ASMA ROUND 7: THE PODIUM CLUB

Ashten Bush

Race Report
ASMA Round 7

ASMA Round 7 was a hit and miss kind of weekend for Bush Racing!

After not riding for 6 months, I rode my first track day to get back into my groove!

I rode all day, finding a solid pace going into Saturday evening’s qualifying (1:43.9). 

Saturday consisted of one 10 minute qualifying session, and I qualified POL pacing almost a second faster than Friday with a 1:43.0 (PR)! I was feeling amazing for barely having any track time.

Sunday Race Summaries:

LightWeight GP (2nd): This race was FULL of twins, so I had to start from the 3rd row and catch these guys in the corners! I made some solid passes to bring me up to 2nd place and I was so close to making a pass for the lead. Unfortunately, a twin was leading so he got me on the straight and took the top step. Well earned 2nd!

Formula 500 (DNF): This was the money race, which meant a podium was crucial. I started 1st on the grid, and I led the race for about 2 laps. I got passed and I followed the leader for a couple more laps. We were setting super fast laps, one after another (1:42.1/1:42.5). Unfortunately though, I rushed T1 while trying to make up some ground and tucked the front. Down I went into the dirt. I wasn’t happy, but I was still stoked with my pace around the circuit!

Figgy Cup (DNF): Because I wrecked the A bike, my dad had to pull out the B bike, which had a dead battery. It was about time for my race, so we were rushing to get the body off to jump start the bike. We got it running but couldn’t shut the bike off, so we sat there for another 10 minutes with a fan on the radiator. Eventually, we got a final call, and I got out there onto the grid. I started from 5th place, and I came out of turn one leading the race. This was another race with a lot of twins so I had to be quick in the corners so they wouldn't make as much ground on me on the straight. I led the race for about a lap but unfortunately I lost the front again, but I saved it and had to stand the bike up and take it off the track. Disappointed with the off track experience, but I kept it on 2 wheels. Given the mistake, I chose to retire early. Overall, I’m super happy with

Overall the weekend was okay. I'm happy with my performance and pace if only I had kept it on track!! On to the next one! 

Always, huge thanks to my sponsors and everyone who supported me this weekend!

Dad (Brian Bush)

BellissiMoto

Reparto Veloce

K-Tech Suspension 

1ofOne Designs 

Brake Free Track Time

Boxo Tools

Vortex Racing

Motion Pro

Spiegler Brake Lines

CVMA ROUND 7: CHUCKWALLA VALLEY RACEWAY

Ashten Bush

Race Report 

CVMA Round 7, 2024

CVMA Round 7 was a solid weekend for Bush Racing, especially because Ashten had 5 holeshots in 5 races, and he was on the podium in every race!

I rode a few afternoon sessions on Friday to warm back up to the Chuckwalla Circuit in its CW configuration. It was very windy, and I rode as a warm up so I could do well in qualifying on Saturday morning!

Qualifying:

Q1 (P2)~ I went out as a warm up and clocked some 1:59s, but then our session was cut short due to a red flag.

Q2 (P3)~ I went out with a couple other fast racers and I clocked a 1:57.9 which put me in P3 on the grid!

Saturday Race Summaries and Results:

Ultra Lightweight GP (3rd)~ With an awesome launch, I took the holeshot but was passed later on the first lap. I held second place for most of the race until I ran T3 wide and caught a tank slapper. That opened the door for 3rd to make the pass, and I couldn’t come back to make a solid pass. Settled for 3rd!

500 Supersport (2nd)~  With another holeshot I started off great! Once again though, I was passed for the lead later that lap, and this is where I stayed for the remainder of the race. Not bad!

Pretty good day if you ask me!

Sunday Race Summaries and Results:

Ultra Lightweight GP (2nd)~ Once again, I took the hole with an awesome launch, but was passed entering T6 and I could not come back for the rest of the race. Happy with 2nd though!

Ultra Lightweight Shootout (1st)~ P1 and I both had great starts and it was close heading into T1. I took the holeshot, but with a fast right-hand T2 immediately after, the ride was able to slide in for the leading pass. I tailed him up until T6 where he tucked the front and crashed out, and this allowed me to ride by and finish strong for the win!

