MotoAmerica Superbikes Return to Brainerd International Raceway

MotoAmerica Superbikes returned to the Brainerd International Raceway two weekends ago. The event offers motorcyclists and general sports fans an electrifying weekend of racing that includes everything from high performance sports bikes to modified American V Twin cruisers.

The Brainerd Lakes Area had the opportunity to spectate some of MotoAmerica’s finest performers, including some local talent on the BIR track.

“I’ve been around a long time, and the name ‘Gramps’ on the back of my suit is not just a clever name, I actually have four grandchildren now,” said Twins Cup racer Brett Donahue, who is a native of Sauk Rapids. “I go on the old age and treachery versus youth and vigor. It’s home, right? It’s awesome to have these guys back in our backyard and just hope that we get as many people out here to watch and spectate and support motorcycling in the sport of road racing.”

Donohue has been racing since the ’70s and has been with MotoAmerica since 1988. But what keeps a seasoned veteran coming back to his stomping grounds is the competition.

“I try to do track days and I do some coaching, and I enjoy riding on the track,” explained Donahue. “But when you get the adrenaline going and they’re throwing the green flag and your only goal is to beat everybody else out there, there’s that adrenaline, that competitive nature, and that, just, aggressive warrior thing comes out. I just live for that.”

Another racer that can attest to that competitive vigor is SuperSport Category and Rahal Ducati racer Kayla Yaakov, who had just 16 years old, is already well adjusted to chasing down the opposition.

“I kind of hold high standards for myself,” Yaakov stated, “but at the same time, I didn’t really expect, you know, the amount of not only results I was able to get in the past few years, but also just the impact that I made in the sport and as well for, you know, the series and just for girls, they reach out to me all the time just saying how much it means to them.”

Yaakov won four races and tallied 12 podium finishes in the MotoAmerica Junior Cup entry class before being eligible for the SuperSport category, where she sat in 11th place entering the races at BIR. But what she’s most proud of is her impact in a male-dominated sport.

“I think having someone that you can see and say, ‘Well, now I can do that.’ And I think that’s really important,” she added. “When I was growing up, you had a few here and there that tried to do that. And I think now it’s becoming more apparent that you can be at the front of a grid by being a girl, too.”

Yaakov’s SuperSport Category performance earlier this month was able to push her up to 10th place.