Heartbreak For Kelly In Superbike Series Finale, Two Top-Five Finishes For Uribe In New Jersey
Season Ends In Disappointment For Sean Dylan Kelly In Superbike Championship Finale At New Jersey Motorsports Park; Two Top-Five Finishes For Jayson Uribe In The Garden State
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OrangeCat Racing | September 28th, 2026
Photo credit: Brian J. Nelson
MILLVILLE, New Jersey – OrangeCat Racing’s Sean Dylan Kelly fought to the bitter end in his attempt to win the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, but his weekend ended in disappointment as he came up just 11 points short of his goal in an event marred by horrendous weather conditions.
Kelly came into the series finale with a 26-point lead over Bobby Fong with the finale at New Jersey Motorsports Park slated for three races – two on Saturday and one on Sunday – but he was on his back foot for most of the weekend while Fong was at his best.
After qualifying 10th and starting on the fourth row of the grid, Kelly raced to fourth in race one on Saturday morning. He followed that up with another fourth-place finish in the second of three races on Saturday. Fong, meanwhile, won both of those races. He would start the third and final race of the season on Sunday just two points behind Kelly.
Sunday was a meteorologist’s dream as torrential race pounded New Jersey Motorsports Park. For most of the day, it seemed there was little to no chance that racing would be possible.
Unfortunately for Kelly, the race did go on, and the Floridian was forced to battle in what was basically a winner-take-all title chase between him and Fong in a rainstorm. As Kelly worked his way toward the front, it all went wrong for him on the fourth lap as he was caught out by the conditions and crashed out of third place while fighting to get to the front.
Kelly’s teammate Jayson Uribe, meanwhile, had top-five pace in all three races and finished fifth in race one on Saturday and again in race three on Sunday. In between came a crash in the closing laps of race two as he was again fighting to nab fifth place.
Qualifying didn’t go well for Kelly as he could do no better than 10th, which would force him to start from the fourth row in the three races. He responded well, however, and raced to the front group in all three. Uribe, meanwhile, outqualified his teammate and started on the third row after turning in the eighth-fastest qualifying time.
Although Kelly’s season closed in disappointment, the Floridian and the OrangeCat Racing team have plenty to be happy about as his season was a successful one. Kelly, the team, and his BMW M1000 RR put together a 13-podium, three-win season in their first go at the Superbike title together, coming up just 11 points short of the title.
Uribe’s season was also a good one as his side of the team improved from race to race, with the Californian showing his mettle as the season wore on, scoring four top five-finishes while also earning his first MotoAmerica Superbike podium.
Jayson Uribe/No. 36
“Overall, it was a challenging weekend for everyone, but I feel like my side of the garage made the most of the circumstances. We overcame adversity on Friday and managed to stay competitive throughout nearly every session. Despite some challenges in qualifying and the rain-soaked conditions on Saturday and Sunday, we adapted quickly and made the best of every opportunity.
Finishing P5 twice and fighting for a podium in Race 2 under difficult conditions was definitely a highlight, not just of the weekend, but of my entire season. Unfortunately, I went down in Race 2, but I'm proud that we were up there fighting.
I can't thank everyone enough for the hard work and dedication they put in, not only this weekend but throughout the entire year. I'm beyond grateful for the opportunity and everything we've accomplished together.”
Sean Dylan Kelly/No. 40
“Well, we unfortunately didn't have the last race weekend that we would have hoped for. We had a pretty tough weekend from FP1. Really difficult conditions. It was cold and rainy, which was much different than what we had been experiencing the weekends prior. I think we were just a bit of one foot behind come race time. I’m pretty happy with the performances in the races but unfortunately, it wasn't enough and it came down to all or nothing for race three.
There was heavy rain in Race 3 and I ended up on the floor and we finished 2nd in the championship. It’s difficult to really take it all in right now, but I know that this was a really positive season. And I was just getting better and better with my BMW, so I’m looking forward to keep on improving for next season and make a step in 2027.”
Jeff Connors – Team Principal
"This weekend was a battle from the start. Friday was our toughest qualifying day of the year, with Sean starting 10th and Jayson 8th, so we knew we had work to do. The guys responded on Saturday. In Race 1, Sean charged all the way up to second before finishing fourth, with Jayson right behind him in fifth. In Race 2, Sean led the race, but the front tire didn't last as long as we needed and he came home fourth. Jayson set the fastest lap of the race before crashing in a tough section of the track. Going into Race 3, Sean knew what he had to do to beat Bobby Fong for the title, and he gave it absolutely everything. It didn't work out, and it's heartbreaking, but I would never ask him to ride any other way. Congratulations to Bobby on the championship. We pushed him right to the end."
OrangeCat Racing’s promotional and technical partners for the 2026 MotoAmerica season include BMW Motorrad Motorsport, Lightfighter, Motoworks Chicago, Ohlins USA, Farasis, and alpha Racing.
For full results of the ninth and final round of the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship, click Saturday 1 (race one), Saturday 2 (race two), and Sunday (race three).
Photo credit: Brian J. Nelson
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About OrangeCat Racing
OrangeCat Racing is a professional motorcycle racing team based in Chicago, competing at the national level in MotoAmerica. OrangeCat Racing thrives on competition, on challenging itself, and on learning and growing together. The team is dedicated to expanding the reach of motorcycle racing, sharing the experience of it, and creating an environment where riders can fully focus on their craft.
For 2026, OrangeCat Racing is competing in MotoAmerica’s Superbike class as a BMW Motorrad Motorsport official team. They’re also competing in the MotoAmerica Super Hooligan class aboard the electric Lightfighter motorcycle. For more information about OrangeCat Racing, visit www.orangecatracing.com.