500 Supersport (2nd)~ With another supreme launch, I took the holeshot and ran away with it! Unfortunately though, on the last lap I ran T2 wide and I sent myself out into the desert. 2nd place made the pass. I kept the bike upright and got right back onto the track to chase him down! I came very close with a 2nd place by only 0.2 of a second!

We had a pretty solid weekend, but there are still many improvements to be made before next season! I’ll be back even stronger and faster!

Always, huge thanks to my sponsors and everyone who supported me this weekend!

Dad (Brian Bush)

BellissiMoto

Reparto Veloce

K-Tech Suspension 

1ofOne Designs 

Brake Free Track Time

Boxo Tools

Vortex Racing

Motion Pro

Spiegler Brake Lines

Michael from Fuzi Moto

Link to PHOTO GALLERY!   (photos by Cali Photography)

Can’t wait for next season! 

CVMA ROUND 6: CHUCKWALLA VALLEY RACEWAY

Ashten Bush

Race Report 

CVMA Round 6, 2024

Ashten ~

CVMA Round 6 was a solid weekend for Bush Racing, being that it was one of Ashten’s first expert race weekends with quite a few podiums!

I rode a few afternoon sessions on Thursday to warm back up to the Chuckwalla Circuit in its CCW configuration. I got back into the swing of things and brought my pace up by the end of the day.

I didn’t ride the Friday track day because of the wet weather, and we did not anticipate rain the following day. With this, my next session would be qualifying the next morning!

Qualifying:

Q1 (P2)~ It had rained the night before, so everyone took it slow.

Q2 (P4)~ It had now dried up, so we all pushed. I rode in a group and qualified 4th on the grid for all 5 races with a 1:59.0.

Saturday Race Summaries and Results:

Ultra Lightweight GP (5th)~ I didn’t have the greatest launch, which lost me a position off the start. I was in 5th place for the rest of the race tailing 4th.

Then it started to rain…

500 Supersport (2nd)~  This was my first ever rain race! I had a solid launch and found myself in P2 off the start. I tailed the leader for the whole race, making it a fun race to watch. I came very close, but I couldn’t quite make the pass before the line.

Sunday Race Summaries and Results:

After a dry warm up and looking forward to a fully dry race day, it was time to grid up!

Ultra Lightweight GP (5th)~ I had a good launch, and I did not gain or lose any spots. I couldn’t keep up with the front 3 riders, and the rider behind me was running a faster pace. I got passed, and this is where I stayed for a remainder of the race.

Ultra Lightweight Shootout (3rd)~ I had another pretty solid launch, and again I did not gain or lose any positions off the start. I tried to keep up with 1st and 2nd, but I fell back and was passed by 4th. I stayed in 4th until a rider in front of me crashed out, so I finished the shootout with a gifted 3rd (But I’ll be fighting for those earned podiums soon!).

500 Supersport (2nd)~ My launch was not the greatest. I put myself into P2 off the start, and I stayed in 2nd for the remainder of the race.

Overall, pretty solid weekend, but there are still many improvements to be made and I’ll be back even faster!

Always, huge thanks to my sponsors and everyone who supported me this weekend!

Dad (Brian Bush)

BellissiMoto

Reparto Veloce

K-Tech Suspension 

1ofOne Designs 

Brake Free Track Time

Boxo Tools

Vortex Racing

Motion Pro

Spiegler Brake Lines

Michael from Fuzi Moto

Link to PHOTO GALLERY!   (photos by Cali Photography)

Cya at Round 7! 

ASMA ROUND 1: FIREBIRD MOTORSPORTS PARK

Ashten Bush

Race Report 

ASMA Round 1, 2024

Ashten ~

ASMA Round 1 was definitely a redeemer for us, and we have left off on a high note heading into the next CVMA round at Chuckwalla!

Saturday: Track Day ~ This race was at Firebird Motorsports Park (East Track) which I had never ridden at before. It is a very short and flowy track which benefitted me well on my 400! I rode the trackday on Saturday to learn the lines and familiarize myself with this circuit as much as possible before Sunday’s races. I picked things up fairly early on in the day clocking times of 1:06-1:07. In order to be in winning contention, I needed to be down in the 1:03-1:04 range. I got a track map, wrote down my notes for improvements, and I studied to prepare for qualifying the next morning. 

