the track had dried enough to go out on slicks. Lap 1 saw Hank and Bodie rocket ahead while the rest of us—Alessandro, Kody, Rossi, Sam, and myself—battled intensely for 3rd. The order changed constantly, and every lap had multiple passes. On lap 9, Rossi crashed going into Turn 2, though I didn’t even realize it at the time. I was locked in, chasing down Alessandro and trying to regain 3rd after Kody had passed me. Unfortunately, Rossi’s crash brought out the red flag and I didn’t get to fight the last half of the lap.

Ultimately, I finished 5th at the checkered flag, just a few bike lengths off the podium.

Final Results and Reflections

Overall, Mid‑Ohio was packed with learnings. From gear ratios to suspension tweaks, and making strategic calls based on weather and tire limitations, every part of the weekend helped me and the team grow. I’m proud of how we kept fighting through every challenge and can’t wait for the next round.

Back on Track: Carson’s First Test of 2025 with the Kramer APX-350 MA

Back on Track: Carson’s First Test of 2025 with the Kramer APX-350 MA

The past two days marked a major milestone: Carson King is officially back on a roadracing bike for 2025. It’s been a wild ride getting here, with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

Our original plan was to race in MotoAmerica’s Twins Cup this year. But as things developed over the offseason, we made the call to jump into the newly-formed Talent Cup aboard the all-new Kramer APX-350 MA. Big change? Absolutely. Right move? We think so.

A Tight Timeline and a Big Fix

The Kramer arrived at our shop about a week before we had to leave for the MotoAmerica pre-season test at Motorsports Ranch in Cresson, TX. Not much time to prep, but we were excited… until we learned we couldn’t even start the bike.

Some of the other teams who’d already gotten on track ran into engine issues, and Kramer worked fast to figure out a solution. Part of that fix? We needed to head down to Texas a day early so the Kramer team could update our bike before the test started. Not ideal—but we rolled with it.

Sunday was all about the Kramer guys wrenching and getting bikes sorted while teams trickled into the paddock. And then… well, something we didn’t expect happened.

King Kenny Roberts and his son Kenny Jr. showed up. Yeah. Just hanging out, talking shop with us like it was no big deal. Chatting about the new bikes, the series, and what Carson’s got going this season. That wasn’t exactly on our bingo card for the weekend.

First Ride, Steep Learning Curve

By Monday morning, it was time to hit the track for the first time on the new bike. And let’s be honest—we knew right away we had our work cut out for us.

The Kramer APX-350 MA handles completely differently from anything Carson’s ever ridden. It’s also the most advanced bike we’ve worked on, packed with adjustments and data logging that’ll keep us busy all season. The learning curve? Pretty vertical.

But Carson did what Carson does—he got to work. He kept chipping away, improving every session as he learned the bike and the track. Meanwhile, I was elbows-deep trying to figure out the data. That part didn’t go entirely to plan.

Our homemade mount for the AiM Solo2 DL broke halfway through the day. That left us flying blind on lap times and without any data for a few sessions. We pulled together a quick fix to get through the day, but we’ve got a new mount design coming before our next test.

Cameras Rolling and Pressure Rising

Another curveball? MotoAmerica’s Pressure to Rise YouTube series was there filming. They’re following the Talent Cup riders this season, and they dropped by our pit for an interview. Look for us in the series—we were deep in conversation about gearing changes when the cameras started rolling. Guess we better keep an eye on the episodes from here on out!

Carson being interviewed by the MotoAmerica Pressure to Rise team

Day 2: Progress and Pushing Limits

Tuesday started off windy—like really windy. But Carson went out and immediately dropped some solid times on the same setup we finished with the day before, running a shorter rear sprocket.

After a few sessions, we realized that gearing wasn’t doing us any favors, so we made the call to go the other direction. Carson found more speed with a taller gear—more drive out of corners and more stability in the fast stuff.

Travis installing new gearing to try out

With Carson getting more comfortable, we started experimenting with the suspension. Softer springs front and rear gave him instant confidence—no more unexpected wheelies or rear-wheel lift under braking. We tried going softer again on the front, but by then, the tires were shot and Carson was spent. After two long days and probably 50-75 laps each day, he was still within a tenth of his best time. That’s grit.

What’s Next: CotA with MotoGP!

This test was a huge step for the whole team. Carson’s learning the bike, understanding how setup changes feel, and giving us better feedback every session. I’m learning how to read the data (and what data matters), and Travis and Jalynn are figuring out how to keep this machine dialed in.

It’s going to be a year of learning for all of us—but we’re here for it.

Next up: Circuit of the Americas at the end of March. Carson will race in the Talent Cup as a support class for MotoGP. He’ll be riding in front of the biggest crowd of his career in one of the most legendary paddocks on the planet. We can’t wait.

Stay tuned!