{{Short description|American motorcycle racer (born 1993)}} {{Distinguish|text=Elana Meyer (runner) or Elana Meyers (bobsledder)}} {{Use American English|date=September 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Elena Myers Court | birth_name = Elena Myers | image = Elena Myers after winning Race 1 Round 4 of 2010 AMA Pro Supersport Championship cropped.jpg | caption = Myers after a win at Sonoma Raceway in 2010 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1993|11|21}} | birth_place = Mountain View, California, U.S. | spouse = {{Marriage|Dean Court|January 2016}}<ref name=Swarts2016 /> | module = {{Infobox motorcycle rider|embed=yes | Current team = Team21Motorsport | Bike number = 21 | website = {{Citation |title= elenamyers.com |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20150521204753/http://elenamyers.com/ |url=http://www.elenamyers.com |archivedate= May 21, 2015 }} }} | footnotes = }} '''Elena Myers Court''' (born November 21, 1993<ref name=ElenaMyers.com>{{Citation |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615185714/http://elenamyers.com/aboutme.html |archivedate=2006-06-15 |chapter-url=http://www.elenamyers.com/aboutme.html |chapter=About Me |title=ElenaMyers.com |last=Myers |first=Elena |url-status=dead }}</ref>) is an American professional motorcycle racer. She made history in 2010 as the first female to win an AMA Pro Racing sprint road race.<ref name=Lieback2010>{{Citation |title=10th-Grade Myers: AMA Female History |first=Ron |last= Lieback |date=May 17, 2010 |magazine= Ultimate MotorCycling |accessdate=2010-05-18 |url= http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2010/elena-myers-10th-grade-female-ama-road-racing-history }}</ref><ref name=Abrams2010>{{citation |last=Abrams |title=Myers Makes History; Elena Myers becomes first female AMA road race winner |first=Henny Ray |date=May 15, 2010 |url=http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2010/05/15/myers-makes-history |magazine=CycleNews |accessdate=2010-05-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304043147/http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2010/05/15/myers-makes-history |archive-date=March 4, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=UltimateMC>{{citation |title= Elena Myers Talks AMA Infineon Results |magazine= Ultimate MotorCycling |date= May 15, 2010 |url= http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2010/elena-myers-talks-ama-infineon-win |accessdate= 2010-05-18 |archive-date= May 19, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100519112459/http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2010/elena-myers-talks-ama-infineon-win |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref name=Highfill2010/><ref name=Pashelka2010a/><ref name=Harley2010>{{citation |last= Harley |title= Myers Makes AMA History in Infineon SuperSport |first= Bryan |magazine= Motorcycle USA |date= May 15, 2010 |url= http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/748/6941/Motorcycle-Article/Myers-Makes-AMA-History-in-Infineon-SuperSport-.aspx |accessdate= 2010-05-18 |archive-date= May 26, 2010 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100526101237/http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/748/6941/Motorcycle-Article/Myers-Makes-AMA-History-in-Infineon-SuperSport-.aspx |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref name=Martin2010>{{citation |last= Martin |title= AMA SBK: All Hayes' Way; Josh Hayes walked away with this first Superbike victory of the season while Elena Myers claimed a historic win in the SuperSport class |first= Chris |date= May 15, 2010 |publisher= Speed.tv |url= http://moto-racing.speedtv.com/article/spoiler-warning-ama-sbk-results-infineon-raceway/P3 |page= 3 |accessdate= 2010-05-18 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> She is also the first woman to win a professional motorsports race of any kind at Daytona International Speedway, on March 17, 2012.<ref name="NSSN Staff">Staff, Myers First Woman To Win At Dayton, National Speed Sport News, retrieved 2012-04-12 [http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/motorcycle-racing/ama-roadracing/myers-first-woman-to-win-at-daytona]</ref><ref name="Rider Magazine">Staff, (March 19, 2012), Elena Myers is First Female to Win at Daytona, Rider Magazine, retrieved 2012-04-12 [http://www.ridermagazine.com/latest-news/elena-myers-is-first-female-to-win-at-daytona.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120725004756/http://www.ridermagazine.com/latest-news/elena-myers-is-first-female-to-win-at-daytona.htm |date=July 25, 2012 }}</ref><ref name="AMA Pro Road Racing">M4 Suzuki, (March 18, 2012), [http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=52299 Elena Myers Wins DAYTONA!] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120319224555/http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/news/index.cfm?cid=52299 |date=March 19, 2012 }}, AMA Pro Road Racing.</ref>
Myers is possibly the youngest female ever to enter the AMA racing circuit.<ref name=Dreier2010>{{citation |last= Dreier |title= Discovery Bay teen motorcycle racer gathering speed |first= Hannah |newspaper= Contra Costa Times |date= April 6, 2010 |accessdate=2010-05-18 |url = http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_14832766 }}</ref> In 2007, at age 13, she was under contract with Kawasaki Team Green<ref name=Linesburgh2007/><ref name=AMAprofile>{{citation |title=Riders: Elena Myers |publisher=American Motorcyclist Association |year=2009 |accessdate=2010-05-21 |url=http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/riders/rider_career.cfm?did=3897 |archive-date=September 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929075840/http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/riders/rider_career.cfm?did=3897 |url-status=dead }}</ref> three years before she was old enough to obtain a drivers license.<ref name=Linesburgh2007/> She rode a Suzuki GSX-R1000 in the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship.
