Aim is for series to begin again in Jerez at the beginning of August.
Image: Supplied.
The 2020 Motul Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) is working hard on resuming racing action for the remainder of the season, amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The championship started in style at Phillip Island and Dorna WSBK Organization has issued an update on plans to get racing back underway.
Jerez is scheduled to mark the restart of the season on 31 July-2 August, before going to Portimao in Portugal a week later on 7-9 August. The season should then follow the provisional schedule at MotorLand Aragon on 28-30 August.
The health of everybody is at the forefront of decision making and these rounds within the Iberian Peninsula are planned to be held behind closed doors, in-line with social distancing measures and medical guidelines set by the Spanish and Portuguese governments.
Furthermore, updates have been made to the British and Dutch rounds, which have been postponed. Further updates for the end-season calendar will be communicated soon in order to further clarify the calendar situation.
MotoGP to remain in Europe until mid-November at least
Section: Competition
Japanese grand prix the latest flyaway to be cancelled by organisers.
Image: Supplied.
MotoGP won’t travel to Japan for a round during the 2020 world championship, with Motegi the latest round to be cancelled due to COVID-19.
The Japanese grand prix was scheduled to take place between 16-18 October and has been a staple on the calendar since 1999.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of the Motul Grand Prix of Japan at the very unique Motegi circuit, meaning we will not have a Japanese Grand Prix on the calendar for the first time since 1986,” commented Carmelo Ezpeleta, CEO of Dorna Sports.
“The MotoGP family is working very hard to be able to re-start the racing season and hold as many events as possible, and in the safest way possible. For this reason, the FIM and Dorna, in consultation with IRTA and MSMA, have decided that, until mid-November, MotoGP will remain in Europe to do as many European MotoGP events as we are able to.
“Therefore, overseas events, if at all possible, should be scheduled after mid-November – which would be too late in the year for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan to be held. For this reason it has been decided, in consultation with Mobilityland, that the Motul Grand Prix of Japan cannot be held in 2020.
“I very much thank Mobilityland for the support given to MotoGP. On behalf of Dorna, I would also like to thank all the fans for their understanding and patience as we wait for the situation to improve. We very much look forward to returning to Motegi next year.”
Reports suggest that if flyaways do in fact go ahead following mid-November, both Malaysia and Thailand appear to be the most likely rounds that will go ahead. The only other potential – but unlikely – options remain the United States and Argentina.
I might not love the styling of all the motorcycles that come out of the Piaggio Group’s suite of brands that include Aprilia and Moto Guzzi but I have got to say they do a brilliant job of marrying the past and present across their Vespa scooter range.
Vespa Sprint Racing Sixties 150
These latest editions of their four-stroke 155 cc and 278 cc scooters actually call on the style of racing liveries generally seen on racing cars of the 1960s and it works really well in these new ‘Sprint Racing Sixties’ models.
GTS 300 Racing Sixties HPE
The new green-yellow and white-red colour schemes look great and the models are priced at $7690 (+ORC) for the 150, or $11,190 (+ORC) for the GTS 300 and are arriving in Australian dealerships this month.
Vespa Sprint Racing Sixties 150
The three-valve 150 makes 13 horsepower and 12.8 Nm of torque from its air-cooled single while the four-valve 300 musters 23.5 horsepower and 26 Nm of torque from its water-cooled mill.
Both run on gold coloured 12-inch rims but the 300 runs slightly wider tyres than its smaller sibling. The rubber is tubeless at both ends.
The 300 also runs larger brakes and its 8.5-litre fuel tank is 1.5-litres larger than that found on the 150.
Vespa Sprint Racing Sixties HPE 150
In addition to the new colour scheme, a brand-new seat and matte black details, give a further point of differentiation to the two series of special edition models along with a new seat complete with artisan-style stitching reminiscent. More differentiation from other Vespa models includes a matte black finish of the passenger grab handle and footrests, the front and rear light setting, the silencer cover, the rear-view mirrors, the onboard instrument cluster base and shield trim, as well as the crest on the front mudguard of the Vespa GTS Super “Racing Sixties”.
