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Bobby Fong, who captured the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike crown after a dramatic season finale, will join OrangeCat Racing for 2027 — and race alongside Sean Dylan Kelly on the team’s BMWs. The contract for Fong runs through 2028, creating a two-rider lineup that reshapes OrangeCat’s roster for the next two seasons.
How the championship was won
Fong wrapped up his first premier-class title at New Jersey Motorsports Park, overturning a 26-point deficit to overtake Kelly in the closing round. Across the season he collected six victories, including consecutive wins at NJMP, and finished the treacherous wet Race 3 with a controlled fourth place.
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The finale turned decisive when Kelly, who had been chasing the lead, slid off on lap four. That incident left Fong on top of the standings by 316 points to Kelly’s 305. Fong’s 2026 campaign came on the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha R1, the bike that delivered his breakthrough season.
OrangeCat strengthens its front
OrangeCat Racing announced it has signed Fong to ride an alpha Racing‑prepared BMW M 1000 RR alongside Kelly. The arrangement runs through the end of 2028 and moves Fong off the Yamaha that carried him to the title.
The pairing follows a solid debut year for OrangeCat as the first official BMW team in the MotoAmerica Superbike class. Kelly finished the season second overall with three wins and 13 podiums. Adding the reigning champion gives the team what Jeff Connors, OrangeCat’s team principal, calls a duo that will accelerate development.
“Signing Bobby Fong for 2027 and 2028 is a big moment for OrangeCat Racing,” Connors said. “Alongside SDK, we believe we have a pairing that will drive the development of our superbike. Two riders who push each other, learn from each other, and share the same goal will only make this team stronger.”
Riders’ reactions and what changes for 2027
Fong and Kelly already have shared a paddock before: both were Supersport teammates in 2019. Kelly welcomed the reunion on Superbikes, saying, “I know Bobby really well and I’m excited to be teaming up with him on Superbikes now. I know we are going to work hard to put both BMWs up front!”
For Fong, the move means defending the #1 plate on new machinery. He acknowledged the adjustment ahead while expressing confidence in OrangeCat’s program.
“I’m incredibly excited to get on the alpha Racing prepared BMW M 1000 RR and get to work,” Fong said. “OrangeCat Racing has built an outstanding program, and I’m looking forward to being part of the team as we work together to defend my #1 plate.”
Context within recent MotoAmerica history
Fong’s title marked the fifth Superbike championship for Attack Performance, which previously claimed the series from 2020 through 2023. Yamaha also secured the 2026 Manufacturer of the Year award.
With Fong switching to BMW machinery and pairing with Kelly, OrangeCat enters 2027 with increased expectations. The team will look to convert that momentum into consistent front-running results as both riders adapt to the BMW M 1000 RR.
