Estenson Racing Expands MotoAmerica Effort, Sam Drane Adds Twins Cup for 2026

Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing is expanding its MotoAmerica road racing program for 2026, fielding entries in both the Talent Cup and Twins Cup with rising star Sam Drane.

Estenson Racing, now in its second year as one of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.'s official MotoAmerica teams, has built a championship pedigree across multiple disciplines since its beginnings in American Flat Track in 2018. The team earned four AFT Singles titles and capped the 2025 season with Dallas Daniels bringing home the Grand National Championship aboard the Yamaha MT-07, alongside Sam's older brother Tom Drane earning his first AFT Singles Championship on the Yamaha YZ450F.

That winning culture translated to road racing last year when Estenson entered the inaugural MotoAmerica Talent Cup. Drane, an Australian with early road racing success back home, quickly established himself as a title contender, earning his first win at Road America and finishing third overall with nine podiums.

Now, with a full season of stateside road racing under his belt, Drane will chase the Talent Cup crown while simultaneously stepping up to the Twins Cup aboard the Yamaha YZF-R7.

"It is going to be a great year," Drane said. "I'm really looking forward to stepping up into the Twins Cup, and the upcoming 2026 season as a whole. It is going to be a big learning curve, but I am excited to give it my best shot. I would really like to thank Estenson Racing and Yamaha for their continued support, and I'm happy to take the next step in my career with them."

Tommy Hayden, the Yamaha BLU CRU Estenson Racing Team Manager, acknowledged the tight timeline but expressed confidence in the effort.

"We are really looking forward to growing our road racing program in MotoAmerica in 2026 and having Sam move up to the Twins Cup class on the new R7," Hayden said. "Everything came together pretty quickly, but I'm confident in our guys and know the team will do whatever it takes to be ready for Daytona."

Jeff Sidlovsky, Yamaha Racing Assistant Department Manager, praised the team's trajectory across disciplines.

"Estenson Racing has a proven track record of success with Yamaha across multiple disciplines, and it's been exciting to see that championship pedigree translate to MotoAmerica," Sidlovsky said. "The MotoAmerica Talent Cup plays an important role in developing young riders, and Sam has shown strong potential in his first season. Expanding into the Twins Cup is a natural next step."

Drane will make his Twins Cup debut at Daytona International Speedway on March 5-7.