Italian motorcycle company Soriano Motori is making its first electric motorcycle with twin motors arranged in a twin-opposed “boxer” fashion like BMW’s famous engines.
The motors of the EV Giaguaro (Jaguar in English) work together for full power or independently for optimum range.
Soriano Design and Product Development Director Sergio Moroni says the project is a “passionate labor of love”.
“We are already building the prototype (or better “frame no. 1”) near Milan, close to Lake Como,” he told us.
Giaguaro V1R
“Full production will go into gear right after EICMA (motorcycle show in Milan in November) and the first deliveries will be in the first quarter of 2021.
“For this model and series we will only build an exclusive limited series of 100 numbered and signed motorcycles.”
Prices start at €25,500 for the V1R and up to €32,500 for the Gara. “Maybe more, depending on selection of accessories,” Sergio says.
Gara
Boxer electric
“What is interesting and we think it is a game changer to a degree is the fact that we have a ‘boxer’ solution with two electrical engines with shift and gear that actually helps in the way the bike handles and it responds in starting, cruising and accelerating,” Sergio says.
“The two engines work either independently and/or together (smaller for city use, larger – and/or both together – for highway cruising and/or fast acceleration) to achieve more efficiency also with the help of the gears.”
However, they are not the first to think of the boxer idea for an electric motorcycle.
Boiled fuel the reason for Reed’s non-finish on Sunday
Section: Competition
Heat causes retiring two-time champion to exit 450SX main event.
Image: Octopi Media.
Mountain Motorsports cbdMD CR22 Racing’s Chad Reed was forced to exit the main event of Sunday’s 11th round of Monster Energy Supercross in Utah after the fuel overheated and boiled in his KTM prior to the midway point.
The 38-year-old switched from Honda to KTM during the mid-season stoppage and he transferred directly through his heat into the 450SX final, but was forced out following 13 laps of the 29 completed.
Reed will conclude his career this month following near two decades at the top level of the sport, set to retire at the conclusion of the 2020 season. He said it was a ‘weird’ atmosphere to line-up without fans lining Rice-Eccles Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
“It felt good to be back racing yesterday,” Reed commented. “There is no comparison to racing in front of fans and the silence was weird. I felt like I had a decent day overall, nice to get back on a race track.
“I really love riding this new bike and checked off the box to race SX on all brands. That wasn’t intentional or planned, just happened to be the bikes of choice over the years. My starts feel better and more natural, so now I just need to remember how to use them.
“I made a bad call on fuel choice yesterday. I had taken altitude into consideration, but not heat. We boiled fuel pretty early in the main, so I chose the safe route – I pulled off because it wasn’t worth the risk. I was disappointed initially because I felt good on the bike, but there is more racing to come.
“Our team has worked hard to be here. I have one mechanic [Ben Schiermeyer], who handled a complete change in bike manufacturer and being ready in May instead of Sept/Oct, like originally predicted. He has learned to get it done no matter what I throw at him and mostly on his own.
“We have a small team, but I’m really proud and happy to be finishing this ride with my friends and the sponsors we have. Thanks to the fans supporting from home! And we’ll be better and ready for the next one.”
Now the global job cuts have been increased to 400 with 240 to go in the UK after a pandemic sales slump over the past three months.
In Australia, Triumph sales were only down 6.5% in the first quarter, but Triumph says some countries have recorded up to a 65% loss in sales.
Chief Executive Nick Bloor said the crisis has caused “significant damage” to the global motorcycle market and it was a “challenging time” for the company.
“These are not easy decisions to make, especially when individuals’ livelihoods are affected,”he says.
“However, regrettably the scale of impact of Covid-19 necessitates us to restructure now in order to protect the long term health and success of the Triumph brand and business.”
Global manufacture
Thailand Triumph factory
In 2002, Triumph opened its first factory in Thailand where it now has three facilities making about 80% of last year’s total of 60,131 bikes.
There are also factories in Brazil and India supplying for the local markets.
