WITCHKRAFT RACING TOP FIVE IN MOTOAMERICA DEBUT AT NJMP

September 12 – Shelby Twp., MI – Witchkraft Racing’s Taylor Knapp competed at the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship finale held at New Jersey Motorsports Park this past weekend.  Starting outside the top ten from Saturday’s combined Superstock and Superbike qualifying, Taylor rebounded with a 4th and 5th place finish in Sunday’s two Superstock races, respectively.

“Jersey was a solid weekend,” commented Taylor.  “I had to fight my way up from a poor qualifying position, but I was happy to move through the field in both races to fight for the podium.  I fell just short, but I was glad to bring home two solid top five finishes on the Witchkraft Yamaha R1.  It’s a really good way to finish the season.”

“The weekend was a challenge, but I felt we were ready for it,” stated Eddie Kraft.  “Taylor is a very talented rider and it’s been a pleasure to work with him.  We’ve enjoyed returning to the pro paddock and maybe should have tried MotoAmerica a bit sooner than we did.  It’s been a great experience and I feel we fit in well, even with the incredibly deep field of talented riders in the class.”

About Honda East Yamaha: As a family owned and operated Ohio motorcycle dealer, Honda East's philosophy is to treat each customer like a family member, every visit. Our award-winning sales staff will strive to meet and exceed your expectations, whether you are purchasing a new vehicle, calling with a question, picking up a part, or just looking in our shop. Located in Northwest Ohio, Honda East is the #1 ranked dealership in both Ohio and Michigan; offering a full line of sport bikes, cruisers, dirt bikes, ATVs, scooters, watercraft and snowmobiles not only by Honda, but Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Aprilia, Indian, Sea-Doo, Ski-Doo, Can-Am, Kymco, Bombardier, Polaris and Artic Cat. Honda East prides themselves on the best out the door deal, period. No games, no hassles.

Witchkraft Racing would like to thank Honda East Yamaha Toledo, MotoEverything, Yoshimura, GoPro, Hoffer Performance, Motul, RS Taichi, Arai Helmets, Chicken Hawk Racing, NGK, Evol Technology, Ballistic Performance Components, Motion Pro, Millennium Technologies, Spiegler, Yamaha Motor Corp. USA, N2 Track Days, Worldwide Bearings, K-Tech, Performance Cycleworx, Pit Bull, Sharkskinz, Hammer Nutrition, Fast Frank Racing, Vesrah, PopShadow Decals, Spider Grips, Troy Lee Designs and M.C. Designs.

For more information on Honda East Yamaha, visit hondaeast.com. For information on the race team, please visit witchkraftracing.com.

Press release can be found at Roadracing World and Next Moto Champion.

Posted at 5am on 09/13/16 | no comments | Filed Under: Press Releases

Witchkraft Racing Wins At Grattan, Prepares For MotoAmerica NJMP

August 29, 2016 – Shelby Twp., MI – Witchkraft Racing continued with rider Taylor Knapp this past weekend, notching two wins and their third consecutive win in WERA National competition by securing both the WERA 1000 Superstock and Formula 1 races, held at Grattan Raceway. After setting a new overall lap record at Pittsburgh International Raceway the event prior, Taylor came up just short of resetting the Grattan Raceway lap record as well – missing it by less than half a second – yet still getting two victories against a highly talented field in the process. The team will again regroup at the upcoming MotoAmerica finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park, held on September 9-11, with their Honda East Yamaha dealership-backed Yamaha R1. 

"We’re making a sizeable jump getting back into the Pro paddock," said Eddie Kraft. "We’ve been working together with Taylor over the past several weeks, looking to build the comfort and chemistry within the team, along with the bike, to put together a well-sorted effort at NJMP. Taylor has shown he’s a top-level talent in the MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 class, finishing runner-up in the 2015 Championship and having impressive results this season as well. We have great backing from our partners to go ahead and see what we can accomplish, and we all couldn’t be more excited.”

“I’m quite excited for the New Jersey round,” exclaimed Taylor. “I’ve felt completely comfortable and fast since the first time I threw a leg over the Witchkraft Yamaha R1. We’ve already won races and broke records so I can’t wait to show what we can do in MotoAmerica. I really can’t thank the crew enough. They’ve got a great team and an awesome motorcycle.”

About Honda East Yamaha: As a family owned and operated Ohio motorcycle dealer, Honda East's philosophy is to treat each customer like a family member, every visit. Our award-winning sales staff will strive to meet and exceed your expectations, whether you are purchasing a new vehicle, calling with a question, picking up a part, or just looking in our shop. Located in Northwest Ohio, Honda East is the #1 ranked dealership in both Ohio and Michigan; offering a full line of sport bikes, cruisers, dirt bikes, ATVs, scooters, watercraft and snowmobiles not only by Honda, but Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Aprilia, Indian, Sea-Doo, Ski-Doo, Can-Am, Kymco, Bombardier, Polaris and Artic Cat. Honda East prides themselves on the best out the door deal, period. No games, no hassles.

About MotoEverything: MotoEverything is an all-new, online store dedicated to selling all things powersports. With an undying love for Sportbikes, Cruisers, Touring Bikes, Dirt Bikes, ATV's, UTV,'s, PWC’s, and more, MotoEverything created a store where customers can obtain all of the essential items to improve their rides. MotoEverything hopes customers find their website polished and professional. They are not a large corporation with hundreds of employees. Chances are, if you call them more than once, you will talk with some of the same representatives, or even an owner. The MotoEverything owners always try to answer a few calls each day to make sure that their customers are happy, and talking with customers provides powerful insights.

