Dale Quarterley Returns to the Paddock in MotoAmerica Road Racing Series

Dale Quarterley may best be remembered as the first AMA Superbike racer to take a win in the class as a privateer in some time at the Mid-Ohio round of the AMA Superbike Series in the summer of 1993 on his then-Teenage Mutant Ninja/Team Mirage-sponsored Kawasaki, but his list of achievements in the AMA Road Racing series runs even deeper then many will or can remember.

As was announced last week, the former pilot and top-notch privateer in the premier road racing series in America is making a return to the paddock in the MotoAmerica/AMA-sanctioned events as the owner of Quarterley Racing On Track Development that will sponsor and tutor some fast up-and-coming talent beginning this weekend in the MotoAmerica series at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX.

In the shot above, Quarterley (or '1/4ley' as he always signed his name) can be seen taking a rest in his pit area during a break in the on-track action over the course of the WERA GNF weekend at Road Atlanta in late October/early November of 1990. Quarterley's rocket of choice during the 1990 AMA and Formula USA Series was his #32 The Boys/Sunoco/Wiseco-sponsored Honda RC30, which he raced to a pair of top-10 finishes during the FUSA doubleheader weekend held in conjunction with the WERA GNF in late '90.

Quarterley has some solid company in his new venture which you can check out below thanks to the press release courtesy of Larry Lawrence and Quarterley Racing On Track Development. And as a long time fan favorite, it's going to be great to see the Connecticut resident back at the track bringing his wealth of experience on two wheels to the new youngsters coming into the series!

(NEWS RELEASE)

Quarterley Racing: A Legend Returns

Quarterley Racing On Track Development Brings a Wealth of Experience to MotoAmerica Series

MOORESVILLE, NC (April 5, 2016) -- Dale Quarterley was an American road racing legend of the 1980s and ‘90s. After his career on Superbikes, Quarterley went on to earn acclaim in the 2000s as a multi-time winner in the NASCAR Busch North Series. Now Quarterley is turning his attention back to his original love of motorcycle racing and is going help develop the next generation of American road racing champions. Heading up Quarterley Racing On Track Development, Quarterley will once again be a major presence in the paddock of America’s premier motorcycle road racing series.

Riders from America dominated Grand Prix and World Superbike racing in the 1980s into the early ‘90s, but the fortunes of American born and bred road racers has suffered a major downturn in recent years, to the point that there are no American riders in MotoGP in 2016.

Quarterley would like to see that change and with the formation of his racing team, he’s doing more than just giving lip service to putting Americans back on top on the world stage.

“We’ve all watched the roll of American riders in world championship racing diminish over the years,” Quarterley said. “The goal with our team is to help young riders develop, and giving them the backing and experience of a team of people who knows what it takes to become champions.”

When he retired from AMA Superbike racing in the mid-1990s, Quarterley was the leading privateer in the history of the series. He’d compiled more points-paying finishes than any other rider in Superbike and won championships in Pro Twins and AMA Endurance Racing. He was also one of the few privateer riders of the era to win an AMA Superbike National.

As owner/rider Quarterley had to bring a complete skillset to be successful, not only as a rider, but as a mechanic and procurer of sponsors. He was successful on every level, fielding a Superbike team in Team Mirage in the 1990s that was nearly on par with the factory teams. He also helped bring in one of the most highly-visible outside-the-industry sponsors ever in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

With Quarterley’s 35 years of motorsports experience and success, the new Quarterley Racing On Track Development, even though they are a new squad, hope to be competitive in short order.

And it’s not just Quarterley experience the team is bringing to the table. Ron Barrick will be crew chief for Anthony Kosinski with the Quarterley team’s Superstock 1000 effort. Longtime racing observers will remember Barrick’s enormous success as crew chief for multi-time AMA National Road Racing Champion, the late-great Randy Renfrow. Just as Quarterley did in his racing days, the team of Renfrow and Barrick competed and won against much better funded factory and factory-supported teams.

“Ron knows how to make a lot out of a little,” Quarterley commented. “I went up against him and Randy and saw firsthand how professional and consistent of a team they ran. It will be great to have someone of Ron’s background bring that experience and know-how to our new team.”

