Former MotoAmerica Mini Cup rider Chris Clark raced in the final round of the FIM Yamaha R3 BLU CRU World Cup Championship at the Circuito do Estoril in Portugal this past weekend, and he finished fifth in the Championship standings. Clark, who became the first American rider to win a race in R3 BLU CRU World Cup competition with his victory in the opening round of the 2025 season at Portimão in Portugal, notched two more podium finishes during the season.
In addition to his success in the R3 BLU CRU World Cup, the 18-year-old from Fairfax, Virginia, was invited to the Yamaha Mastercamp in Spain where he got to ride with some of the biggest names in the sport. He impressing a lot of people as he turned his hand to off-road disciplines such as flat track for the first time and even riding personal watercraft.
Commenting on his weekend in Estoril, Clark said, “Race one didn’t go to plan. I was given two long-lap penalties after an incident in qualifying, which left me with a lot to do. I did my best to manage it, but I ended up losing the group, and it was too hard to catch them. My full focus was on trying to win the final race of the year and, after starting 18th, I fought hard and put myself in a position to win. I was in the front group, and I had a real chance for the podium. Unfortunately, I made contact with another rider, and we both went down. Nobody can say I didn’t go down without a fight and that is important. I gave it my all. I want to thank my Smrz Racing BGR guys for all their hard work this year, all my sponsors, my family, my manager, and everyone involved with the Yamaha BLU CRU series. I can’t wait to announce my 2026 plans!”
An announcement regarding Clark’s future in racing will be made in the coming weeks.
