Honda still collecting results on track in Queensland and SA
Honda riders aren’t letting Covid restrictions get them down, with Metcalfe winning the South Australian Championship over the weekend, as Gibbs claimed second in the opening round of the Queensland Championships!
Mongrel Boots Honda Racing’s Brett Metcalfe also won the final round of the South Australian Championship convincingly. The likeable South Australian went undefeated in the five-round competition. Honda riders claimed the top three positions in the MX1 class. Metcalfe was extremely happy with his 2022 CRF450R.
Brett Metcalfe
“I had so much fun racing the South Australian Championships and its so cool to be doing it with my two boys. The new Honda is awesome and its great to see Honda sweep the podium with their CRF450R. Honda rider’s Mitch Norris rode well so did Siegah Ward. Its unfortunate Levi McManus couldn’t compete in the final round, but overall Honda dominated the SA titles.”
Terrafirma’s Honda rider Kirk Gibbs proved once again that he can win, but the overall eluded him as he finished third, first and second respectively in round 1 of the Queensland Championships to claim second overall. Three points separates him from first with one round remaining.
Kirk Gibbs
“I need to execute the first few laps better and I need to make my passes stick. The speed is there, and the bike is working great. When I piece it all together, I win but I am too inconsistent at the moment. I have a month to work on my weaknesses before round 2.”
Whilst racing is suspended in Victoria, Emma Milesevic leads the Victorian State women’s championship.
Yarrive Konsky – Team Director
“We are trying to compete in as many races as possible to keep everyone poised and ready. We continue to adapt to the ever-changing restrictions. We are positive national racing will resume before the end of the year and we want to make sure our riders are ready.”
QMX1 Round Results
| Pos | Competitor | Total | R1 | R2 | R3 |
| 1 | Todd WATERS | 70 | 25 | 20 | 25 |
| 2 | Kirk GIBBS | 67 | 20 | 25 | 22 |
| 3 | Aaron TANTI | 52 | 18 | 14 | 20 |
| 4 | Jai WALKER | 47 | 13 | 16 | 18 |
| 5 | Lochie LATIMER | 47 | 16 | 15 | 16 |
| 6 | Dean FERRIS | 44 | 22 | 22 | – |
| 7 | Luke REARDON | 43 | 11 | 18 | 14 |
| 8 | Luke ZIELINSKI | 39 | 14 | 10 | 15 |
| 9 | Joel EVANS | 39 | 15 | 11 | 13 |
| 10 | Luke WEAVER | 35 | 12 | 13 | 10 |
| 11 | Cody O’LOAN | 30 | 10 | 9 | 11 |
| 12 | Sam LARSEN | 27 | 6 | 12 | 9 |
| 13 | Navrin GROTHUES | 26 | 8 | 6 | 12 |
| 14 | Cody SCHAT | 23 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| 15 | Kye ORCHARD | 19 | 5 | 7 | 7 |
| 16 | Jake VALINOTI | 14 | 9 | 5 | – |
| 17 | Benny STREETER | 10 | 4 | – | 6 |
QMX2 Round Results
| Pos | Competitor | Total | R1 | R2 | R3 |
| 1 | Todd WATERS | 72 | 25 | 22 | 25 |
| 2 | Jesse DOBSON | 69 | 22 | 25 | 22 |
| 3 | Isaac FERGUSON | 56 | 20 | 20 | 16 |
| 4 | Jayce COSFORD | 53 | 18 | 15 | 20 |
| 5 | Levi ROGERS | 50 | 14 | 18 | 18 |
| 6 | Ricky LATIMER | 46 | 16 | 16 | 14 |
| 7 | Ryan ALEXANDERSON | 44 | 15 | 14 | 15 |
| 8 | Kobi WOLFF | 36 | 13 | 13 | 10 |
| 9 | Joel PHILLIPS | 35 | 12 | 12 | 11 |
| 10 | Brock FLYNN | 27 | 9 | 10 | 8 |
| 11 | Jake DUTHIE | 27 | 11 | 9 | 7 |
| 12 | Ryley FITZPATRICK | 26 | 10 | 7 | 9 |
| 13 | Jackson CAMILLERI | 23 | – | 11 | 12 |
| 14 | Zachary WATSON | 21 | – | 8 | 13 |
| 15 | Braeden KREBS | 20 | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| 16 | James WALTERS | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 |
| 17 | Zane DORRELL | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
| 18 | Laird ROUGHAN | 10 | 6 | – | 4 |
| 19 | Angus ROBERTSON | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
AFT next stop Springfield ST & Mile double header
A highlight of the 2021 season awaits as the American Flat Track prepares for a monumental Labor Day Weekend double-header at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield, Illinois, on September 3-5.