“Sales in the larger 500cc plus motorcycle segment, in key markets such as France, Italy, Germany, the USA and the UK have fallen by between 40 and 65 per cent over the past three months during what would normally be the peak season for sales,” the company said in a statement.
“Although Triumph sales have outperformed this significant decline to some degree, the market is forecast to remain considerably down on pre-Covid 19 levels as a direct result of the economic conditions created by it.”
Triumph’s factory in Hinckley, Leicestershire, mainly makes engine components. It will become a research and development centre, but continue to build their new Triumph Factory Custom (TFC) motorcycles.
Production will be wound down from about 6500 a year to about 4500.
The organisers of the AMA Pro Motocross are facing similar challenges to our own MX Nationals series here in Australia with problems stemming from the differing levels of restrictions in place across different states.
State governments have announced their state-by-state phase-in plans for the resumption of large gatherings, including professional motorsports events. Some states have taken a very restrictive approach to large gatherings (e.g., Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, Massachusetts and New York), while others have found a more lenient approach acceptable so long as social distancing guidelines are followed (e.g., Indiana, Texas, Tennessee, South Carolina, etc.). These varying state approaches have created unique challenges for the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, as several of the pre-eminent venues are situate in restrictive states that may or may not permit large gatherings during the time frame currently planned for the series.
On May 4th it was announced that the series was tentatively set to be held from July 4th through October 3rd. This would leave only 13 days between the end of supercross and the start of motocross. As many states continue to roll out their phase-in plans, it became clear that a further delay in the start of the season would be the most advantageous for the riders, teams, and the events themselves. The farther the series could push back into the summer the better for all. However, there is a hard start of July 18th, this being a live NBC broadcast date – television coverage being paramount for series and team sponsors.
The new plan is to commence the 2020 season on Saturday, July 18th at Ironman Raceway and end on Saturday, October 10th at Fox Raceway. It is the intent to host 10 events and possibly 11 by the end of the season. Series organisers have consulted with OEM partners and have been advised that given the unexpected boost in off-road motorcycle unit sales and parts and accessories over the course of the last month (with many dealerships and after-market companies experiencing record sales), it would be premature to cut the season short at this time. The better approach would be to give the national tracks time over the course of the summer to see if their states relax their requirements to enable them to hold their national event. We are hopeful that some historical venues may be able to return to the schedule but recognize that others may not. Hence, the schedule will be rolled out on a month-to-month basis as racetracks and state officials continue to develop their plans.
Besides the Ironman and Fox Raceway dates, the Series is prepared to announce a surprise for the 2020 season. For the first time ever a pro national will be held at Loretta Lynn’s on the historical AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship racetrack in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. The national will be held in August and will serve as a sort of homecoming for pro riders who have graduated from these familiar grounds. Though Loretta Lynn’s is not a traditional pro national venue, these are not traditional times, and series managers are working hard to schedule nationals at venues in states that are open for business.
In addition to the above, it is the current plan to include the following traditional venues on the schedule: Washougal, WW Ranch and High Point. These venues are located in states that have established clear phase-in guidelines that can be timely met. In addition to Loretta Lynn’s, it is highly likely that two more new venues will be added to the schedule based on the states where they are located. Dates will be rolled out at a later date.
All events, no matter their location, will be conducted with fans with elevated social distancing protocols in compliance with CDC guidelines and as recommended by the Safe-to-Race Task Force. These protocols, currently under development, will be announced at a later date.
AMA Pro Motocross
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Strang wins GNCC Round Five
Taking his first overall win in four years was Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Josh Strang coming through to meet the checkered flag first in South Carolina. Strang’s win would not come easy as he would swap the lead position multiple times throughout the three hour race with FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Kailub Russell.
Russell jumped out to grab the early lead and earn the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Open Pro Holeshot Award, but by the time the lead pack came around on the second lap Strang was just two seconds off of Russell. The duo would continue in a heated battle throughout the next five laps. As the white flag flew, indicating one lap left, Strang found himself 1.5 seconds ahead of Russell. Therefore, a battle for the overall win ensued, however, Russell would find some misfortunate as he found himself in a soft spot on a berm. Russell endo’ed over the bars into a fence off to the right of the track, where his bike also became entangled in the fence. Russell was able to get his bike untangled with help from his team, and finish in the second place position. Strang came through the finish line with a one minute and 34 seconds lead over the rest of the pack to earn his first overall win of the 2020 season.
