Determined to Succeed

Even in a year as chaotic and perplexing as 2020, the American Racing Team stood out.

Not long after being short on cash, in debt and struggling for results in Moto2—Grand Prix road racing’s most cutthroat class—the squad was transformed, contesting for wins in the pandemic-condensed 15-race series, while establishing itself as the focal point for U.S. talent to step onto the world stage. By the end of the year, Joe Roberts was on the cusp of a MotoGP deal with Aprilia only to back out at the 11th hour.

It was a hell of a 12 months.

There were ups: Roberts was a rider reborn under new guidance, atop a new chassis sporting Stars and Stripes livery, scoring three pole positions and a debut podium. There were downs: Few saw the Californian’s decision to leave at the end of 2020, including the men who had built the team around him. But with five-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier recruited as Roberts’ replacement, the best may be yet to come.

That’s not bad for an outfit that was in danger of disappearing when it changed names and leadership at the close of 2018. And not bad for Roberts, who at one time appeared likely to slip off the world stage, but instead has joined the championship-winning Italtrans racing team. So, after next-to-no representation in the championship for some time, two Americans will race for Moto2 glory in 2021. A home entry in MotoGP no longer seems such a long way off.

Moreover, the American Racing Team sees Beaubier’s move across the Atlantic as the first of many. Its new riding school, the American Racing Academy, already has recruited American hopefuls Sean Dylan Kelly, runner-up in last year’s MotoAmerica Supersport class, and Rocco Landers, two-time MotoAmerica Junior Cup champion, among others.

Ex-MotoGP podium finisher John Hopkins was enlisted as a rider coach for the team and for the academy. Former Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Toni Elías and Roger Hayden mentor the kids.

“The idea is to have the top riders in the U.S. riding with us under the Academy umbrella,” said Eitan Butbul, owner of the team. “And when they’re ready, bring them over here to ride for us in Moto2. This the goal.”

If these grand plans become reality, a steady supply of Americans soon could be racing on the world stage.

This squad has history, of course. As recently as 2017, Thomas Lüthi finished second in the Moto2 World Championship, winning two races along the way. But a host of financial issues and sponsorship letdowns resulted in the team being remolded in just three years from CarXpert Interwetten to the dubiously named Swiss Innovative Investors and, now, American Racing.

Before the current incarnation, ex-riders Lüthi and Sam Lowes went months without pay. The team was financially on its knees at the end of 2018, when Butbul, an Israeli real estate developer now based in Los Angeles, saw an opportunity.

“It wasn’t something that I planned to do,” Butbul admitted. “I was working with Joe in 2018 as his manager. We signed a deal with the Swiss team for two years, 2019 and ’20. Right before 2018 finished, we understood the team was in a really bad financial situation. I stepped in as a partner and investor to help the team survive, so Joe could have the ride for the next year.

“One thing led to another, and the previous owner walked away. I found myself with majority ownership of the team, big debt and a lot of money I put into the team I couldn’t recover with no sponsorship. There were two options: Walk away or step in deeper. So, I took entire ownership of the team.”

Butbul reached into his own pocket to keep the squad afloat. Plus, he took on a new, unfamiliar role: team manager.

“For the entire budget, about 20 percent of it was sponsorship, and the rest we brought from home, just to keep the team alive,” he said. “We had to pay some old debt that the previous owner had left. It was a really difficult year for us, financially. Then, I jumped into the position of team manager. I didn’t come with previous experience of 20 years of riding or managing a team. It was like jumping into water without knowing how to swim.”

▲ Eitan Butbul, team owner, and John Hopkins, rider coach.
Photos by American Racing Team

Butbul wasn’t the only one floundering. By the close of 2018, KTM’s stock in Moto2 had risen. Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder had taken a 2-year-old chassis to second and third in the championship. But when Triumph entered the class in 2019 as the new engine supplier, KTM got its measurements wrong. Only the natural talent of Iker Lecuona brought the team success. Roberts was never comfortable on the motorcycle. He struggled, out of the points in 17 of the 19 races.

When Lecuona departed for MotoGP, a radical overhaul was needed.

“I thought we needed to do a big, big change to help the team and Joe,” Butbul said.

Kalex, winner of the previous seven Moto2 constructors’ titles, supplied the team with chassis. Roberts was one of 22 riders on the grid using the German frame in 2020.

“Everything with the Kalex package is really strong,” Roberts said. “Of course, you have so much data from people that have worked with the chassis before. They know the ins and outs. You can see my riding style is quite smooth and flowing. That’s why it works for me.”

