McAMS Yamaha

McAMS Yamaha is the latest title for the Raceways Motorcycles team which has competed at various levels of motorcycle racing, both internationally and nationally, over the last 30 years.

Raceways racing pedigree includes victories across the board, from the British 125cc championship to British Supersport and most lately the British Superbike class, where in 2021 they notched up their 50th BSB podium and first BSB title victory in just five years in the championship. 

The team is owned by Steve Rodgers, who has been involved in racing for over three decades. It all began in 1989 when a 19 year old Rodgers, working at a motorcycle shop at the time, teamed up with good mate Jonny to go racing at club level, with Rodgers on the spanners and Jonny on the bike. They had some success, moving up to the British Championship in 1991. 

1991 was also the year that Rodgers launched Raceways Motorcycles of Fleetwood. In the early 90s, the newly-named Raceways Motorcycles effort competed with Kev Mawdsley in the 125cc British Championship and also made a wildcard appearance in the British Grand Prix. After a few years out, the team moved up to 600 machinery with Phil Borley – who now works with local rivals PBM – in the British Supersport championship. 

Raceways would later become a Premier Yamaha dealer, so moved to Yamaha machinery – then known as Raceways Yamaha and achieved numerous wins in British Supersport with names such as Hudson Kennaugh, Billy McConnell and James Westmoreland – finishing runner up in the Supersport championship no less than four times.  

The latest version of the team spawned from a project with the late musical megastar Keith Flint, who joined forces with Raceways at the start of 2016 British Supersport and International Road Racing season.

That year the team won races in British Supersport and at the legendary Isle of Man TT with Ian Hutchinson, before making a hugely anticipated step up to the British Superbike category in 2017 with new title sponsor, accident management firm McAMS and thus McAMS Yamaha was born.

The team have since achieved victories with James Ellison, Josh Brookes, Tarran Mackenzie and Jason O’Halloran with a best championship result of second with Jason O’Halloran in 2020. 

The Fleetwood-based squad had their strongest campaign in the championship to date last year onboard the new-for-2020 YZF-R1. Mackenzie secured the title victory at the season finale, whilst O’Halloran claimed third place in the final standings and the line up remains unchanged for 2022 as the team continued with title sponsorship for the sixth consecutive year from McAMS, a 24/7 Motorcycle Accident Management Service, who have featured in the paddock since 2014.

Raceways Motorcycles, the team behind McAMS Yamaha is based at his Fleetwood Yamaha dealership – Raceways Motorcycles but will retire from racing at the end of the 2023 season.