The weekend will kick off on Friday evening with the Springfield Short Track Doubleheader, which packs two complete rounds of the tightly fought AFT Singles championship into a single evening. And then Saturday and Sunday will see the big twins head over to the “World’s Fastest Mile” for the Springfield Mile I & II.
An epic by any measure, this year’s Progressive AFT weekend in Springfield has a bit of added meaning as it represents the end of an era. It will mark the final time the “Mile Master,” Bryan Smith (No. 4 Crosley/Howerton Motorsports Indian FTR750) competes at the Springfield Mile after recently announcing his intention to retire at the end of the season.
AFT Production Twinsalso returns to the venue where the class was originally introduced to the world at speed in 2018. An already wild AFT Singles title fight likewise has the potential for another titanic shift with two full points-paying rounds taking place in a single night during Friday’s Springfield Short Track Doubleheader.
Yamaha Day 2021 awards winners
Yamaha Day 2021 saw celebrations to mark the 66th birthday of Yamaha Motor Corporation, with Yamaha Music putting a RevStar RS702B Electric Guitar up for grabs.
Following careful deliberation, the Yamaha Motor Australia Board of Directors judged the entry by Elwyn Jordan as the one that stood out from the crowd and best captured the #UnitedByYamaha spirit.
Elwyn’s highly entertaining Instagram post revealed he’s been #UnitedByYamaha for more than 40 years. His story and pictorial walk down memory lane unveiled a long-time musician and motorcycle rider with a passion for guitars and two wheels – as long as they carry the Yamaha badge. Topped off with the hashtags #UnitedByYamaha and #YamahaDay2021, his competition entry caught the eye of the judges.
Elwyn Jordan
“I’m a huge fan of Yamaha, and I’m thrilled to have won the Yamaha Revstar Guitar. I bought my first Yamaha guitar in 1979 and loved the quality so much I’ve been adding more Yamaha’s to the collection ever since. Now I’m looking forward to adding the Revstar, it’s such a unique looking guitar.”
Elwyn said he has a range of Yamaha guitars in his collection including bass, electric and classical models. Also a keen motorcyclist, Elwyn purchased his first Yamaha motorbike way back in 1977 and has never looked back. “I’ve only owned Yamaha’s since – I love the quality and reliability.”
Also up for grabs in this year’s competition were two ShopYamaha gift vouchers. Rachel Ferlazzo claimed the $500 voucher, and Scott Wolfson the $200 voucher. Both winners will enjoy a shopping spree choosing from the huge range of products available at ShopYamaha.com.au
Here are the three #UnitedByYamaha competition winning entries for you to enjoy.
- 1st Prize: Elwyn Jordan
- 2nd Prize: Rachel Ferlazzo
- 3rd Prize: Scott Wolfson
Romain Febvre signs with Kawasaki until 2023
French rider, Romain Febvre, has signed a direct contract with KHI, the Kawasaki factory to compete in MXGP for 2022 and 2023. For Romain to conclude a two-year deal before the 2021 season has matured will allow him to concentrate on the current championship.
Romain Febvre
“It was very important for me to agree a deal to allow me to focus on the 2021 Championship and give my best efforts to my team. I am now one of the fastest guys in the Championship and I am looking forward to a new adventure and achieving great things on the factory Kawasaki. A two-year deal will allow me to plan and extend even further my abilities with the KX450. It already suits my style well in terms of the type of power delivery I like plus the narrow chassis suits my riding style and body positioning really well. Now I have the time and space to fine tune the package and continue the necessary training regime to achieve my goal, an MXGP world title for Kawasaki.”