Quarterley Racing will field a three-rider team with Benjamin Smith and Draik Beauchamp racing in the KTM RC Cup along with Kosinski in the Superstock 1000 class. The team is based out of Mooresville, North Carolina.

“We’re looking forward to adding another solid team to the MotoAmerica paddock,” Quarterley concluded. “The ultimate goal is to do our part to bring American motorcycle road racing back to the level of excellence we had in the past and help our young riders have a clearer path to the next level.”

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Quarterley Racing On Track Development Rider Bios

Benjamin Smith – No. 118

Smith made a late-season KTM Cup debut last year in New Jersey and was impressive with a fourth in race one. This will be the first full season racing the KTM RC Cup Series for Smith.

Quarterley Racing On Track Development, KTM RC Cup

Benjamin Smith cut his teeth club road racing on East Coast tracks for the last couple of seasons. He earned a number of victories and scored a CCS regional title along the way. Smith showed his was ready for prime time when he entered the KTM RC Cup race at New Jersey Motorsports Park last September and scored a solid fourth-place finish in his MotoAmerica debut.

Birthday May 29, 2000

Birthplace Glenmoore, Pa

Hometown Glenmoore, Pa

Height 5’ 8”

Weight 125 lbs.

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Benjamin-Smith-Road-Racing-955196414576534/?fref=ts

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Draik Beauchamp – No. 771

A WERA National Champion in 2015, Beauchamp will make his MotoAmerica debut in 2016 with the Quarterley Racing On Track Development racing in the KTM RC Cup Series.

Quarterley Racing On Track Development, KTM RC Cup

Draik Beauchamp’s road racing career began at age five on pocketbikes. Also did a little flat track as a youth. Later he moved to Mini-Motard and eventually to club road racing with WERA. Raced a Honda RS125 GP bike in WERA and later moved to a Kawasaki Ninja 250 and last year moved up to racing a Suzuki SV650. In 2015 he won five regional titles and earned the WERA Lightweight Twin Superstock Expert National Championship.

Birthday Jan. 11, 2000

Birthplace Terre Haute, IN

Hometown Knoxville, TN

Height 5’ 10”

Weight 136 lbs.

Website www.thedraik77.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/TheDraik77/115213881854281

Twitter @TheDraik77

Instagram @TheDraik77

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/TheDraik77/

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Anthony Kosinski – No. 603

Kosinski went from novice club racer to pro in short order and made his MotoAmerica debut in 2015 at New Jersey where he scored and 8th and 11th in Superstock 1000.

Quarterley Racing On Track Development, Superstock 1000

This will be his sophomore MotoAmerica season for Kosinski after racing in one event last season. He is being coached by the great ex-Superbike racer Dale Quarterley. Was an amateur club racer in CCS as recently as 2014, but then turned expert and scored an Expert GTO victory a week before debuting in MotoAmerica at New Jersey. Kosinski is an aerial survey pilot.

Birthday June 3, 1991

Birthplace Mishawaka, IN

Hometown Philadelphia, PA

Height 6’ 2”

Weight 190 lbs.

Website www.kosiracingteam.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kosiracing

Twitter @kosi_racing

Instagram @anthony_kosinski

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/kosiracing/videos

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Quarterley Racing On Track Development Staff Bios

Dale Quarterley - Team Owner/DirectorDale Quarterley made his name as a hard-nosed, independent racer who shook up AMA Superbike racing with his memorable performances in the 1980s and ‘90s. Over the years Quarterley evolved from his early 1980s persona as an ultra-aggressive rider with tons of raw talent, until by the ‘90s he was viewed as a shrewd champion who not only raced with passion, but ran one of the leading independent teams in the history of AMA Superbike.

Quarterley won the AMA Pro Twins Championship in 1988 and was part of three championship-winning AMA Endurance racing teams (Lockhart Racing in 1987 and Dutchman Racing in 1989 and 1990). In 1993 Quarterley became one of the few non-factory riders in series history to win an AMA Superbike race, when he won the national at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 1993.

By the mid-1990s Quarterley began a successful transition from motorcycle racing to stock cars. Quarterley became one of the brightest driving talents in the NASCAR Busch North Series was one of select elite drivers in the history of the Busch North Series to obtain race wins at a short track, superspeedway and road course.

