The races at the Schleizer Dreieck from July 26 to 28, 2019, are among the highlights of the IDM calendar, organized by Motor Presse Stuttgart. This year, local hero Julian Puffe (alpha Racing-Van Zon-BMW) is the icing on the cake for the event. The 22-year-old from Schleiz, riding under number “19,” will take to the starting grid as the overall leader in the IDM Superbike 1000 class. The motorcycles in the IDM’s premier class have over 200 PS and can reach speeds of 300 km/h. A varied program both on and off the track ensures another exciting edition of this iconic event.
Julian Puffe’s heart is beating a little faster now. After regaining the lead in the IDM Superbike 1000 class at the Nürburgring last weekend, fans are watching him even more closely at his home race. When the premier class takes to the track this weekend at Germany’s oldest natural race course, his family, sponsors, and fans will be there, too. Even his brother Daniel, who was a race car driver himself and now lives in Austria, has signed up to attend.
Julian Puffe leads the Superbike standings ahead of his teammate and defending champion Ilya Mikhalchik. The two BMW riders are separated by 19 points. The Ukrainian had to retire from the race at the Nürburgring while in the lead due to a technical issue with his BMW S 1000 RR. Can he close the gap on Puffe in Schleiz? IDM third-place finisher Erwan Nigon (Kawasaki Weber Motos Racing) will not be competing in Thuringia. The fast Frenchman is racing in the World Endurance Championship finale at Suzuka (J), which takes place the same weekend. 
For Nigon, the world championship title with a French team is within reach. In the IDM, he will be replaced by Austrian Stefan Kerschbaumer at the Schleizer Dreieck. With BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, five brands are competing in the IDM’s premier class. All of them have at least one rider in the top 7 of the overall standings. Alessandro Polita (HRP Honda) is fifth, Ricardo Brink (SWPN Yamaha) is sixth, and Toni Finsterbusch (Mayer Suzuki) is seventh. The starting field features a high-caliber international lineup.
In the IDM Supersport 600, the proven entry-level class, Yamaha dominates the top ten, led by Max Enderlein (Freudenberg WorldSSP Team). However, the rider from Hohenstein-Ernstthal can’t rest on his laurels. Australian Tom Toparis (Benro Racing) is hot on the heels of the Saxon in the championship standings. The only riders adding a splash of color to the Yamaha armada are Gabriel Noderer and Christoph Beinlich (Kawasaki Weber Motos Racing). They occupy fifth and tenth places in the standings. The Superstock 600 class riders are integrated into the “ Supersport ” field. Here, fewer modifications are allowed on the motorcycles. The classes are scored separately. To visually distinguish them on the track, the IDM “ Supersport ” 600 riders have white start number plates with blue numbers. The Superstock division has blue plates with white lettering.
Rick Dunnik (Yamaha), Angelo Licciardi (Kawasaki), and Colin Velthuizen (Nutec-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) are the top riders in the IDM Supersport 300 class. Here, young riders aged 13 and older compete for IDM points. David Kuban from the Czech Republic, currently fourth overall, will line up on the grid on a KTM. The top German rider is currently Troy Beinlich (Kawasaki) in fifth place, the younger brother of Christoph Beinlich from the 600cc class. They are from Pößneck, just 40 kilometers from Schleiz.
The IDM Sidecar class will feature a reunion of Tim Reeves/Mark Wilkes, Markus Schlosser/Marcel Fries, Bennie Streuer/Kevin Rousseau, and Josef Sattler/Uwe Neubert. The all-German duo will arrive in Schleiz at the very last minute with a full lineup. Because Sattler suffered engine failure at last weekend’s World Championship round in Oschersleben and the engine needs to be replaced, he won’t be able to set off until Thursday with fresh engines. This year, numerous 600-cc sidecars from the World Championship are competing in the IDM Sidecar class. However, the IDM continues to feature competition among the 1,000-cc sidecars as well. Andreas Nussbaum and Manuel Hirschi are locked in a close battle here with John Smits and Gunter Verbrugge, as well as Mike Roscher and Anna Burkard.
With the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 Cup, the Twin Cup, and the BMW Motorrad BoxerCup, the lineup at the Schleizer Dreieck offers an appealing mix.
Spectators can enjoy public award ceremonies and autograph sessions in the paddock. Honda invites fans—and those who want to become fans—to take test rides on motorcycles from its current lineup. And at the race party in the evening, you can really rock out.