• The Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP will be campaigned in three classes with Real Steel leading Honda’s U.S. Road Racing effort.
• Built by passion and drive, Real Steel Motorsports returns to the MotoAmerica paddock for 2025 as Real Steel Honda Racing with factory support from American Honda and HRC under a multi-year deal.
Real Steel Honda is proud to announce their riders who are competing in Superbike, Stock 1000, and the Parts Unlimited Talent Cup By Motul Championship this year, in partnership with American Honda Factory Racing. Hayden Gillim will make his debut in the Superbike class, JD Beach is stepping in to help the team reclaim the title in Stock 1000, and 14-year-old Ian Fraley is starting his pro career in Talent Cup.
Hayden, joined by JD Beach, will both compete on the 2025 CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP, and they plan to shake up the competition in both classes. Early-season testing has been extremely positive for Gillim on the Superbike
and for Beach as he returns to championship form on the new Honda.
The team is also excited to welcome Ian Fraley to the team. The teenager from Mansfield, Ohio, is the youngest rider in the Talent Cup field. With the help of his crew chief Taylor Knapp, Fraley will be using this inaugural Talent Cup season to develop his skills for a focused attack on the championship in the coming years.
“First and foremost, I just want to say how grateful I am to have American Honda coming back into the series, after a long hiatus,” Gillim said. “A lot of my heroes growing up were factory Honda riders and, now, to say that I will be a part of that family is unbelievable. Obviously, our program is expanding since last year. JD is going to be tough to beat in Stock 1000. We have a young kid, Ian Fraley, in The Talent Cup that we are looking forward to helping groom into a future star. This is going to be a big learning year for all of us. I’m ready and proud to step up and fly the Honda Wing in Superbike.”
JD Beach commented, “I’m extremely grateful for this chance to race in Stock 1000 and in Superbike Cup. I started my pro career on Hondas, and it’s really cool to be back on that brand. For me, this deal came together very organically and nothing was forced. On a personal level, I’m very happy and proud to see what Hayden has done with this team. I’m happy he has the faith in me to carry the flag in the Stock 1000 class.”
Ian Fraley added, “I am so excited to be chosen to represent the team in Talent Cup. I will be drawing from all the experience that the team offers – there are so many guys in the team to learn from. Thank you to everyone who has gotten me this far and to Real Steel Honda for this opportunity.”
Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing and Advertising at American Honda said, “Honda has a proud heritage in U.S. Road Racing, so it’s exciting to be stepping up our representation in MotoAmerica for 2025. Real Steel Honda Racing is a championship-winning team headed by great people, and it features some incredibly talented riders. We’re looking forward to them showing what the CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP is capable of, while also helping the future of our sport in the Talent Cup class.”
Real Steel Honda will receive valuable support from Southern Honda Powersports, Progressive Insurance, Pro Honda Oils, Steel Commander, Idemitsu, K-Tech Suspension, Akrapovic Exhaust Systems, Vesrah, CRC Body
Work, Vortex, and Evol Technology.