Witchkraft Racing would like to thank Honda East Yamaha Toledo, MotoEverything, Pirelli Tires, Yoshimura, GoPro, Hoffer Performance, Motul, RS Taichi, Arai Helmets, Chicken Hawk Racing, NGK, Evol Technology, Ballistic Performance Components, Motion Pro, Millennium Technologies, Spiegler, Yamaha Motor Corp. USA, N2 Track Days, K-Tech, Performance Cycleworx, Pit Bull, Sharkskinz, Hammer Nutrition, Fast Frank Racing, Vesrah, PopShadow Decals, Spider Grips, Troy Lee Designs and M.C. Designs.

For more information on Honda East Yamaha, visit hondaeast.com. For information on the race team, please visit witchkraftracing.com.

Press release can be found at Roadracing World and Next Moto Champion.

Posted at 5am on 09/06/16 | no comments | Filed Under: Press Releases

The Finish Line

The finish line is here. The crowd cheers, or is that a baby near? A desire-burning blaze that once lit the night – has faded to ashes, barely providing any light. Is it injury or focus that dampens the spirit. Or new roads with energy and differing merits. The triumphant highs that could not be matched – winning first provided, without any catch. No longer the case, the price is now high. Even more so today, with more money than time. One’s drive cannot be fabricated, I’ve learned at least that much. Like a shoulder or wrist, rebuilt by a surgeon’s touch. It’s consuming and taken more trust than I had. Sometimes the reward made the cost not so bad. It’s not a decision that’s easy to make. It is what I am. It is who I’ve made. Yet at the same time, to know what is right. To not plan ahead, would be so short in sight. Still feeling I’ve left plenty out on the table – never fully attaining to what I felt able. But I walk away on my own good two feet – to those who I love, and will properly greet. It’s not just a matter of simply being present, but contributing fully to what I yet haven’t. The end is not cast, but priorities change. A shuffle in importance. A time to rearrange. One more lap. Or maybe two. Checkered flag waiving – it still feels too soon. Walking away is the most difficult part, leaving an identity built heavy on heart. While one path completes, another begins. I can now see there are other races to win. I’ve stayed too long, it’s surely time to go. Into the next set of winding turns, our family goes.

After doing this for so long, it's time to take step back.  I'm not out completely, that'll be too hard to do.  But I want to hit the reset button and do some different things. I posted this on Facebook and Instagram late last week and thank you to everyone who reached out with sincerely nice things to say.  We headed to Grattan this past weekend and the same thing continued, enough that I didn't realize how much of an impact our racing has had, or how small the racing community is.  

In any event, it's not the end.  We have more to do this year which will be announced soon.  In the future, being at the race track is certainly something I still plan on doing.  It's what I've been doing the past 15 years.

Thank you.

Posted at 5am on 08/29/16 | no comments | Filed Under: General

Knapp Sets New Lap Record At PittRace on Witchkraft Yamaha R1

Pirelli Captures Another Motorcycle Track Record With Taylor Knapp at Pittsburgh International Raceway Complex

Knapp Earns Pirelli’s Fourth Bounty of the Season Aboard his Yamaha R1 Equipped with DIABLO™ Superbike Tires

ROME, Ga. (July 21, 2016) – The successful season continued for Pirelli as Witchkraft Racing/Honda East Toledo’s Taylor Knapp set a new motorcycle track record during the WERA Series this past weekend at Pittsburgh International Raceway Complex on July 16-17. Knapp’s incredible feat helped Pirelli clinch its fourth track bounty of the 2016 season, ultimately proving that the Italian manufacturer is the number one tire of choice for competitive racers looking for that extra edge on their competition. The Yamaha R1 used by Knapp was outfitted with Pirelli’s DIABLO™ Superbike SC2 front and SC1 rear slicks.

“The weekend could not have gone any better between winning the 4-hour endurance race and new motorcycle track record,” said Jeff Johnston, Pirelli Road Racing Manager, NAFTA. “Taylor proved that Pirelli offers a variety of compounds and all are more than capable of a track record in the right conditions.”

Despite beginning the A Superstock Expert Class race in eighth place, Knapp went on a tear by quickly carving his way past riders to clinch the all-new motorcycle track record of 143.264 on the fifth lap. Once into the lead, there was no looking back for the No.44 as he took the win in convincing fashion.

To learn more about the complete line of Pirelli motorcycle tires, please visit http://www.pirelli.com/tyres/en-ww/motorcycle/home…

ABOUT PIRELLI

Founded in 1872, Pirelli is among the largest global tire makers, and focuses its business on the high end, premium product segment where it is a world leader. Present in over 160 countries, Pirelli has 22 manufacturing sites and employs approximately 38,000 people around the world. Successfully competing in motorsports since 1907, Pirelli is currently the exclusive supplier of the Formula 1 championship, the Superbike world championship, and many other championships around the world.

Pirelli Tire North America (PTNA) services NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) member countries through its Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) facility and research and development center at its Rome, Georgia headquarters, its state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Silao, Mexico and its New York City, Montreal and Mexico City sales and marketing offices. The company manufactures, distributes and markets original equipment and replacement tires for export and domestic car/motorcycle applications (US, CA, MX) and Agro/Heavy Truck platforms (MX).

Photo courtesy of Marty Matuszak.  Press release can also be found on Roadracing World.

Posted at 5am on 08/01/16 | no comments | Filed Under: Press Releases