Sunday: WarmUp and Qualifying ~ Bright and early the next morning, I rode my warm up. My studies paid off with 1:05s and boosted confidence going into qualifying. My qualifying session began shortly after, and I got on track with another fast 400 racer. We pushed each other throughout the session, both clocking 1:04s and taking pole and runner up on the front row (Ashten (2) Difference (0.1)). Third place was not far behind being 0.4 seconds slower than my time. I was feeling solid heading into my 3 races!

Lightweight GP ~ With a bad jump off the line but a solid brake marker, I put myself in second place out of turn one. With a good drive out of turn 1, I quickly passed 1st place before turn 2. From this point on, I stayed in the lead and put a good gap in between 2nd place and I to finish 1st.

Formula 500 ~ I had a good launch, but I tried passing for the lead in turn 1 and overshot it. I stayed in 2nd, but 1st ran away off the start. I pushed to try and regain the lead, and I did! I made the pass on the main straight, and I held this position to the checkered flag!

500 Cup ~ With another solid launch, I put myself into 2nd place entering turn 1. I tailed the leader for a couple laps, then I made a move into turn 1, overshot, and ran off into the dirt. I didn’t lose any positions, because we had created a large gap on 3rd. I got back on track right away and started to chase down the leader. With 5 laps remaining, I was paced 0.8 seconds faster a lap than the lead rider, and this allowed me to catch back up and make a clean pass on the last lap. With this, I crossed the line with my third and final win of the weekend!

Overall, a very solid weekend for Bush Racing! My dad maintenanced and dialed in the race bike which allowed me to ride smoothly and without error to be successful! 

Always, huge thanks to my sponsors and everyone who supported me this weekend! I also want to thank all the friends and family that came out as well!

Dad (Brian Bush)

BellissiMoto

Reparto Veloce

K-Tech Suspension 

1ofOne Designs 

Boxo Tools

Vortex Racing

Motion Pro

Spiegler Brake Lines

Michael from Fuzi Moto

Cya at CVMA Round 6!

CVMA ROUND 4: CHUCKWALLA VALLEY RACEWAY

Ashten Bush

Race Report 

CVMA Round 4, 2024

Ashten ~

CVMA Round 4 wasn’t the greatest weekend for us, but we know exactly what went wrong and how we will make improvements for the next round!

I rode the Apex Assassins track day to refamiliarize myself with riding Chuckwalla CCW

I went out first session to go feel out the lines again, because I was now an expert and I needed to be ready to pick up the pace. On the first lap I came around over the top of Crash Hill and my front tire clipped the crack between the pavement and the curbing. The front tucked and I went for a ride. Fortunately, it was a very slow low-side and the bike had very minimal damage. I was back out on track that same session! I rode the rest of the day trying to dial myself in before qualifying the next morning, but I couldn't seem to tie everything together. My lines were off and my lap times were slow, but I had to try to stay motivated for the rest of the weekend!

Qualifying: Feeling more confident than the day before, I went out for Q1 bright and early Saturday morning. Once I got on the track, I immediately noticed sputtering and loss of power from the A bike. I pulled into the pits to assess what was wrong, so I missed out on the first session. The B bike was running great though, so I took it out for Q2 and put down some decent laps. I qualified at the front of the 3rd row in 7th.

Saturday Race Summaries and Results:

Ultra Lightweight GP: With a terrible launch, I dropped a position from 7 → 8.  7th place and I battled for the entirety of the race, passing each other a couple times back and forth. There was only a 0.3 of a second difference at the checkeres flag with me leading for 7th. 

500 Supersport: With another bad start, I didn't gain or lose any positions, but the riders in front of me got away early and put down some fast laps (1:55-1:56) I ran consistent 1:59s the whole race and finished 5th. 

Unfortunately, Sunday’s races were canceled due to rain. It's a bummer, because we came prepared with rain tires, and we were excited to race in the rain.

Not the weekend we were looking for, but I can reflect on the mistakes I made and come back stronger and faster!

Always, huge thanks to my sponsors and everyone who supported me this weekend!

Dad (Brian Bush)

BellissiMoto

Reparto Veloce

K-Tech Suspension 

1ofOne Designs 

Boxo Tools

Vortex Racing

Motion Pro

Spiegler Brake Lines

Michael from Fuzi Moto

Link to PHOTO GALLERY!  