Steve Guttridge – Kawasaki
“There is still work to do in this year’s championship and Romain and our team are pushing as hard as they can to get on the top step at every round and fighting for the title this season. We are super happy to have secured Romain to compete in MXGP and we hope that all Kawasaki fans worldwide will join us on this exciting journey. Now that we have announced this factory deal for the coming two years, we hope that Romain will be given the time, space and respect necessary now to focus on the job in hand.”
Josep Garcia extends KTM contract a further two-years
Josep Garcia has signed a two-year contract extension with Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, which will see the former Enduro World Champion remain with the team through to the end of the 2023 season, riding the proven KTM 350 EXC-F in the FIM Enduro World Championship and the ISDE.
Josep Garcia
“I’m super happy to extend my contract with KTM for another two years. We have been working together since 2017 and I think it’s the best team to be in, plus I also have a great relationship with my mechanics, Ivan and Daniele. Signing for two more years means the team and I are free to focus on the racing and aim to be at the very top. Continuing with the KTM 350 EXC-F in EnduroGP helps to keep things consistent too, so I can really work on my riding. After that, I’m hoping to experience a few new disciplines and expand my horizons as my career continues!”
Fabio Farioli – Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Team Manager
“We are very proud of everything we’ve achieved with Josep and we’re happy to be continuing our strong relationship with him for a further two years. Our main focus now is to compete for great results at the ISDE, and then turn our attention back to the FIM E2 and EnduroGP championship, which concludes in October. We’ll be giving our all as a team to fight for victory, and we’re looking forward to the future together.”
Hard Enduro next stop Poland’s HERO Challenge
The FIM Hard Enduro World Championship will soon gear up for the second half of the series, beginning with Poland’s HERO Challenge on September 11/12. Marking round six of this year’s championship chase, the extreme cross country race is set to welcome the world’s best Hard Enduro competitors, along with a host of passionate amateur warriors, as they do battle across two days in the Polish region of Dabrowa Górnicza.
Offering a real mix of challenges for competitors, racing begins with a qualifier on Saturday morning featuring motocross, enduro and superenduro elements, ensuring riders will work up a sweat. From there, the top 30 qualifiers line up in the nearby city centre for an evening SuperEnduro race. Under artificial lighting, an intense course is set to produce some exciting racing.
Returning to the Dabrowa Gornicza race circuit for Sunday, the business end of the weekend features a tough, physically demanding three-hour extreme cross country race. Laid out across a 15-kilometre loop, it will be an all-out action affair.
At the head of the standings Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler holds a narrow one-point lead over Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt. Sherco Factory Racing’s Wade Young and Mario Roman are also locked in a close battle for third. With three rounds remaining in this year’s title fight, there is a lot to gain at Poland’s HERO Challenge.
FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Standings
- Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM) – 54
- Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) – 53
- Wade Young (Sherco) – 40
- Mario Roman (Sherco) – 37
- Jonny Walker (Beta) – 34
- Taddy Blazusiak (GASGAS) – 26
- Alfredo Gomez (Husqvarna) – 24
- Michael Walkner (GASGAS) – 21
- Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) – 19
- Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) – 15
2021 AMA Speedway National Championship kicks off September
The AMA Speedway National Championship Series will take place with two of the three-round series being held in New York, followed by a final round in California in 2021.
Typically, the entire series has been held solely in California, where the sport has a large following and draws thousands of fans. By hosting rounds on both coasts this year, the goal is to further grow the popularity of the sport by reaching new fans and racers.
The series will determine which racer takes home an AMA National No. 1 plate and opens at Action Park East in Greene, New York on September 4. On September 5, the bar-to-bar action moves to Champion Speedway in Owego, New York.
The third and final round of the series will see racers travel to the West Coast on Sept. 25 to compete at Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn, Calif., where the AMA Speedway Championship No. 1 plate will be handed out.
