Talent Cup kicks off at COTA to find the next generation of champion road racers
Two promising racing talents will compete in the opening round of the MotoAmerica’s Parts Unlimited Talent Cup by Motul Championship at Circuit of the Americas, held in Texas March 28-30.
Kody Kopp and Alessandro Di Mario will headline the Circuit of the Americas, along with other young racers, as they will meet for the first time on track in the new series that is designed to pave the way for America’s young road racers as part of the Road to MotoGP program.
Kopp, who is a three-time national flat track champion, has never taken part in a road race. However, the lack of experience could be offset by a team led by three-time 500cc World Champion and two-time AMA Grand National Champion Kenny Roberts. Roberts is familiar with making the switch from dirt tracking to road racing, becoming the first American to win a 500cc Grand Prix World Championship after spending his early career racing on dirt.
Di Mario’s path to the Talent Cup comes on the heels of his title run in the MotoAmerica SC-Project Twins Cup with his three-win, nine-podium season resulting in the series championship. Di Mario is also a past winner of the Nicky Hayden AMA Road Race Horizon Award, a North American Talent Cup Champion, and a multi-time title winner in a host of WERA and AMA amateur championships.
The 16-year-old Di Mario will also have a quality team behind him, consisting of 250cc World Champion and World Superbike Champion John Kocinski as the team manager for the Ducati-supported Warhorse HSBK Racing Ducati entry.
Ducati, Honda and Yamaha are all involved in the series that is designed to find America’s next World Champion.
The top five finishers in the series points standings will receive an invitation to participate in the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup selection process.