Myers filed a lawsuit against Loews Hotels in February 2017, alleging she was sexually assaulted by a masseur in Philadelphia in October 2014.<ref name=Fiorillo2017>{{Citation |first= Victor |last=Fiorillo |date= February 17, 2017 |url= http://www.phillymag.com/news/2017/02/17/elena-myers-loews-hotel-sexual-assault/ |title= Racing Star Claims Sexual Assault at Philly Hotel Made Her Leave Sport |magazine=Philadelphia }}</ref><ref name=Swarts2017>{{Citation |date = February 18, 2017 |title= Elena Myers Charges Sexual Assault In Lawsuit Filed In Philadelphia Against Hotel, Spa And Masseuse |magazine= Roadracing World |publisher= Roadracing World Publishing |first= David |last= Swarts |url=http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/elena-myers-charges-sexual-assault-in-lawsuit-filed-in-philadelphia-against-hotel-and-masseuse-/ }}</ref>
==Amateur racing== Myers began riding motorcycles at age eight, with the help and encouragement of her parents.<ref name=RRW-bio>{{Citation |chapter-url=http://team.roadracingworld.com/elenamyers.html |accessdate=2010-05-18 |title=Team.RoadracingWorld.com |chapter=Elena Myers |publisher=Team Roadracing World |location=Lake Elsinore, California |year=2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528143621/http://team.roadracingworld.com/elenamyers.html |archive-date=2010-05-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She began with pocketbike racing<ref name=Earley2002>{{Citation |title=Low riders / Minimoto racers get big thrills out of tiny bikes |date=May 31, 2002| first= Charleen |last= Earley |access-date= 2010-05-18 |url= https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Low-riders-Minimoto-racers-get-big-thrills-out-2815971.php |newspaper=The San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref> before progressing to mini bikes and then to supermoto.<ref name=RacerGirl/> At age 11 (2006), Myers raced on John Ulrich's Team Roadracing World<ref name=Dreier2010/> in the United States Grand Prix Racers Union (USGPRU) National Series {{convert|125|cc|abbr=on}} class and won her first race,<ref name=RRW-bio/> riding a 1997 Honda RS125 GP.<ref name=RacerGirl/> She then gained sponsorship assistance from Kawasaki and Road RacingWorld.com's "Kids: Don't Smoke!" program.<ref name=RRW-bio/> She also had a sponsorship from Umbrella Girls USA, a modeling agency for paddock girls.<ref name=RacerGirl/>
In 2008, riding a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R, she won a Western-Eastern Roadracers' Association (WERA) national race and had several podium finishes.<ref name=RRW-bio/> When she was 11, John Ulrich promised to take Myers to Daytona International Speedway when she was 16, the minimum age to turn pro.<ref name="Dreier2010" /> As promised, she made her professional debut at Daytona on March 11, 2010.<ref name="Linesburgh2010">{{citation |newspaper= The Record (Stockton) |location=Stockton, California |publisher= San Joaquin Media Group |title = Teen to realize dream in professional debut; Elena Myers, 16, will make history as youngest female pro to race at storied Daytona track |first= Scott |last= Linesburgh |date=March 3, 2010 }}</ref>
==Professional career== Myers' first AMA Pro Racing victory came during Race 1, Round 4 of the 2010 season of the AMA Supersport Championship (AMA Supersport West series) at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, on May 15, 2010. On lap 10 of 18 scheduled laps, the race was called after being red flagged twice due to crashes, securing first place for Myers.<ref name=Lieback2010/><ref name=Abrams2010/> The race was not allowed to run its full distance because cleaning up the track and restarting would have put the day's program too far behind schedule.<ref name=Pashelka2010a/> Myers described the time between the first and second red flags by saying, "I got a good restart off the front row and made some moves. I felt like I was getting a little bit closer to the leader with about eight or nine laps to go. I came around the next lap and the red flag was shown again."