Cya at ASMA Round 1! 

CVMA ROUND 3: CHUCKWALLA VALLEY RACEWAY

Ashten Bush

Race Report

CVMA Round 3, 2023

CVMA Round 3 was another very successful weekend for Bush Racing! Brian (Ashten’s dad) dialed the bike setup which allowed Ashten to improve his racing abilities all throughout the weekend!

Ashten - “I participated in the Racers Edge and Apex Assassin days again to re-familiarize myself with Chuckwalla’s CW configuration. For the Racers Edge day, I got the opportunity to ride with and learn from Josh Herrin (MotoAmerica Superbike racer). It was a great experience and I definitely learned a lot.”

Thursday Track Walk

“I applied Josh’s advice into the Apex Assassins track day, and my lap times dropped 2 seconds” (2:01 –> 1:59)!

Qualifying: “I knew exactly what I needed to do in order to get a good spot on the grid, and that was at least a high 1:59. I put my Solo2 timer on and I went out. It was a cool morning, so the bike was running better than usual. I came around first lap for a 2:01. I saw the green lights on the Solo, so I knew I had a faster pace than 2:01. Crossed the line at 2:00.2, and I was feeling good. I pushed a little bit harder, pushing my lifting points just a little bit further. I crossed my last lap at a 1:59.0! I was happy with this time, especially because it put me 7th on the grid up with the faster expert racers.”

Saturday Race Summaries and Results: 

500 Supersport (2-wave start) - “My start was staggered, because I had launch control issues with my bike all weekend. I ran a good pace throughout the race which made up for my start, and I caught the slower experts. I didn’t have enough time to catch up to the top runners. I finished P6 expert, P1 amateur.” Fastest lap: 1:59.0

Ultra Lightweight GP - “I rev-limited 1st gear off the line due to launch control, so I was set back entering T1. I was able to come back and pass the slower experts who were ahead of me. I also managed to catch the faster paced experts, and I battled with some of them back and forth. I ended in P6 expert and P1 amateur.” Fastest lap: 1:57.3 (Personal best)! … “This was the last lap. I was in 8th place, and I caught and passed 7th in turn 11 and 6th right at the line by 0.1 of a second!!”

Sunday Race Summaries and Results: 

500 Supersport (2-wave start) - “My start suffered due to launch control, and leading up to turn 1, I was in 3rd. I caught both riders before the turn, because I pushed deeper on the gas. I took the inside line and ran with it! I managed to catch and pass the slower experts. Crossed the checkered flag in P4 expert and P1 amateur.” Fastest lap: 1:58.8

Ultra Lightweight GP - “I started well on 7th grid position and exited tailing the fast experts. I was in 6th, and I matched the pace of 3rd-5th place for a few laps but began to fall back after my rear tire grip started to fade. I finished in P6 expert and P1 amateur.” Fastest lap: 1:56.1 (Another personal best)! “This is right where I need to be in order to compete for podiums in the future with the experts!"

Always, huge thanks to my sponsors and everyone who supported me this weekend!

Dad (Brian Bush)

BellissiMoto

Reparto Veloce

K-Tech Suspension 

1ofOne Designs 

Boxo Tools

Vortex Racing

Motion Pro

Spiegler Brake Lines

Michael from Fuzi Moto

Link to all photos and videos!

Cya at Round 4!

CVMA ROUND 2: CHUCKWALLA VALLEY RACEWAY

Ashten Bush 

Race Report 

CVMA Round 2, 2023 

CVMA Round 2 was one of Bush Racing’s most successful weekends yet for many reasons! Brian (Ashten’s dad) resolved Ashten's previous problems with false neutrals heading into the weekend, and Ashten delivered with his strong performance on the bike!

Practice: Ashten had never ridden Chuckwalla in its CCW configuration. In order to learn the track this way around, he participated in the Racers Edge and the Apex Assassins riding days on Thursday and Friday. “I started out pretty slow, running 2:04 and 2:03 lap times, but come Friday night I had picked up the pace a lot with a fastest time of 2:01.2.”

