Seventeen-year-old MotoAmerica Supersport rider Kayla Yaakov will race the Barni Spark Team’s Ducati Panigale V2 as a wildcard entry in CIV Supersport at Mugello on August 30 through September 1.
Originally initiated by Paolo Ciabatti, General Manager of Ducati Corse Off-Road and one of Kayla’s earliest and staunchest supporters from when he was the Sporting Director of Ducati Corse, the opportunity came to fruition through the collaboration established between the Barni Spark Racing Team and Rahal Ducati Moto this past March during the Daytona 200.
Yaakov, who has been turning heads with her performance on the Rahal Ducati Moto Panigale V2 in MotoAmerica, is set to make her debut in Italy. The Barni Spark Racing Team will field the “Gettysburg Go-Getter” in the Italian Speed Championship’s Supersport category. Having already impressed at the Daytona 200 and with two podium finishes at Ridge Motorsports Park, Yaakov is ready for her next challenge.
The Barni Spark Racing Team, recognizing Yaakov’s potential, accepted the challenge. They first got to know Yaakov during the Daytona 200, where a technician from the Bergamo team assisted Rahal Ducati Moto at the event. The agreement was finalized during the Superbike round in Misano this past June, with the support of the FMI (Italian Motorcycle Federation) and tire supplier Dunlop, making the wildcard entry official. Thanks to the backing from Barni Spark Racing Team’s sponsors and suppliers, who embraced this initiative, the team will field four bikes at the fifth round of the CIV at Mugello on August 30 through September 1: two in Superbike and two in Supersport. Notably, this marks the first time a female rider will compete for the Barni Spark Racing Team.
“I’m extremely excited to join the Barni Spark Racing Team for a wildcard at Mugello,” Yaakov said. “This team has proven to be one of the best in the world with Ducati, and the CIV is a very competitive championship, so I can’t wait to take on this challenge. Racing in MotoAmerica has taught me a lot about the Ducati V2, so I am already familiar with the bike, even though I have never ridden one prepared by Barni. I can’t wait to get started. Thank you to everyone who made this opportunity possible for me. See you soon in Italy.”
Marco Barnabò, team owner of Barni Spark Racing commented, “Our collaborations with other Ducati teams in various championships around the world are opening up unexpected opportunities. The chance to have Kayla Yaakov race in the CIV came about by chance, but following her progress, we saw that she has great potential. Despite her young age, she has outperformed many good riders in the American championship and has managed to reach the podium. That’s why we decided to take on the challenge proposed by Paolo Ciabatti and give her a wildcard. The project of having a female rider has garnered great interest among our sponsors and partners, and we are happy to offer them international visibility.”