<ref name=UltimateMC/> (The AMA Supersport West series is limited to riders ages 16–21 riding close to stock {{convert|600|cc|abbr=on}} displacement sport bikes).<ref name=Lieback2010/><ref name=supersport-caveat>Four cylinder motorcycles such as the Honda CBR600RR, Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R and Yamaha YZF-R6 are limited to {{convert|600|cc|abbr=on}} engine displacement, but larger displacements are permitted for V-twins such as the {{convert|849|cc|abbr=on}} Ducati 848 and {{convert|1124.9|cc|abbr=on}} Buell 1125R. See AMA Supersport Championship and {{citation |title=About: AMA Pro SuperSport |publisher=American Motorcyclist Association |url=http://amaproracing.com/rr/about/index.cfm?class=ss |year=2009 |accessdate=2010-05-20 |archive-date=May 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525215622/http://amaproracing.com/rr/about/index.cfm?class=ss |url-status=dead }}.</ref>
Elena Myers achieved her second professional career win at Daytona International Speedway in SuperSport Race 2, on March 17, 2012. She won the race by .240 seconds, coming in first among a group of four closely packed riders on the final lap.<ref name="AMA Pro Road Racing"/> After the race, Myers said, "It was a phenomenal race. I stayed up there and led a little bit, then stayed behind just to see how much I could be behind and still catch up. Everyone's bikes were really fast but mine was too.<ref name="AMA Pro Road Racing"/>
For 2014, Myers rode an Apex Manufacturing/Sportbike Tracktime/Castrol backed Triumph Daytona 675R in the AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike class.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}
Elena Myers does weightlifting and cardio training at the gym, and travels around the U.S. to races.<ref name=Dreier2010/>
Her father was her coach and mechanic in the early years, but now has a reduced role.<ref name=Dreier2010/> "I look forward to showing up and just watching from the stands," he said.<ref name=Dreier2010/> Currently, Myers gets advice from AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee Jimmy Filice,<ref name=Linesburgh2007/> and racer Chris Ulrich of Team RoadRacing World is a mentor.<ref name=Wilson2010a/> She has also been coached by former AMA racer Ken Hill<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lieback|first1=Ron|title=Elena Myers Talks AMA Infineon Results|url=https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2010/05/15/2010elena-myers-talks-ama-infineon-win/|website=UltimateMotorcycling.com|accessdate=October 14, 2016|date=May 15, 2010}}</ref> and received instruction from Jason Pridmore's STAR Motorcycle School.<ref name=RRW-bio/> Team owners are Richie Morris and John Ulrich.<ref name=Kelly2010b/>
[[File:Elena Myers AMA Pro Sportbike Road America 2013.jpg|thumb|left|Myers racing on her AMA Sportbike at Road America in 2013]] In 2010, she had several more sponsors, including Pirelli.<ref name=RRW-bio/> Myers' family realized that being female helped her get noticed.<ref name=Linesburgh2007/> Some of the advertisements created by her sponsors Kawasaki and Pirelli emphasize her youth and gender to draw attention.<ref name=Dreier2010/> Suzuki colored their home page pink in honor of her victory riding their GSX-R600 motorcycle.<ref name=UltimateMCb>{{Citation |title=Suzuki Goes Pink Over Elena Myers |magazine=UltimateMotorcycling.com |accessdate=2010-05-20 |date=May 20, 2010 |url=http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2010/suzuki-goes-pink-over-elena-myers |archive-date=May 23, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523045732/http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/2010/suzuki-goes-pink-over-elena-myers |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Myers, at {{convert|5|ft|3|in|m}} tall and weighing {{convert|116|lbs|abbr=on}}, is aware of the perception that women lack the upper body strength for 600-class motorcycles with minimum weights of {{convert|365|–|385|lbs|abbr=on}}, says that, "it's more of a mental game."<ref name=Dreier2010/> Virginia Meyers, Elena's grandmother, was worried about the risks but was reassured after seeing her ride.