Team changes didn’t stop at hardware. Hopkins was appointed rider coach and struck up an immediate relationship with Roberts. Lucio Nicastro, a former ally of Lowes and Chaz Davies in World Supersport, was brought in as Roberts’ new crew chief. Moto3 race winner Marcos Ramirez was drafted as the second rider.

“We upgraded everything with regard to the look of the bike and social media, and some of the team members we changed to be at the top level,” Butbul said.

Little was left to chance, including off-season wind-tunnel testing, which wasn’t lost on the 5-foot-10 Roberts.

Roberts scored just 5 points with an NTS chassis in 2018, and 1 point fewer a year later on a KTM. His best result, 13th, didn’t suggest he was able to mix it up with Enea Bastianini, Luca Marini and Jorge Martin—riders headed for MotoGP in 2021.

That made his 2020 turnaround even more remarkable.

Roberts took the pole at Round 1 in Qatar and scrapped for the race lead. After the season restarted in July, he fought back in the Czech Republic to grab a fine third—America’s first intermediate-class podium since John Kocinski in 1993. Seven more Top 10 finishes led to seventh overall in the championship.

Roberts credited the crew assembled around him.

“In any professional sport, the support package is the most important thing,” Roberts said. “A combination of that and believing in myself. I had been in a situation where a lot of extra pressure had been put on me.

“The first thing that Lucio said was, ‘It’s not you, it’s me.’ That was a breath of fresh air. He believes in me and trusts what I say about the bike. We have great chemistry.”

Hopkins and Roberts clicked immediately. The former MotoGP star spent the off-season restoring Roberts’ confidence.

“It’s weird how many similarities we have,” Hopkins said. “We were both brought up in Southern California, have British parents, were raised riding motorcycles in the desert. Joe and I have the same style—strong braking, fast corner speed, sacrificing the exit—so I was able to give him advice, which resulted in instant improvements to his riding.

“In Moto2, it’s important to get the thing picked up as early as possible. We worked on a lot of drills. When we got on the dirt track, I could see there was no shortage of talent. I drilled it into him that he was as talented as anyone out there.”

Roberts’ decision to depart for Italtrans, the team that won the 2020 Moto2 title with Bastianini, was puzzling. When news broke in October at the French Grand Prix, everyone was surprised.

Even Butbul, who manages Roberts, and Hopkins had no prior knowledge of the decision.

▲ American Joe Roberts scored three pole positions and a podium in 2020.
Photos by American Racing Team

“I can see why people would be confused by it,” Roberts admitted. “I felt I needed to be in another environment. It’s nothing against Eitan and John or the team. I just wanted to take the next step. We all agreed it was the right thing.”

Then, Aprilia came calling. After Andrea Iannone received a four-year ban from the sport and Andrea Dovizioso and Cal Crutchlow turned down offers, the Italian factory approached Roberts with the promise of a MotoGP seat in 2021.

Roberts politely declined.

“I wasn’t trying to entertain other offers, because I have a contract to ride in Moto2 next season,” he said. “Another reason for my decision was, I haven’t won a race yet.”

The American Racing Team then turned its attention to a suitable replacement. Beaubier was seeking a fresh challenge and a path to Europe.

“As soon as the opportunity came, we started talking,” Butbul said. “It took maybe two days to form the deal. [Series rights-holder] Dorna pushed a lot to bring Cameron here.”

The 28-year-old Beaubier signed for two years and represents a huge coup for the team and the class.

“Ten years ago, a five-time MotoAmerica Superbike champion, more times than not, would have gone to a factory MotoGP team,” Hopkins said. “Unfortunately, with the sport struggling, there has sadly been no judg[ing] of talent over the last eight years from America because barely anyone has made the trip over.”

Beaubier is the most exciting American talent to move to the world stage since Ben Spies in 2009. And, unlike Josh Herrin, who lasted just 12 races in Moto2 in 2014, Beaubier has European racing experience. Not that the transition will be easy.

“He’s going to have to start at the back and work his way forward,” Hopkins said. “I think Moto2 is the most competitive championship in the world. He needs to be patient, but I believe he has the ability. He could exceed expectations. If he’s finishing inside the Top 10, by the end of the season he’ll be doing great.”

A post-season test in Spain, in which Beaubier finished half a second behind the fastest riders, indicated he has the talent to reach that goal.

If the American Racing Team’s plans come together, Beaubier won’t be the last rider making a trip across the Atlantic with aims of putting America back on motorcycle road racing’s world map.