We are now accepting nominations for the 23rd Annual Roadracing World Young Guns feature, highlighting up-and-coming young road racers from the United States, Canada and now Mexico.

To be considered for the Young Guns feature, a racer must be between the ages of 11 and 17 years old at the start of the 2019 season; have finished in the top three in a sanctioned Expert-level road race or Championship on a 125cc two-stroke/250cc four-stroke or larger motorcycle with full-size (17-inch) wheels; and reside within the United States, Canada or Mexico. Nominees must also set up a rider profile on www.roadracingworld.com.

Amateurs/Novices with extraordinary road racing accomplishments will also be considered.

Riders can nominate themselves. Race sanctioning bodies, sponsors and race teams are encouraged to nominate young riders, but riders or their parents must request and then submit completed applications and provide photos suitable for publication by our deadline to be considered.

Riders who have previously been recognized as a Young Gun should call David Swarts at 909-654-4779 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) Monday through Friday to quickly update their profile information and arrange submission of up-to-date photos.

For new candidates who wish to be considered for the next Young Guns feature, obtain, fill out and return a 2019 Young Guns questionnaire to Roadracing World by January 11, 2019. Requests for questionnaires should be sent via e-mail to [email protected]

Questionnaires must be filled out completely in English and be returned as a Word document. Completed questionnaires should be returned to the same e-mail address. We will also accept completed questionnaires filled out by hand and submitted via U.S. mail or submitted via overnight delivery service (see addresses listed below).

In addition to completed questionnaires, candidates must also submit a high-resolution action photo and a head shot (a photo clearly showing the rider’s face without sunglasses) suitable for magazine reproduction. Each submitted photo must include written permission (an e-mail is acceptable) from the photographer (even if the photographer is a parent) specifically giving Roadracing World Publishing the right to publish that photo(s) free of charge in the Young Guns feature and on roadracingworld.com. Digital images must be high-resolution, or 3000 pixels wide or tall at 4 inches. All photos must be accompanied by the name of the rider and the name of the photographer along with when and where the photo was taken, including the name of the racetrack. Photos should not have any watermarks or graphics added, and photo editing should be kept to a minimum. Digital photos are preferred, but hard copies of photos will be scanned and returned if a self-addressed, stamped envelope is included.

The mailing address is: Roadracing World, Attn: Young Guns, P.O. Box 1428, Lake Elsinore, CA 92531-1428.

The overnight delivery address is: Roadracing World, Attn: Young Guns, 581-C Birch St., Lake Elsinore, CA 92530.

Late and incomplete submissions may not be considered.

Young Guns features to date have appeared in the November 1997, March 1999, February 2000, March 2001, February 2002, April 2003, April 2004, May 2005, June 2006, April 2007, April 2008, April 2009, April 2010, April 2011, April 2012, March 2013, April 2014, April 2015, April 2016, April 2017 and April 2018 issues of Roadracing World.

Please familiarize yourself with our previously published Young Guns features before contacting us to ask questions.

If you still have questions, call 909-654-4779 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) and ask to speak to David Swarts or e-mail [email protected]

The Roadracing World Young Guns series started as an answer to critics who said America lacked up-and-coming young riders. Current or former Roadracing World Young Guns have: Raced in all classes of the MotoGP World Championship (including the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup series) and FIM Superbike and Supersport World Championships, winning races and capturing World Championships; competed in European Championships and well as British, Canadian, Chinese, Czech Republic, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Mexican, and Spanish National series; raced in the MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North American Championships (winning many races and Championships in all classes, including multiple Superbike titles); finished on the podium at the Suzuki GSX-R World Cup and the KTM RC Cup World Finals; won Superbike Shootout races in the Superbike and Pro Sportbike classes and won the 2014 Dynojet Pro Sportbike Championship; won Suzuki Cup Championships in the U.S.; earned WERA National Challenge, National Endurance and Sportsman National Championships; won ASRA/Formula USA Grand National and CCS National Championships; collected USGPRU titles; and won many local and regional Championships.