Qualifying: Ashten felt confident going into qualifying with the pace he had run on Friday, and even better he felt knowing his times always drop in qualifying. “I put my Solo2 lap timer on my bike and hopped into a draft for qualifying with some other quick riders. We came around the first lap and I immediately matched Friday’s pace with a 2:01. I saw this and it motivated me to push harder. I crossed the line on the 2nd lap, 1:59! This had originally been my goal going into the CVMA winter series! I saw the 59 on my screen and I was feeling so good. I pushed even harder the next lap. 1:58.8 across the line! Then a 1:58.5! I couldn't believe I had blown away my original goals. This automatically sat me as pole amateur, and P7 expert. I had some real motivation heading into the races!”

Saturday Race Summaries and Results: 

500 Supersport (2-wave start) - “My start was very slow, because I was having launch control issues with my bike all weekend. I entered turn 1 in 4th but I exited leading the amateurs. I ran a good pace throughout the race, and I caught the slower experts. I finished P9 expert, P1 amateur.”

Ultra Lightweight GP - “I rev-limited 1st gear off the line due to launch control, so I was set back entering T1. I was able to come back and pass the amateur and the slower experts who were ahead of me. I put 15 seconds on P8, so I ended in P7 expert and P1 amateur.”

Sunday Race Summaries and Results: 

500 Supersport (2-wave start) - “I  definitely had a better launch than Saturday. I entered T1 in 2nd and exited leading the amateurs. I put a big gap between 2nd place and I, and I managed to catch and pass the slower experts. Crossed the checkered flag in P7 expert and P1 amateur.”

Ultra Lightweight GP - “I started well on 6th grid position and exited T1 in 4th. I matched the pace of 2nd and 3rd for a few laps but began to fall back. I had put 30 seconds on 5th place, so I finished in P4 expert and P1 amateur.”

That’s a wrap on CVMA round 2! It was a great weekend overall from bike performance to rider performance. Brian and Fuzi dialed the bike setup, and this allowed Ashten to ride to his limit without any issues!

Always, huge thanks to my sponsors and everyone who supported me this weekend!

Dad (Brian Bush)

BellissiMoto

Reparto Veloce

K-Tech Suspension 

1ofOne Designs 

Boxo Tools

Vortex Racing

Motion Pro

Michael from Fuzi Moto

CVMA ROUND 1: CHUCKWALLA VALLEY RACEWAY

Ashten Bush 

Race Report 

CVMA Round 1, 2023

Practice and Qualifying: This was my first time ever riding the Chuckwalla circuit, and I'll say I've never ridden a track like this one! Chuckwalla is all about corner speed and less braking. It is very technical and like no other track. In order to make sure I was prepared for the weekend's racing, I did a private coaching/training day on Thursday. I learned the circuit and started to throw down some quick 400 times. I felt comfortable going into Friday's track day, and now I would learn to navigate traffic at Chuckwalla. The track day went very well as my lap times continued to drop, and I was feeling more and more comfortable. On the other hand, I began to experience false neutrals as my pace further improved. This was a little bit discouraging, but I still felt fairly prepared and confident going into Saturday's qualifying…

Qualifying the next morning went very smoothly. I qualified with a 2:01.8, placing me P1 Amateur (-4.0) and P10 overall (+6.1). Now for the races!

Saturday Race Summaries and Results: I experienced false neutrals in both of Saturday's races, but they were minimal and I was able to get the bike turned and back on the gas!

Amateur and Expert Formula Ultra Lightweight (8th overall, 1st place amateur) - My launch was poor, but I was able to keep the amateurs behind me tipping into turn 1. My pace was fairly quick and I caught some of the slower experts. For the rest of the race, I rode by myself. I crossed the checkered flag with 7 experts in front of me and every amateur behind me.

Amateur 500 Supersport, 2 wave start (1st) - Green flag flew, and I was off! With a solid launch, I entered turn 1 in 1st position. I put down some quick laps and continued to create a gap, and I caught a few expert racers. I made good passes, and we got the white and checkered flags as I was reeling in a couple more experts. I was happy with how I ended Saturday!

Sunday warm-up: I rode very swiftly and untroubled during warm-up, and I ran my fastest lap of the weekend, being a 2:00.3. I felt solid heading into the races.

