ROAD RACE I MOTOAMERICA AMA/FIM NORTH AMERICAN ROAD RACING CHAMPIONSHIP
BY RENNIE SCAYSBROOK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIAN J NELSON
T
welve months and a day
ago, Bobby Fong (Attack
Performance Progressive
Yamaha Racing) had reached the
lowest point of his life. Leading
the points heading into the final
round of the 2025 MotoAmerica
Superbike Championship, Fong's
season of consistency went up in
a shower of broken carbon fiber
and twisted aluminum when he
crashed in races two and three,
plummeting to third in the series
and handing the championship to
close friend Cameron Beaubier.
What a difference a year
makes.
In 2026, Fong had it all to play
for. The NorCal native entered
the final round 26 points down
on Sean Dylan Kelly (OrangeCat
Racing BMW), with all signs
pointing to a first title for Floridian
Kelly and a second straight for
BMW. This time around, Fong was
the hunter, not the hunted, and
with New Jersey's unpredictable
weather sure to play a crucial role
in the outcome, Kelly's title win
was far from a sure thing.
Fong burst out of the gates
on Friday to top the opening
practice session, but by Satur-
day, Beaubier (Warhorse HSBK
Ducati FLo4Law) snatched
pole position, with Kelly third,
sandwiching Cameron Petersen
(Wrench Motorcycles Ducati)
in between. Fong was fourth,
but with torrential rain dumping
across the track and his Yamaha
a proven wet-weather steed,
Fong was quietly confident.
As such, Fong proved un-
stoppable aboard his YZF-R1,
breaking away to win race one
by 3.287 seconds over Beaubier
in a race that was started and
stopped three times. Beaubier's
teammate, Benjamin Smith,
ROUND 9 / SEPTEMBER 25-27, 2026
NEW JERSEY MOTORSPORTS PARK / MILLVILLE, NEW JERSEY
P86
REDEMPTION
Bobby Fong turned the tables in a dramatic final
round of the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike
Championship at New Jersey Motorsports Park
to claim his first premier-class title.
