#JoshHerrin

For those unaware, MotoAmerica took over the AMA Superbike Series in 2015 and is currently the premier motorcycle road racing series here in the United States. Its primary goal was/is to reinvigorate the sport of motorcycle road racing in North America, and to act as a feeder series to showcase riders and ultimately send them up through the ranks to race against the top-level big boys in World Superbike and MotoGP. Since its establishment in 2015, MotoAmerica has grown and evolved, and there are currently five classes: Superbike, Stock 1000, Supersport, Twins and Junior Cup.

Not many of the kids racing World Superbike and MotoAmerica last weekend were born the first time I went to Laguna Seca in 1988 for the return of Grand Prix motorcycle racing in the USA. Eddie Lawson won that one. Wayne Rainey had taken pole position and finished fourth, ahead of Kevin Schwantz in fifth. Mike Baldwin finished tenth to make it 40% Americans in the top ten. Meanwhile in the 250s (what would be Moto2 today but much cooler because two-strokes), Arkansas’ own John Kocinski took the 250 pole, while fellow American Jimmy Filice took the storybook win in the race. Long story short, Americans from Kenny Roberts on dominated top-level road racing.

As the sole American competing in the ultra-competitive Moto2 class, reigning AMA Superbike Champion Josh Herrin has a lot of pressure on his shoulders. With a life-long desire to compete internationally, Herrin signed his Moto2 contract with the newly formed AirAsia Caterham Moto Racing team the same day he won the AMA title. Now that he’s here, the going has been less than smooth. A poor qualifying position at the season opener at Qatar was followed by a turn one crash that took him out of the race just 30 seconds after it started. I caught up with Herrin the Friday of Austin MotoGP weekend at the Circuit Of The Americas, round two of the MotoGP championship, to talk about pressure, Moto2, and life after the AMA.

Yamaha loves its racers. From dirt to pavement, Yamaha understands its past champions played a major role in putting the Tuning Fork brand on the racing map. So when the company holds its year-end champions celebration, it’s kind of a big deal.