Riders scheduled to highlight the New York field for the 2021 season include four-time Speedway Track Champion Len McBride; 2020 East Coast Points Champion Spencer Portararo; 2015 U.S. Open Champion Casey Donholt; and Veteran star Dave Oakden.
Riders from the California field include 10-time and current AMA U.S. National Champion Billy Janniro; Current FIM North American Final Champion Max Ruml; Former British League and USA World Team rider Gino Manzares; Former U.S. National Under 21 Champion and current U.S. Open Champion Austin Novratil; and the rising Northern California star, Blake Borello.
The 10-year British League Veteran David Meldrum from Florida will also be competing, as will Colorado’s Redmond Bohannon.
2021 AMA Speedway National Championship Calendar
| Round | Location | Date |
| Round 1 | Action Park East in Greene, N.Y. | September 4, 2021 |
| Round 2 | Champion Speedway in Owego, N.Y. | September 5, 2021 |
| Round 3 | Fast Fridays Motorcycle Speedway in Auburn, Calif. | September 25, 2021 |
Artem Laguta wins Togliatti FIM Speedway Grand Prix
Home hero Artem Laguta celebrated writing his name in history by winning the first-ever Togliatti FIM Speedway Grand Prix to turn up the heat in the World Championship race on Saturday. Laguta topped the podium at the Anatoly Stepanov Stadium ahead of series leader Bartosz Zmarzlik, Danish champion Anders Thomsen and Emil Sayfutdinov as the Motorcycling Federation of Russia staged its first SGP event and the biggest speedway meeting in its history.
The Bolshoy Kamen-born racer cruised to the top of the heat score chart with 14 race points, but was on the verge of exiting the meeting in semi-final one until a mistake from Fredrik Lindgren allowed Laguta to overhaul the Swedish star for the all-important second place to join Sayfutdinov in the final.
He then kept his cool when it mattered most to make a fine start and triumph ahead of Zmarzlik, reducing the Pole’s lead at the SGP World Championship summit to just one point with three rounds to race. Laguta now has 138 points, with Zmarzlik just ahead on 139.
With Zmarzlik and Laguta almost inseparable in the championship chase, the Bydgoszcz-based star is expecting a close battle at the next round in Vojens, Denmark on September 11 and then a tense finish as the hunt for the sport’s biggest prize concludes with the eWinner Torun SGP of Poland double-header on October 1 and 2.
Artem Laguta
“I knew this meeting could be something special. Of course I want to win every single round and every single race. But winning in my home country – the first-ever Grand Prix here – is something special. It will go down in history and hopefully everyone will remember that the first-ever Togliatti SGP was won by me. I am pretty sure that even after Vojens it will be pretty tight. We want to do the best we can and Bartosz does too, so it’s a tough game. I am pretty sure Torun will decide everything. At 7am, we have to go to the airport and we are flying back to Poland to be ready for the Polish play-offs. We have some more goals in front of us, so we will take it step by step. There will be time for celebrations later for sure. Thank you Russia, thank you to my team and my sponsors. I am very happy. See you in Vojens.”
Runner-up Zmarzlik was content with his sixth straight top-two finish in an SGP round as he maintained top spot.
Bartosz Zmarzlik
“I am feeling good because I made my plan before Togliatti and second place is nice. I made the podium and I am really happy. I am feeling good on the bike and that’s the best thing for me. It’s important that I am feeling good this season in meeting after meeting. Congratulations to Artem and Anders. Thank you very much for your support and see you at the next round.”
Third-placed Thomsen was elated with a night he will never forget in Togliatti and cannot wait to line up in the Danish SGP sponsored by Ecco at the legendary Vojens Speedway Center in two weeks.
Anders Thomsen
“I feel amazing – my first podium and also my first final. What a feeling to get on the podium in such a big event and the first event here. Thank you to everybody. Vojens is my home track in Denmark and I have been performing pretty well there. I have won the Danish title there two times in a row now. I feel I have some engines, bikes and equipment working well there, so I am focused for the next Grand Prix.”
