Rennie Scaysbrook | March 30, 2016
Some of the country’s hottest road racing prospects will be on the grid for round one of the RC Cup in Georgia.
The 2016 KTM RC Cup is set to kick off April 15-17 in Braselton, Georgia, alongside the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Road Racing Championship. Beginning at the popular Road Atlanta circuit and running at seven other premier facilities in the nation, the unique youth-focused RC Cup Series showcases the nation’s top youth road racing talent, ages 14 to 22, aboard KTM RC 390 Cup Racebikes.
With a high level of competition in its inaugural season, many RC Cup participants are returning to the roster for 2016, while many of the top finishers will welcome new beginnings in the higher ranks. Reigning RC Cup Champion, Gage McAllister, will not defend his title this season as the twenty-year-old California native has since graduated into the Supersport 600 class to compete aboard an all-new team. However, in the absence of the champion, many of last season’s top competitors will return to vie for the prestigious title, including 2015 runner-up Anthony Mazziotto III. At 15-years-old, Mazziotto finished second in the highly competitive series, claiming two victories along the way. With plenty of experience under his belt, including a trip to the world-famous Silverstone Race Circuit to represent KTM North America and MotoAmerica, Mazziotto is a strong contender for this year’s championship.
Other riders returning to the RC Cup in 2016 include: Brandon Altmeyer, Josh Serne, Christopher Kosan, Jaret Nassaney, Ezra Beaubier, Jake Fell, Benjamin Smith, Jackson Blackmon, John Knowles, Nolan Lamkin, Trevor Standish, Nicholas Swensgard, Setin West, Gray Pham and Valentine Welch.
Canadian Braeden Ortt made a strong impression on the U.S.-based National Championship in 2015, where he battled with McAllister down to the final round. Ortt ultimately incurred a hand injury that held him back, where he finished third overall in the championship standings before capturing a podium finish at the RC Cup World Final in the UK. For 2016, Ortt has inked a deal to compete in the FIM Supersport World Championship. Additionally, 2015 front-runner Hayden Schultz, who finished fourth overall in the RC Cup standings, will make the jump into Superstock 1000 this season, following an impressive podium finish at the World Final.