FactoryONE Sherco’s Grant Baylor battled back from a sixth place start to the day to earn his best finish of the season and round out the XC1 Open Pro podium with a third overall. Baylor also had his work cut out for him as he made his way through the pack of XC1 riders. Baylor made his way into the third place position as the two-lap card came out. He would put his head down and push for the remainder of the race to hold onto the last podium position.
Finding himself in the fourth place position for the second race in-a-row was Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Jordan Ashburn. Ashburn was faced with battles throughout the duration of the race, swapping between fourth and fifth place for majority of the day. After five rounds of racing Ashburn currently sits third in the National Championship points standings.
FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Josh Toth was off to a great start as he made his way into a top three spot by the third lap. Toth battled in the third place position for majority of the race, but began to feel ill with just two laps to go. Battling himself just to finish the race, Toth would ultimately come through in the fifth place position.
Coming through in the second place position on the opening lap was AmPro Yamaha’s Layne Michael. Michael would continue to battle towards the front of the pack for the first half of the race. As the race wore on Michael found himself back in seventh, battling to get back up front. When the checkered flag flew, Michael would cross the line with a sixth place finish on the day.
After moving up to the XC1 Open Pro class from the XC2 250 Pro class it was Live It Xtreme/Kenda/Fly Racing’s Trevor Barrett earning a seventh place finish. Barrett made the necessary moves throughout the race to get himself inside of the top 10 in XC1 in South Carolina.
Phoenix Honda Racing’s Andrew DeLong finished out the day eighth in the XC1 Open Pro class. DeLong was having another great run making his way into sixth and then fifth at one point in the race, but a mechanical issue on the second to last lap put him out of contention for a top five finish on the day. DeLong remains eighth in the points standings after five rounds of racing.
Visiting from the West Coast was Three-Time Endurocross Champion, FactoryONE Sherco’s Cody Webb. As the race got started Webb jumped out to a top five start as the group made their way to the first turn. Webb would check in eighth on the opening lap. As the race wore on Webb was back in the ninth place position for the remainder of the race
Rockhill Powersports/Ti Dezigns/UFO Plast’s Evan Earl rounded out the top 10 in the XC1 Open Pro class. Earl made his way into 10th after battling throughout the day with 3 Bros Racing/KTM/Pearson Farms Racing’s Axel Pearson, who was also visiting from the West Coast.
In the XC2 250 Pro class it was Trail Jesters KTM’s Johnny Girroir clinching his second class win of the season, along with moving himself into the XC2 National Championship points lead. Girroir had a great start, moving himself into the lead early on in the race. However, at the halfway point Girroir would find himself in the fourth place position with his work cut out for him. Girroir put his head down, making crucial passes to regain the lead for the last three laps of racing.
AmPro Yamaha/St. Lawrence Radiology’s Mike Witkowski and Rockstar Energy/Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig DeLong were also in the top three mix throughout the duration of the three-hour racing. Witkowski moved himself into the lead around halfway, but would face a battle with Girroir and be unable to make the pass back around him stick. Witkowski finished out the day second in XC2. DeLong would battle between the fourth and third place position throughout the day, making the pass on Enduro Engineering/XC Gear/Husqvarna’s Ryder Lafferty and rounding out the XC2 class podium at round five.
The FMF XC3 125cc Pro-Am class currently has a tentative top three with Moose Racing/Carolina KTM/XC Gear’s Zack Hayes clinching his third win of the season, and holding onto the points lead. Larsons Cycles/Fly Racing/Shoei Helmets’ Nathan Ferderer made his way into second in the class, but would face a constant battle with Raines Riding University/Yamaha Motor Corp’s Jason Raines. Ferderer and Raines would swap their positions multiple time throughout the day, but as the checkered flag waved it was Ferderer taking second and Raines holding onto third.
