Women in motorcycling have always been the exception, not the norm. To change that, Royal Enfield’s Build. Train. Race. program was created as a unique program that invites female motorcyclists to build and race their own Royal Enfield motorcycles, train with professional coaches, and compete in a series of races on flat or road tracks.
Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race. Prospective entrants will submit their applications each season and those selected will compete for one or two seasons. In the off-road racing category, women will be awarded a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650, while those racing in the off-road category will be awarded an INT650. Competitors will keep their bikes at the end of their time in the program. One of the aims of BTR is to provide women with a starting point from which they can begin their racing careers.
The 2024 season will feature four races and 10 competitors for the flat track and five races and 13 competitors for the road course. The second road racing event of the season is set for June 1-2 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, and we were delighted to receive an invitation from Royal Enfield to come to the Royal Enfield Experience Center in Milwaukee to learn more about the series and come to Road America to see the action.
The Royal Enfield Experience Center is housed in a brick building that used to be a dealership. Upon entering, you’ll see important historical Royal Enfield motorcycles and memorabilia displayed around the room, as well as examples of the current lineup. Bikes are being repaired on racks at the back of the building. It doesn’t take long to tour this small center, but if you’re a Royal Enfield fan, it’s well worth a visit and a ride in the area.
With the other journalists joining the group ride, we each swung a leg over a bike in front of the Experience Center and zoomed through the streets of Milwaukee. I was on a Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650, a bike I have ridden and reviewed before in Dallas, Texas.
TAKE OFF
We took a beautiful route to Elkhart Lake, following winding country roads that weaved in and out of forests and farmland. It was a beautiful drive and another great reason to come to Road America for the MotoAmerica event. About halfway through the race, it started to rain and it would continue throughout the day, making the track wet for the riders.
By the time we got to Road America and the Royal Enfield paddock, the roar of the bikes on the track had drowned out the noise of the Royal Enfield riders and crew members checking out their bikes and discussing upcoming races. Build. Practice. Race. was scheduled for later in the day, so we had a few hours to chat with the competitors, explore the track, and watch other races.
The first thing I noticed at the Royal Enfield paddock was the sense of camaraderie and community. Riders and crew members joked with each other as they tested their bikes. Everyone was there to compete, but they were also there to enjoy the experience, improve, and learn.
Shea MacGregor is new to dirt racing this year. Having been a dirt racer for most of her racing life, she came to the Build. Train. Race. dirt racing series to try something new.
“We’re all very competitive and we all want to win, but this is a great community,” MacGregor said. “Everybody wants everybody else to be here because we all want to race. I crashed this morning, and as soon as I got back, everyone was like, ‘How can I help you? What do you need?’”
Another newcomer this year, Lucy Blondel, has been street racing for seven years and started racing last year. Blondel is the picture of resilience, and despite a tough opening weekend at Barber, she showed up to the races at Road America ready to try again.
“Barber was really bad for me. I didn’t expect it to be that intense,” Blondel said. “I had a panic attack and I was exhausted. I’ve been through it ever since. I put a lot of pressure on myself. I come from a family where that’s always a problem, and you think about that failure if you don’t meet the expectations you set for yourself. So I just mentally prepared myself to race, improve my time, and then I’d race with everyone else at the end.”
Mikayla Moore has been a dominant force in BTR. She won every race in her first year on the BTR program in 2023. The opening doubles at Barber in May continued that winning streak with two more wins for Moore. But as I walked around the paddock on Saturday, Moore was noticeably absent.
I discovered that Moore, who was also scheduled to make her BellissiMoto Twins Cup debut that weekend, had crashed in a Twins Cup qualifier and injured her thigh. X-rays showed no broken bones, but her muscles were injured.
As the girls entered the pit lane to start their warm-up laps, the rain had slowed to a light drizzle, but there would be no chance for the track to dry before the race. Moore joined the drivers in the pit lane for the warm-up, but she exited her car after one lap shaking her head, clearly not feeling up to racing that day.
With Moore out of the race, an opportunity opened up for someone else to claim her first win of the season. Moore quickly changed into her leathers and joined the pack in the pit lane to cheer on the others, while those still on their bikes bowed and readied themselves. These women, who had been having fun in the paddock just hours before, were now serious contenders determined to win.
Freshman Cassie Creer took the lead early on and continued to build a gap to those behind her, building up to a five-second lead. However, Emma Betters continued to improve her lap times and gradually closed the gap. Many of these riders were not used to racing in wet conditions, but they continued to improve and gain confidence with each lap of the 4.05-mile, 14-turn course.
As Creer crossed the line, Betters closed in on her to within 0.225 seconds to finish in 2nd place. Camille Conrad, another first-year rider, finished in 3rd place.
On the podium, Mikayla Moore was the first to congratulate the riders and pat everyone on the back. All the BTR girls were beaming as Creer, Betters and Conrad claimed their podium spots. Just as quickly as the women became serious and competitive when the race started, they became fun friends after it was over.
While I was on the flight home the next day, the BTR girls took to the track for the second race of the week. Moore, with a full day of rest to recover and a dry track under her tyres, won ahead of 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 on 65 points.
The Royal Enfield Build. Trian. Race. dirt bike riders will compete again on June 30 at Ridge Motorsports Park in Whelton, Washington. They’ll get a chance to rest up 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 BTR in action, I encourage you to go to the races and see for yourself. You’ll be witnessing the early stages of greater diversity in motorcycle racing, and as BTR graduates move on to other classes with bigger stakes, you’ll be able to say you’ve seen them since the beginning. We’ll definitely be keeping an eye on where these ladies go next.
Sightseeing Royal Enfield Build. Train. Race Website for more information.
