Results // Talent Cup at COTA MotoGP 2026

The Parts Unlimited MotoAmerica Talent Cup By Motul made its MotoGP support debut at Circuit of The Americas, and the young guns did not disappoint. Two thrilling eight-lap races delivered razor-thin margins and a championship that could not be any tighter heading into the next round.

Race 1

Nathan Gouker put his Quarterley Racing Kramer on the top step with a calculated ride, crossing the line just 0.183 seconds ahead of Kensei Matsudaira (Team Roberts). Jake Paige (Team Hammer) rounded out the podium another tenth back, with Sam Drane (Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing) finishing fourth — all four riders separated by barely half a second after eight laps around the 3.426-mile circuit.

Rossi Garcia (Rossi Motorsports) led the second group home in fifth, while Reese Frankenfield (Phison/Pascari-Rocksolid Racing) and Derek Sanchez King (Real Steel Honda) battled closely behind. Sawyer Lafayette was disqualified from the results after initially crossing the line in the group.

Paige set the fastest lap of the race — a 2:26.213 — highlighting the pace at the front.

Race 2

Matsudaira flipped the script in Race 2, taking the victory by 0.236 seconds over Gouker to even the weekend score. Drane moved up to third, just 0.423 seconds off the win, while Paige slotted into fourth.

Garcia was again the best of the rest in fifth, with Frankenfield and Nathan Bettencourt (Bettencourt Racing) completing the top seven. Derek Sanchez King received a two-second track limits penalty that dropped him to eighth.

Drane posted the fastest lap in Race 2 with a 2:26.470.

Championship Standings

After the opening round, Matsudaira and Gouker are locked in a dead heat at the top of the standings with 45 points apiece. Drane and Paige are tied for third on 29 points, with Garcia rounding out the top five on 22.