In the 10 a.m. WXC race it was Enduro Engineering/MEPMX/Fly Racing/KTM’s Mackenzie Tricker grabbing the Trail Jesters $100 Holeshot Award, but after a rough crash on the first lap with a fellow competitor, she would be unable to finish out the race.
BABS Racing Yamaha’s Becca Sheets along with AmPro Yamaha’s Rachael Archer and Beta USA’s Rachel Gutish would find themselves in a three-way battle for almost the entire two-hour morning race. Each one of them would find themselves leading at one point in the race, but it would be Sheets making her way into first as the checkered flag flew. Archer would remain second, holding off a charging Gutish as she rounded out the top three WXC riders.
At the conclusion of the 8 a.m. youth race it was Team Green Kawasaki’s Grant Davis coming through to take the overall win and his third YXC1 Super Mini Sr. class win of the season. Team Green’s Jack Joy battled throughout the youth race, coming through second overall and his class. Coastal Racing’s Lane Whitmer earned third overall, while also taking third in the YXC1 class in South Carolina. Coming through to earn the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. top three positions were Griere Moir, Nicholas Defeo and Caden Vick.
Round 6 of the GNCC Racing Series will be held the weekend of June 13/14 at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, PA.
Camp Coker GNCC – Overall Results
Josh Strang – Kawasaki (XC1 Open Pro)
Kailub Russell – KTM (XC1 Open Pro)
Grant Baylor – Sherco (XC1 Open Pro)
Jordan Ashburn – Kawasaki (XC1 Open Pro)
Jonathan Girroir – KTM (XC2 Open Pro 250)
Josh Toth – KTM (XC1 Open Pro)
Michael Witkowski – Yamaha (XC2 Open Pro 250)
Craig Delong – Husqvarna (XC2 Open Pro 250)
Layne Michael – Yamaha (XC1 Open Pro)
Ryder Lafferty – Husqvarna (XC2 Open Pro 250)
GNCC Championship Standings
Kailub Russell 145
Josh Strang 122
Jordan Ashburn 78
Craig Delong 77
Michael Witkowski 71
Josh Strang wins GNCC
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AMA SX Round 11 450 Main Video Highlights
AMA SX Round 11 250 Main Video Highlights
Quotes from AMA Supercross Round 11
Eli Tomac – P1
“Gosh, it felt so good to get back to racing. We really couldn’t have asked for a better day overall. The track was super slick in certain areas and we were drifting the bikes through some of those flat corners, which was a lot of fun, but you had to be careful at the same time. I didn’t get the best jump off the start in the main but was able to tuck inside and quickly recover. It was definitely a scary moment when Adam went down because I was already in the air and his bike bounced up and I had nowhere to go but up and over his bike. I’m glad he’s okay. Overall it was a good day and I am already looking forward to Wednesday.”
Eli Tomac – P1
Cooper Webb – P2
“It’s good to be back racing. It’s awesome just to be able to do what we love. I was battling up there in the beginning – we were all sandwiched – and I was able to actually get around Eli but then he went around us and really laid some good laps. During the middle of the race, I kind of lost speed a little bit and at the end I was really trying hard. I missed a rhythm at the end though, and that really cost me in maybe catching him.”
Cooper Webb – P2
Ken Roczen – P3
“I felt pretty good. I had a decent start, but got bumped around a little bit and lost some positions, so we had to fight our way up there and were kind of just riding in a train; it was hard to make up time. I lost a couple of tenths and gained a couple of tenths here and there and then I kind of stayed the same. Obviously, Eli was super strong and Cooper right in front of me, and I couldn’t really make a move. I had a moment with about a lap to go where I almost crashed really, really bad, and then the last lap I really just rolled everything pretty much just to kind of bring it home. A podium is okay. Obviously we need to put ourselves in front of Tomac, but there’s a lot of racing left and a lot of crashes out there, and with all the lappers, a lot of things can happen. Really, we just have to regroup and try again on Wednesday.”
