09/09/2022
The P1 Moto team would like to address recent happenings.
To open, we would like to apologize as a team for the delayed response to these matters. There has been a great deal of chatter in many corners of the internet around this, and we felt it would be most impactful to ensure we had gathered as much fact from the racing officials and organizations before forming a response.
First and foremost, P1 Moto values integrity in our work and our racing. We consistently labor to train and compete fairly, and our history with WERA and N2 Track Days demonstrates our commitment to honest, high-quality participation and investment in the road racing community. We have worked tirelessly to be a team that supports fellow riders and racers on and off the track – through our services and by loaning parts, tools, and even people in times of need. The directors of WERA have graciously acknowledged the positive comradery and spirit which P1 Moto has brought to the track, and we have always strived to have a positive impact on our track community and the sport we love – as friends, racers, coaches, and colleagues.
In regard to the red flag incident that took place at the Road Atlanta 4-hour endurance race on September 3rd , 2022, we would like to formally address this as a team. Following an unanticipated rain delay on the course, our third rider attempted to complete their portion of the race unsuccessfully. This rider ran out of gas and exited the track at turn 7. After several refire attempts, he made a poor decision in the heat of the moment and competition to walk/push his bike back to the pits in an effort to keep the team in the race. The toll of the race and the attempted manual return caused the rider to suffer physical distress. He eventually stopped, attempted waves at the corner workers, and then, both panicked by the lack of egress off-track due to the overhead fence and depleted of energy, he ended up lying down in the grass. During the race, the last thing on our rider’s mind was the possibility of affecting race end or results - rather he was attempting actions which would keep the team in the race. While there was no express knowledge of the time remaining by our rider, or any idea that this would cause a full end to the race at hand, we take full and complete responsibility for the events leading up to and following this event.
We do understand that the red flag our team caused led to the race being called roughly thirty minutes early. In response to both the podium finish at the race and any disciplinary action needed in regard to the rider and/or team as a whole, P1 Moto has reached out to and is currently in open correspondence with WERA, and we will accept proceeding decisions that they take (again, on behalf of the rider or team). Our third rider is separately in discussions with the respective organizations in regard to next steps, and he is in full cooperation with them as they continue to investigate. We will continue to learn, grow, and listen as this situation evolves and hope that you will respect individual privacy and the process as we await further information from WERA. We are sincerely sorry for the inconvenience we caused WERA, our fellow competitors, and our friends at the track. We do hope that all parties, competitors, and even spectators will allow us the time needed to act on matters as more facts are brought to light.
As a team, we do feel it very important to clear the air on the matter of some details which have been shared in various mediums incorrectly, and as our rider does not have social media, we felt it best to share those points here:
- The first is the matter of the rider making a conscious decision to crawl onto a hot track. This rumor has been debunked after collaboration between several riders, corner workers, and race officials. While it is true that he made multiple attempts to move the bike further down the track before moving to the ground, the investigation has found that he did NOT move onto a hot track.
- The second is the matter of the rider assisting in loading the bike under his own power. Further investigation by the officials AND reports from the medics revealed the rider did, in fact, attempt to assist in loading the bike, where he then succumbed to fatigue and once again collapsed.. The medics then requested that he move to the back of the ambulance to sit, hydrate, and rest while they loaded.
- The third is that the rider rode back in the crash truck and unloaded his own bike at the pit. This too was inaccurate, as the bike was delivered to the pit area by the crash truck, where the team unloaded the bike. The rider was later brought back to the pit via golf cart, after being dropped off by the ambulance.
While some of the above facts have now been cleared up by members of WERA, there was plenty of misinformation reported initially that resulted, at least in part, in our rider being personally called out and doxxed on multiple forums and mediums. With the chaos of the day, we completely understand that there was no malintent from WERA or any other officials in sharing the information they felt they had gathered in the moment, but we are confident that WERA will further support these findings by sharing them in their own manner once they have completed this weekend’s race events. In a community such as the track family, the level to which both the team and rider have been defamed is a bit alarming, and we hope that we can all move forward without further harm to the character or feelings of any parties by presenting the most accurate facts as we have them.
We look forward to competing in the future and showing up as our best selves, as riders, as fans, and as supporters of this sport which we love – and, of course, as members of P1 Moto.
