Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. at Road America 2024

Women in motorcycle racing have always been the exception, not the norm. To change that, Royal Enfield’s build. Train. Race. was created as a one-of-a-kind program that invites female riders to build and race their own Royal Enfield motorcycle, train with professional trainers and compete in a series of races either on flat track, either in road racing.

Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. hopefuls submit their applications each season, and those chosen compete for one or two seasons. In the roadracing category, the women get the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, while the flat-trackers get the INT650. At the end of their time in the program, competitors keep their bikes. One of BTR’s goals is to provide women with a starting point from which to launch a racing career.

The 2024 season includes four races and 10 competitors for flat racing and five races with 13 competitors for road racing. The second road race event of the season took place June 1-2 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, and we were happy to accept Royal Enfield’s invitation to the Royal Enfield Experience Center in Milwaukee to learn more about series and travel to the Road. America to see the action.

The Royal Enfield Experience Center is located in a brick building that was once a dealership. Upon entering, you will notice significant historical Royal Enfield motorcycles and memorabilia displayed in the room, as well as examples from the current range. Behind the building, the bikes were on stands being worked on. It doesn’t take long to visit this little hub, but if you’re a Royal Enfield fan, a visit and a few rides in the area is well worth the trip.

With the other journalists who would be joining the ride gathered, we each threw a leg over a bike in front of the Experience Center and took off through the streets of Milwaukee. I was put on a Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650, a bike I had ridden and checked before in Dallas, Texas.

PREPARE

We took a scenic route to Elkhart Lake, following winding roads through the countryside and weaving in and out of forests and farmland. It’s a beautiful ride and another great reason to visit Road America for MotoAmerica events. Halfway through our race, the rain started to fall and would continue to fall throughout the day, resulting in a wet track for those competing.

By the time we arrived at Road America and the Royal Enfield paddock, the screeching bikes on the track drowned out the sounds of Royal Enfield racers and crew members checking bikes and discussing upcoming races. Build. Train. Race. it was scheduled for later in the day, so I had a few hours to chat with the racers, explore the track and watch the other races.

The first thing I noticed in the Royal Enfield paddock was the sense of camaraderie and community. Competitors and crew members joked with each other as they checked the bikes. They were all there to compete, but they were also there to enjoy the experience, improve and learn.

Shea MacGregor is new to road racing this year. Racing motocross for most of his riding life, he came to Build. Train. Race. series of road races to try something new.

“We’re all very competitive and we all want to win, but it’s a great community,” MacGregor said. “Everybody wants everybody else to be here because we all want to compete. I crashed this morning and as soon as I came back everyone was like, “How can I help you? What do you need?'”

Another newcomer this year, Lucy Blondel, has been riding on the street for seven years and started competing last year. Blondel is a picture of resilience, and while she had a rough opening weekend at Barber, she showed up at the Road America races ready to try again.

“Barber was really terrible for me. I didn’t expect how intense it would be,” Blondel said. “I had panic attacks and just finished. I’ve been working through it ever since. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I come from a family where that was always a thing and you think of that failure if you don’t meet the expectations that you set for yourself. So I’m mentally prepared to be in the race by myself, improve my time and then I’ll go into the race with everyone else.”

Mikayla Moore is the dominant force in BTR. In his first year on the BTR program, in 2023, he won every race. Barber’s first dual in May continued that streak with two more wins for Moore. But as I walked around the paddock on Saturday, Moore was noticeably absent.

We have learned that Moore, who was also planning to make his debut in the BellissiMoto Twins Cup class that weekend, had a crash in the Twins Cup qualifying laps that left him with a thigh injury. X-rays showed no broken bones, but her muscle was injured.

As the women rolled onto the pit lane to begin their warm-up laps, the rain had slowed to a light drizzle, but the track had no chance to dry before the race. Moore joined the riders in the pit lane for the warm-up lap, but dismounted after one lap while shaking her head, clearly not feeling ready to race that day.

With Moore out of the race, an opportunity opened up for someone else to score her first win of the season. Moore quickly changed his skin and joined the crew in the pit lane to cheer the others on while those still on their bikes put their heads down and prepared. These women who were so jovial in the paddock a few hours ago were now serious competitors determined to win.

From the start, first-year rider Cassie Creer jumped to the front of the pack and continued to put distance between herself and those behind her, gaining a lead of up to 5 seconds. However, Emma Betters continued to improve her lap times and slowly close the gap. Many of these competitors were unfamiliar with wet racing, but continued to improve and gain confidence with each lap of the 4.05-mile, 14-turn track.

By the time Creer crossed the checkered line, Betters had pulled within 0.225 seconds of her for a close second-place finish. Camille Conrad, another first-year driver, finished in third.

At the podium, Mikayla Moore was the first to congratulate the contestants and give everyone a pat on the back. All the BTR ladies were all smiles as Creer, Betters and Conrad took their places on the podium. As quickly as the women had become serious and competitive when the race began, they became friendly friends again once the race was over.

While we were on a flight back home the next day, the BTR ladies took to the track for their second race of the weekend. Moore, with a full day’s rest to recover and a dry track under his tires, took the win over Aubrey Credaroli and Cassie Creer. Moore leads the standings with 75 points, but her absence from Saturday’s race allowed Emma Betters and Camille Conrad to close the gap, both with 65 points.

Royal Enfield Building. Trian. Race. roadracers compete again on June 30 at Ridge Motorsports Park in Whelton, Washington. They will have a chance to catch their breath before the final race of the season on August 18 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

If you haven’t seen the BTR in action in person, I encourage you to get out to the races and see for yourself. You’ll witness the early stages of greater diversity in motorcycle racing, and once BTR graduates compete in other, higher-stakes classes, you’ll be able to say you saw them at the beginning. We’ll definitely be keeping an eye on where these ladies go next.

Visit the Royal Enfield building. Train. Race. website for more information.