Crash course: How I went endurance racing on a Grom

If you’ve never tried road racing before, competition events for Honda Groms, Kawasaki Z125s, modified pit bikes, and other micro machines could be the best place to start. I was invited to compete in the “Grom Prix'' at Barber Small Bore as part of Honda’s launch of the latest Grom. I’ve been on other tracks for training days, I’ve entered competitive dirt events, and even tried a little flat tracking, but prior to this event, I have never participated in any kind of competition on a roadracing course. There was no way I’d turn down the opportunity, and besides, I promised Editor Lance that I’d come back from Alabama with a good story… So Greaser got ready for some mini road racin’.

A recent bit of motorcycle news had me thinking about this event’s story potential, too. MotoAmerica just announced a “Street GP” class for Groms within its Mini Cup series, supported by Honda.

“The Mini Cup provides an opportunity for owners of Groms and other Honda models to use their bikes in alternative ways,” explained Brandon Wilson, Manager of Racing & Advertising at American Honda. “This new, grassroots-focused format makes for an easy, affordable, realistic way to go road racing.”

Grassroots moto events are right up my alley. The Street GP class is for ages 12 and up, unlike other Mini Cup classes that are age-capped for youth only. While the Grom Prix wouldn’t be quite the same as the upcoming Street GP series, this event seemed like the perfect introduction to mini racing and a reasonably close taste of what the new class might be like for anyone considering gen-yoo-wine MotoAmerica racing on a budget. With that in mind, I’d like to use this story to share how I went from zero experience to racing Groms on the track with a team. And why I’d like to do this again.

Step 1: Get the gear

Before I could even start packing, I needed a race suit. I’m not trying to start a new career here, so the finest Italian leathers would have been overkill for mini racing and occasional track days. I ended up with a Sedici Corsa race suit and an Alpinestars Nucleon KR-1 Cell back protector after getting properly sized at a local Cycle Gear. New race suits require a little break-in, so I tried to wear mine as much as I could before the event. In the hands and feet department, I already had Dainese sport gauntlets and boots in my gear closet. Finally, my trusty AGV K6 was carefully jammed into my gear bag along with some compression layers and extra socks. Always pack extra socks!

Step 2: Get the race details

Before any racing started, Honda’s organizers went over all the need-to-knows for the Grom Prix. The race would take place at Barber’s kart track with a fancy digital flag system controlled by the experts at Sportbike Track Time. Each bike was fitted with a transponder for lap tracking, and lap results were available instantly on an app called Speedhive.

Five teams of three would try to turn as many laps as possible within the three-hour time limit. Le Mans start? Hell yeah. Teams would be disqualified if any rider completed less than 45 minutes of racing, although there were no limitations to the number of pit stops or rider swaps during the event. Also, at least one fuel stop was required at some point during the competition. Track safety guidelines, pit protocol, and some general strategy tips were shared with the groups before a pre-race practice session.

Step 3: Get to know the race bikes

Honda sent five 2025 Groms to the aftermarket mini specialists at MNNTHBX for race prep with a proven mix of go-fast parts. Here’s the full breakdown of bolt-on parts that turned cheeky Groms into little track weapons.

Wanna go fast on a Grom? You need more lean angle, which is limited on stock bikes by the footpegs and, in right turns, by the exhaust. Woodcraft rearsets bring the pegs up and back for better cornering clearance. The experts at MNNTHBX say this should be one of the first mods to any tracked Grom. A Yoshimura Race Series RS9T full system exhaust looked the business, sounded nice, and neatly solved the scraping problem.

The suspension was upgraded with an Öhlins FDK112 drop-in cartridge kit for the stock Grom fork, which makes a world of difference in front-end handling and tuning, and an Öhlins HO 047 Mini S36 rear shock matches it at the rear.

MNNTHBX’s triple clamp is beautifully machined and made in the USA and comes with clip-ons from Driven Racing that bring the rider’s upper body lower and further forward, which is essential for better handling on a Grom. Stickier tires are just as important as the rearsets for the track. Kenda’s KD1 Kwicks are a popular choice in the mini racing world and cost just $150 for a pair.

During my first practice laps, I immediately noticed that these modified Groms were unlike any I had tried before. All the new parts worked together to make the bike sharper and more precise than factory. In fact, the modified Groms were so far from the factory machines that I did not include my time on them in my first ride review of the new model.

