When you look at the current MotoAmerica Superbike Championship and indeed the paddock as a whole, there’s almost no current rider on the grid who has been there as long as Bobby Fong.

The NorCal resident has been a fixture of the professional American road racing scene since 2006 as a stocky young teenager, and in that time has missed only “about two and a half seasons,” according to the man himself, be it through injury or not securing a ride.

A brand-new father to daughter Ella Emilia with wife Sydney Fong, there’s a relaxed demeanor to Fong these days. The Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha Racing team leader has put the disappointment of losing the championship in New Jersey, 2025, firmly in the rear-view mirror, instead preferring to remember what was to this point in his career his best MotoAmerica Superbike season to date with third overall, 34 points behind winner Cameron Beaubier.  

This new mentality of focusing on the present has gifted Fong a clarity of thought that perhaps was missing in his earlier years, one that clouded some of his better judgement when the dreaded racer’s red mist would force a small mistake that could ultimately become a big one.

“I’m just stoked to be here,” Fong said with his trademark grin at the Ridge on Friday. “It’s harder for me this year as there’s some more guys to contend with and I’m dealing with a little injury, but the season isn’t even halfway done so I’m not even thinking about the championship just yet—there’s still a long way to go.”

At 34, Fong is one of the elder statemen in the Superbike category and has grafted harder than most to get there. Having made his professional debut in 2006 and ridden for a myriad of teams in the now defunct Superstock 600 and 1000 championships, as well as Supersport and Superbike, the Attack Performance Progressive Yamaha ride is Fong’s first in what amounts to an official factory team.

The season started well with a win in race two at Road Atlanta, but that’s as good as it’s gotten so far. A pair of third place podiums at Road America has helped steady the ship, and coming into the Ridge’s round four, Fong lies fourth, 26 points off new series leader, Sean Dylan Kelly, on the OrangeCat Racing BMW.

“SDK (Sean Dylan Kelly) is the young guy in our series and that BMW of his is fast,” Fong admits. “But I’m lucky in that I’ve worked my way into one of the best teams in the paddock, so I have all the tools I need at my disposal. But that’s not enough anymore. There are lots of really good riders on teams that know how to get the best out of their bikes. The BMWs and Ducatis are extremely fast, but my team is experienced in winning championships, so now we just have to put it together.”

The Ridge hasn’t been the happiest of hunting grounds for Fong and the factory Yamaha but the next round at Laguna Seca certainly has been. Fong’s home race, Laguna Seca is the track Fong started his five round winning streak in 2025 that set him up for a real title assault, and the number 50 will be looking for more of the same against the hordes of fast European bikes as well as Mathew Scholtz on the Strack Racing Yamaha.

“I wanna do good at every round, but Laguna Seca really launched my season last year,” Fong admits. “I need to be better with some of the rounds that I messed up last year. The Ridge was one of those places, so the plan is to get as many points as possible here and really start clawing back that ground in the championship. Hey, I’m a dad now, so I gotta make some more money for my kid!”