Reports: Davison poised to be 33rd entry to Indy 500

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Via multiple reports, including Dave Furst of Indianapolis ABC affiliate WRTV and Indianapolis Star reporter Curt Cavin among others, Australian James Davison is set to be the 33rd entry for this year’s Indianapolis 500.

The reports have Davison in a fourth KV Racing Technology entry, joining full season entrants Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Saavedra, and previously announced third driver Townsend Bell, who is also an NBCSN IndyCar analyst.

Davison made a pair of Verizon IndyCar Series starts in 2013 in Dale Coyne Racing’s second car, at Mid-Ohio and Sonoma. He impressed in both given limited testing time.

There’s more than meets the eye to this in terms of Bell, Davison, their 2014 full season commitments and a shared partner.

Bell will have support from Royal Purple on his No. 6 Robert Graham – Royal Purple – Beneteau USA Chevrolet, as he seeks to make his eighth Indianapolis 500 start. The synthetic motor oil also supports Bell’s No. 555 AIM Autosport Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 in the GT Daytona class of the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.

Meanwhile one of Royal Purple’s other teams it supports is TRG-AMR North America – Davison’s squad in GT Daytona of the TUDOR Championship.

Per Cavin, the proposed No. 33 Chevrolet will be on a short-week program, and the team is yet officially confirm this will happen.

But when you look at who’s already associated with the various entities, it makes more sense.

The 32nd car, incidentally, is the aforementioned Coyne second car which has been driven in the first three races of 2014 by Colombian rookie Carlos Huertas. Huertas completed his Rookie Orientation Program today and is likely to be confirmed to the team’s No. 18 Honda for the Indianapolis 500.

Beta Motorcycles joins SuperMotocross in 2024, Benny Bloss named first factory rider

Beta Motorcycles 2024 Bloss
Beta Motorcycles
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Benny Bloss will race for the factory Beta Motorcycles team in 2024 as that manufacturer joins SuperMotocross as the ninth brand to compete in the series. Beta Motorcycles will make their debut in the Monster Energy Supercross opener at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California in January.

Benny Bloss finished among the top 10 twice in Pro Motocross, in 2016 and 2018. – Beta Motorcycles

“The wait is over and we can finally share everything we have been working towards,” said Carlen Gardner, Race Team Manager in a press release. “It has been a great experience being a part of this development and seeing the progression. The only missing part was finding a rider that would mesh well with our Beta Family.

“After a one phone call with Benny, we knew it would be a good fit for him, and for us. We are happy to have him on board for the next two years and can’t wait to see everyone at Anaheim in January.”

Bloss debuted in the 450 class in 2015 with a 15th-place finish overall at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Bloss has a pair of top-10 rankings in the division with a sixth-place finish in the Pro Motocross Championship in 2016 and a seventh in 2018. His best Supercross season ended 15th in the standings in 2018.

“I’m extremely excited to join the Beta Factory Racing team,” Bloss said. “It’s cool to see a brand with such a rich history in off-road racing to come into the US Supercross and Motocross space. I know this team will be capable of great things as we build and go racing in 2024.”

Bloss is currently 22nd in the SuperMotocross rankings and has not raced in the first two rounds of the Motocross season.

Testing for Beta Motorcycles is scheduled to begin in August and the team expects to announce a second rider at that time.

The family-owned brand adds to the international flare of the sport. The company was founded in Florence, Italy in 1905 as Società Giuseppe Bianchi as they built handmade bicycles, The transition to motorcycle production in the late 1940s.

Beta Motorcycles competed and won in motocross competition in the late 1970s and early 1980s with Jim Pomeroy and other riders.

Beta will join Triumph Motorcycles as a second historic brand to join the sport in 2024. First established in 1902, Triumph has won in nearly every division they have competed in, dating back to their first victory in the 1908 Isle of Man TT. Triumph will debut in the 250 class in 2024 and plans to expand into 450s in 2025.