From the podium to the ‘struggle bus’: The Karns / TST Industries team’s lesson in resilience in MotoAmerica, brought to you by NG Brakes

In top-level competition, there are no easy weekends; there are only teams that throw in the towel and those that choose to fight for every inch of tarmac. Karns / TST Industries, the team sponsored by NG Brakes in the 2026 MotoAmerica Twins Cup, has completed an intense double-header that perfectly encapsulates the greatness of this sport: moving from the absolute euphoria of the podium to sheer resilience in the face of adversity.

Barber: The ‘high’ weekend and the first podiums

The third round at Barber Motorsports Park (Alabama) was a resounding success for the team dubbed in the paddock as the “Little Team That Could”. The power and consistency of NG Brakes’ braking components were vital in enabling the riders to devour the corners of the demanding circuit:

• Isaac Woodworth (#27): He had a breakthrough weekend. After qualifying on the front row (P3), he recovered from a poor start in the first race (P4) to unleash his potential in Race 2 and secure his first podium in the category with a spectacular second place.
• Kevin Olmedo (#116): He proved his pace was still on point after a long break due to illness. Riding comfortably in the 1:29s, he secured a brilliant third place in Race 1. In the second race, despite two red flags disrupting the flow, he battled at the front until a crash brought his race to an end.
• Solly Mervis (#25): He improved his lap times in every session at the controls of the Suzuki GSX-8R, stringing together his best-ever results with an 8th and a 7th place.

Road America: Surviving the “struggle bus”

While Barber was an idyllic setting, the blisteringly fast track at Road America (Wisconsin) forced the team to roll up their sleeves in the face of the gruelling races. As Team Principal Jason Karns put it so well:

‘Sometimes you have weekends where everything goes smoothly, and other times you have to board the “struggle bus”.’

Bad luck struck early: an unexpected engine failure during Woodworth’s qualifying session forced the mechanics into a race against time to rebuild the bike in the early hours of the morning. For his part, Olmedo suffered two heavy crashes between free practice and qualifying.

The response from the NG Brakes-backed team? Pure grit. With the blind confidence that the bike would stop exactly where they wanted it to, the comebacks followed:

• Woodworth dug deep to gift the team another podium (P3) in Race 2.
• Olmedo drew on his experience to secure two solid 6th-place finishes, salvaging valuable points.
• Mervis battled in the middle of the pack in both races to finish on a high note before the summer break.

With the championship now at the halfway stage, Woodworth (4th), Olmedo (6th) and rookie Mervis (12th) are keeping the team in a strong position in the overall standings. At NG Brakes, we are proud to supply the technology that allows these warriors to push their braking to the limit in complete safety; whether celebrating a trophy or rebuilding a bike against the clock, NG Brakes have proven themselves ready for any battle. Next stop: Mid-Ohio!