Sean Dylan Kelly
American motorcycle racer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sean Dylan Kelly (born May 17, 2002) is an American motorcycle racer racing for OrangeCat Racing in the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship. He previously competed in MotoAmerica Superbike and Supersport with the M4 Ecstar Suzuki and TopPro Racing teams, winning the Supersport championship in 2021. Kelly also had a two-year stint racing in Moto2, contesting 34 races.
| Sean Dylan Kelly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | May 17, 2002 Hollywood, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current team | OrangeCat Racing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bike number | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Career
Supersport
In 2019, Kelly made his AMA Supersport debut aboard a Suzuki GSX-R600 with M4 Ecstar. He recorded two victories in his first season, both at the Pittsburgh International Race Complex. With five additional podium finishes, Kelly finished the season in fourth place.
For the 2020 season, Kelly built on his success with five race wins, 11 more podium finishes, and three pole positions. After a DNF in the first round, Kelly went on a 13-race run of podium finishes and won the final two races at Laguna Seca. He finished the season second in the championship, behind Richie Escalante.
Continuing his upward climb in Supersport, Kelly dominated the 2021 Championship. He finished every race, taking 12 victories, every pole position, and only failing to make the podium once. His second-place finish in Race 2 at New Jersey sealed the championship one round before the end of the season.[1][2]
Moto2 World Championship
2019-2023
In 2019, Kelly made his Grand Prix motorcycle racing debut in the Moto2 category; he entered the Valencian Community Grand Prix replacing Spanish racer Iker Lecuona in American Racing KTM.[3] He qualified in 27th position and in the race he dropped out with two laps remaining.
On September 18, 2021, Kelly signed a two-year contract with American Racing to contest the 2022 Moto2 championship.[4] He was joined on the American Racing Team by then five-time AMA Superbike champion, Cameron Beaubier.[5][6] In 20 starts on a Kalex, he failed to reach a podium and ended the season with 5.5 points.[7]
Hindered by an arm injury, the 2023 season was less successful.[8] Kelly left ART mid-season, ultimately riding for Forward Racing.[9] In 14 starts, Kelly was only able to score a single point.[7]
Superbike
2024
Kelly returned to the MotoAmerica series for the 2024 season, this time in the Superbike championship on a TopPro Racing BMW M1000RR.[10] He finished fourth in the standings with a win at Circuit of the Americas and seven podium finishes.[11]
2025
Kelly rejoined the Team Hammer M4 Ecstar team for the 2025 Superbike season, astride a Suzuki GSX-R1000.[12] While frequently competitive, he couldn't match the success of the prior season. He finished on the podium only three times, all second place finishes. Kelly ended the season in 5th place in the championship, but in front of his teammate, Richie Escalante.[2]
2026
On 9 December 2025, OrangeCat Racing announced that Kelly would join them in the team's inaugural Superbike season alongside teammate Jayson Uribe, moving up from Stock 1000. The team will field two BMW M1000RRs as they take over the position as the American flagship Superbike team for BMW, vacated after the folding of title-winners Tytler's Cycle Racing.[13] Kelly's crew chief will be Dave Weaver, who guided the Tytler's team from its inception to the 2025 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship with Kelly's former Moto2 teammate, Cameron Beaubier.
Career statistics
Career highlights
- 2020: 1st, MotoAmerica Supersport championship
Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Pos | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | JER1 18 |
JER2 16 |
ASS1 Ret |
ASS2 15 |
SAC1 18 |
SAC2 14 |
RBR1 20 |
RBR2 17 |
BRN1 13 |
BRN2 19 |
MIS 17 |
ARA1 16 |
ARA2 16 |
22nd | 6 |
| 2017 | JER1 7 |
JER2 Ret |
ASS1 Ret |
ASS2 17 |
SAC1 21 |
SAC2 20 |
BRN1 17 |
BRN2 8 |
RBR1 21 |
RBR2 13 |
MIS 7 |
ARA1 12 |
ARA2 9 |
17th | 40 |
| 2018 | JER1 8 |
JER2 7 |
ITA 11 |
ASS 6 |
ASS Ret |
GER1 Ret |
GER2 8 |
AUT 10 |
AUT 11 |
MIS Ret |
ARA 9 |
ARA 9 |
10th | 65 |
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
By season
By class
| Class | Seasons | 1st GP | 1st Pod | 1st Win | Race | Win | Podiums | Pole | FLap | Pts | WChmp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moto2 | 2019, 2022–present | 2019 Valencia | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 | 0 | ||
| Total | 2019–present | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 | 0 | |||
Races by year
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Class | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pos | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Moto2 | KTM | QAT | ARG | AME | SPA | FRA | ITA | CAT | NED | GER | CZE | AUT | GBR | RSM | ARA | THA | JPN | AUS | MAL | VAL Ret |
NC | 0 | |
| 2022 | Moto2 | Kalex | QAT 25 |
INA Ret |
ARG Ret |
AME 17 |
POR 13 |
SPA 22 |
FRA 20 |
ITA 23 |
CAT 21 |
GER 17 |
NED 19 |
GBR 22 |
AUT Ret |
RSM Ret |
ARA 21 |
JPN 19 |
THA 11‡ |
AUS 18 |
MAL 18 |
VAL 18 |
29th | 5.5 |
| 2023 | Moto2 | Kalex | POR 20 |
ARG Ret |
AME 18 |
SPA Ret |
FRA 16 |
ITA 19 |
GER 17 |
NED Ret |
GBR |
AUT |
CAT |
29th* | 1* | |||||||||
| Forward | RSM 20 |
IND 15 |
JPN 23 |
INA |
AUS |
THA |
MAL 19 |
QAT Ret |
VAL |
‡ Half points awarded as less than two thirds of the race distance (but at least three full laps) was completed.
MotoAmerica Supersport Championship
Races by year
| Year | Class | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Pos | Pts | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | |||||
| 2020 | Supersport | Suzuki | RAM Ret |
RAM 2 |
RAM 2 |
RAM 2 |
ATL 1 |
ATL 2 |
PIT 2 |
PIT 2 |
TRD 2 |
TRD 1 |
NJR 3 |
NJR 1 |
ALA 2 |
ALA 2 |
BRI 16 |
BRI 2 |
LGS 1 |
LGS 1 |
2nd | 341 |
| 2021 | Supersport | Suzuki | ATL 1 |
ATL 1 |
VIR 1 |
VIR 2 |
RAM 6 |
RAM 2 |
RID 1 |
RID 1 |
MON 1 |
MON 1 |
BRA 1 |
BRA 1 |
PIT 2 |
PIT 1 |
NJR 1 |
NJR 2 |
ALA 1 |
ALA 2 |
1st | 410 |
MotoAmerica SuperBike Championship
Results
| Year | Class | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Pos | Pts | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | |||||
| 2024 | SuperBike | BMW | ATL 4 |
ATL 5 |
ALA 4 |
ALA 2 |
ALA 3 |
RAM Ret |
RAM 6 |
BRA 4 |
BRA Ret |
RID 17 |
RID 5 |
MON 4 |
MON 3 |
OHI 5 |
OHI 2 |
TEX Ret |
TEX 1 |
TEX 3 |
NJR 7 |
NJR 2 |
4th | 237 | |
| 2025 | SuperBike | Suzuki | ALA 4 |
ALA 4 |
ATL 4 |
ATL 4 |
RAM Ret |
RAM 14 |
RID 6 |
RID 16 |
MON Ret |
MON 4 |
MON Ret |
VIR 4 |
VIR 2 |
OHI |
OHI |
TEX |
TEX |
NJE |
NJE |
6th* | 110* | ||
