MOTOAMERICA NEW JERSEY RACE REPORT

Solly Mervis at the MotoAmerica Junior Cup in New Jersey Motorsports Park, NJ

Going into the final MotoAmerica race of the season, Solly Mervis was ready to go out with a bang. On a very bumpy racetrack, Solly had to learn the track, develop his lines, and master how to avoid the dangerous parts of the track, all while racing in the rain. In Practice 1, he came in at P24 at 5.8 off pole, showing improvement from his last race and getting closer to where he wants to be.

In Qualifying 2, the weather had a turn for the worse, and put lots of water onto the track, forcing Solly to be out of his comfort zone. This was his first time riding in wet conditions (and on a new track!), but Solly focused in and scored an awesome P11 in Qualifying 2!

In Race 1, he somehow managed to keep an absolutely crazy high side under control! As a rookie, this was an impressive feat, and boosted his confidence. Unfortunately, the unexpected deployment of his race suit airbag shunted him to the last position, but he regained control and managed to get back 6 positions and finished P18!

In Race 2, Solly got a P19, battling with (and beating a some) riders that normally fight for podium positions! He had the 13th best lap time of the race.

“This weekend was awesome! I knew that I was prepared to race in the rain, and this weekend proved that I could do it. My team was able to adjust my settings to help me ride the best I could. There were a few moments on the track where I was scared of losing my traction, but I pushed through it and raced hard. I am proud to be racing alongside the top riders of Motoamerica and I cannot wait for next season. I would like to thank my family, team, mechanics, sponsors, and supporters- you make this all possible! I will be training hard in the off season- watch out for 2024." - Solly Mervis