<ref name=Dreier2010/> She had crashed several times as of 2007, the worst injury up to then being a broken finger.<ref name=Linesburgh2007/> In a 2008 crash she was pinned under her bike, and suffered burns, a concussion, and a lacerated spleen.<ref name=Dreier2010/> Of that crash, she said, "I wanted to go out and train so much. They told me to wait six weeks, and I waited three."<ref name=Dreier2010/> On the morning of her victory at Infineon Raceway, she had taken shots of cortisone and Lidocaine for foot pain.<ref name=Pashelka2010a/> Her parents, aware of the risks, won't allow her to go too far, while still pursuing her goals, explains her mother, Anita Myers, "she's very well balanced and just trying to take advantage of the opportunities that she has."<ref name=Linesburgh2007/> [[File:Superbike 21 Elena Myers leaning Road America 2015.jpg|thumb|right|Myers racing her family team's MotoAmerica Superbike at Road America, 2015.]] Myers has stated that her long-term goals are to graduate to the AMA Daytona Sportbike Championship class, which would normally be the result of winning the AMA Pro SuperSport Championship.<ref name=Kelly2010b>{{citation |last= Kelly |title= Q&A with Elena Myers |first= Godwin |date= March 5, 2010 |newspaper= The Daytona Beach News-Journal |url= http://www.news-journalonline.com/racing/other/2010/03/05/qa-with-elena-myers.html |accessdate= 2010-05-18 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110613111240/http://www.news-journalonline.com/racing/other/2010/03/05/qa-with-elena-myers.html |archive-date=June 13, 2011 |url-status= dead }}</ref> In the longer term she has her sights on the premier motorcycling class, MotoGP.<ref name=Linesburgh2007/><ref name=Kelly2010b/> Kawasaki's senior media relations coordinator Jeff Herzog said in 2007, "I think she's the fastest female road racer in (the United States), and she hasn't had a chance to stretch her wings yet."<ref name=Linesburgh2007/>
==Personal life== Myers graduated from high school on February 11, 2011.<ref name="Elena Myers, Facebook">Elena Myers, Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/elenamyers21, "Today, I graduated from High School. Words cannot explain how EXCITED I am!!!!"]</ref> During high school, she was a {{linktext|straight A}} student.<ref name=Dreier2010/><ref name=Linesburgh2007/><ref name=Kelly2010b/> She took independent studies through California's Liberty High School District<ref name=Dreier2010/> at Independence High School in Brentwood, California.<ref name=Dreier2010/><ref name=Linesburgh2007>{{citation |last= Linesburgh |title=Teen motorcycle racer is the growing queen of speed; Discovery Bay girl, 13, a fast learner |first= Scott |date= August 17, 2007 |accessdate= 2010-05-18 |url= http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070817/A_SPORTS/708170331/-1/a_sports14 |newspaper= The Record (Stockton) }}</ref><ref name=Kelly2010b/> While still in school, Myers said that not going to a traditional high school meant that, "I miss out on dances and stuff, but who cares about that — I race motorcycles!"<ref name=Dreier2010/>
Myers lives in Discovery Bay, California,<ref name=Highfill2010>{{citation |last= Highfill |title= Daughter's feat is a tearjerker |first= Bob |date=May 18, 2010 |newspaper= The Record (Stockton) |url= http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100518/A_SPORTS0203/5180322 |accessdate= 2010-05-18 }}</ref><ref name=Pashelka2010a>{{citation |last= Pashelka |title=Elena Myers, 16, becomes first female to win in AMA Pro Racing' |first= Curtis |date=May 15, 2010 |newspaper=Silicon Valley Mercury-News |url= http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_15095988?nclick_check=1 |accessdate=2010-05-18 }}</ref><ref name=Linesburgh2007/><ref name=Wilson2010a>{{Citation |last= Wilson |title= Myers raising eyebrows with impressive day |first= Derek |newspaper= Vallejo Times Herald |date= May 15, 2010 |url= http://www.timesheraldonline.com/sports/ci_15092552 |accessdate= 2010-05-18 |archive-date= July 17, 2011 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110717061333/http://www.timesheraldonline.com/sports/ci_15092552 |url-status= dead }}</ref> and trains at the Stockton Motorplex,<ref name=Highfill2010/> where she first began on pocket bikes,<ref name=Linesburgh2007/> at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, which is managed by her father Matt,<ref name=RacerGirl/><ref name= Linesburgh2010/> a former amateur motorcycle racer<ref name=Dreier2010/> who ran the Stockton Mini Road Racing Club.