Ken Roczen – P3
Jason Anderson – P4
“My day went pretty decent. I got a bad start in the Main and ended up fourth but all-in-all, I feel like I rode pretty well all day and was able to make some headway as we work our way into the next six rounds here in Salt Lake City.”
Jason Anderson – P4
Zach Osborne – P5
“It was a positive weekend overall. It was my first race back from injury so it was really good for me to go out there and get comfortable in practice. I feel really comfortable on the dirt here in Salt Lake, which is something that’s not typically my forte but it’s coming around for me. I’m happy with where I’m at fitness-wise and with my bike, so I’m looking forward to the next few races here – onwards and upwards.”
Zach Osborne – P5
Justin Barcia – P8
“It’s nice to get the first round out of the way. It definitely wasn’t how I wanted it to go. It was quite hot and being up here at altitude was definitely difficult. I had high expectations for myself coming into this round and kind of let myself down a bit. I think it’s all things that can be easily fixed and turned around for Wednesday. The main event didn’t get off to the greatest start, and the first lap was chaos. Guys were falling down, and then it was really windy and dusty. The track got down to concrete, it was a pretty gnarly track. All in all, we got out of the first one healthy and still have six more to go. I’m really looking forward to racing again Wednesday. I don’t have to wait another whole week to redeem myself.”
Justin Barcia – P8 – Image Hoppenworld
Justin Brayton – P9
“It was a pretty good day. It felt so good to be back with the guys and the crew at the races and to get behind the gate again. Overall, I’m fairly happy with the day. The heat race was good; I got third there. I had a solid first half in the main and ran second for a long time. To be quite honest, I just pumped up about halfway in and kind of went backwards. Then I had a really big moment where I almost went down and that allowed a guy to get by me and some other guys to close the gap. I’m happy I didn’t hit the ground on that one, that’s for sure, and happy with a solid top-10 result. We’ve just got to keep this ball rolling, especially with the good starts that we got all day.”
Justin Brayton – P9
Adam Cianciarulo – DNF
“Man, I am so frustrated with how today ended up. I cannot tell you how stoked I was to be back racing my KX450 with my whole Monster Energy Kawasaki crew. I felt good all day, rode solid in my heat race and got a great jump in the main event. I just made a small mistake that cost me big time. I’m pretty sore from getting ran over, but we’re going to let the body rest and take all the necessary steps so we are ready for Wednesday.”
Adam Cianciarulo – DNF
Shane McElrath – 250 Winner
“There’s been a lot of anticipation to get back going and it’s finally here. I had a near perfect day and I’m really happy with the progress we’ve made over the last few months since Daytona. My bike was awesome today and I felt great with the elevation. The track was honestly the best case scenario with the weather and wind that we dealt with today. I felt really good and I’m ready for another race in a few days.”
Shane McElrath – 250 Winner – Image Hoppenworld Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop
Jett Lawrence makes return to racing this week
When Supercross reconvenes mid-week it will be the turn of the 250 West competitors to swing back into action which of course means the return of popular young Aussie Jett Lawrence after that sickening crash early in the season at Anaheim 2.
Jett Lawrence broke his collarbone at Anaheim II but will be back racing later this week – Image Hoppenworld
2020 British Speedway GP cancelled
Due to ongoing health concerns and UK government restrictions regarding COVID-19, organisers have announced that the 2020 Adrian Flux British FIM Speedway Grand Prix, scheduled to take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on July 18, has been cancelled.
This decision was made after careful consideration and consultation with the FIM, BSI Speedway, Principality Stadium, Welsh Government and Cardiff City Council, with the health and safety of supporters and riders remaining the top priority.
Due to the considerable logistical issues posed by the current circumstances, it was agreed that it would not be possible to stage the event at a later date in 2020.
Following discussions with Principality Stadium, we are however pleased to announce that the 2021 event – and still the 20th British FIM Speedway Grand Prix to be held at the venue – will take place on July 17, 2021.