Sunday Race Summaries and Results:

Amateur and Expert Formula Ultra Lightweight (6th overall, 1st place amateur) - My start off the line was decent, but I managed to put myself into 6th position before turn 1. There was no position change until I drafted both 5th and 4th place into T1, and I stuck the pass! Unfortunately, later that lap, I had a false neutral and I lost a big chunk of time and the 2 positions I had just gained. I started the reel the two riders back in, but the checkered flag flew before I could make a move. I finished in 6th place overall.

Amateur 500 Supersport, 2 wave start (DNF) - From Pole, I launched well, putting me in the lead entering T1, and I ran with this position for the next couple laps. Unfortunately, I experienced a false neutral which caused my transmission to completely fail. I couldn't continue the race, and I was forced to retire. 

That concludes CVMA Round 1 at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway! It was a successful weekend overall with its ups and its downs. I got to race with a new organization on a new track, and I got to meet many new people. Unfortunately, due to transmission issues, I was robbed of a couple possible 1st place finishes, but I learned a lot about my race craft and what I need to improve on for the future. Round 2 is already right around the corner, and I will be back faster and stronger! 

Always, huge thanks to my sponsors and everyone who supported me this weekend!

Dad (Brian Bush)

BellissiMoto

Reparto Veloce

1ofOne Designs 

Boxo Tools

Motion Pro

ASMA ROUND 5: THE PODIUM CLUB

Ashten Bush

Race Report

ASMA Round 5, 2023

Ashten and Brian put together a solid weekend with ASMA between preparation and the racing itself.

Practice and Qualifying: Throughout Saturday morning and afternoon, I rode practice in the lightweight sessions on my 400. I re-learned the lines, and I knocked out a couple PR lap times. I felt quick going into the evening’s qualifying session. I rode qualifying very smoothly, setting another PR lap time being a 1:46.6. This lap put me on the first row for P2 in my Formula 500 race.

Sunday Race Summaries and Results: In every race except for Formula 500, I started last on the grid. This is because grids were arranged based on your points earned throughout the season. Being that I had only raced one other time with ASMA, I came from the back. 

• Lightweight GP (1st) - I started very well from the back and passed around 12 riders before turn 1. I rode a strong race consistently throughout, and I was able to cross the line in 1st place amateur position. 

• Beginner (3rd) - Off the line, the rider in front of me looped the bike, which impeded my progress for a few seconds. This allowed the unscathed riders to run away right from the beginning (600s and 1000s), but I was able to make my way back up to fifth place, and in the very final corner, I made a pass for 4th and also caught 3rd place on the exit. I stuck it out and crossed the flag in 3rd position.

• Formula 500 (1st) - Off the first row on the grid, I started poorly. I entered the first turn in 4th place and exited in 2nd. Those 2 passes were critical towards catching the top runner. The only thing in between the top sitter and I was a few bike lengths, and I made up the distance on lap 2. I made a clean pass, and held my line across the checkered flag for the win!

• Southwest Thunder (1st) - I got off the line pretty quickly compared to most others on my grid. I passed all of the amateur riders before tipping in to turn one. From there on, I made a few more passes on some expert racers, and I finished 1st place amateur.  

That’s a wrap on ASMA Round 5 at The Podium Club! Overall, a very successful weekend with the results. I had a great time, and we brought home some hardware!

Always, big thanks to my sponsors and everyone who supported me this weekend!

• Dad (Brian Bush)

• BellissiMoto

• Reparto Veloce

• 1ofOne Designs

• Dale at Racers Edge

• Boxo Tools

• Motion Pro

CRA ROUND 3: BUTTONWILLOW RACEWAY PARK

Ashten Bush

Race Report

CRA Round 3, 2023

Big thanks to 1 of One Designs for those sick looking graphics! 

Practice and Qualifying:

CRA Round 3 at Buttonwillow Raceway was another successful weekend for Bush Racing, with its ups and downs. Prior to the weekend, I had never ridden at Buttonwillow. In order to ensure a successful weekend, I rode the track day on Friday to learn the track. My dad rode too, because he deserves some fun after all the effort he put forth. 

After a full day of getting to learn the circuit, I was ready for qualifying…

I rode very well during qualifying on Saturday morning, setting the P1 Amateur time, being a 2:06. This put me at the front of the grid for my 5 different races to come.

Saturday Race Results: 

Feel Like a Pro 400GT: I had a great launch that put me straight to the front of the amateur pack, and I held this position for the first 3 laps of the race. Unfortunately, due to either myself or a mechanical issue, I had a false neutral at 90mph, putting me out in the dirt. I finished outside of the podium.