<ref name=RacerGirl>{{Citation |url=http://www.motorcycle.com/shoot-outs/2005-open-supersport-shootout-14756.htm |title= Racer Girl: Elena Myers |accessdate= 2010-05-18 |magazine= Motorcycle.com |last= Ets-Hokin |first=Gabe }}</ref>
In November, 2015, Myers announced she was engaged to British motorcycle racer Dean Court.<ref name=Ulrich2015>{{Citation |url=http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/motoamerica-racer-elena-myers-engaged-to-british-racer-dean-court/ |date=November 23, 2015 |title= MotoAmerica Racer Elena Myers Engaged To British Racer Dean Court |magazine=Roadracing World |first= John |last= Ulrich }}</ref> They were married in January 2016, she taking the married name Elena Myers Court.<ref name=Swarts2016>{{Citation |url= http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/wedding-myers---court/ |date=January 10, 2016 |title=Wedding: Myers - Court |magazine= Roadracing World |first= David |last= Swarts }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==Further reading== {{refbegin}} * {{citation |last= Miles |title= Go fast girl; Is Elena Myers the next Valentino Rossi? |magazine=Cycle World |first= Matthew |volume=45 |issue= 11 |date=November 2006 |page=100–105 }} {{refend}}
==External links== * {{Citation |title= Official website |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20150521204753/http://elenamyers.com/ |url=http://www.elenamyers.com |archivedate= May 21, 2015 }} * {{citation |title=Events: SuperSport Rider Standings |publisher=American Motorcyclist Association |accessdate=2010-05-21 |url=http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/events/standings.cfm?class=ss |archive-date=May 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526104710/http://amaproracing.com/rr/events/standings.cfm?class=ss |url-status=dead }} * {{citation |title=Riders: Elena Myers |publisher=American Motorcyclist Association |year=2009 |accessdate=2010-05-21 |url=http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/riders/rider_career.cfm?did=3897 |archive-date=September 29, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929075840/http://www.amaproracing.com/rr/riders/rider_career.cfm?did=3897 |url-status=dead }} ;Audio and video * {{Citation |title= Elena Myers - 2005 Racer Promo Video |url= http://www.visionwells.com/elenamyers/ |accessdate= 2010-05-18 |publisher= Vision Wells |format= .wmv, .mov }} * {{citation |first= Scott |last = Casber |title=Pit Pass Radio - Motorcycle Talk Show |chapter= Show for May 25, 2010 – Elena Myers, Tyler O’Hara, Darryl VanNieuwenhuise, Casey Lytle, Justin Barcia |chapter-format = .mp3 |chapter-url = http://www.pitpassradio.com/?p=2403 |date= May 25, 2010 |accessdate= 2010-05-30 }} * {{citation |format=Adobe Flash |last= Kelly |title=Elena Myers: A 16 Year Old Blur On Two Wheels |first= Godwin |date= March 4, 2010 |newspaper= The Daytona Beach News-Journal |url= http://www.news-journalonline.com/columns/motorsports/2010/03/04/elena-myers-a-16-year-old-blur-on-two-wheels.html |accessdate=2010-05-18 }} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20110613111240/http://www.news-journalonline.com/racing/other/2010/03/05/qa-with-elena-myers.html interview transcript]) * {{citation |first= Dave |last= Williams |title= Elena Myers Wins AMA Pro Supersport at Infineon Raceway }}.
{{Commons category|Elena Myers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Myers, Elena}} Category:1993 births Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Mountain View, California Category:21st-century American sportswomen Category:American motorcycle racers Category:AMA Supersport Championship riders Category:Female motorcycle racers Category:AMA Superbike Championship riders