Some of the riders who have graduated from Young Guns and gone on to racing success in National or International series include: 2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion Jason Aguilar; 2013 AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion Corey Alexander; MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Daytona Anderson; AMA Pro Daytona SportBike race winner Tommy Aquino (R.I.P); 2008 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion and two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion J.D. Beach; three-time MotoAmerica Superbike Champion Cameron Beaubier; AMA Pro SuperSport and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Conner Blevins; two-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion Tomas Casas; three-time Canadian Sport Bike Champion and 2014 Canadian Superbike Champion Jodi Christie; former AMA Pro SuperSport East Champion and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Josh Day; 2011 Daytona 200 winner Jason DiSalvo; 2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Championship runner-up Dustin Dominguez; former Pikes Peak International Hill Climb motorcycle track record holder Carlin Dunne; Canadian Superbike race winner Bodhi Edie; two-time AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, two-time AMA Pro XR1200/Harley-Davidson Champion and four-time Daytona 200 winner Danny Eslick; AMA Pro SuperSport podium finisher Wyatt Farris; AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, Superbike Shootout Dynojet Pro Sportbike, and MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner Bobby Fong; 2010 Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Champion, 2015 MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Superstock 1000 Champion, and Superbike World Championship points scorer Jake Gagne; two-time MotoAmerica Supersport Champion Garrett Gerloff; 2017 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Championship runner-up Michael Gilbert; 2014 AMA Pro SuperSport Champion and 2018 MotoAmerica Supersport Championship runner-up Hayden Gillim; 2002 AMA Superbike Champion and 2006 FIM MotoGP World Champion Nicky Hayden (R.I.P.); 2007 AMA Pro 600cc Supersport Champion, 2014 AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up, and 2017 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship runner-up Roger Hayden; eight-time AMA Pro Superbike race winner and two-time AMA Supersport Champion Tommy Hayden; 2013 AMA Pro Superbike Champion and 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 Champion Josh Herrin; AMA Pro Superstock race winner Jake Holden; 2011 British Superbike Championship runner-up and former MotoGP and World Superbike regular John Hopkins; 2015 Supersport World Championship runner-up Patrick “P.J.” Jacobsen; Canadian Superbike race winner Kevin Lacombe; 2018 AFM Champion and 2018 MotoAmerica Stock 1000 Champion Andrew Lee; MotoAmerica Superstock 1000 race winner and MotoAmerica Superbike podium finisher Jake Lewis; MotoAmerica Superstock 600 race winner Nick McFadden; AMA Pro SuperSport race winner Stefano Mesa; Elena Myers, the first and only woman to win AMA Pro Supersport races; AMA Pro XR1200 race winner Shane Narbonne; 2012 Canadian Superbike Championship runner-up Andrew Nelson; 2012 Daytona 200 winner, 2010 AMA Pro Supersport West Champion and two-time AFM Champion Joey Pascarella; 2016 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Bryce Prince; AMA Pro and Canadian National race winner Chris Peris; two-time AMA Pro SuperSport National Champion and British Supersport podium finisher James Rispoli; 2015 MotoAmerica Superstock 600 Champion, MotoAmerica Supersport race winner and Moto2 World Championship point scorer Joe Roberts; former Red Bull AMA U.S. Rookies Cup Champion and current FIM Moto2 European Championship competitor Benny Solis, Jr.; three-time AMA Pro Superbike Champion, 2009 Superbike World Champion and MotoGP race winner Ben Spies; AMA Pro SuperSport podium finisher Miles Thornton; multi-time AMA Pro race winner and four-time overall WERA National Endurance Champion Chris Ulrich; MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Jayson Uribe; Canadian Superbike race winner Alex Welsh; former AMA Pro Superbike Rookie of the Year, Chinese Superbike Championship race winner and MotoAmerica Supersport podium finisher Cory West; MotoAmerica Junior Cup race winner Ashton Yates; and two-time AMA Pro Superbike Championship runner-up Blake Young.