After months of preparation, 15 women racers will slug it out at Virginia International Raceway.
These days, women are playing a bigger role in the world of motorcycle racing. Several grassroots events dedicated to opening the doors of motorcycle racing to women of all ages and backgrounds have sprung up all over the world. Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race. (BTR) is one of them. For 2022, the racing series is about to start at Virginia International Raceway, with the opening round slated for May 20 to 22, 2022.
As the name suggests, the Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. program consists of three steps. The first step was to handpick participants over the winter, of which there are fifteen. Each of them was given a shiny new Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 for them to build and modify with the support of sponsors such as Parts Unlimited, S&S Cycle, Harris Performance, Dunlop, Maxima Racing Oils, BOXO USA, Öhlins USA Suspension and Arai Helmets. The participants were given three months to build and develop their bikes for the racing setting.
The 2022 BTR Road Racing Roster is as follows:
- Kayla Theisler, 26, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Michaela Trumbull, 29, Sheridan, Wyoming
- Alyssa Bridges, 31, Orange County, California
- Trisha Dahl, 31, Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Bridgette LeBer, 29, Port Angeles, Washington
- Ash Truxal, 31, Oakland, California
- Chloe Peterson, 31, Steger, Illinois
- Cora Tennyson, 36, Brandenburg, Kentucky
- Crystal Martinez, 34, Thousand Oaks, California
- Hannah Stockton, 23, Kansas City, Missouri
- Jenny Chancellor, 46, Tumwater, Washington
- Jessica Martin, 38, Savannah, Georgia
- Kayleigh Buyck, 30, Sodus, New York
- Nicole Pareso, 34, Carrolton, Ohio
- Patty Paul, 57, Berrien Springs, Michigan
Next came the “Train” phase, which consisted of several testing sessions at the Barber Motorsports Park in cooperation with Sportike Track Time. During the testing session the ladies who would be competing in the BTR Road Race all met up on track for the first time. With the guidance of MotoAmerica racer Melissa Paris, the women were able to fine tune their bikes, as well as their riding skills, leading up to the final “Race” phase of the program.
The “Race” phase is definitely the most exciting part of the program, and will run from May to September 2022. Particularly, the opening round will be held this weekend, from May 20 to 22 at the Virginia International Raceway. In two weeks’ time, the action will move to Road America from June 3 to 5, then on July 29 to 31, racing will take place in Brainerd International Raceway. From August 19 to 21, the ladies will head over to Pittsburgh International Race complex, while from September 9 to 11, the racing moves to New Jersey Motorsports Park. Finally, the series culminates on September 23 to 25 at the Barber Motorsports Park.
The goal of the 2022 Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. initiative is to provide an environment of support and encouragement for female racers, fostering potential and motivating both new and seasoned riders to come out on the track. The welcoming character of BTR, currently in its second year inside the MotoAmerica FIM North American Road Race Championship, continues to capture the attention of fans, industry, and sponsors in a hotspot of national-level competitiveness.
Keyword: Royal Enfield To Launch Build Train Race At Virginia International Raceway