Quarterley now returns to the MotoAmerica paddock in 2016 to oversee the new Quarterley Racing On Track Development team. The team is dedicated to develop American racing talent and give young riders an early boost in order to see America eventually return to prominence in world championship racing.

Ron Barrick – Crew Chief Ron Barrick joins Quarterley Racing On Track Development as crew chief for Anthony Kosinski.

An accomplished racer in his own right, Barrick has a strong track record in the racing industry both internationally and in the United States. His credentials range from Grand Prix race mechanic for former AMA Superbike Champion Bubba Shobert, crew chief for former AMA Pro Twins Champion Dale Quarterley and crew chief for former AMA Formula I and 250 Grand Prix Champion Randy Renfrow and has earned Tuner of the Year awards from the AMA and the Mid-Atlantic Road Racing Club.

The pairing of Quarterley and Barrick is a reunion since the two worked together in 1993 when Quarterley experienced his best year in AMA Superbike, finishing the season ranked second.

Barrick brings a wealth of experience to the team, not only as a top-notch mechanic and crew chief, but also with the knowledge gained by working within the upper echelons of road racing to improve and standardize international rules, procedures and regulations. As AMA Superbike Series Manager from 1994 – 2007 and a member of the FIM Road Racing Commission from 1995 – 2007, Barrick has interacted with members of the industry at the highest level, including Motorcycle Sport Manufacturer’s Association (MSMA), DORNA (Moto GP promoter), FG Sport (World Superbike promoter) and officials from other major national motorcycling federations.

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1/4LEY RACING
206 PERFORMANCE RD
MOORESVILLE, NC 28115
DQTRLEY@AOL.COM

Tel: 413-218-6464

Motorcycle-USA.com's Backmarker Mark Gardiner Talks About the Former WERA Pro Formula USA Series

In the fall of 1990, Wayne Rainey had just clinched his first of three-in-a-row 500cc World Championships while riding for Kenny Roberts' Marlboro Team Roberts on the million dollar Yamaha YZR500 two-stroke (and team mate John Kocinski had just nailed the 250cc World Championship as well).

The King was also fielding a team in the States, but not in the AMA Pro Road Racing Series.  Due to what was then called a 'sponsor-sticker placement issue', Roberts walked away from the AMA and entered a team in WERA's F-USA Pro Series, the 'run what ya brung' road racing series that pitted 250cc two-strokes against methanol-burning big-bore four-strokes-and everything imaginable in between.  Future multiple and all-time AMA 250cc GP Champion Rich Oliver and South African Robbie Petersen (pictured above at Road Atlanta in Oct. '90) were tasked with competing in the popular series aboard some of Roberts's Marlboro-sponsored TZ250s.

Although the 'tiny' TZs were up to the task of competing, taking race wins against the might of 1100cc+ big-bore bikes was becoming another thing.  So The King, being The King that he is and always has been, took one of Rainey's championship winning 500s and set it up for the F-USA Series.  With team mate Oliver out injured late in the season (who would go on to win the '91 Formula USA Championship on one of the bikes), Petersen got a chance to show the bike's true colors at the season-ending WERA GNF races at Road Atlanta in late October/early November '90.

The bike actually debuted at the Indianapolis Raceway Park round, the penultimate stop on the series' schedule, in early October.  But as what was (and still can be) the usual case of fall race meetings in the midwest, the weekend was indundated with rain and cold on the day's final events and was postponed until the final stop of the season at the WERA GNF's at Road Atlanta in late October.  Petersen did get time on the bike at IRP, but just a few practice laps and a short, 5-lap heat race on the Saturday afternoon of the event (which of course, had beautiful midwest fall weather!)

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and hundreds of bikes, riders, sponsors, affiliates and teams and thousands of fans converged on the hilly Gainesville, GA. facility to take part in what was a rite of fall, the WERA Grand National Finals, coupled with the season-ending rounds of the Formula USA Pro Series at Road Atlanta over the course of the four-day event. 

Big names on-hand to contest the F-USA Pro Series included regular AMA racers Dale Quarterley on his Sunoco-sponsored Honda RC30, Tom Kipp on his Wiseco-backed Yamaha OW1, and future AMA and World Superbike Champion Scott Russell, on a Muzzy Kawasaki that Doug Chandler had just clinched his first-of-three AMA Superbike Championships on.