Paul Bellamy Managing Director and SVP of Motorsports, IMG
“We are extremely disappointed that we won’t get the chance to celebrate 20 years of British SGP action under the Principality Stadium roof next month. We know how much everyone looks forward to the British SGP weekend in Cardiff – a chance to meet up with fans and friends from around the world, enjoy great racing and experience the unique atmosphere generated by our thousands of fans. Our focus will now be on delivering a fantastic event on July 17, 2021 to celebrate the 20th staging of the British SGP in Cardiff in style. Meanwhile we are working hard with the FIM, our venues and stakeholders on our re-arranged plans for the 2020 FIM Speedway World Championships presented by Monster Energy later this year and will issue further updates on that in due course.”
Tai Woffinden
“The British SGP is always an awesome weekend, so I’m gutted I won’t get the chance to race in front of a Cardiff crowd this year. But that only makes me hungrier for next season’s event. The atmosphere is unreal. It’s always a special night and I can’t wait to be back in July next year. Stay safe and I’ll see you all then!”
Tai Woffinden – Speedway GP 2018 – Netherlands
Moto News Weekly proudly brought to you by Dunlop Source: MCNews.com.au
Revised Pro Motocross schedule to include Loretta Lynn’s round
Section: Competition
Series to commence with fans at Ironman Racing during mid-July.
Image: Supplied.
A new start date for the 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship has been announced, confirming the season is scheduled to commence on 18 July at Ironman Raceway in Indiana.
The reduced series will include 10 rounds – potentially 11 – between Ironman and Pala’s Fox Raceway, which is due to be held on 10 October in Southern California.
“On May 4th the Race Leadership Team announced that the series was tentatively set to be held from July 4th through October 3rd. This would leave only 13 days between the end of supercross and the start of motocross,” a statement read.
“As many states continue to roll out their phase-in plans, it became clear that a further delay in the start of the season would be the most advantageous for the riders, teams and the events themselves. The farther the series could push back into the summer the better for all. However, there is a hard start of July 18th, this being a live NBC broadcast date – television coverage being paramount for series and team sponsors.
“The new plan is to commence the 2020 season on Saturday, July 18th at Ironman Raceway and end on Saturday, October 10th at Fox Raceway. It is the intent to host 10 events and possibly 11 by the end of the season. Series organizers have consulted with OEM partners and have been advised that given the unexpected boost in off-road motorcycle unit sales and parts and accessories over the course of the last month (with many dealerships and after-market companies experiencing record sales), it would be premature to cut the season short at this time.
“The better approach would be to give the national tracks time over the course of the summer to see if their states relax their requirements to enable them to hold their national event. We are hopeful that some historical venues may be able to return to the schedule, but recognize that others may not. Hence, the schedule will be rolled out on a month-to-month basis as race tracks and state officials continue to develop their plans.”
It has also been revealed that Loretta Lynn’s in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, will host a round of Pro Motocross for the first time ever, marking a historic moment for the championship during the month of August.
“Besides the Ironman and Fox Raceway dates, the series is prepared to announce a surprise for the 2020 season,” it has been confirmed. “For the first time ever a pro national will be held at Loretta Lynn’s on the historical AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship racetrack in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.
“The national will be held in August and will serve as a sort of homecoming for pro riders who have graduated from these familiar grounds. Though Loretta Lynn’s is not a traditional pro national venue, these are not traditional times and series managers are working hard to schedule nationals at venues in states that are open for business.
“In addition to the above, it is the current plan to include the following traditional venues on the schedule – Washougal, WW Ranch and High Point. These venues are located in states that have established clear phase-in guidelines that can be timely met. In addition to Loretta Lynn’s, it is highly likely that two more new venues will be added to the schedule based on the states where they are located.
“All events, no matter their location, will be conducted with fans with elevated social distancing protocols in compliance with CDC guidelines and as recommended by the Safe-to-Race Task Force. These protocols, currently under development, will be announced at a later date.”
Inactive motorcyclists who haven’t ridden for some time are being urged to ride again, especially for commuting, as the pandemic travel restrictions begin to ease across the country.