2021 Togliatti FIM Speedway Grand Prix results
| Pos | Rider | Points |
| 1 | Artem Laguta | 20 |
| 2 | Bartosz Zmarzlik | 18 |
| 3 | Anders Thomsen | 16 |
| 4 | Emil Sayfutdinov | 14 |
| 5 | Fredrik Lindgren | 12 |
| 6 | Max Fricke | 11 |
| 7 | Leon Madsen | 10 |
| 8 | Tai Woffinden | 9 |
| 9 | Maciej Janowski | 8 |
| 10 | Jason Doyle | 7 |
| 11 | Aleksandr Loktaev | 6 |
| 12 | Matej Zagar | 5 |
| 13 | Vadim Tarasenko | 4 |
| 14 | Oliver Berntzon | 3 |
| 15 | Krzysztof Kasprzak | 2 |
| 16 | Robert Lambert | 1 |
| 17 | Renat Gafurov | 0 |
| 18 | Evgenii Saidullin | DNR |
FIM Speedway GP Standings
| Pos | Rider | Total |
| 1 | Bartosz Zmarzlik | 139 |
| 2 | Artem Laguta | 138 |
| 3 | Fredrik Lindgren | 108 |
| 4 | Emil Sayfutdinov | 105 |
| 5 | Maciej Janowski | 91 |
| 6 | Tai Woffinden | 82 |
| 7 | Leon Madsen | 72 |
| 8 | Max Fricke | 70 |
| 9 | Jason Doyle | 68 |
| 10 | Anders Thomsen | 60 |
| 11 | Robert Lambert | 48 |
| 12 | Martin Vaculik | 45 |
| 13 | Dominik Kubera | 44 |
| 14 | Matej Zagar | 36 |
| 15 | Oliver Berntzon | 18 |
| 16 | Krzysztof Kasprzak | 18 |
| 17 | Gleb Chugunov | 8 |
| 18 | Jan Kvech | 7 |
| 19 | Aleksandr Loktaev | 6 |
| 20 | Vadim Tarasenko | 4 |
| 21 | Pontus Aspgren | 1 |
Toni Bou increases TrialGP lead in France
Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou came away from France having extended his lead at the head of the world championship after a win in the French town of Cahors.
After the twin trials in Andorra, the single-day sixth event of the 2021 Trial World Championship took place today in Cahors, France. The course turned out to be somewhat artificial, with some sections even resembling indoor, rather than natural ones.
Even in such conditions, Repsol Honda Team rider Toni Bou claimed the top honours in an almost flawless manner, completing the two laps of the 12 French sections with only three penalty marks in the first lap, ten less than the nearest second placed rider and main rival, Adam Raga.
The second lap of the Montesa Cota 4RT rider was impeccable, without so much as a single mistake. With today’s results Bou remains top of the overall TrialGP World Championship standings, 11 points off Raga with three races still to go.
Toni Bou
“I’m very happy with how the weekend went. It was a trial to not make mistakes and that’s how it turned out. One of the most complicated sections was section one, where we had to take a different line to the other riders and it went very well. I’m happy with the choice because it worked for us and it also helped me to gain confidence. I want to thank the team who did a great job. We had problems in Andorra, this week too and everyone has worked very hard day and night to solve them, so today’s victory is a great prize for everyone. We are still in the lead, that’s important, but it’s even more important to get back the good feelings on the bike.”
Repsol Honda Team team-mate Takahisa Fujinami did not get off to the best of starts, struggling on the first lap, but on the second he was able to pull back, to eventually finish in fifth position with the same score as the fourth-placed rider, but only thirty seconds behind. With this result “Fujigas” remains fifth in the overall standings.
Next stop for the TrialGP World Championship will be in Pobladura de las Regueras, Spain, on 11th and 12th September with the double-date format.
