Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1510207
easier. When we started talking about it, I knew the opportunity was great. I always loved to work with the riders. I'll be the Team Principal, working mainly with the riders on the weekends as well as team invitations, sponsors, and, of course, rider coaching." When pressed on just who would be on the bikes that would run the number-19 that Spies took to the WorldSBK Champion - ship title or the 15 that Graham Rahal uses in the IndyCar series, Ben was tight-lipped. "We're close. Deciding two re - ally good riders right now for the 15 and the 19. Can't say it yet, but we're excited about it." MotoAmerica CEO Wayne Rainey knows any new team that comes to the series is a boost for the paddock, but to finally get the Rahal signature on his books is a serious feather in MotoAmerica's cap. "This is something that me and my partners, Richard, Terry and Chuck, have been dreaming about, having the iconic name of Rahal in our paddock," Rainey said. "You can hear their passion about all the work that it took to get here. I was just at Yellowstone with my wife on vacation, but I was getting mes - sages from Graham about how important it was to get a certain number for his bike. I just thought that passion and desire to have a presence, to look good on the start- ing line, was very important. "I think what they're going to bring from their racing experi- ence and their heritage, I think they're going to raise the profile of what MotoAmerica is. They're going to help all the teams that are currently in the paddock. They want to get there in a hurry, so when they show up at Daytona, I wouldn't be surprised if they're on the podium and maybe even win that thing. It will be fun to watch." CN VOLUME ISSUE OCTOBER , P23 Rispoli Joins Kyle Wyman at H-D Bagger Team T he Harley-Davidson Scream- in' Eagle factory racing team will have a new player in 2024. James Rispoli will join Kyle Wyman as a teammate in the Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle factory racing team for the 2024 MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers race series. Rispoli, second in the 2023 ti- tle chase to Vance & Hines team- mate Hayden Gillim, will replace the outgoing Travis Wyman on a single-season contract. "I am stoked to have signed with factory Harley Davidson. It has been a dream of mine to be a factory rider ever since I was a little kid," said Rispoli. "Tak- ing confidence and consistency paired with the backing of the factory, I know we are going to be a big threat in 2024. I am very excited to get to work." Rispoli won two races in the 2023 King of the Baggers sea - son, scored five second-place finishes and three third-place finishes for second overall in the championship. Rispoli has a long history of racing Harley-Davidson motorcycles dating back to rac- ing an XR750 as a teenager and earning the nickname "Hogspoli" after winning the American Flat Track Production Twins Cham- pionship aboard a Latus Mo- tors Racing Harley-Davidson XG750R in 2020. He also won back-to-back AMA Pro Racing Supersport championships in 2011-2012. Kyle Wyman will stay for at least another two years after just signing a new contract with Harley-Davidson. "Riding for the Harley-David- son Factory Team has been a dream, and I'm excited to be given the opportunity to continue for two more seasons," said Kyle Wyman. "We've had a lot of suc- cess in the class, but we have come up short on the champion- ship two years in a row. Our goal is to win back the title in 2024 and I look forward to getting started with testing in the com- ing months." CN James Rispoli is now a factory Harley-Davidson rider. He is replacing Travis Wyman.