El_Diablo_R1M
BARF Racer
The Comeback: First Expert Wins, Podiums & New Personal Bests
To Our Sponsors, Supporters, Friends & Family
Before getting into what have easily been two of the most exciting race weekends of my career so far, I want to start where every one of these reports should start: with the people who make this possible.This season would simply not happen without the people and businesses who have invested their time, money, expertise, equipment, and most importantly their belief in me and this racing program.
BARF Racing – Dennis “Budman” Kobza
Budman, thank you for trusting me with the “Old Girl,” the 2000 Yamaha R6 that I have had the privilege of racing in Super Dino, and for stepping in with tire and fuel money whenever possible. The bike continues to prove that age is just a number, and we are bringing home some hardware with her!
O’Malley’s Sports Bar – Eric & Michelle
Thank you for the invaluable support throughout the entire season, from helping with race entry fees to making sure I show up at the track stocked with water and beverages to stay hydrated, and occasionally something to enjoy after the racing is finished. Your continued support means more than you know.
Fred’s Place – Pauli
Thank you for helping make the extra track-day practice possible and for always stepping in with water, drinks, and support whenever you can. Those practice days have proven incredibly valuable, especially this season as I continue adapting to the pace of the Expert field.
Tellus Coffee – Janay
A huge thank you for helping outfit this program with some seriously sticky Michelin rubber this season. Making the full transition to Michelin has been one of the significant changes to the program this year, and the confidence these tires have given me has made a tremendous difference.
Race Pace Motorsports – Oscar Fernandez
Oscar, huge respect and appreciation for everything you continue to do, from mechanical support and setup to race fuel, tires, trackside troubleshooting, and simply being someone I can rely on when something isn't working the way it should. Without your help, we would not be where we are today.
RMC Moto – Rick
Thank you for your work rebuilding and setting up the engine on the Old Girl and for everything you did during the preseason to get the bikes ready. Both motorcycles have been running incredibly strong this season, and your knowledge and workmanship are a big part of that. You rock, dude.
And last, but certainly not least:
Andreea – My Better Half
Thank you for allowing me to chase this crazy dream of mine and for standing beside me rain or shine. Racing demands a tremendous amount of time, money, travel, preparation, and sacrifice, and none of this happens without your patience and support. I love you, and I am incredibly thankful to have you beside me through all of it.
Thank you as well to every friend and family member who has directly or indirectly contributed to these results.
And a special shoutout to Margus, who quite literally saved a race weekend by bringing my gear to the track after I somehow managed to leave it at home.
Yeah... I did that.
The Road Back – Missing Round 3
Before talking about the successes of Rounds 4 and 5, it is important to acknowledge what came before them.Unfortunately, we were forced to sit out Round 3.
The injuries I sustained in the Round 2 crash had not healed enough for me to safely compete, particularly the injuries to my hands. I had been optimistic that I could recover quickly enough, but a short test ride made it obvious that my hands were not ready for the physical demands of racing.
At the same time, the 2006 R6 was still undergoing repairs and significant updates following Round 2. We were changing several important components and working through the setup, and everything was coming together too close to the race weekend to realistically test the motorcycle properly.
Missing a round and giving up championship points is never easy.
But in hindsight, giving both myself and the motorcycles the additional recovery and preparation time proved to be the right decision.
When we returned, we came back stronger.
ROUND 4 – BUTTONWILLOW CIRCUIT
Friday – Back to Work
Buttonwillow Circuit is still a relatively new track for me, so I decided to arrive early and participate in the Friday track day before the race weekend.I had not been back since Round 5 of the 2025 AFM season, and quite a lot had changed with the 2006 R6 since then.
We arrived with new wheels, new brake rotors, a complete transition from Pirelli to Michelin tires, and most importantly new front and rear Öhlins suspension.
The motorcycle was essentially there from a setup standpoint, with one notable exception: the new autoblipper decided from the very first session that it did not want to participate in the weekend.
Despite that frustration, the suspension changes immediately stood out.
With some minor adjustments from Dave Moss, the motorcycle began feeling progressively better, and by the second half of Friday I was much more comfortable pushing the pace.
Most importantly, Friday ended successfully, with valuable seat time, growing confidence, and thankfully no major “butt-puckering” moments.
That is always a good Friday at the racetrack.
Saturday – Personal Bests & Our First Expert Victory
Qualifying went reasonably well, although I did not initially achieve the lap time I wanted.For perspective, my previous qualifying pace at Buttonwillow was a 1:55.3 in 2025, compared with a 1:54.5 in 2026.
The real progress, however, came once the racing started.
Middleweight Superbike
Grid Position: 16thFinish: 7th
Best Lap: 1:53.6
Starting 16th meant there was plenty of work ahead.
I put my head down, worked through traffic, and steadily moved forward through one of AFM's most competitive fields. By the checkered flag, I had climbed nine positions to finish 7th.
More importantly, I recorded a new personal best around Buttonwillow with a 1:53.6.
But we weren't finished.
Middleweight Supersport
Grid Position: 12thFinish: 7th
Best Lap: 1:52.7
Middleweight Supersport brought another competitive grid and another charge forward.
Starting 12th, I again worked my way into 7th place, but this time the stopwatch delivered even better news:
1:52.7.
Another personal best.
Compared with where I had been at this circuit previously, we were finding substantial pace—and doing it during actual race conditions.
Super Dino – The Old Girl Delivers
Then it was time for the 2000 Yamaha R6.The Old Girl.
Despite being more than two decades old and having spent most of her life as a race bike, she continues to show that she still has plenty of fight left.
I managed a 1:55.5 lap aboard the 2000 R6, and that pace was enough to deliver something incredibly special:
Our first Expert podium and our first Expert-class victory.
P1 – Super Dino.
After the injuries, the missed round, the repairs, and all the work required to get back onto the grid, standing on the top step meant a lot.
Sunday – Back on Top
Sunday's schedule was simple.One race.
One motorcycle.
The Old Girl.
We started the Super Dino race from Pole Position, and this time there would be no drama.
From the start, the bike worked beautifully. I was able to control the race, maintain the pace, and bring her across the finish line in 1st Place once again.
Two Super Dino victories during the weekend.
Not a bad comeback.
More importantly, after missing Round 3, it felt incredible simply to be healthy enough to race again and even better to come back fighting at the front.
For my first season racing as an Expert, starting around the middle of these incredibly competitive grids and consistently moving forward is something I am proud of.
But there is still a tremendous amount to learn.
And that became even clearer at Round 5. (Posting RD 5 Separately due to limited space)