Although I’m not usually one to name vehicles, I dubbed our race bike John Henry after the famous “steel-drivin’ man” whose legend originated in nearby Leeds, Alabama. Groms are tough and tenacious, and that was exactly the kind of spirit I’d need to complete this event. For my money, Johnny Cash’s rendition of the song is the definitive version.

Step 4: Get to know the team

The pool of riders for this event was divided up using slips of paper pulled from a big foam cowboy hat, because Alabama. I couldn’t have been luckier: I ended up on a team with brothers and experienced mini racers Zack and Chad Millholland. They came to Barber with MNNTHBX, bringing lifelong experience with all kinds of motorcycle racing. In motorsport speak, I think these guys were what they call “ringers.” However, they were stuck with rookie me and the team name I submitted while they weren’t around: Grom Hanks. (Other team names were Old Testament, The Sloppy Sprockets, The Beaver Nuggets, and The Grom Reapers. If those were band names, I would absolutely buy a ticket for that show.)

Chad and Zack weren’t just accomplished riders. They were genuinely kind and hilarious guys, and it wasn’t long before I met their family. I think their father Danny and I became friends the second we started talking ZRXes. Zack has 25 years of powersports industry experience, from dealerships to pro drag racing. Eventually, he made his way onto the MNNTHBX staff, and he’s an avid racer. Chad also has a lifetime of riding under his belt that includes a career with Kawasaki’s drag racing team in the 600 Super Sport class. A career in machining and fabrication led him to the jet turbine industry, but he’s still deeply passionate about building and racing motorcycles. Chad, Zack, and their father have all passed 200 mph in their land speed racing efforts, so fast is certainly in their blood…

Later, Zack’s wife Bethany introduced herself and handed me a water bottle before I even knew I needed one, and their daughter Mikayla was ready to hold the pit board they’d brought. Did I mention that I lucked out with my team?

There’s something about motorsports that makes friends out of strangers faster than anything I know, and if you haven’t experienced that yet, well, you might be missing out.

Step 5: Get a plan

With the race starting soon, the Millhollands and I started planning. Our best chance of landing on the podium involved getting Zack and Chad out as much as possible, but we also had to make sure they both got some rest between sessions. We settled on three stints of 15 minutes for me to clear the minimum ride time requirement. Chad would ride three 20s, Zack would ride three 25s, and whoever felt best at the end would run the clock out if needed. I suggested going out first while the average pace would be slowest, but the brothers explained that other teams would probably send their fastest riders out early in an effort to take a commanding lead. More often than not, I find the best thing I can do is to stop talking and start listening…

Chad's wife April would time the race and keep track of our sessions on the track while Bethany kept track of the overall time left in the race. Their pit board gave us a massive advantage over the other teams because we could easily communicate with our rider on the track. Mikayla’s job was holding the pit board with the current session’s minute count in large numbers, watching for a nod of acknowledgement from me, Zack, or Chad. We also had a helmet pat signal for unplanned stops; we didn’t end up using this move, but it was a smart idea.

We then worked on pit strategies for rapid rider swaps. Last, we decided to wait as long as possible for our fuel stop to focus on turning laps. Less gas means less weight, so topping up early didn’t make sense. In an effort to earn my keep, I downloaded the Speedhive app and got set up to monitor live Grom Prix lap times. Then, there was nothing to it but to do it.

Step 6: Get racin'!

Chad took the first shift and sprinted to the Grom after the starting horn blew. As Bethany started the clock, the track was suddenly buzzing with tiny motorcycles and determined riders. I could see on Speedhive that his lap times were seriously competitive, and as the riders started to distribute across the track after bunching up into an initial clump, I saw Chad knock out lap after lap, consistently improving his time and making passes that looked effortless.

Zack and I watched for the best places to overtake, which included a pair of chicanes across the back stretch and a tight S-turn in front of pit lane. Before I knew it, 25 minutes was up, and it was my turn to jump into the fray.

Thanks to practice, I knew I’d spend most of my time bouncing between third gear for the tighter sections, and fourth through the double chicane and around a terrific banked turn in the back before clicking down again. Soon I found my favorite lines for carrying speed and doing my best to avoid getting passed by competitors. It wasn’t long before I was scraping knees, boots, and pegs in my first 15 minutes of endurance racing.