This comes as the national cycling lobby is calling for $300 million to be spent on bike lanes.
Inactive riders
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries motorcycle manager Rhys Griffiths points out that there are about 2.1 million licensed riders in Australia and about 870,000 registered motorcycles and scooters.
That means there are about 1.2 million inactive riders with a licence, he says.
“COVID-19 has changed the way we go about our lives. Motorcycles and scooters present a clever solution to the challenges the pandemic presents,” he says.
“A motorbike might well be the best way to maintain social distance without creating congestion. Riders can avoid the contagion risks presented by public transport, while cutting commute times by lane filtering through increased traffic.
Rhys says the plea to inactive riders will be a theme of their fourth Ride to Work Week in September 2020.
He says they will generate awareness through the website and social media.
The FCAI message to inactive riders follows recent surveys which suggest commuters will avoid public transport.
The fear is that this will send Australia from lockdown to gridlock.
The FCAI says motorcycle and scooter riders have two advantages:
They can mitigate infection risks by maintaining social distance; and
As commuter traffic volumes potentially increase beyond pre-pandemic levels, riders can nimbly negotiate traffic and park conveniently, cutting commute times.
Rhys also reminded riders to strictly observe all social distancing and contagion control requirements, and to regularly disinfect helmets, gloves and any high-touch surfaces on vehicle controls.
Meanwhile, the cyclist lobby is putting pressure on the federal government to spend $300m to build more bike lanes as post-pandemic traffic is expected to explode.
The national cycling safety charity Amy Gillett Foundation has commissioned a national poll which shows “massive support” for safe separate cycling infrastructure.
They claim a “doubling in cycling participation during the coronavirus lockdowns, as Australians turn to bikes for effective social distancing, for transport, enjoyment, and exercise”.
The Foundation is calling for $300m to be allocated from the $3.8billion infrastructure commitment made in late November 2019 by the Federal Government to build bike lanes.
They say the investment could be made immediately as part of the $500m Local Roads and Community Infrastructure announcement last week (22 May 2020).
They have vowed to increase their presence and revert to their mobile speed camera program which had been temporarily suspended during the lockdown.
Inspector Peter Flanders says: “The bottom line is if you are on a motorcycle, you are that vehicle’s airbag. If you get hit or if you hit something it is you who takes the force.”
A total of 91 lives have been lost on Queensland roads in the first five months of 2020, up from 84 at the same time last year with 23 rider and pillion fatalities.
“Motorcyclists were highly represented in the figures, with one in four of all fatalities either motorcycle riders or passengers,” Police media says.
Stats by state
Australian statistics
It sounds like a lot, but it’s not unusual. The proportion of rider lives lost compared with total fatalities is much the same as previous years and is only three above the five-year average.
Meanwhile, the national trend shows rider deaths decreasing.
To the end of April, there were 186 deaths on motorcycles, which is actually the lowest it’s been over the past 10 years.
Victoria has had 12 rider/pillion deaths to the end of May compared with 27 last year, down a whopping 56%, probably due to the lockdown.
Likewise, NSW has had 18 deaths so far compared with 24 last year and the 24 five-year average.
South Australia is also down from 11 last year to nine, although the five-year average is five.
Speed target
In Queensland, police will target speeding as a response to the statistically anomalous spike in motorcycle road deaths.
Road Policing Command Superintendent David Johnson says motorcyclists are more vulnerable to injury than drivers and passengers in any other motor vehicle on our roads.
“Excess speed and loss of control are contributing factors in many traffic crashes involving motorcycles, so we really need riders to take responsibility and ride at speeds relative to the conditions and the posted speed limit,” he says.
However, we note several crashes so far this year involving unlicensed riders, stolen bikes, riders fleeing police, and riders hit by cars at intersections and on the wrong side fo the road.
Giaguaro V1R
Gara
BMW’s Vision DC Roadster electric concept
Soriano EV Giaguaro V1S and V1R
Thailand Triumph factory
Proposed Triumph 250
Triumph Thruxton and Rocket 3 TFC 
Australian statistics