2021 French TrialGP Cahors results
| Pos. | Rider | Nation | L1 | L2 | Points |
| 1 | BOU Toni | SPA | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | RAGA Adam | SPA | 11 | 2 | 13 |
| 3 | BUSTO Jaime | SPA | 12 | 2 | 14 |
| 4 | GELABERT Miquel | SPA | 11 | 17 | 28 |
| 5 | FUJINAMI Takahisa | JPN | 20 | 8 | 28 |
| 6 | GRATTAROLA Matteo | ITA | 14 | 17 | 31 |
| 7 | CASALES Jorge | SPA | 16 | 17 | 33 |
| 8 | MARCELLI Gabriel | SPA | 24 | 10 | 34 |
| 9 | BINCAZ Benoit | FRA | 25 | 12 | 37 |
| 10 | FAJARDO Jeroni | SPA | 21 | 22 | 43 |
2021 TrialGP Standings
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Points |
| 1 | BOU Toni | Repsol Honda Team | 112 |
| 2 | RAGA Adam | TRRS Factory Team | 101 |
| 3 | GRATTAROLA Matteo | Beta Factory Racing | 79 |
| 4 | BUSTO Jaime | Vertigo Factory Team | 75 |
| 5 | FUJINAMI Takahisa | Repsol Honda Team | 69 |
| 6 | GELABERT Miquel | Gas Gas | 66 |
| 7 | FAJARDO Jeroni | Sherco Factory Team | 55 |
| 8 | MARCELLI Gabriel | Montesa Factory | 53 |
| 9 | CASALES Jorge | Gas Gas Factory Team | 34 |
| 10 | BINCAZ Benoit | Beta Factory Racing | 20 |
| 11 | PEACE Dan | Sherco Factory Team | 20 |
| 12 | COLAIRO Téo | Beta | 5 |
Jack Dance wins Trial125 Championship in France
Finishing the 2021 FIM Trial125 World Championship exactly as he started it – winning – Jack Dance put the finishing touches to his highly impressive 125cc world championship campaign, claiming victory at the TrialGP of France. In doing so he secured the Trial125 World Championship title.
Jack Dance
“It’s an amazing feeling to be the Trial125 World Champion. It’s been a tough season, staying on top was hard, but my mum, dad, brother, and the whole GASGAS team have been there to support me so that has been a big help. Today I just concentrated on riding trial like I know how and didn’t think about becoming a world champion, because otherwise the pressure would have been too much. It was an amazing feeling coming out of section 12. I wanted to come and win today, not just to secure the championship but because it’s an awesome feeling for the team and my family.”
Arriving at the final round of the Trial125 championship at the head of the class standings, Jack put in a champion’s performance in France, completing the event’s opening lap with the loss of just one mark.
Remaining cool, calm, and collected throughout the all-important second lap, in dropping only four marks he ended the day with just five marks lost, 10 clear of his nearest challenger Guadi Vall. Jack’s win, added to his two other victories and two runner-up day results earlier in the series, saw him win the Trial125 title in style, 18 points ahead of runner-up Harry Hemingway.
Trial125 Standings – Top 3
| Pos | Rider | Man. | Total |
| 1 | Jack Dance | GASGAS | 94 |
| 2 | Harry Hemingway | Beta | 76 |
| 3 | Harry Turner | Scorpa | 72 |
Conondale Classic 2021 run and won
The Conondale Classic ran over the weekend, with Zak Brown taking the twin in the Pro Class, from James Deakin and Tomas Kruger.
Jacob Dank won the Period 20 125 class, with Riley Lee runner up and Jacob Day third. In the Period 20 250s it was Adam Martin winning all three races, ahead of Riley Lee and Justin Ryan. Riley Lee meanwhile won the Pre 20 263+ class, ahead of Christopher Bangay and Shane Briese-Marshall.
In the Pre 90 125/Pre 95 250 races, Jacob Dank was the winner with three wins, from Matthew Roeder and Tomas Kruger. James Deakin won all three Pre 90 250/Women races, ahead of Riley Lee and Brett Bellairs. James Deakin and Zak Brown battled for the Pre 90 263+/Pre 95 125 race wins, with Deakin coming out in front.
Harry Sorensen won the Evo/Pre 95 263+ class, while Justin Ryan and Riley Lee completed the podium. Peter Baguley topped the Pre 85/Pre 95 4 stroke overall, ahead of Tomas Kruger and Justin Ryan. In the 125 GP it was Jacob Dank on top.
Source: MCNews.com.au