Almost all of my focus was on my line and body position, especially my continued effort to keep weight over the front wheel for stability, but I was also careful to listen for the sound of other riders up on my tail. Then I saw a big 10 and then a 15 on the whiteboard. I pulled into pit lane to find a very eager Zack, who ripped out onto the track and raced just as hard as his brother. It was an absolute pleasure to watch these brothers ride.

After chugging some water and removing my gloves and helmet, I got some recommendations on race lines from Chad, then checked my phone to see how we were doing. Good ol’ Team Grom Hanks was ranked second, and I was glad to see that my times weren’t terribly far behind my faster teammates. If we continued at this rate, we’d see trophies for sure.

My second session felt faster and more confident as I followed advice from the Millhollands. “Try to follow the second crack in the concrete around the bank… Grab fourth after that curve…” My lap times were more consistent, and I enjoyed a long stretch where no other riders were near me.

I touched a peg down too hard on the track’s tightest turn in the midst of some track traffic, but I managed to pull the bike upright and get going again without losing much time or ground. My lines, shifts, and body positioning were practically instinct by the end of the second 15 minutes, and I realized that I had learned more about riding Groms in half an hour than I would have learned in half a year on the street. Back to the pits for some cool water!

Chad and Zack took their turns back on the track, strafing turns and passing slower (or more tired) riders without mercy. There were also a few battles between the Millhollands and some of the faster riders, and the Grom Hanks pit crew watched and waited for them to meet at the track’s best passing zones. The tight S-turn by pit lane was one of their favorite spots to make a move, and that meant those of us not riding had front-row seats to some heated mini racing action.

Near the end of the final hour, I suited up to take my last 15-minute session on the track. Poor John Henry hadn’t stopped running flat-out for nearly three hours, not that the lil’ guy showed any signs of tuckering out. The tires still had plenty of life left, and the only evidence of our racing was a little brake fade at times. What a remarkable machine.

Every turn was instinct at this point. My lap times had dropped to within a couple seconds of my teammates, and I hit every line exactly the way I intended.  Practice, focus, and a lot of solid advice took me from greenhorn to becoming one with my Grom. I made passes, held my position, and finally the pit board called me home. And in that final lap, something went wrong.

Somewhere just before the banked turn, I tangled with another rider, and John Henry hit the deck while I landed hard in the turf. Nobody saw the incident and my memory is missing a few moments, so I can’t say for sure what went down out there besides this: One second, I was riding, and the next, I was on my back, looking up and wondering what happened. The other rider stayed upright and was not injured. My gear protected me, I was checked out at the local hospital and told that I’d be fine, and after a trip to Buc-ee’s for food and electrolytes, my competitors greeted me by the hotel pool with no small applause.

Unfortunately, Team Grom Hanks was disqualified because of my DNF. Race bike John Henry had only a bent lever, a rashed bar end, and a scuff on the tail to show for damage. I had no trophy for my trouble, but I had my friendship with the Millhollands and a new appreciation for mini endurance racing. Frankly, I felt like I had experienced an entire season of racing in a day, and I was hooked.

To add insult to injury, my faithful AGV K6 Secret had to be retired after taking a hit on my behalf. That helmet and I have been through five countries, three continents, and countless miles together. I’ll hang it on the wall in gratitude, and I’ll probably paint myself a replica sometime soon.

Step 7: Get back on the horse

As I said at the top of the article, mini endurance racing was the most fun I’ve had on a motorcycle in a long time. My time off the bike wasn’t the best, but I made some fine friends and got a worthy story for Common Tread out of the deal. All I can say is that mini racing is exhilarating, addicting, and affordable. I rode a parade lap around Barber’s main track on a Navi the next day, and although I’m still frustrated that I can’t know exactly what happened out there, I’m back riding my own bikes with no issue. RIP, AGV.

I’d recommend mini racing to anyone who’d consider giving it an honest try, and I look forward to watching Street GP races after my recent experience because I now have a connection that I’d never get any other way. But most of all, I’d like to express my appreciation to everyone who was in my corner during and after the Grom Prix: the Millhollands, the Honda staff, the folks from Sportbike Track Time, my competitors, and readers like you who make adventures like this possible. There are so many ways to experience good times on two wheels, and I’m here to try them all.