And you had the WERA big-name regulars on-hand, including Mike Smith on a Team Hammer Valvoline Suzuki (which he would not only win the Indy make-up round on but also clinch the '90 F-USA Championship with), the late Mike Harth, Andy Fenwick and Kevin Rentzell, just to name a few.

Petersen would take the #16 Marlboro Team Roberts Yamaha YZR500 two-stroke home into the 2nd spot in the Indy make-up round, but would come out on top over Russell's Muzzy Kaw at the final round at Road Atlanta in what would be some of the best racing I have ever experienced.  Listening to the high-pitched scream of the wailing banshee-like sound of the championship-winning Yamaha was unlike anything I've ever heard in comparison to the throaty roar of the big four-strokes of the day.

So while you are ready to go out and fire up the chain saw to emulate the sound of days gone by of the great might of shreeking two-stroke racers on a closed course track, take the time to read Motorcycle-USA.com's Backmarker, Mark Gardiner, as he talks about the days of Formula USA Pro Series racing below, and catch up on some of those days gone by.  Mark and M-USA.com have been kind enough to offer-up four of some of Stu's Shots archive pics in the article below.
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I first 'met' Mark Gardiner when he was writing his bitchin' Backmarker column for the now-defunct Road Racer X.com and print mag a little over four years ago.  Mark had done a column about the Honda AMA Flat Track team from it's inception with master-builder Jerry Griffiths (3-Time AMA Superbike Champion Doug Chandler's father-in-law) and the new design that Jerry had pre-purposed for competition use of Honda's CX-500 v-twin back in the late '70s/early '80s.

After reading, I sent Mark an e-mail and a few shots I had taken of then-flat track-also teamster Freddie Spencer, who had ridden (and baled) the bike in it's 750cc configuration at the summer running of the Indy Mile, as well as one I had of Jerry standing next to what was the destroyed prelude to Honda's later dominance in AMA Flat Track Grand National Championship racing in the mid-late '80s.

Since that time, Mark has been kind enough to seek me out occassionally for the use of some of my shots from back in the day, which have since been featured in the former Road Racer X (online and in print/May 2008) and recently online with Motorcycle-USA.com when writing about former '69 AMA Grand National Champion Mert Lawwill (fall 2011).

Well, Mark contacted me again while amidst his latest writings earlier this week, his April '12 Backmarker column about the now-defunct WERA Pro Series/F-USA Pro Series that originally started at Willow Springs Raceway in California in the mid '80s, and was later bought out and run by Evelyn Clark and WERA into the mid '90s +/-.

You can check out Mark's latest keyboard-pounding effort at Motorcycle-USA.com right here:

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/811/12676/Motorcycle-Article/Backmarker--Formula-USA-Racing.aspx

(And a big thanks to Mark Gardiner and Motorcycle-USA.com for again featuring some of the Stu's Shots archives!  And don't forget to check out Mark's 'Riding Man' which is available for tablet readers through the Amazon link on the left side of the column.  'Riding Man' is Mark's story of traversing across the pond to campaign the Isle of Man TT, a must-read for any motorcycle racing fan and/or fan of the infamous TT event.)
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Here's another great look at the F-USA Series and Roberts' team, thanks again to Larry Lawrence and Cycle News' Archives column:

http://cyclenews.coverleaf.com/cyclenews/20110419?pg=85#pg85
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Wes Cooley, 2-Time AMA Superbike Champion

The special time of year that all WERA racers look forward to, is
the WERA GNF at Road Atlanta. I had the pleasure of going there
in October of 1990 with my good friend Jim Knipp. It was my first
ever trip to the 2.5 mile red clay course, but I loved it at once when I
saw Wes Cooley pulling monster wheelies out of then turn 5 during the
endurance race. And I swear he knew I was there after a few laps because
they started getting higher and wilder! It was simply friggin awesome, seeing
that wonderful rider-control and that monster power. Bruce Hammer and
John Uhlrich put together an awesome team and super equipment over the years
and adding Cooley, the former 2-time AMA Superbike Champ to the fray was
icing on the cake that year. A true champ, a wonderful person, and a guy with
really big nads that could always crank it to the max in the seat.