Twins Grand Prix: I raced the Twins race on my 400 to see if I could keep up with the fast guys. I was having launch control issues with my bike, which messed up my launch. This put me in the back of the pack. I was reeling in a few riders in front of me when I experienced another false neutral, ending my chance of gaining any positions back.

Saturday was not the best day of racing, but I evaluated my day as a whole, and I came to a conclusion for what I needed to improve on. Let me tell you, Sunday was a much better day! Here are some action shots from Saturday! 

Sunday Practice and Race Results: 

Saturday evening, a couple super fast riders gave me some tips to improve my race craft, and they sure did help going into practice. Big Thanks to Alex George, Nayden Balladares, and Nayden’s dad, Alex!

Sunday practice went well, because I was getting faster and faster in places I was previously struggling in. I was also very confident with my tire grip, thanks to Eyes Up Motorsports. They kept us dialed with fresh Dunlops throughout the weekend! I ended practice with some positive energy going into Sunday’s racing…

Feel Like a Pro Amateur 400 Superbike: I had an amazing launch putting me way up in the front of the amateur pack. I was riding smoothly, but the second place rider caught me, because he had a better drive through the sweeper. I was able to draft him on the straight, and we passed each other in these places back and forth for the entire race, until… I passed him for the final time on the last lap, and I held first place across the checkered flag!

Ruffians Lightweight: My launch was quite fast, but the rider next to me put down a very fast start, putting me behind him into turn one. I rode a strong race, so I was not passed by anyone behind me, but I was not quick enough to catch the front racer. This earned me a solid second place!

Feel Like a Pro Amateur 400 Supersport: I had a great launch, putting me in the top amateur spot entering the first corner. I rode an amazing first 2 laps, setting a PB lap time of a 2:03, and I created a gap between second place and I. All was going great until, then again, I had another false neutral on the down shifts, putting me in the dirt. The second and third place racers were able to pass me before I made my way back onto the track. I was determined to recover what I had lost, and I threw down some solid laps before the checkered flag. I was able to catch the second place rider, but the top sitter was too far gone for me to make a move. I was a little discouraged about my mistake, but I made a serious comeback for a solid podium spot.

That wraps up round 3 with CRA at Buttonwillow Raceway! I am quite happy with how I did, being that this was my first time riding the Buttonwillow circuit. There are definitely big improvements to be made, and I will always continue to work to be faster and stronger!

Huge thanks to Reparto Veloce for dyno-tuning my bike prior to this event! We picked up some mid-range power, and it was definitely noticed on track!

Most importantly, I need to thank my Dad for everything he does for me and my race program. I wouldn’t be writing this race report if it weren’t for you, Dad. 

I would also like to thank all my amazing sponsors for their services towards the Bush Racing program.

• BellissiMoto

• Reparto Veloce

• 1 of One Designs 

• Boxo Tools

• Motion Pro

CRA ROUND 2: THE PODIUM CLUB

ASHTEN BUSH

RACE REPORT

CRA ROUND 2, 2023

THE PODIUM CLUB

Race Weekend

Round 2 of CRA at Podium Club was my second ever time road racing, and it sure was a successful weekend. In Saturday’s qualifying, I was able to set P1 amateur lap times to place me up front on the grid. I competed in 5 different events throughout the weekend… 

The Results

• Amateur 400 Supersport - 1st Place

• Amateur 400 Superbike - 1st Place

• Sportsman - 1st Place

• Ruffians - 1st Place

• 400 GT - 3rd Place

STANDING ON THE TOP OF THE THE PODIUM!!

My intentions with racing moving forward!

      My future plans for road-racing include continuing on in the CRA series to hopefully win some class championships, and I plan to compete in the MotoAmerica Junior Cup series by 2024.

BIG THANKS!!!

Thanks to these people for making this amazing race weekend possible! 

• Dad - @brianbush1911

• Jesse Maier - @ride_jdm

• Sean Ungvarsky - @streetbike_sean

• Jayson Citron at Reparto Veloce - @repartoveloce

• Andrew LaPorte - @andrewlaporte

• Jeremy Sims

Thank you for following my Instagram page @ashten_bush